THSCC Forums

Like I said earlier - maybe with an M3 motor, or a motor from some other BMW. Along with whatever else you're allowed to do in ITE that doesn't fly in ITS. Chet's old car was just an example of an E36 that I'd consider still mild enough to be reliable. How far one would have to go modifying it further to knock another 6 seconds off its absolute best ever lap time is anyone's guess.

It seems like it'd be a hell of a lot easier to just buy something that can do the lap times you're after in nearly-stock trim. There are all manner of cars that could do it, but as far as non-exotic stuff that wouldn't cost a boatload to keep going...

- Viper GTS
- 911 GT3
- Various Corvettes
- Maybe a Lotus of some sort?

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Karl S.
2014 Baby, 2014 House, 2013 Ford Focus ST, 2013 BMW 328i, 1994 Mercedes E320
(Insert passive aggressive signature line here)

I bet Les would give you a good deal on his C4. I don't know how difficult it is to get one of those into that range.

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In need of car.

With C5 Z06's able to be had in the low $20's, I'm not sure I'd bother with a C4 and having to upgrade it. I'm guessing with the C5 you probably need to do some minor brake upgrades, probably some cooling upgrades, and add the cage. Well, and some aero just because.

But then you're a "Vette guy."

FWIW, Farnbacher will build you a Cayman capable of 2:10 on VIR Full for $80k. Just found that out. That's a new 2010 model. Dunno if they'll do it with a used car, but if so that would save, oh, $30k maybe. If so, it's STILL far more expensive than the Z06 and a lot slower. And a lot more expensive when it hits something. But damn it would be sexy.

Karl, I think the disconnect is you seem to be implying that an M motor wouldn't be very reliable, and I just assumed that wouldn't be a big deal. Bad assumption on my part?


--Donnie

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I'm a "vette fan", not a "vette guy". I wasn't actually smart enough to just buy one when I had a chance.

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In need of car.

Kevin Harvey just bought an '03 C5 Z06. He expects to be able to get 2:13 's at VIR Full before he updates the car any.

I bet you could get a C5 Z06 to do sub 2:10's for half the cost of a Farnbacher Cayman.

You need to talk to Mike Skeen. He's been racing 'vettes this year.

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“I feel safer on a racetrack than I do on Houston's freeways.” - A.J. Foyt

Kevin Butler
Mobetta Autosport Spec E30 #612
2003 C5 Z06 Corvette
AFR Miata, SM2 61, '93 w/200 SC'd RWHP - soon to be resurrected
Waaaay too many other projects....

Fixed that for you. If you want to go play with Ernesto Roco and co, have fun with that.

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Has no responsibility whatsoever.

THis car can do it as is:

http://www.ffcobra.com/forums/showthread.php?t=232232

but consistant Sub 2:10's is a serious feat. Especially for 13 hrs.

Heck, even David's monster Ultima GT-R has barely done those times.

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Marty Howard
2011 NASA SE Factory Five Challenge Champion
Track Events Logistics Coordinator - TZC/THSCC
2007 Factory Five Challenge Car.
http://www.mh-motorsports.com

At least we didn't see any deer this year. The past two, there's been a group of them sitting around start/finish during the last hour or so.

But there were wild turkeys hanging around near Hogpen.

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Has no responsibility whatsoever.

Brian Marks is interested in selling his E36 track car -- Euro M3 3.2 liter motor, Bimmerworld cage, fire system, etc, etc. Clay has done 2:09 in it while helping Brian dial-in spring rates. The car still has a dash, working A/C, radio, etc, so it isn't fully stripped down but close.

I don't have any experience with race cars, but I drove it on South last year for a couple of days, and it was an incredible handling car. Amazing. Probably like any well setup E36, but that was new and a blast to me. It does about 275whp. The data system was nice too although I just used it to keep track of lap times and for the shift lights. My first time in the car I was running 1:20.xx on South while Brian was in the 1:19 range. I'm not out to make the fastest lap -- just having fun (i.e. a bit of a South Bend wuss).

I imagine finishing it into a race only car will pull a good bit more weight out of it, etc.

Chuck

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Current stable:
2019 BMW M2 Competition slicktop 6MT
2011 BMW M3 sedan slicktop 6MT
2007 BMW 328i wagon (slushbox for now)
1975 CanAm 125MX2

I'd sell my C4 for a whole lot less than "low 20s" A good crate motor and a little lightening and it could certainly be as fast as a C5Z, and still a few thousand less, but I agree it would easier just to start with a C5.

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'07, '08, '11 Autocross VP
'06, '10 Mike Dishman Cup
'21 MX5, '13 Corvette GS, '92 Corvette 383 c.i. 413whp/390wtq, '03 Expedition

I'm not interested in a topless car, so that rules that one out. And FWIW, that could be the ugliest Cobra I've ever seen. And I *love* those things.



Dunno who David is, but either he can't drive or his Ultima is on street tires.


--Donnie

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Is it listed for sale anywhere? Link?


--Donnie

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My Blog

No, I just was talking to him yesterday (he has an 8month old now), and I think he's ready to sell it. I'll PM his e-mail address to you.

Chuck

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Current stable:
2019 BMW M2 Competition slicktop 6MT
2011 BMW M3 sedan slicktop 6MT
2007 BMW 328i wagon (slushbox for now)
1975 CanAm 125MX2

No, that's not what I'm trying to say. What I'm trying (unsuccessfully ) to say is that some sort of M motor swap may well prove reliable, and fast enough. What I am saying is that it's not the route I would take. The stuff you're describing - engine swaps, aggressive lightweighting, that sort of thing - sounds like a lot of work. Expensive work. It might be super fast and super reliable, I'm not expert enough on BMWs to say. Given your frustrations with trying to get the RSX to work, I'm suggesting looking at stuff that you won't have to re-engineer in order to make it do what you want.

For what it's worth, here are the lap records at VIR as of May of this year. A T1 Corvette has a 2:01.246.

http://www.ncrscca.com/Pdf/TrackRecords ... y_2009.pdf

T1 is pretty mild stuff as race car builds go. Less exotica often means less stuff to go wrong. If I were in your position, I'd get on the phone with Phoenix (or whoever is building the top T1 cars these days) and get one of those.

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Karl S.
2014 Baby, 2014 House, 2013 Ford Focus ST, 2013 BMW 328i, 1994 Mercedes E320
(Insert passive aggressive signature line here)

E36. my 2.8 it is rumored will put down 240RWHP with some head work and header / exhaust tweaks. I'm at 209 rwhp currently.

my guess is Brian's motor has at least another 25 RWHP in it somewhere.

the suspension systems out there for this car work very well and are relatively affordable. the TC Kline double adjustable setup rocks right out of the box. and it is 1/3 the price of a Moton system.

a well driven e36 is a momentum car with 300+ RWHP. try holding a Corvette to the floor thru a turn.


and BTW, what's wrong with being a Vette Guy anyway?

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BenchWarmer Motorsports

another one of those damn LeMons heads

just another Chump

we are an Autocross Club Dammit............