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dale
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Joined: 22 Aug 1999 Posts: 3087 Location: Seattle, WA USA
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 11:21 pm Post subject: '86 325i Pro3 Race Car |
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I first purchased this '86 325e, that had been converted to 'i' motor and trans, and 4.10LSD diff in July 2001 from Patrick in Orlando Florida.
He had converted the suspension to Ground Control coil overs with DA Advance Design struts/shocks. Had a great cage installed, rebuilt the motor, and overall a very mechanically sound car.
With the original red paint, the cosmetics left something to be desired.
In late 2001, a novice renting my car, backed it into an earthen bank at the racetrack, pushing in the trunk and right rear quarter.
At another race, I recieved a 'love tap' that damaged the right door and that same right rear quarter:
In Jan/Feb 2004, my friends and I put a ton of work into the bodywork of my car, and installed a fuel cell.
This p-shop of a white E30 M3 was created by Billo, and was our guideline for the new paint and graphics:
This is Roadstergal cutting out the floor of the trunk to make room for the fuel cell:
This pic shows my friend Wes stretching the car back to it's original shape:
After bodywork and paint were complete, I got the car back to start reassembling it:
After reassembly, pretty isn't it? This was March 2004, race season started in April:
Check out this page for tons more pics of the rebuild process:
http://www.unofficialbmw.com/racing/paint/
At the first race in April 2004, I crashed the car, oops! This page has some pics of that rebuild, wasn't too much work, new door, new fender, patched the hood, some paint:
More pics of this repair:
http://www.unofficialbmw.com/racing/crunch/
In May 2004, the car was looking good, running great, as this pic shows:
In Oct 2004, I rolled the car at Pacific Raceways:
Time for more bodywork!
This is in May 2005 after most of the bodywork, before paint:
In May 2005, before the car was completely repaired, I crashed it again. All this bodywork is getting old!
By July 2005, the car was perfect again and now sported '89 small bumpers, and blackened trim:
Some pics of the July 2005 painting and rebuild:
http://www.unofficialbmw.com/racing/july-2005-paint/
Unfortunately, I crashed it at Spokane in late July 2005. It's mostly back together now in April 2006. I'm leaving a few of the dents in this time, mostly as a reminder to not crash it again!!!
I need to get some updated pictures of the car up on the site, those will be coming soon.
Dale _________________ http://www.unofficialbmw.com
UnofficialBMW.com Webmaster
dale@unofficialbmw.com
sold in 2016
87 325 5spd eta |
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tampa e30
Joined: 14 Aug 2005 Posts: 159 Location: Tampa, FL
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Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 1:44 am Post subject: |
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Dale, nice car...I am jealous. I wish I could afford to go racing these days but it is just too much time/money.
Sorry to see your car is spending more time in the shop than on the track. Just curious, how did you roll your car? The stock E30 has a low center of gravity and yours has obviously been lowered quite a bit.
About ten years ago when I was younger and dumber, I lost control of my E30 on I-75 here in Florida. I was going 85+ MPH and preformed 3 360's across 3 lanes went down and up a 20 foot ditch before coming to a stop. I did not roll. Luck?? maybe, but that incident leads me to believe you had to have been really pushing your car to roll it. |
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mutandis
Joined: 04 Oct 2002 Posts: 361 Location: Cockeysville, MD.
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Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 8:35 am Post subject: How'd you get started |
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Hey Dale - how'd you get to where you are now with this? What's your resume look like?
I'm guessing you started out at a few drivers schools, maybe joined the SCCA? I've never really looked into it, but how do you climb the ranks to be where you are?
-Dave
'90 325i |
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idanity
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Joined: 21 May 2005 Posts: 3097 Location: N.W.U.S.A.
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Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 9:29 am Post subject: |
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when you add bondo, do you remove some ballast weight? ![Razz](images/smiles/icon_razz.gif) _________________
........ .. |
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robert1700
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Joined: 04 Jul 2004 Posts: 1398 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 2:41 pm Post subject: |
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I have a coolent line on that car. _________________ 1987 325i Convertible
51,000+ miles
Sold to a friend car is now destroyed, such a same. |
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wazzu70
Joined: 26 Jul 2005 Posts: 838 Location: Issaquah, WA
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Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 2:39 pm Post subject: |
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Dale I have some more pictures from Spokane and PR from the times I was there and we had some "incidents". Ill burn a CD with them and give them to you once I get my computer back.
Dale definately keeps the pits interesting, but its more fun that way. Hopefully we can have a race this season that we dont have to use the hydraulic ram on the car . Looking forward to a good season and hopefully we can recruit Max to help as well. _________________ -Nick
1984 BMW 325e
1991 BMW 325i
1976 Honda CB400F Super Sport
"The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten" |
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steveracer2006
Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Posts: 31 Location: Seattle, WA
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Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 1:43 am Post subject: Racin' |
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That is a great summary, Dale! Luckily body parts are fairly inexpensive.
Any car can roll, it usually takes a change in road surface, i.e. asphalt to grass. Deep gravel traps were usually bad in that regard, the tires dig in and over you go.
A great way to get started in all of this is to do as many track days as you can with your local club. After a few years of that, you're ready to go racing. Then you'll realize how good a bargain track days are, as track time is pretty limited in a racing weekend. It's even more limited when your car isn't built, or you're doing bodywork!
Steve Schaeffer
Seattle, WA
Pro-3 in late 2006 |
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johnmustang
Joined: 12 Oct 2010 Posts: 1
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Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 7:41 pm Post subject: |
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I am glad to hear your updates dude! Your E30 looks better and it's fantastic! I just need to cross my fingers that I could hear the latest progress of your car and hope to see you on the next season race! |
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aamymoore
Joined: 30 Mar 2011 Posts: 1
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Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 3:19 am Post subject: you love your car |
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Read complete rebuild story, most important thing, you love your car. Your care lead you to try tons of experiments and all. Yup, it's your car that gives company while long driving, when you feel sad & out of this world. You haven't tried something out of this planet earth but whatever maintenance you did, you did it with dedicated energy. Yup; am compiling car maintenance component list from story. |
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