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'86 325i Pro3 Race Car

 
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dale



Joined: 22 Aug 1999
Posts: 3087
Location: Seattle, WA USA

PostPosted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 11:21 pm    Post subject: '86 325i Pro3 Race Car Reply with quote

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
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sold in 2016
87 325 5spd eta
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tampa e30



Joined: 14 Aug 2005
Posts: 159
Location: Tampa, FL

PostPosted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 1:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.

PostPosted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 8:35 am    Post subject: How'd you get started Reply with quote

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



Joined: 21 May 2005
Posts: 3097
Location: N.W.U.S.A.

PostPosted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 9:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

when you add bondo, do you remove some ballast weight? Razz
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robert1700



Joined: 04 Jul 2004
Posts: 1398
Location: Seattle

PostPosted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 2:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a coolent line on that car.
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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

PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 2:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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 Very Happy . Looking forward to a good season and hopefully we can recruit Max to help as well.
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-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

PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 1:43 am    Post subject: Racin' Reply with quote

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

PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 7:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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

PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 3:19 am    Post subject: you love your car Reply with quote

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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