Cheap fun - Lateral-g Forums

DBasher · #1 11-18-2018, 02:25 PM

I know a couple of y’all appreciate German engineering and most here enjoy blue collar engineering so I thought I’d share my latest. It’s an 89 E30 with a motor trans swap from an E36/E46. The M50 has S50 cams, chip and tune with some head work, the 6spd with the 3.73 lsd makes this car a ton of of fun to wheel. I’ll mainly be working on my seat time with this car, the po is an instructor and BMW enthusiast who happens to be a friend so it all works out well. Best bang for the buck I’ve ever owned.

**Flash68** · #2 11-18-2018, 02:33 PM

Awesome! And it's not a Miata!

Zoom zoom.

DBasher · #3 11-18-2018, 03:05 PM

Or Subie or Focus....just sayin.

rustomatic · #4 11-18-2018, 06:39 PM

Sweet! Anyone who really pushes a BMW without experience driving one is usually quite surprised at how well a basic car handles--they are not at all underrated in the design department. Dig the straight-6, too. It's got such a nice, leisurely way of putting the torque to work. Parts are cheap, too.

Focused engineering gives my piggy 530i something at or near 50/50 weight distribution, which goes a long way toward making it not feel as chunky as it is . . .

Enjoy!

**WSSix** · #5 11-18-2018, 07:39 PM

I've only driven my E39 540i for a couple days since it arrived and could tell right away that it's a fun car to drive. Basically, it's everything that I wanted in another car. I know the E30 gets lots of love with the various swaps. You really don't need a lot of power to get them going quickly.

Enjoy the drive, Basher.

BMR Sales · #6 11-19-2018, 08:58 AM

I've raced a BMW for a few years in Chump (now ChampCar) - lots of fun!

DBasher · #7 11-19-2018, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustomatic

Sweet! Anyone who really pushes a BMW without experience driving one is usually quite surprised at how well a basic car handles--they are not at all underrated in the design department. Dig the straight-6, too. It's got such a nice, leisurely way of putting the torque to work. Parts are cheap, too.

Enjoy!

It’s so basic. Besides the motor and transmission...and e36 brakes, he’s installed Vorshlag CC plates, Ireland Engineering swaybars, Bilsteins with H&R springs, e36 M3 lower control arms and a few other things I have no clue about. I do know with around 200rwhp and I’m assuming about 24-2500lbs weight, it’s a hoot!

I took both my boys (one at a time, no back seat) for a spirited ride yesterday. The 11yo and I got to mess with a Porsche Caymen on some backroads and I’m pretty sure the other driver was a bit frustrated seeing this beater in his rearview. Now I know Caymans aren’t GT3’s but it’s still a Porsche owner and he was still trying to pull away, which wasn’t working. Dad of the year in my boys mind, just the opposite with his mom.

**Flash68** · #8 11-19-2018, 11:41 AM

Making memories already!

That will be a lot of fun on track.

DBasher · #9 11-19-2018, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMR Sales

I've raced a BMW for a few years in Chump (now ChampCar) - lots of fun!

The po mentioned Champcar and the LuckyDog series, I thought he had said they run on a 200tw tire, is that correct? It seems with a bit more safety gear I’m able to slide right into these series. Eventually.

**glassman** · #10 11-28-2018, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBasher

It’s so basic. Besides the motor and transmission...and e36 brakes, he’s installed Vorshlag CC plates, Ireland Engineering swaybars, Bilsteins with H&R springs, e36 M3 lower control arms and a few other things I have no clue about. I do know with around 200rwhp and I’m assuming about 24-2500lbs weight, it’s a hoot!

I took both my boys (one at a time, no back seat) for a spirited ride yesterday. The 11yo and I got to mess with a Porsche Caymen on some backroads and I’m pretty sure the other driver was a bit frustrated seeing this beater in his rearview. Now I know Caymans aren’t GT3’s but it’s still a Porsche owner and he was still trying to pull away, which wasn’t working. Dad of the year in my boys mind, just the opposite with his mom.

The first time i was ever on the track was with Greg and Charlie in '14 at one of their Shelby nor-cal events (what a class group). I had an instructor named Bill. A bada$$ behind the wheel, took me out in his Cayman S, went wheel to wheel with a Corvette C6R, man he knew how to drive that thing. Even spun off track at 90 and got to watch him correct it. It was awesome fun. But yeh, momentum car at the least.

Great find by the way. Love those cars. BTW, the windshield in that was the easiest and fastest shield i've ever replaced, like 7 minutes included washing it down. I beleive your model was glued in, slows down the installation but still super easy nonetheless. Probably useless info, but hey, what are forums for lol