What's the lightest you can get an E46 M3 to?

Late model E46 M3 manual.

Removed:

Sound deadening, rear speakers, composite boot/bonnet, unnecessary electronics, a/c, door panels.

Added:

LTW style door panels. Half-cage. Safety equipment (cutoffs primarily, no halon system).

Just curious if anyone could tell me what this would weigh in at. Just trying to make sure that the M3 is still too heavy before I go ahead and decide which Porsche to pick up next year.

Thanks.

I've heard(read) people have removed as much as 300lbs JUST from the wiring harnesses. Another 150 if you replace the seats with some bucket seats, strip the leather etc....I bet you can strip it down to 2800-2900lbs easy.

Originally Posted by K-DOG

I've heard(read) people have removed as much as 300lbs JUST from the wiring harnesses. Another 150 if you replace the seats with some bucket seats, strip the leather etc....I bet you can strip it down to 2800-2900lbs easy.

Yeah, you'd be surprised how much wiring weighs.

I was thining more like 3000 laden. I think a 993 could get to around 2700lbs and a 930 probably the same. I really love the engine in the M3 but the brakes, suspension and the weight have to go. Just tossing around ideas as I'm working on a budget for a track car project (purchase and build) 3rd/4th quarter next year to hopefully track in '06.

Not an M3 but a M coupe. He started with ~3000lbs and got it down to ~2500lbs. Then he had to add about 100lbs of safety equipment back into. Full wet race weight without driver is ~ 2700lbs. This is with all steel body panels but lexan front and rear glass.

I would imagine you can get an M3 down to about 2900lbs full we race weight but it would be hard to get it below that unless you get a racing shell from one of the race teams.

My neighbor plans on buying just that. He wasn't quite sure what the weight was going to be but he will race in SCCA next year with it.

Corner weight the car that should tell you where you are at. Other things to consider. Coil Overs and I mean real coil overs not the PSS9 or H&R street stuff will loose you about 35lbs. Lightweight flywheel with a carbon or aluminum driveshaft. Hollow axles. just in that you have droped another 100lbs. there are so many more things you can do but I dont know if you are rich or not.

Originally Posted by notE46

Not an M3 but a M coupe. He started with ~3000lbs and got it down to ~2500lbs. Then he had to add about 100lbs of safety equipment back into. Full wet race weight without driver is ~ 2700lbs. This is with all steel body panels but lexan front and rear glass.

I would imagine you can get an M3 down to about 2900lbs full we race weight but it would be hard to get it below that unless you get a racing shell from one of the race teams.

My neighbor plans on buying just that. He wasn't quite sure what the weight was going to be but he will race in SCCA next year with it.

Yeah, I actually have the M Coupe on the short list as well, in Estoril only though. I really, really like the M Coupe - not crazy about the front but love the overall car. I have yet to drive one though.

Short List:
930
993 C2S
E46 M3
M Coupe

Originally Posted by Mpower619

Corner weight the car that should tell you where you are at. Other things to consider. Coil Overs and I mean real coil overs not the PSS9 or H&R street stuff will loose you about 35lbs. Lightweight flywheel with a carbon or aluminum driveshaft. Hollow axles. just in that you have droped another 100lbs. there are so many more things you can do but I dont know if you are rich or not.

Yeah, I wouldn't throw PSS9 garbage on the car. I don't understand why people here by that stuff anyway for their street car. Drive train components would only be done on the 930, as the power it would make would require some reinforced stuff.

The M Coupe sounds like a better route to take - besides I already have one E46.

To be honest, I'm 95% positive I'm going with one of the two Porsches, simply because I like their community a lot more. The E46 community gives me a headache more times than not. Go look in the main forum - painted calipers, DDEs, light bulbs and BBKs for street cars.

When I need help/advice I want to know I have an informative group of people to rely on.

check out www.368s.com for more mcoupe/zcoupe info.

Honestly... M/Z coupe community is very tightly knit and 90% care more about performance more than looks.

There are several owners who use their car for dedicated track car or use it in SCCA Solo2 competition (and also as their daily driver). They are in the top 1/3 in Solo2. One guy Paul just sold his silver M coupe that he was using in BMW CCA club racing. There is of course the two crazy guys that won One Lap in their division this year in their Eurosports TwinScrew supercharged M Coupe

For a car where only 5-6000 were sold world wide, a very big percentage of the owners are online and race or track their cars on a regular basis.

http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums/z3-coupe/forum.php

check it out for yourself.
Oh btw. S52 M Coupe ~ $24K

Originally Posted by notE46

check out www.368s.com for more mcoupe/zcoupe info.

Honestly... M/Z coupe community is very tightly knit and 90% care more about performance more than looks.

There are several owners who use their car for dedicated track car or use it in SCCA Solo2 competition (and also as their daily driver). They are in the top 1/3 in Solo2. One guy Paul just sold his silver M coupe that he was using in BMW CCA club racing. There is of course the two crazy guys that won One Lap in their division this year in their Eurosports TwinScrew supercharged M Coupe

For a car where only 5-6000 were sold world wide, a very big percentage of the owners are online and race or track their cars on a regular basis.

http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums/z3-coupe/forum.php

check it out for yourself.
Oh btw. S52 M Coupe ~ $24K

Thanks a lot for the links...I'll check it out.

Although SOLO 2 is of zero interest to me. It's fun for a weekend when you have nothing to do but far from a track experience in my opinion.