2015/2016/ 2017 BUILD part 3 final stages....................................................... This is my first car build and I plan on racing in the SpecE46 class in 2016. Until then I will be doing HPDE with NASA and a BMW CCA competition school this year. I have decided to gut the interior and install cage and seats. Lets get started.
Have decided to wait until Nov. 2015 to put in the roll cage. As I will still be driving the car to NASA HPDE events. I have started to remove the interior, including the sunroof and will be replacing the electric seats with manual seats to give me more headroom. I had started posting what I was doing on FaceBook but have decided to post build updates here (it is more work) and leave FaceBook for when I need a quick answer. Just want to say thanks to everyone for the suggestions and support.
I'm doing the same thing here on the east coast***8230;. Like you, I plan to use the car for HPDE this year with the goal of being ready for SE46 by next year. If it were just the car I was prepping, the timetable would be a lot shorter. It's the driver prep that will take some time for me.
Mine is an 03 sedan***8230; I've done front and rear control arms. FCABs and RTABs, put in a temporary coil over set up to replace the original 140K worn out suspension, and I'm currently refreshing connecting rod bushings, installing a 4 bolt oil pump and baffled pan.
My plan is to attend 8 NASA Great Lakes/MidWest HPDE events and a BMWCCA competition school. I have already done a cooling system refresh and a complete brake job with stainless steel lines, solid guide bushings, caliper rebuild, Hawk pads, new rotors and ATE brake fluid. Biggest issue I was having was hitting my helmet on the sunroof.
I'm on a similar path with the HPDE and BMWCCA Comp school plan.
Pull that sunroof out as soon as you can. Removing the sunroof was one of the 1st things I did... that thing puts a ton of weight right were you least want it.
Been working on the interior when time permits. With the dash off I installed new AKG Motorsports delrin clutch and brake pedal bushings.
short videos showing before and after new bushings.
Install took about 1hr. Remove bolt holding switch bracket to clutch bracket (nut is welded to bracket) remove clip from brake pedal connection to hydraulics, remove plastic pin connecting clutch pedal to hydraulics. Disconnect both springs. Then remove 3 nuts holding the entire pedal assembly and lower the entire assembly. Then with it on the bench it is simple to remove the clips and replace the bushings. I noticed that other manufactures bushings sometimes also require a shim, the AKG bushings don't and fit perfect! http://www.akgmotorsport.com/catalog/catalog.php?category=e46 Suspension/Bushings
I did the AKG Clutch bushings also.... it wasn't too bad. The hardest part was getting the stupid little spring clip that holds the bushings in place to snap back in. I think I fooled around with that for about 30 mins before I breaking out the needle nose pliers and re-bending the metal to make it fit better. Start to finish it was a little over an hour to complete the clutch pedal. I haven't done the brake pedal yet
Spec46 IM me on facebook with phone# I can explain how I did it very easy in 30min. ragtop sunroof is out. A friend is going to help me make a model and make a fiberglass filler panel.
mostly just doing NASA events, did 4 events last year, starting out this year in HPDE2 and plan on driving 8 events. Was thinking either BMWCCA school or Mid Ohio which is NASA's school for the Mid-West/Great Lakes.
I have been gutting the interior and decided to remove the motors that open and close the rear windows. This left the windows hanging open so I needed to find a way to secure them. I posted a question on FaceBook SpecE46 page asking others what they had done. James Clay was nice enough to post some pics of what Bimmerworld had done which got me thinking. I used some flat 1"w aluminum stock, plastic knob and elevator bolt all from my local Ace Hardware store. The cool thing about the elevator bolt is the head size was similar to the BMW part and is flat. I bent the bracket in a vice and extended down to an existing bolt hole. A large rubber washer between the elevator bolt on the outside and the large fender washer on the inside. The plastic know allows me to open the window without tools if needed. I will need to give the head a coat of paint when it warms up.
Lots of discussion on FB about outside mirrors. Evan Levine posted some pics on the Spec E46 FB page of some mirrors he got on Ebay. I liked they way they looked and the price. Not too bad in quality and because I ordered the manual version I would not have to deal with the mirror controller on the door panels I was going to have to fabricate.
I know! Three post in one day. Trying to get caught up on posting progress. Flight canceled due to snow so I have some down time. Because I'm doing my build in stages I elected to keep the windows in the car as I will be driving it to HPDE events with NASA GreatLakes/Mid-West region. The rules state if you remove door cards and keep windows it must be covered with at least .06 aluminum panel. I got a 4'x8' sheet from NGlantz for $80! Im also making a cover for the rear shelf and seat area. I also didn't like the looks and functionality of using the latch from the door card and just bolting it to the door like I have seen others do. What I really liked was the latches in Porsche GT3 cup cars. Using some scrape aluminum .9 and old bicycle parts I fabricated my own latch. I was able to cut the end of the door cable and shorten the housing without removing it from the door. If anyone is interested can provide more details but it was pretty easy. I plan on covering the panel with carbon fiber vinyl and changing the latch pull strap to red when I get a chance to make it to the fabric store.
I know! Three post in one day. Trying to get caught up on posting progress. Flight canceled due to snow so I have some down time. Because I'm doing my build in stages I elected to keep the windows in the car as I will be driving it to HPDE events with NASA GreatLakes/Mid-West region. The rules state if you remove door cards and keep windows it must be covered with at least .06 aluminum panel. I got a 4'x8' sheet from NGlantz for $80! Im also making a cover for the rear shelf and seat area. I also didn't like the looks and functionality of using the latch from the door card and just bolting it to the door like I have seen others do. What I really liked was the latches in Porsche GT3 cup cars. Using some scrape aluminum .9 and old bicycle parts I fabricated my own latch. I was able to cut the end of the door cable and shorten the housing without removing it from the door. If anyone is interested can provide more details but it was pretty easy. I plan on covering the panel with carbon fiber vinyl and changing the latch pull strap to red when I get a chance to make it to the fabric store.
Stopped by last week and meet with Eric at EFab. Thanks Chad Clay for telling me about EFAb. After meeting with Eric have decide to have him build my cage instead of Mark McMahan Autosport. Mark is also 6hrs away and Eric is 30min. I have also decided to make some changes to my build plan after talking with Eric. Looking forward to working with EFab on my build.
youre probably already past this point but in case you arent or someone else might find this interesting....a lot of people use heat guns to clean off the sound deadening. I found if you use dry ice and place it on the area that your working on for a few mins you can just hit it with a mallet and it will break apart. makes getting it off a lot easier and doesnt leave a residue.
I had purchased a 4'X8'X .06 aluminum sheet from NGlantz a sign supply company to make covers for the doors. I had some material leftover and didn't like the way the back seat deck area looked after gutting the interior so I decide to make a cover for it. I wasn't too concerned about the extra weight of the panel, maybe all of 10lbs. I used the plastic trim that I had removed to create the curved part of the cover next to the rear window. I then started with poster board to create a template and transferred it to cardboard. I had originally thought I would make the cover in two parts but decided that a one piece design would look and fit better. I transferred the outline to the aluminum and used a fine tooth jigsaw to cut it out. The one thing I needed help with was the bend. I went to a company that makes ductwork and had them bend it to my measured 63°. I cleaned up the edges with a file and then sandpaper. I had left the rear headrest post and slipped 3/4" rubber chair leg tips so the aluminum could rest on it. After test fitting and fine tunning the shape I then used some small diameter vacuum tubing that I had slit and slipped it over the curved back area next to the rear window and anywhere it would come in contact with wires. After a couple more test fittings I then covered it with some carbonfiber vinyl. Using the two grounding bolts on both sides as the only mounting points used. It fits nice and snug.
Nothing to do with the build but got to meet one of my favorite drivers Tanner Foust. He even took the time to offer some drving suggestions to a newbie like me.
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