Best Gearing and Cams to use on a boosted 2.9?

[LLuke@bmwe30.net]

Most of you know by now I plan on building a kickass turbo M50 in my car. Handling is the first priority so I will be using a 2.8 aluminum block from a Z3. I can stroke the 2.8 to 2.9 or 3.1 with a 3.0 M3 crank or 3.2 M3 crank. However, a 3.2 crank in a 2.8 block makes a high compression bottom end. I want to add boost, so I will go 2.9.

My question is what type of cams and gearing should I go with for maximum performance?

I will be using an E36 M3 tranny so keep that in mind when you consider the gears.

Also, Mike Hugh of Active Autowerks advised me to go 9.0:1 on my 2.9. Do you guys agree? I'm not looking to run an insane ammount of boost, but I would like to run something slightly higher then the norm.

What do you guys think a 3,000 lb E30 (driver included) with a 2.9 turbo M50 engine will run in the 1/4?

[BLOWN3]

Depends how much power you make
12's is the most probable.

The workshop that turbo'd my car did a Turbo E30 325 and that does mid-12's for quartermile with a little under 400bhp. It's just a street car so it doesn't use any special tyres nor does it have a short diff ratio.

I guess if you use sticky tyres, good gearing, you could nip at 11's... That would be awesome!

[blownm3]

Unless you put either the euro rear end or at least a usa spec rear M3 carrier all your gonna rip is the stock diff out of the car with slicks and that much power.

[LLuke@bmwe30.net]

I know. That's why I also plan on re-enforcing the rear subframe and chassis. The E30 rear end probably won't last long but I'll worry about that when I blow it. I'll have an E36 rear end waiting.

[BLOWN3]

Would the M3 rear end have problems fitting the E30? I know the 3.0L M3 has a different setup to the 3.2L M3.