Track Car build

[Johnnyscene]

i'm currently planning to build a 4dr 325i for track
what class would you guys recomend
building the car for

thanks!

[Neel]

e36 spec, its a new race class that ive heard of. Im not sure exactly what it entails or what kind of racing it is. SCCA, SCDA, club racing ... i really have no idea at all but i know it is a new class.

[E30stain]

If you dont want to get crashed into ect. then go for sprint races n tarmacs... bimmers seem to be good at those.

[philsans5]

Your car fits into a couple of classes.
SCCA ITS (restricted)/ ITR (unrestricted intake)
SCCA D prepared (new class, basically ex world challenge cars)
NASA GTS
BMW J stock or prepared, Spec E36, or D Modified.
How much do you want to spend? What mods have you already done? Looking to win right away?

[deep throat]

Originally Posted by philsans5

Your car fits into a couple of classes.
SCCA ITS (restricted)/ ITR (unrestricted intake)
SCCA D prepared (new class, basically ex world challenge cars)
NASA GTS
BMW J stock or prepared, Spec E36, or D Modified.
How much do you want to spend? What mods have you already done? Looking to win right away?

I'm so sorry, I'm not hijacking this thread. Just saw a great opportunity for us to learn something here.

Could you please elaborate on these classes? And what's the difference between a restricted and unrestricted intake? I'm so keen to learn about these classes and technical specs of each one, like what's found on some and not on the others.

Thanks a lot man..

[philsans5]

SCCA:
Restricted is a SIR (single inlet restrictor) that goes before the throttle body. Basically, BMW was crushing ITS with sunbelt built engines (2.5) so scca made a 220 hp @ the wheels cap. ITR is a new class for more powerful cars, or cars that had a restrictor in ITS. Build wise, stripped interiors, 2880 lbs w/ driver, stripped wiring harness, semi coil over suspension. www.scca.org has the full rules, it's about 30 pages worth.

I don't know the world challenge rules, but not to far off from ITS. Those are on the scca website too.

BMW J stock and prepared, and MOD:
Stock, springs, shocks and sways are free as long as they fit stock. body panels all stock, stock airbox, stock, stock, stock. ECU chips are free.

J prepared: Coil overs, big brake kits, cams, some minor wiring is allowed to be removed. Wings and spoilers. Big money to build full prep, $30kish.

D modified: Come play with me! Everything and anything goes, based on displacement. Not allowed to have an alternate material roof (unless you go super mod, or have an E46 ) Most cars in mod make mine look unintimidating. $50k is a mediocre mod car nowadays...

And Spec E36 is a new class, trying to copy the SCCA spec miata/ NASA spec E30 series'. They've blown it already. Stupid class in my opinion. I'm involved in a few builds, looking like they will cost $18k, be slow and expensive to run at the front. I've already heard build prices in the $30k range.

Nasa is horsepower to weight from dyno runs. I'm gonna go find some links...

[philsans5]

BMWCCA club racing:
http://www.bmwccaclubracing.com/stat...2-1_061029.pdf

SCCA:
http://www.scca.org/Club/Index.asp?IdS=03734B-F134C00&x=030|057&~=

NASA:
http://www.nasaproracing.com/proracing/index.html

Lots to read! If you've got specific questions, I'll try to answer. It's hard to type as much info as this topic has.

[deep throat]

I can't thank you enough

And I can't think of cars that make yours unintimidating!! Also, why do you think the E36 Class is a failure already?

[AlpinweissM3]

I would go for J-Stock, otherwise sell it and buy a Spec E30 already built and ready to race for like $8000.

[philsans5]

Originally Posted by AlpinweissM3

I would go for J-Stock, otherwise sell it and buy a Spec E30 already built and ready to race for like $8000.

That's why I think the class sucks. Spec means cheap. $18k for someone like me to build one is sick, I could clone my car for less and lap it all day long. Already has too many rules controversies and could have easily strenthed a dying J stock class (home of the E30 M3) instead they put another nail in the coffin. There is a lot of political crap going on right now in club racing, and this class seems to contribute a lot of headaches. If anyone is interested in this class, I try to talk them into waiting a year or two. Cars will be for sale and (hopefully) the rules will be fully sorted.

[AlpinweissM3]

philsans5, I have talked to a couple club racers, like you said, who are paying over 25k for their build. I just don't understand it, for that kind of money I would rather just build an IP M3 than a spec E36 325. Thats why I think Spec E30 or Spec Miata are much better options for the OP.

[philsans5]

the spec e36 topic makes me sick.
IP is a great class, plenty of built cars ready to rock, but engine failures on S52's are big$$$. Pros and cons to everything, a good driver can beat most of these guys with a decent 10 grand car.