Hello All,

This has been a relatively slow transformation from DD to HPDE/DD to full-on SE36 racer and am (finally) getting (somewhat) close. This past week has been a lot of fun, with my technician at work (I manage Butler Tire in Alpharetta, GA) and myself replacing and reinforcing just about everything south of the sheetmetal. First off, big thanks to David Harrison at Harrison Motorsports in Alpharetta and indirect thanks to Rob at UUC for sponsoring SE36 and of course to my technician Jeff who did 95% of the work...hey, at least I'm good at handing him tools and taking pics!

Disclaimer: I've seen a lot of builds in this forum and this is by no means the most professional as I am no doubt a "budget racer," so I've decided to show a lot of the "dirty work" in prepping a race car, so this thread is most likely below a lot of you guys who have been doing this for years and years. Please keep in mind that there are probably more than a few of us SE36 guys who will be building these cars on their own time on the weekends, so I intended to illustrate how a build just might look for one considering jumping into one of the more "grassroots" series of amateur racing, if you will. Also, I don't claim for any of my methods to be the perfect way to do it either, as this is the first full-blown race car my technician and myself have taken on. With that said, any and all criticism and/or recommendations are wanted and expected from the veteran racers in this forum, as I have taken a lot from you guys and simply hope to give a little back to the community with the illustration of my build. I hope you enjoy.

Additionally, I plan on posting more pics of my progress, but the next step is getting the car to The Racer's Market so they can finish the interior and get me a proper cage installed.

First off, how she looked before the transformation, look at those 19s!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/19in%20Beyern%20Five/th_95e36eeb.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/19in%20Beyern%20Five/95e36eeb.jpg)

Selling most of the blingy parts allowed me to purchase the spec coilovers and the part of the HPDE transformation began, removing the back seat including all sound deadening (I did most of that) and installing a pair of Corbeau FX1 Pros and a Kirk bolt-in 6-point:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/325is%20OE%20E46%20Wheels/th_IMG_4563.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/325is%20OE%20E46%20Wheels/IMG_4563.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/325is%20OE%20E46%20Wheels/th_IMG_4561.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/325is%20OE%20E46%20Wheels/IMG_4561.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/325is%20OE%20E46%20Wheels/th_IMG_4560.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/325is%20OE%20E46%20Wheels/IMG_4560.jpg)

Then the most recent stages began, removing the rest of the interior and sound deadening.

Which brings me to the beginning of last week:

Exhaust and x-brace removed:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00425.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00425.jpg)

Waiting for surgery:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00526.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00526.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00525.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00525.jpg)

Prepping rear for subframe reinforcements:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00430.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00430.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00428.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00428.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00426.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00426.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00424.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00424.jpg)

Subframe during and after installation of new UUC mounts:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00427.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00427.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00431.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00431.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00440.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00440.jpg)

Pressing of old bearings and installation of new:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00446.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00446.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00445.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00445.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00444.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00444.jpg)

This is the only part of the build I'm unhappy with, as I had to hire a mobile welder for the front and rear subframe reinforcements, boxing of camber arms and front and rear swaybar reinforcements. All came out well with the exception of the welds on the rear subframe, seen here:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00520.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00520.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00518.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00518.jpg)

Unfortunately he was the only mobile welder I could get to work on a Saturday, so I guess you do in fact get what you pay for. However, the other welding he did came out well, methinks:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00537.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00537.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00528.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00528.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00538.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00538.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00524.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00524.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00523.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00523.jpg)

Had to remove the big E46 330i brakes and install OE discs with Ferodo DS3000 pads, replete with stud conversion kit:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00453.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00453.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00549.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00549.jpg)

UUC engine mounts installed, along with front subframe after welds were painted over:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00539.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00539.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00535.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00535.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00534.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00534.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00533.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00533.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00531.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00531.jpg)

Rear swaybar reinforcements painted and rear subframe ready for the hardware:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00543.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00543.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00545.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00545.jpg)

Rear suspension getting put back together:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00546.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00546.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00547.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00547.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00548.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00548.jpg)

Finally, how she sits now:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00553.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00553.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00552.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00552.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00551.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00551.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/th_DSC00550.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Green%20Bean%20Build/DSC00550.jpg)

Tomorrow I'm going to set the ride height and perform a proper alignment and she'll be ready for NASA HPDE3 in March at RA. Then it's a couple more DE's this year before I intend on getting my license in December at Roebling. I would have liked to do it sooner, but conflicting schedules with both NASA and BMWCCA relegated me to HPDE's for the remainder of the year, which I suppose more seat time can't hurt, right?

Very nice detail and build.

Looking good. Is that guy seriously grinding shit without any goggles on? :O

Cool Geordie - welcome!! Sorry you won't be racing with us in 2008 but we're looking forward to welcoming you into the fold in 2009. There's also a Spec E36 email list / Yahoo group located at http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/SpecE36/ if you want to join. You can also send me an email with your email address and I can just add you to the group.

Looking forward to meeting you soon.

-Mike

Great work done, but definitely should have replaced the LCAs...at the least (major component).

Very nice detail and build.

Thanks! Like I said, I've learned a lot from lurking this forum.

Looking good. Is that guy seriously grinding shit without any goggles on? :O

:help I try to tell him that he needs to wear them at all times!

Cool Geordie - welcome!! Sorry you won't be racing with us in 2008 but we're looking forward to welcoming you into the fold in 2009. There's also a Spec E36 email list / Yahoo group located at http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/SpecE36/ if you want to join. You can also send me an email with your email address and I can just add you to the group.

Looking forward to meeting you soon.

-Mike

Mike, I'm already a member of that group and have actually started a few threads there! :laugh

But thanks for the invite anyway!

Great work done, but definitely should have replaced the LCAs...at the least (major component).

Really? I never thought of that. Had previously replaced the LCA bushings and pressed new bearings in this past week. Why the need for all-new arms? I figured replacing the wear items would be sufficient. Please keep in mind too that this is, again, somewhat of a budget build and while I'm building the car to last some time I wouldn't have thought the LCA's were part of that list.

Unfortunately he was the only mobile welder I could get to work on a Saturday, so I guess you do in fact get what you pay for. However, the other welding he did came out well, methinks:


Yeah his welds look a bit cold, they're kind of narrow and don't have a whole lot of penetration but what can you do, you were in a pinch on a Saturday. Hopefully everything will hold up though.

Cool build, keep it up. One thing I'd recommend is to change to high density foam padding in the important places (ie where your body could potentially hit the cage in an accident). Leg, head.

Cheers,
Carlos.

Really? I never thought of that. Had previously replaced the LCA bushings and pressed new bearings in this past week. Why the need for all-new arms? I figured replacing the wear items would be sufficient. Please keep in mind too that this is, again, somewhat of a budget build and while I'm building the car to last some time I wouldn't have thought the LCA's were part of that list.

They're a very important item. The ball joints are known to fail. Best case scenario if they fail you just have to replace the arm and maybe fix the bent sheetmetal from the wheel wobbling around. Worst case you go into a wall or the car digs into the dirt and you roll. Recommendation is to replace them every two years if the car is heavily tracked.

Carlos.

this may be your first build, but at least you got the rear bearings replaced the first time and didn't have to do it three times to get it right, like I did!!

good work

They're a very important item. The ball joints are known to fail. Best case scenario if they fail you just have to replace the arm and maybe fix the bent sheetmetal from the wheel wobbling around. Worst case you go into a wall or the car digs into the dirt and you roll. Recommendation is to replace them every two years if the car is heavily tracked.

Carlos.

Oh, you meant fronts. My apologies, I thought you meant rear trailing arms. Yes, I did replace those back in October (two DE's ago) and definitely plan on replacing them every couple of years as you mentioned, especially after I saw that one video of the guy lose his at Laguna last year, narrowly avoiding the wall. Yikes!

Sick!

Thanks for posting all of these great pics and info. This place is wonderful!

Nice build Geordie. Hope to catch up with you later this year. Maybe O'Fest at the Glen?

Was the donor car an E36 M3 or just M3 badges I saw on the first pic?

Great pics. Thanks for posting the. I really like the black K1s.

Was the donor car an E36 M3 or just M3 badges I saw on the first pic?

325is with M front bumper and moldings. No M3 badges on this ride!

Nice build Geordie. Hope to catch up with you later this year. Maybe O'Fest at the Glen?

Thanks! I'd love to but I'm not gonna make it there this year as all of my vacation weekends are already spoken for.

Great progress Geordie. Glad to see its coming along well.

325is with M front bumper and moldings. No M3 badges on this ride!


I think he was referring to the ///M badges on the side moldings.

I too really like the black K1's. What did you paint them with?

Thanks a bunch for posting this! This is probably the next step I'll be undertaking in my own SE36 build, and it's good to have a visual reference. Great looking car.:buttrock

Great progress Geordie. Glad to see its coming along well.

Thanks! I just wish I could get my interior as clean as yours! You still enjoying SE36? No jump to JP expected, is there?

I too really like the black K1's. What did you paint them with?


I actually just had them painted matte black by my body shop. Not as durable as powder coating, but it'll do for now.

Thanks Geordie. Your interior can look great, it just takes some patience and detail work. Btw, my dash was tan too, I just spray painted it black with vinyl spray. Much happier with the results.

I am definitely sticking with SE36 for '08. I'll see how I feel as the year progresses. The lack of power and constantly being passed still drives me batty. I would love this car though...http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=908108

Looking good Geordie! Wish I could be at RAtl again this March. I finally got a sig pic up... Recognize the M3?

very nice to see these progress pictures, so when hopefully and eventually get to higher level of racing ill be able to look at your pictures and get a good idea of hot to turn my 325i like yours

Thanks Geordie. Your interior can look great, it just takes some patience and detail work. Btw, my dash was tan too, I just spray painted it black with vinyl spray. Much happier with the results.

I am definitely sticking with SE36 for '08. I'll see how I feel as the year progresses. The lack of power and constantly being passed still drives me batty. I would love this car though...http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=908108

Yeah, I saw that car. Almost seems like a steal at that price.

Looking good Geordie! Wish I could be at RAtl again this March. I finally got a sig pic up... Recognize the M3?

Haha, very familiar. Who bought the car?

UPDATE:

Just got back from the decal guy and my wife came up with this for the design:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Geordie-BMWCar.jpg?t=1203375548

So I'll get them the car next week hopefully when the decals will be fitted. Then she'll really start to at least "look" like a race car.

Ill get my car over to you in a few weeks Geordie, some of my goodies are supposed to be into Harrison on friday. Ill finally have a seat again!

Just got the car back from the decal shop getting the vinyl put on, just in time for the CCA Butler Tire auto-x this weekend. It's going back next week to have them move the Butler Tire logo a little further back and at an angle, something they obviously neglected to do, to make way for the BMWCCA placard that I'll hopefully be getting later this year:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Race%20Car%20Stickers/DSC00722.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Race%20Car%20Stickers/DSC00724.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Race%20Car%20Stickers/DSC00725.jpg

Look familiar to anyone? :D

Nice!

I was excited when I got my vinyl done too!

We made sure to leave room for the number placard!

Finally got the car on the track for the first time this year at Road Atlanta with BMWCCA, running the Friday orientation day and HPDE July 4th long weekend. This was my first experience with open passing (albeit with a point) and had an absolute blast, even though I was easily one of the lowest-powered cars out there. I'll give the spec H&R suspension package some credit; my car was one of the better-handling cars on the track all weekend. I constantly found myself waiting for the point from a number of cars that I had no business passing.

I did come away from the track with one negative point to add, however: the transmission started grinding upshifting into 4th and downshifting into third, so I've got a new tranny on the way. Oh well, it's only money, right? :D So, that's where I'm at now, as my tech and myself plan on replacing the tranny and clutch before the September school where I'll get a little more seat time, then the plan is to get the car to The Racer's Market in time to have them find another 150 lbs. or so to remove and get a proper cage installed before CR school at Roebling in December.

A buddy managed to get some nice pics from Friday's orientation day, thought you guys might like to see her in an almost-finished state. Just waiting on front decals and that ever-elusive number placard! Enjoy!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/CCA%20School/Jul%2008/IMG_7921.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/CCA%20School/Jul%2008/07-05-08.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/CCA%20School/Jul%2008/07-05-082.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/CCA%20School/Jul%2008/IMG_7890.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/CCA%20School/Jul%2008/07-05-083.jpg

Looks great Geordie!! So you're the one that 'stole' Kelly's tranny out from under him... ha ha ha ha

What's your racing schedule look like this year? Are you going to do Tremblant or the Glen? How about Barber?

Looks great Geordie!! So you're the one that 'stole' Kelly's tranny out from under him... ha ha ha ha

What's your racing schedule look like this year? Are you going to do Tremblant or the Glen? How about Barber?

Yep, that was me! :stickoutt

Only planning on racing Roebling as the car won't be 100% finished until then. Might get in a couple more DE's this year for more seat time.

Welcome to Spec E36 Geordie - I'm looking forward to racing with you!

Why not consider doing at least the racing school at Watkins Glen as part of Ofest this year? You don't need a completed car, just a safe one. That would open up Barber and Roebling to race if you want...

Welcome to Spec E36 Geordie - I'm looking forward to racing with you!

Why not consider doing at least the racing school at Watkins Glen as part of Ofest this year? You don't need a completed car, just a safe one. That would open up Barber and Roebling to race if you want...

Thanks! It's been a long-time coming, as problems with my other cars (daily drivers) put the build in the backburner for a bit, but now we're ready to get this thing going.

I would love to participate in O'fest but my work schedule won't allow for another long weekend as I work retail, managing a wheel/tire shop. Plus, Roebling is a LOT closer for me, so borrowing a friend's trailer would be a lot easier for the shorter trip. I'm hoping 2009 brings better luck with regards to everything automotive, so I can afford to get in as many races as possible.

Can't blame me for tryin'!!!! :)