View Full Version : topmount pt67 build thread :)


dmb882
04-18-2008, 01:39 AM
So figured it was about time to let you guys see how my project is coming along. For those you that didn’t know my 98 323is w/ built 2.8l gt30r was totaled in October. It was my daily driver and I was actually trying to sell the car as I was just getting burnt out of constantly working on it and having to depend on it from day to day.

Bought a 01 4.4i X5 to be my dedicated daily driver . Now it made deciding to build another car a lot simpler as I was in no rush and had time to do things right. Since I was already so far into it with a fresh rebuilt motor I couldn’t take a loss on it yet as I hadn’t reaped all the joys! I parted the car out from things I didn’t need and started looking for a car to use. Found a 94 325i for $500 from a local shop as they had aquired it on a mechanic lean. Car had been sitting in the back lot for several years and everything on it had to go. All the interior was tan w/ the tan/black dash, motor had a blown headgasket, slushbox, non m rear subframe and so on. OBDI ftw.

So while parting my car I decided I wanted to def. go top mount as I had had all the fun I wanted to under my car messing with the turbo. On and off several times, oil feed line split due to being on the manifold in a spot I couldn’t see, exhaust leak, oil drain leak, low charge pipe, and so on. Been there, done that, no more. Also pulled the head and through on a stock headgasket as I had MLS issues and while it was out time to replace it.
Decided to give Mike R. a call @ Maximum PSI and go ahead and order some main components. Mike set me up with a ceramic coated Jon Volk / 666fabrications T4 topmount, pt67 ball bearing turbo, tial 44mm wastegate, vband flange, tranny crossmember, driveshaft loop, and diff brace. I guess I ordered all that stuff in February and finally received it this week. I wasn’t in a rush and knew it would take awhile to get the manifold made as Jon is only making them on the side now. Top notch work BTW. Worth every penny.

Alright well next was all the little stuff. Went to my buddy Jordan’s shop in Cary, NC MPowered Automotive with a list. Basically all new everything. Powerflex bushings throughout, tie rods ends, power steering lines, slotted fronts, drilled rears, stainless brake lines, gasket set for the motor, thick ass pwr radiator, euro expansion tank, and more I’m sure.

I’ve been keeping a budget and will post a final one when I’m done. After looking at it I’m close to all I want to put in it right now and still needed another 2k in parts. With more power this time and previous axel issues I wanted m3 rear axels, rtas, 3.15lsd instead of the previous 3.38, front spindles, seats, carpet, clutch line, door panels, headliner, dash,…

Thought I had a rolling chassis m3 bought and on the day I was picking it up the guy backed out. Some shit eh? At 1500 I would have been able to get what I needed and sell off other stuff to at least pay for the car. Guys username is rcem3 and I hate people that don’t hold to their word.

The search was on for something else to part out to generate some more funds from and found a wrecked 4door m4 in Colorado. Cody, 97mpower, was a pleasure to work with and refused local offers to deal with all the payment/shipping concerns! Great guy. Car is on a truck now being shipped to me. This will allow me to get everything I need finally. Bunch of goodies to that will be for sale shortly.

For tuning I’m going to have Mike / Techno550 do work as I ditched the tec3. It worked but I want this car to be more enjoyable and street friendly. ECU tune ftw!
I want to break 500rwhp on pump gas. No adders. Cars going to be a street/strip car and it will do what it will do. I want this car to be on the road for a while before I have to wrench on it. I’ve been doing that nonstop for the last few years! I did go T4 manifold incase my feelings get hurt too bad, but there is always someone faster out there.

Car is going to be alpine white between paint and using parts off the m3. Fenders will be flared to fit the 275’s on 10in rear wheels. Repaint engine bay gloss black. Valve cover is powedercoated gloss white. Wanted to do something different and it should look good as the engine bay will be black and the white cover will tie into the white exterior. The first pic is the car I’m using with the doors off. Really at a standstill until I get this m3 in. Should be on the ground going to a dyno in 3-4weeks hopefully as I’ll be out of school and have more time to get everything done. The only weaklinks in the setup now will be the driveshaft, axels, and diff and in the near future plan to replace those parts as needed. Have to draw a line at some point and slap my hand from all the spending!
Well that’s my story up to date. Sorry for the long post but some of you guys enjoy knowing all the details!

In summary
-1994/2008 alpine 325i
-2.8l, 85mm bore, eagle rods, cp 8.5:1, stock headgasket, arp 10mm studs, ferrea stock size valves, metric mechanics valvespring kit...
-2000 degree ceramic coated jon volk t4 topmount
-polished and ceramic coated t4 .63a/r vband outlet pt67 dual ball bearing turbo
-tial 44mm vband wastegate routed
-goal of 500+rwhp @~20psi on pump 93

Will keep you guys posted of updates since we are caught up to date!




Oh and Cameron, don't sell your damn car! Just wanted to throw that in there incase your double digit paged thread wasn't enough convincing!

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/329/dsc0050us5.jpg
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http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/4683/dsc0039ls8.jpg
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/5245/dsc0059uh6.jpg
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http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/3869/dsc0042pu6.jpg
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http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/587/dsc0046gr2.jpg
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http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/7509/dsc0058hz9.jpg

mazur
04-18-2008, 02:20 AM
Pretty cool, and pretty interesting wastegate placement. Going to re-route or dump?

clevertd
04-18-2008, 03:14 AM
Yowza, would love to see this in person.

s52e368
04-18-2008, 08:43 AM
sweet.

where in nc are you ?

5mall5nail5
04-18-2008, 09:16 AM
Nice - i thought of putting my wastegate near there, but the oil drain becomes difficult to keep from touching the piping at least in my car. Cool

BlackHawkRacing
04-18-2008, 09:34 AM
Sick setup :buttrock, what are the specs on the engine? Grap some better pics in the day time of that mainifold. Also write it up in word first then post, lol.

e36328is
04-18-2008, 09:45 AM
Looks like you got the mani in Dan. When's it gonna be done? We'll have to get together when i get back from Iraq

jszy25
04-18-2008, 11:12 AM
Nice man...good luck with the build.

DTM Derek
04-18-2008, 11:41 AM
nice, but whats the deal with the prince looking valve cover?

dmb882
04-18-2008, 11:54 AM
updated

I was looking at the oil drain last night.. I think I figured out how the line will be routed.

rundatrack
04-18-2008, 11:58 AM
NC Stand Up!!!!:D

rundatrack
04-18-2008, 12:03 PM
nice, but whats the deal with the prince looking valve cover?


Its Sexzzzzeeeeyyy


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/rundatrack/prince-1.gif



:D

dmb882
04-18-2008, 12:25 PM
sweet.

where in nc are you ?

I'm from Rocky Mount but go to NCSU so i'm in Raleigh for the most part. Cars being built at home.

fritzintn
04-18-2008, 01:23 PM
How are you planning to fit a 3.5" HFM on the turbo intake for a TRM tune?

mike radowski
04-18-2008, 01:54 PM
Glad to see everything arrived in one piece. I'd hate to get the call "FedEx lost the package with the header, turbo, etc!!!!".

Nj85'325
04-18-2008, 02:01 PM
Those are some quality parts there! def going to be a monster!

dmb882
04-18-2008, 05:18 PM
How are you planning to fit a 3.5" HFM on the turbo intake for a TRM tune?

going to have to get everything on the car and either do a custom intake or take the car to ATL and have Mike do a blow through tune...

jfdmas
04-19-2008, 12:19 AM
looks realy good.:tup: I also thought i would have some room for oil drain but was very wrong.lol hopefully you dont have the same clearance issues i had. But then again it was my first manifold ive ever built and im sure if i was as experienced as volk mine woulda been perfect as well. good luck

dmb882
04-22-2008, 07:00 PM
Good news.. the m3 will be here in the morning! I wasn't planning on seeing it until next week so this opens up another weekend for wrenching!

David_L
04-22-2008, 07:05 PM
Looking god man. Following along on this one.

dejablu311
04-22-2008, 07:07 PM
looks great man. I'm not gonna say we are really local but let us know if there is any way we can help.

328iJunkie
04-22-2008, 07:44 PM
Damn i might have to come check out your car. Or maybe ill see it in ATL soon

dmb882
04-26-2008, 12:10 AM
well go ahead and push the finish date back some as I've decided to fix up this M3 I bought. It came in last week and is just too clean/nice to part. Had to replace the starter, fuel filter (car scrapped during shipping and had a crack in the fuel filter and was a time bomb upon arrival!), radiator, install the grill and bumper from the 325 since they were just laying around. Going to get the front end stuff painted next week. This car will be my daily driver and the X5 will be sold. Once that deal is finalized I'll just buy the parts I need. I'll post some pics tomorrow.

sp00lin2g
04-27-2008, 08:33 PM
badass do you have any pics of your 98 323 setup, i have been looking into booting my 98 323, interested to see what ures was like

525fourthew1n
04-27-2008, 10:02 PM
I'm from Rocky Mount but go to NCSU so i'm in Raleigh for the most part. Cars being built at home.

:buttrock

Nice, so do you drive the X5 around as your DD? Either way, hope to see the car sometime when it's drivable. Meet up with me n CleverTD at some point.

Hope the build goes well, it's looking siiiick so far.

dmb882
04-27-2008, 10:14 PM
spoolin - you can search my threads as there are various threads on my car at different points

525 - yes the X5 is my current dd. Once I get this m3 back from the body shop I'll be selling the x5 and rollingl in the alpine 97 m3.

playloudd308
06-16-2008, 01:10 AM
oops wrong thread.. great build