72 Restomod clubracer build

[bdigel]

For over a decade I have been club racing a 79 e12 (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...54-powered-e12) and decided I wanted to try something different,

I aquired a claped out,rust bucket shell of a 72 cs. this car had no glass, no floors, no drivetrain, no interior, no hood, etc, etc, perfect for what I wanted !

there was just too much gone to make it back into a nice street car, but its perfect to turn into a restomod club racer , I will using more mordern parts where ever I can. for starters I am installing an s38b36 out of a e34 M5

 

[bdigel]

test fit and starting to find location of engine and transmisson

here you can see what shape the car was in and how much sheetmetal work needs to be done

 

[bdigel]

new motor mounts being made

 

[bdigel]

before and after shots

 

[bdigel]

new firewall, and trans tunnel before being welded in

 

[Stan]

Vin number?

Did the VIN appear on the steering column or door jamb so that this car can be registered?

 

[bdigel]

one reason I didn't care that the floors were rusted out was that gave me an opertunity to raise the passenger floor so I can raise the exhaust up into the car, potentially allowing me to lower the car more than the period correct cars., one problem I had on the e12 was I kept ripping the exhaust off the car .

 

[bdigel]

Im ready for my horror shot

 

[bdigel]

another place we are using more modern parts is the entire rear suspension. we are using an e28 rear subframe, along with its diff and trailing arm's
pictured below is the modified subframe for camber and toe adj

 

[bdigel]

I don't remember where the vin # was , but I have the plate, and the # is 2250673

 

[bdigel]

new subframe bushing being made, we are raising the frame up in the car to help correct the geometry after lowering the car

finished bushing along side with sperical trailing arm bushings that are being made, there will be no rubber in this car

 

[bdigel]

Bushing pressed into the subframe

and test fitted in the car

 

[bdigel]

refurbished trailing arms , powder coated, and new bearings installed

 

[Gazz]

What a great way to keep an E9 alive, albeit as a reinCARnation.

Congratulations.

 

[Brian D]

Very cool build, I love cars that have a lot going on under the skin. Kudos for starting out with a car that won't outrage the restorers!

I'm interested in the rear subframe bushings, is there any chance that another set could be made? I have an E28 rear subframe on my Bavaria that the previous owner fitted, and I'm not fully satisfied with the poly bushings fit to the car. I had solid rear mounts in the rear of my E30, and I'm not sure I want solids again, but I have to ask.

I'll be watching this one for sure! Is there a better link for your E12 build, I couldn't get the one in the first post to work.

--EDIT-- Here we go, I hate Bf,c.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/foru...run-of-the-mill-3-seris-build-S54-powered-e12

 

[Peter Coomaraswamy]

Bedigel, Thank you for the clear shots and please continue to post these performance upgrades. Although I'm guessing that most of us will never run our cars to the limits of yours I found the camber/toe-in adjustment shots to be very valuable since I will be doing this mod to my e9 in the next couple of weeks. The pieces from IE are due to me on Monday and the reason for my mod is not so much racing but for stability at speed when cornering in an effort to match the suspension upgrades made to the front end and hopefully as well to correct the alignment of the rear wheels as my read-out showed too much camber and toe-in.

I'm sure we would all be interested in your specifications for rear adjustment and any recommendations you might make for "street use".

Simply awesome! Thanks

 

[Gazz]

Peter, I am also installing the IE rear camber plates and in a message from Jeff Ireland he stated that the toe plates are not needed for a non tracked street car.
However, my concern is if I don't get the vertical axis slot cut correctly a camber adjustment may affect toe when the bolt moves away from the vertical axis, so I should install the toe plates also.

Unfortunately my car was acquired disassembled so I couldn't measure the camber. I'm largely guessing what the vertical axis is on the rear axle carrier trailing arm mount points.

Can anybody help here?

 

[bdigel]

I can help you with the rear suspension setup , having adj toe in the rear can help a st car if the alignment is out of spec . for instance if something is kinda bent or just toed out , you can get it back in to spec and save your tires!

Guy any parts you see us making I can have made for you guys ,shoot me a PM and Ill get you prices

thanks Guys

BD

 

[Gazz]

Thanks mate. I will order the toe plates, then I will have peace of mind that there is adjustment potential should I need it. Much much easier at the disassembled stage than when the car is rolling.

Gary

 

[afeustel]

Not meaning to hijack but along the same lines...does anybody see a reason why the E9 rear camber/toe kits would not work in the E3? I think they have identical subframes and geometry but do not have a coupe to compare.