Stock e-9 handling

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I am looking to find a E-9 for fun and light auto-crossing. I've had a 88 M-6 and it was a little heavy and bigger than I would like.

How do the E-9s do as a weekend X car? . We also have a Sunbeam Tiger that we race for fun but thought it would be interesting to have a classic BMW.

Thanks Much for your input on this!
 
Personally (and not based on actual racing experience) I would recommend the 2002 over the CS in the same vintage. Cheaper to buy and run, lots of performance upgrades available and stiffer structurally. For $5 - 6k in a 2002 you'll get a solid runner without much rust - for the same price in the CS is probably where you will learn to cut, patch, weld...

Opinion only of course.
 
I agree with decoupe. Even though my coupe is set up for the track for high performance "drivers schools" in those short, tight twisties the 02 with some mods would be the more desirable car.

Steve
 
Thanks for your input on this as I'm not that familiar with the E-9, I just really like the lines of the car and it would be a week end "driver"

Charlie
 
Want a neat touring car that is sporty and room in the back for small adults or kids with beautiful lines...get the e9. Want to track and feel like racing...get a Porsche 911 83 or
87-89. Can't decide what to do...get both. One problem I am finding with the e9 is that its a** doesn't like to grip the road around the corners. The 2002 does a better job and even the 911 with its heavy rear engine driven properly corners much better. I think I now know why everyone buys 8" rear Alpinas.

abe
 
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I think I now know what (why) everyone buys 8" rear Alpinas.
Click to expand...
Or BBS, even on my e24 the staggered set-up is a great improvement...Hopefully member 'Shanon' (e9 track experience) will comment this thread...?

Cheers!

Ran
 
......you rang?!!

Never auto-X'd personally but my brother and I have road raced or HPDE'd an E9 at most of the tracks in CA.

Some points we've learned:

1) take the weight out
2) COIL OVERS! HD street suspension doesn't cut it on the track, speaking from experience
3) track tires...there is a difference
4) LSD
5) take more weight out
6) good, strong reliable motor and good tranny
7) BMW stock brakes are great, just upgrade pads and use steel braided lines
8 ) just have fun and participate, your not going to win
9) once you go door to door into a turn at speed, life is never the same, the track is 'crack'

As Mr McQueen said: "Time between races is just waiting"...or something like that..LOL

do a HPDE first, you'll learn alot about the car and yourself.

hope to see ya out there! need more coupes on track
-shanon
 
More handling questions

I hate to hijack this thread, but I have a handling question that is a little off topic. I have two coupes: one is a '73, 3.5L, FI, and 5spd; the other is a '74, 3.0L, carb'd, and automatic. They both have the exact same suspension upgrades (sway bars, bilsteins, and Carl Nelson's springs) and they both roll on 16in staggered Alpinas. They do have different tires: '73 has BF Goodyear; '74 has Bridgestones (both sets relatively new). The handling of the '73; however, is much better than the '74 in that it is much more tossable at speed; I point in the direction I want it to go and and there is no fuss in getting there. The '74's handling feels slow and requires more input at any speed. Is the difference in handling because of a weight difference between the auto and manual, is pwr steering different between the two years, or is the difference related to something else?

I plan on putting a 5spd in place of the auto eventually, but would like livelier handling to go along with it; otherwise, the '74 will drive like an old, manual 5 ton truck.

thanks,

Walt
 
Hhmm..

Could be attributed to overall condition of the cars and its parts and previous history/life/use/abuse/mileage et al. before your stewardship. Weight is a possiblily too. get them both weighed just for kicks and report back please.

Your 73 may have had ALL is bushings freshened where as your 74 could be very tired. Inspect/replace all rubber bushings underneath, steering linkage/tie rods etc...

I'd wager if you freshened every bushing/steering item on the 74 it would tighten up.
Also have the Alignment checked...

When I did my suspension/steering overhaul, I replaced everything! When I finished I took it down the freeway and was amazed at my handiwork. It drove so perfect at 80mph I said to hell with an alignment, don't need it, its bitchen!.....well my front tires got half the mileage they were supposed to and unfortunately they don't make the Yoko Avid ST 14/60/225s anymore....ARGH! those were great street tires.

Now with new street rubber and proper alignment, steering is more relaxed, not quite as on rails as before. Took a few miles to get used to (whooa!!) and I can always tweak it when I take it the track to quicken it up at the cost of some tread wear, but that's what track tires are for....

HTH
-shanon
 
Thanks Shannon. I will check the 74's steering components. When I bought the car, I had La Jolla Ind. install the upgraded suspension, so I'm pretty sure that they would have let me know if there were any components that needed to be replaced. I will also check the weights of the two vehicles.

Now that I'm think about it, I had another '74 auto a while back that handled much the same way as my current one and also owned a 4spd that had better handling. Anybody else have similar experience?

-Walt
 
Handling Differences

Perhaps the 73 has fixed negative camber plates and the 74 doesn't? Easy to check by looking at the strut mounts in the engine compartment and if the 73 is more inboard the 74 then that might be a factor. You probably know this already but in case...

Doug
 
mid-73 ->on there were front suspension changes, front carrier geometry, strut housing bases, control arms, etc etc
 
Bill Riblett said:
Bigger front sway bar, too.
Click to expand...

and no rear sway bar either

as the production contionued the newer cars became progressively dodgier ... eventually morphing into those awful E12/E24 sleds
 
Stock,it ain't gonna be much fun, mod the suspension,tweak the engine and the loose nut behind the wheel and you will have fun.Shannon &the nor cal boys know how to have fun in their coupes. My coupe held the road real well ,went like heck and gave great feedback and was an easy car to drive fast. Whens the next Monte?
 
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