Figured I'd least do a thread on here on my daily driver, a 2002 BMW 3 series in touring flavour with the M54B30 engine as standard.
From what i've dug up , this is one of about 180 Sport manual tourings left on the road, making it quite a rare beast.
Having owned it since December 2014, at which time I picked it up from a dealer in Nottingham for just under £5k and on a insanely low milege of 54,900 miles I've since done over 70k since including several trips to the continent including Stuttgart, Spa, Nordschleife, and Le Mans. It's managed a 9:42 BTG time with video footage, gets at least a 2-3 track days a year, last one being at Brands Hatch Indy and been been driven by a youtuber known as Jimmy Broadbent whom commented the car is well balanced and a decent car.
I've also re-engineered the vehicle extensively in the 8 years I've had it and it's evolved into something that on first look doesn't stand out, but if you looked closer, the details hint that something is definately different about the car. It certainly gets a few looks on track days as it's the last thing you expect to be turning some reasonably quick laps and will give Porsche Boxsters and Mk1 elises a good run for their money
I did attend the Mallory Park meeting but never made it into the show due to someone not knowing the model came out in 1997 as it's a grey area... Ah well , next time perhaps?
Specification is below
Engine
M54B30 3.0 Straight six
Fully balanced incl flywheel and balancer
Achilles Oil pump upgrade
ARP Rod bolts
ARP Head studs
ARP Main Cap studs
VAC Motorsport Bearings
Alpina B3 Harmonic balancer
Baffled Sump
K&N 57i intake with gold heat tape for additional heat protection on shield
CSF high performance radiator
JustDeutsch V1T Camshafts
Modified E46 M3 System, 200 Cell CATs and Eisenmann Rear silencer.
Remapped on Rolling road
261bhp @ 6214rpm
333Nm @ 3391rpm
Transmission
E36 M3 Evo 6 speed gearbox
ECS single mass flywheel conversion inc E34 M5 Sachs clutch
E46 M3 Gearbox shift linkage
E46 M3 gearbox support
E46 M3 propshaft + custom spacer
Gripper plate type LSD – 60/35 ramps with 8 plate clutch pack. (1.5 way)
DSSR selector rod
Turner Motorsport short throw shifter + Rally shifter extension
HEL Clutch line + Delay valve delete.
Wheels & tyres
BBS CHR Staggered setup
Front - 8 x 18in
Rear – 9 x 18in
Tyres are Michelin PS4 all round(F/R)
Suspension
KW V3 coilovers
H&R roll bars (M3 specification)
Meyle heavy duty front arms
Stock front top mounts + Turner Motorsport camber plates.
Powerflex bushes
Front lolipops
RTA bushes
Subframe and diff bushes
Rear damper mounts
Powerflex rear camber arms
BMW Ball joint swap in lower rear bushes in RTAs ala' M3 specification
Brakes
Front - Porsche 986 (Boxter 3.2) 4 pot conversion
Front - BMW M3 CSL 2 piece discs (345mm)
Rear – Stock callipers and discs
Pads all round – Ferrodo DS2500 pads
HEL Stainless lines all round
ATE TYP200 fluid.
ECS Brass slider upgrade for rear calipers
Interior
Royal Steering wheels retrim in alcantara leather, M colours stitching + blue
center line
Royal steering wheels – Gearshift gator and handbrake with M colours stitching.
Original Leather interior with driver's seat swap to Sparco Evo seat
Sony CD / MP3 / USB / DAB radio – as original CD changer failed.
Red needle and bezels on clocks upgraded to Alpina versions.
Exterior
Mystyle front Clubsport front lip spoilers in Carbon fibre
Mstyle rear valance in carbon fibre
Full respray in original metallic Orient Blue.
Front wings repaired and rustproofed
Rear arches cleaned and rustproofed.
Misc
Rear subframe re-enforcement kit from Radish Motorsport installed
Rear end completely cleaned and rustproofed.
Stereo replaced for Sony blue tooth and USB unit.
Some pictures below:
Feel free to ask me questions and advice, given my day job is working with HV batteries, I have worked for companies like Aston Martin, Dunlop Motorsport, Caterham Cars and currently with Cummins.
From what i've dug up , this is one of about 180 Sport manual tourings left on the road, making it quite a rare beast.
Having owned it since December 2014, at which time I picked it up from a dealer in Nottingham for just under £5k and on a insanely low milege of 54,900 miles I've since done over 70k since including several trips to the continent including Stuttgart, Spa, Nordschleife, and Le Mans. It's managed a 9:42 BTG time with video footage, gets at least a 2-3 track days a year, last one being at Brands Hatch Indy and been been driven by a youtuber known as Jimmy Broadbent whom commented the car is well balanced and a decent car.
I've also re-engineered the vehicle extensively in the 8 years I've had it and it's evolved into something that on first look doesn't stand out, but if you looked closer, the details hint that something is definately different about the car. It certainly gets a few looks on track days as it's the last thing you expect to be turning some reasonably quick laps and will give Porsche Boxsters and Mk1 elises a good run for their money
I did attend the Mallory Park meeting but never made it into the show due to someone not knowing the model came out in 1997 as it's a grey area... Ah well , next time perhaps?
Specification is below
Engine
M54B30 3.0 Straight six
Fully balanced incl flywheel and balancer
Achilles Oil pump upgrade
ARP Rod bolts
ARP Head studs
ARP Main Cap studs
VAC Motorsport Bearings
Alpina B3 Harmonic balancer
Baffled Sump
K&N 57i intake with gold heat tape for additional heat protection on shield
CSF high performance radiator
JustDeutsch V1T Camshafts
Modified E46 M3 System, 200 Cell CATs and Eisenmann Rear silencer.
Remapped on Rolling road
261bhp @ 6214rpm
333Nm @ 3391rpm
Transmission
E36 M3 Evo 6 speed gearbox
ECS single mass flywheel conversion inc E34 M5 Sachs clutch
E46 M3 Gearbox shift linkage
E46 M3 gearbox support
E46 M3 propshaft + custom spacer
Gripper plate type LSD – 60/35 ramps with 8 plate clutch pack. (1.5 way)
DSSR selector rod
Turner Motorsport short throw shifter + Rally shifter extension
HEL Clutch line + Delay valve delete.
Wheels & tyres
BBS CHR Staggered setup
Front - 8 x 18in
Rear – 9 x 18in
Tyres are Michelin PS4 all round(F/R)
Suspension
KW V3 coilovers
H&R roll bars (M3 specification)
Meyle heavy duty front arms
Stock front top mounts + Turner Motorsport camber plates.
Powerflex bushes
Front lolipops
RTA bushes
Subframe and diff bushes
Rear damper mounts
Powerflex rear camber arms
BMW Ball joint swap in lower rear bushes in RTAs ala' M3 specification
Brakes
Front - Porsche 986 (Boxter 3.2) 4 pot conversion
Front - BMW M3 CSL 2 piece discs (345mm)
Rear – Stock callipers and discs
Pads all round – Ferrodo DS2500 pads
HEL Stainless lines all round
ATE TYP200 fluid.
ECS Brass slider upgrade for rear calipers
Interior
Royal Steering wheels retrim in alcantara leather, M colours stitching + blue
center line
Royal steering wheels – Gearshift gator and handbrake with M colours stitching.
Original Leather interior with driver's seat swap to Sparco Evo seat
Sony CD / MP3 / USB / DAB radio – as original CD changer failed.
Red needle and bezels on clocks upgraded to Alpina versions.
Exterior
Mystyle front Clubsport front lip spoilers in Carbon fibre
Mstyle rear valance in carbon fibre
Full respray in original metallic Orient Blue.
Front wings repaired and rustproofed
Rear arches cleaned and rustproofed.
Misc
Rear subframe re-enforcement kit from Radish Motorsport installed
Rear end completely cleaned and rustproofed.
Stereo replaced for Sony blue tooth and USB unit.
Some pictures below:
Feel free to ask me questions and advice, given my day job is working with HV batteries, I have worked for companies like Aston Martin, Dunlop Motorsport, Caterham Cars and currently with Cummins.
