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E30 Race Car Blog with Video

Discussion of other cars non-Z4
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pHilli0
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Potential new race car (BMW)

Post by pHilli0 » Sun Dec 04, 2016 10:20 am

Great news Dave how exciting!
I was in GFR yesterday having my seat fitting. Really nice guys. First time I saw my car in the metal and it looks really good. So much fun to come.
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Fishy Dave
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Potential new race car (BMW)

Post by Fishy Dave » Sun Dec 04, 2016 10:40 pm

pHilli0 wrote:Great news Dave how exciting!
I was in GFR yesterday having my seat fitting. Really nice guys. First time I saw my car in the metal and it looks really good. So much fun to come.
You'll get to drive yours on track first too, make you sure you post a full report after Saturday :thumbsup:

I've really enjoyed collecting my race car today and can't compliment Gary Feakins enough. GFR are one of the only race preparers or garages (in my experience) to repeatedly carry out work in the timescale promised and phoned/emailed promptly. With the experience learned through them building the new Z4 race cars (Z cars) they could be a good place to bring our Z4 for work.

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Arrived at Garys home at 10am, my car looked great with a layer of frost. It was already loaded onto the new to me trailer, a Brian James Clubman, a light check showed the brake lights not working. A bit of pin and bulb checking found the problem, thanks to Garys wife lending a hand! This was the first time I have towed with my 325ti, it did a good job, but the trailer is pretty wide on minor roads.

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Back home, a quick drive up and down the road, rinse off, then photos of the fleet.

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A slight problem, the trailer is too big for the car port so it's currently outside whilst I work out where to put it! I can't wait to get the car out at Brands with Tom a week on Monday.

Cheers, Dave
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New race car (BMW)

Post by TomK » Sun Dec 04, 2016 11:27 pm

Looks great Dave! You must be chuffed :thumbsup:

Can't wait for next monday, that has sure to be a good laugh :D
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New race car (BMW)

Post by Highlander » Mon Dec 05, 2016 12:58 am

Doesn't the E30 look small compared to the 325 & Z4? and fabulous......always liked that boxy shape with the slim pillars/great vision.Dare I say it but that looks TOO good to race.
Guy in the village here dropped a 3.5 12 valve in his E30 many years ago and electrics all hooked up,reasonably easy job.....let that slip away from me when he sold it.......probably crashed or rotted away now :(

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Post by Fishy Dave » Mon Dec 05, 2016 11:15 am

Thanks, yes, it is almost too nice to risk damaging. I agree with the proportions, although it's about the same length as my E46 Compact, just a lot narrower. :)
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Post by stevo///m3 » Mon Dec 05, 2016 9:22 pm

Looks very exciting Dave, please do keep us updated!
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New race car (BMW)

Post by TomK » Sat Dec 10, 2016 8:18 pm

pHilli0 wrote:Great news Dave how exciting!
I was in GFR yesterday having my seat fitting. Really nice guys. First time I saw my car in the metal and it looks really good. So much fun to come.
How'd it go at Brands today then Phil? Hope it wasn't too wet??
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New race car (BMW)

Post by cj10jeeper » Sat Dec 10, 2016 9:13 pm

Love the new race car :thumbsup:

Have you checked towing weights for your 325ti? You might be moving beyond weight levels and the current set up looks too nose heavy judging by the rear suspension?
You might try loading it a little further back which will make it better balanced.
Trailers probably 400kg-500kg out of the total capacity of the car of c1600kg so leaving only 1100-1200kg of the car.

Been towing cars for 20 and taken by VOSA to weighbridges a good few times wth jeeps on the back :(
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Post by Fishy Dave » Sat Dec 10, 2016 10:42 pm

Thanks, yes, it is close. The 325ti is rated at towing a 1600kg braked trailer, the race car is 1054kg exactly including ballast (+ my weight when racing = 1140kg which is the minimum race weight). I agree, I think I had a little too much nose weight, plus there was a lot of spares including a diff, spare wheels and numerous boxes of bits in the boot on the tow car. Thanks for the warning, very much appreciated :)
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Post by Fishy Dave » Sat Dec 10, 2016 10:44 pm

TomK wrote:
pHilli0 wrote:Great news Dave how exciting!
I was in GFR yesterday having my seat fitting. Really nice guys. First time I saw my car in the metal and it looks really good. So much fun to come.
How'd it go at Brands today then Phil? Hope it wasn't too wet??
Also keen to hear how your day went Phil, I had a text from Gary who was complimentary, he said "a very good driver in the making" 8)
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New race car (BMW)

Post by cj10jeeper » Sat Dec 10, 2016 10:50 pm

Fishy Dave wrote:Thanks, yes, it is close. The 325ti is rated at towing a 1600kg braked trailer, the race car is 1054kg exactly including ballast (+ my weight when racing = 1140kg which is the minimum race weight). I agree, I think I had a little too much nose weight, plus there was a lot of spares including a diff, spare wheels and numerous boxes of bits in the boot on the tow car. Thanks for the warning, very much appreciated :)
Cool - glad you made it within the limits. Might be obvious but one good idea is to borrow the bathroom scales and weight the jockey wheel when all loaded. Aim for something around 100kg and it'll be way better on the rear end of the car. You'll find the trailer does the work, not the rear car tyres
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New race car (BMW)

Post by Number5 » Sat Dec 10, 2016 11:27 pm

Fishy Dave wrote:Thanks, yes, it is close. The 325ti is rated at towing a 1600kg braked trailer, the race car is 1054kg exactly including ballast (+ my weight when racing = 1140kg which is the minimum race weight). I agree, I think I had a little too much nose weight, plus there was a lot of spares including a diff, spare wheels and numerous boxes of bits in the boot on the tow car. Thanks for the warning, very much appreciated :)
This is interesting as I've just fitted a towbar to my 5 Touring (F11) and the towable weigh is 1900kg. A standard Zed is about 1350kg which leaves 550kg for the trailer going by the old rules.

However, I've been told that it no longer matters whats on the trailer, but now its the trailier capacity. We have a 3500 capacity at work I can borrow, but I'm now told that i cant even tow that empty ! The police just look at the capacity plate on the trailer and then the maximum capacity of the car and they can then make a decision there and then if you are legal or not without needing a weighbridge.

In my case, I need to find a trailer with a total laden carrying capacity of 1900kg max which even with the 1350kg Zed on would make me legal.

I looked at your picture and thought if you can tow the race car behind a 3 serious coupe, surely I can tow a Zed behind a 5 series, but I haven't managed it yet !
Any experts on here ?
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Post by Fishy Dave » Sat Dec 10, 2016 11:48 pm

That's exactly what I used to think, that an empty trailer could still make you illegal. As a result of this I had my old Brian James Minno downplated so our old Toyota Celica Sports M could tow the Caterham. Since then I've found various bits of info that suggests you are fine as long as you don't exceed the total train weight or braked towing weight of the car (so I could have saved my money!). http://www.iwt.co.uk/customer-care/faq- ... is-trailer
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:)
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New race car (BMW)

Post by VRSteve » Sun Dec 11, 2016 4:21 am

Fishy Dave wrote:That's exactly what I used to think, that an empty trailer could still make you illegal. As a result of this I had my old Brian James Minno downplated so our old Toyota Celica Sports M could tow the Caterham. Since then I've found various bits of info that suggests you are fine as long as you don't exceed the total train weight or braked towing weight of the car (so I could have saved my money!). http://www.iwt.co.uk/customer-care/faq- ... is-trailer
Image

:)
Yep

I was of the same opinion too but this came up on PH recently, and it was confirmed that the trailers plated weight isn't what matters!!
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New race car (BMW)

Post by paulgs1000 » Sun Dec 11, 2016 9:20 am

Well that all reads excitingly Fishy Dave - love the idea of racing at 140bhp against the same. :thumbsup:

Ever likely to get up to Croft? Would like to see the racing

All the best with your new venture :thumbsup:
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