Here's the start of a build thread as I attempt to take a write-off and turn it into a fully-fledged race car. It'll be slow as I don't have much in the way of time, space, tools or skills!
This isn't my first Z4C - I had a 3.0si back in 2008 which was my first sports car. I absolutely loved it and took it on a number of track days...
Sadly this was the demise of it as it was too new and nice for track use so I ended up selling it after a year and buying a 120d and a Toyota MR2 to race in the 750mc MR2 Championship.
After a couple of seasons racing, children arrived which put a stop to me spending money on cars so the MR2 was sold. Fast forward quite a few years and my only fix of track driving had been blagging drives in friend's Caterhams. Eventually, I capitulated and bought a Vauxhall VX220 with a friend to take on track. It was crap to drive on the road but great fun on track, but ultimately it wasn't racing.
Me and a few friends then had a hair-brained idea whilst in the pub to build our own cheap race car and a few days later bought a Ford KA to race in the EnduroKA series. 6 months of failing to be mechanics on a cold gravel driveway we eventually got it built ready for the first race in 2020...just as lockdown hit. Finally, we managed to get a couple of races under our belts, and have somehow had 17 hours of racing with no mechanical issues and plan to continue racing it for years to come.
A couple of races in and I had fully rekindled my love for racing and whilst the KA is hilariously fun, decided it was probably worth having something faster as well. Endless searching later and I drew up a shortlist of cars, mainly BMWs but with a real nostalgic draw towards the Z4C given it would likely fit well into the 750mc Roadsports class B. Then I saw Liam's build on here and that was pretty much my mind made up...he's pretty much written a set of instructions for me to follow
I was going to hold fire on a purchase given the lack of a fully flat driveway or garage at my house, but given relative rarity started looking at Copart auctions, Ebay and Autotrader in case of a bargain. Within a week two Z4Cs came up on Copart, both 2007 cars, both with fairly low miles and relatively limited damage. With my kids egging me on for both auctions I ended up winning the second car, a mere week after tentatively starting to browse!
Here's the pic from Copart of the car, a 2007 with 69k miles, and as is the joy of buying from Copart I knew the engine ran, but it didn't drive...hopefully down to a knackered track rod end and no more.
So, a nervous week passed wondering if I'd bought a money pit of or managed to get a steal. I've bought a few cars from Copart over the years and had a complete mixed bag but always get a bit worried ahead of arrival at what I've let myself in for. Anyway, it turned up on a trailer this week...
It started fine, and the delivery driver being a good bloke offered to try and drive it onto my driveway despite having one front wheel pointing in the wrong direction and after a few efforts managed to get it on there.
At first glance it's filthy both inside and out...I think the previous owner must've eaten food in it a lot given the amount of rank leftovers in and around the driver's seat. Still, nothing a good clean can't sort out. It was listed as black by Copart, but it seems to look black or deep blue depending on the light. I found its paint code and its carbonschwarz metallic, I quite like it, but it seems it might make finding used parts in that colour more challenging.
The plan is to get it cleaned up, sort the front left out - hopefully just a tie rod, wing and probably some arch lining/bumper fixings. Then a full service as well as sorting any weak spots - there's no history with the car so things like the water pump and vanos solenoid will be on the list to get sorted.
Once that's done the plan will be to sort brakes, suspension and buy a second set of wheels with track tyres and use it for a while as both road and track day car. Once I've got a good handle on it the work will begin on stripping conversion to proper race car...wish me luck!
This isn't my first Z4C - I had a 3.0si back in 2008 which was my first sports car. I absolutely loved it and took it on a number of track days...
Sadly this was the demise of it as it was too new and nice for track use so I ended up selling it after a year and buying a 120d and a Toyota MR2 to race in the 750mc MR2 Championship.
After a couple of seasons racing, children arrived which put a stop to me spending money on cars so the MR2 was sold. Fast forward quite a few years and my only fix of track driving had been blagging drives in friend's Caterhams. Eventually, I capitulated and bought a Vauxhall VX220 with a friend to take on track. It was crap to drive on the road but great fun on track, but ultimately it wasn't racing.
Me and a few friends then had a hair-brained idea whilst in the pub to build our own cheap race car and a few days later bought a Ford KA to race in the EnduroKA series. 6 months of failing to be mechanics on a cold gravel driveway we eventually got it built ready for the first race in 2020...just as lockdown hit. Finally, we managed to get a couple of races under our belts, and have somehow had 17 hours of racing with no mechanical issues and plan to continue racing it for years to come.
A couple of races in and I had fully rekindled my love for racing and whilst the KA is hilariously fun, decided it was probably worth having something faster as well. Endless searching later and I drew up a shortlist of cars, mainly BMWs but with a real nostalgic draw towards the Z4C given it would likely fit well into the 750mc Roadsports class B. Then I saw Liam's build on here and that was pretty much my mind made up...he's pretty much written a set of instructions for me to follow
I was going to hold fire on a purchase given the lack of a fully flat driveway or garage at my house, but given relative rarity started looking at Copart auctions, Ebay and Autotrader in case of a bargain. Within a week two Z4Cs came up on Copart, both 2007 cars, both with fairly low miles and relatively limited damage. With my kids egging me on for both auctions I ended up winning the second car, a mere week after tentatively starting to browse!
Here's the pic from Copart of the car, a 2007 with 69k miles, and as is the joy of buying from Copart I knew the engine ran, but it didn't drive...hopefully down to a knackered track rod end and no more.
So, a nervous week passed wondering if I'd bought a money pit of or managed to get a steal. I've bought a few cars from Copart over the years and had a complete mixed bag but always get a bit worried ahead of arrival at what I've let myself in for. Anyway, it turned up on a trailer this week...
It started fine, and the delivery driver being a good bloke offered to try and drive it onto my driveway despite having one front wheel pointing in the wrong direction and after a few efforts managed to get it on there.
At first glance it's filthy both inside and out...I think the previous owner must've eaten food in it a lot given the amount of rank leftovers in and around the driver's seat. Still, nothing a good clean can't sort out. It was listed as black by Copart, but it seems to look black or deep blue depending on the light. I found its paint code and its carbonschwarz metallic, I quite like it, but it seems it might make finding used parts in that colour more challenging.
The plan is to get it cleaned up, sort the front left out - hopefully just a tie rod, wing and probably some arch lining/bumper fixings. Then a full service as well as sorting any weak spots - there's no history with the car so things like the water pump and vanos solenoid will be on the list to get sorted.
Once that's done the plan will be to sort brakes, suspension and buy a second set of wheels with track tyres and use it for a while as both road and track day car. Once I've got a good handle on it the work will begin on stripping conversion to proper race car...wish me luck!
Gothenburg
North West Surrey
