Loon e36 m3 build

So I’ve been drifting for a few years now and it’s finally time to start building a relatively cheap and competitive car for the Irish armature drift championship. I used to have a 323i saloon e36 that I got most of my experience in. I kept it simple with an eBay hydro, cheap seat, e46 wishbones and modified hubs, Pollybushed rear subframe with camber arms. A good learner car that thought me a lot and took much abuse.



I went and entered a local competition day after only being out once in the car before hand and qualified 14th out of 40 or 50 odd drivers which was a shock to the system, all I was doing was chancing my arm but after that day the motivation was there to make stupid life decisions and go drifting.

A few years past, a few bmws past and drift days were scares so I sold the 323i bought a 320i for the road with a few bits like coilovers, hydro, m3 kit etc so I extended the wishbones and modified the hubs did a bit of steeto and the odd practice day.



So basically I went out one day to buy a set of contours for the car and ended up buying another car...why am I like this...anyway I got my hands on one of my dream cars from the start a genuine saloon e36 m3! But a rough e36 m3 minus a diff that was already used for drifting so the plan now is to get the bits it needed, drift it and slowly reshell it with the 320i.




Specs of the m3 are:
S50B30
Zf gearbox
Alpha N ecu
Straight through shotgun exhaust
Oil cooler + braided lines
Aluminum rad
Electric fan

Steering:
Extended wishbones
Eccentric powerflex wishbone bushes
Modified hubs
25mm spacers
Jom coilovers

Rear:
Bc shocks
Jom springs
Solid bushed subframe

Interior:
Unknown seat
Trs harness
Suade wheel
Wilwood hydro
Driftworks braided hydro lines
Water temp gauge
Oil pressure gauge
Oil temperature gauge

I do plan on getting as much practice in the car before I start the reshell as possible because I’d rather make mistakes while getting used to the power jump in a rough car then a freshly built one so if I do a crashu I know I won’t care too much.

I have sent the 320i for a roll cage and rear crash bar in the mean time so as soon as I get it back I will have more pictures, more plans and more pain. I hope to keep this updated as much as possible but it ain’t no 2 week suicide build I have nearly a full year of build time. Thanks for looking.

 

Had to do a bit of chopping on the rear arches as the wheels are man sizes and raising a car goes against everything I stand for haha two of the wheels are banded to 10j with a bit too big of a tyre along with 20mm spacers, the other two for the front are 8.5 and now have zestino steering tyres. Also have two universal arches for the back and will be ordering two more for the front depending on how it looks.


Fat bum.

Chopped!



Got my car back from getting the cage today (had done arch work and chizzled out the sound deadening previous to sending it away) Huge milestone for me the excitement to get the show on the road is real maybe it might actually be done before I thought it would with the rate things are going but I do t want to speak too soon with Christmas comming up.







That’s all for now hopefully I will have time to do a few bits and pieces this week.

 

No they are lol it doesn’t look like it but up close you can see where the bead of weld is grinded down and polished they are originally a full set of 8.5j.

 

Thanks man!

 

One thing with the m3 when I bought it was it had no diff and needed a few other small bits and after struggling to find one (no one wants to sell anything over here) I found a 328i 2:91 ratio, it also had the 6 bolt input flange to suit the m3/328 propshaft so that was one plus. I’m not keen on the idea as I’d rather have 3:15 but beggars can’t be choosers just gotta do the river dance on the clutch for the time being.
I had to rebuild the pinion shaft as the bearings were gone so stripped it cleaned everything painted and re assembled ready to go all I’m waiting on now is a driveshaft I ordered last week and I should be able to actually move it with it’s own power.

The diff originally had different output flanges to the m3 so after much looking I found 2 3.0 m3 output flanges in America got them shipped and put them in the 328 diff to find out they’re too long, now apparently they should fit perfect but I’m guessing maybe they might be from like an e34 m5 or something along the lines. I cut down the ends of each flange slowly but surely test fitting it each time until the sirclip held it in place which was my only option but there is still full contact from the splines and the flanges now sit perfectly in the diff so I’m guessing it’s all good just gotta wait and see haha

This is how long the flang was poking out of the diff and bottomed out inside.



I ended up cutting the length of what you see in the diff and it’s perfect now. This was a boring post so here’s a random interior shot of the m3.

 

I extended the wishbones on the green one by about 45mm you could go further but you’d need camber top mounts otherwise the top mount wont take the angel and longer track rods. Thanks man looking forward to more myself lol

 

Been a few weeks since I was at this not much done over Christmas just got the rear bash bars painted up as the car was parked outside the it wasnt long getting rusty so wire brushed the whole lot back before paint. Took a while to think of an ideal color but I think it works and I like it and if you don’t well fuck you gotta paint the cage next and plexiglass should be got soon after, progress is slow but at least something is getting done.

 

Got a bit done today started to remove the 320 interior loom and totally stripping the inside for paint boring stuff but on the up side my my 30mm fibre factory wings came today and couldn’t resist a mock up and I’m impressed, theres just tiny fitment issues that will need to be trimmed but I’d recommend them.
There’s 40mm extended wishbones on with no spacers and 8.5j contours, tyre size is 225/45/17 zestino the plan is to completely redo the lock with adjustable top mounts, 60mm extended wishbones and reweld the knuckles on the hubs with or without 25mm spacers the gap should fill nicely.
Need to get rears overfenders and they will be going for paint along with the csl style fiberglass boot and bonnet vent off the m3.

 

Did a bit, cut the boot mocked up the fiberglass csl style lip not yet riveted till after it’s painted also put on the boot tie downs.



Picked up a pair of these 9j xxrs for rears, threw them on the car with 20mm spacers. I have thrown 25mm spacers on underneath the 20mm spacers and looks tidy now have no pics my phone died. Havnt got around to getting quarters yet so universal arches will do for the time being. Can’t wait to sort out the ride height aswell after better rear coilovers are swapped from the m3.

 

Things are moving on a bit, ripped out the engine and box last week and tucked it away for a rainy day. Also found a brand new spray gun in the shed so my homies threw me a hand and we got the bay stripped, chopped the tubs and painted just inside the car next which I am dreading but once I get time to do that I can finally start putting nice things on but fairly happy with progress considering I only get a day here and there to go at the car. Went and tinted my headlights and sidelights aswell they came out not too bad for a hair dryer and a lighter job haha

 

I don’t know how but managed to get a second evening in a row to get stuff done to the car, cut the original arches put on the universal arches, put the bc coilovers in the rear and whacked on the contours with 25mm spacers and she is a phatty. I do like these arches but they are only temporary until I get the felony form style quarters.




Got the height sorted and had to trim back the inside of the universal arches to allow room for squats. I think the car is starting to devolop a nice look really can’t wait to get the m3 running gear in so I can put it back together, I miss when it looked like a car.

 

Thanks man if I didn’t have them there would be no car haha been in bimmers all my car life so stick to what ya know as they say.

 

Huge milestone today, engine is in, front is on delighted with life the list is getting shorter slowely. Didn’t take many pictures just ploughed on with it with the time myself and a buddy had and got a chunk done.

While we were taking the engine out of the m3 we soon realized the exhaust manifold didn’t get on with the steering colum so wisely took out the colum before putting it back in the good car so there’s a top tip for do it yourselfers.

Will be repainting the rocker cover aswell soon..makes it look like a pity.. wouldn’t mind ordering trumpets (not oem) if anyone knows where to find them let me know.


Not sure wether to put in both headlights in and have it cleaner looking or have the oil cooler lines run through there?
Also needs more lows on zee front..

 

As the list of jobs gets smaller the only major effort jobs left to do are wiring and get a freshly welded diff put in after that all that will be left are smaller jobs, I need to make a few brackets here and there make one or two brake lines put in all fuel lines and still need to paint the inside but a practice day at the local track on the 21st is looking promising so paint will be put off till another time.

First time it’s been this close to a car in about 8 months.




A few bits I got done in the last while were make a handbrake mount out of stainless but doubles as a strengthener for the short shifter and better off because it would be pulled through the tunnel without it.





Got a set of genuine(ly made in Taiwan) m3 mirrors but to be fair they make a difference to the overall look of the car.


Actually got around to putting on the passenger side universe arch. Reason for masking is I was going to attempt a quick job before the test day but would rather spend the time actually getting it running first.


Not too gone on the back lights they were a spare half broken set that I’d rather smash as the lights that were in it were perfect. Goes well with the color scheme tho.


That’s it for now hopefully next time I post here it will be after the first start.

 

Been a while but a lot has happened since I was last on here got the car wired and got it all back together it ran sweet and went like a train couldn’t be happier with it after all the heartache manhours and money that went into it. To anyone that helped in anyway with the car if your reading this ye know who ye are I appreciate you! Can finally concentrate on doing as many practice days as possible.

First time the car moved under its own power.


We got there anyway lads only left the bumper at home sure.


The tracking was pissed and the brakes were a bit soft after the first spin took it back Sean tracked it we bled the brakes which transformed the car straight away other than a coilpack playing up we had no other issues all day which is not bad for a fresh build. Also thanks to mark for the coilpack that he donated to us!

Credit: Sean’s photos




Credit: kevs photos


Credit: Cian power photos