Re: Vorshlag E46 Alpha - 330Ci LSx Build Thread
Project Update for June 22, 2012: Two months without much progress on this car? Yea, its been busy here at Vorshlag working on all sorts of other in-house builds. Our $2011 GRM Challenge winning E30 V8 has been getting a lot of updates, as has our 2011 Mustang GT and our blue 2001 330Ci street/track car. We've got a ton of work completed on Matt's 1995 M3 LS1 and McCall's Z3M Roadster LS1 (both of those are almost completed). Now we can finally get crackin' on the white E46 330 LS1 Alpha car!
Left: Matt's 1995 M3 LS1 is very close to completion. Lots of new Stage 1 parts developed! Right: Blue 330 "track car" is street legal again
Remember how back in April I said we'd be making the E46 Alpha car into a pure track car, with zero street capabilities? Well... that's not what you guys asked for. So many people wanted us to go for a more street and track capable build that we have reconsidered and are going to go with the "Option 3" build: a car that is street capable yet still a very track worthy car.
In the 4th and final installment of my event write-up for the Optima Faceoff at HOT ROD Power Tour autocross/track deal I mention this very E46 LSx build as the perfect opportunity to make a car that is ideal for these types of "unlimited street car" competition events. Optima Challenge, OLOA, TX2K, UTCC, and more. Could still be fun in NASA TT also. Taking our Mustang to the Optima event was fun, but that car is built around SCCA's ESP class rules - not even very far down that prep level yet - and is still mostly stock in many areas. This E46 could be a bit more extreme in its competition preparation level yet still have the basics of what many consider to be a true "street car": working lights/signals, windshield wipers, a heater, and even a few "optional" things like ABS brakes and power side windows. Now we won't be adding every factory feature back just yet, but enough to be street driven "on a nice day".
We've got a pretty ambitious build plan mapped out but I'm going to hold back some details... in case things don't go according to plan. I'd rather "under-promise and over-deliver" on the performance goals this time. As you can see in the picture above, that I took out in the shop today, the windshield is out. The stock unit was smashed so it had to go - with it out of the way making a roll cage will be easier. Wait, roll cage in a street car? Yes. And it will have carpet, a dash, door panels, head liner, and all of that. Even with all of that - the car will get much lighter.
Stay tuned for more regular updates the rest of 2012.
Project Update for June 22, 2012: Two months without much progress on this car? Yea, its been busy here at Vorshlag working on all sorts of other in-house builds. Our $2011 GRM Challenge winning E30 V8 has been getting a lot of updates, as has our 2011 Mustang GT and our blue 2001 330Ci street/track car. We've got a ton of work completed on Matt's 1995 M3 LS1 and McCall's Z3M Roadster LS1 (both of those are almost completed). Now we can finally get crackin' on the white E46 330 LS1 Alpha car!
Left: Matt's 1995 M3 LS1 is very close to completion. Lots of new Stage 1 parts developed! Right: Blue 330 "track car" is street legal again
Remember how back in April I said we'd be making the E46 Alpha car into a pure track car, with zero street capabilities? Well... that's not what you guys asked for. So many people wanted us to go for a more street and track capable build that we have reconsidered and are going to go with the "Option 3" build: a car that is street capable yet still a very track worthy car.
In the 4th and final installment of my event write-up for the Optima Faceoff at HOT ROD Power Tour autocross/track deal I mention this very E46 LSx build as the perfect opportunity to make a car that is ideal for these types of "unlimited street car" competition events. Optima Challenge, OLOA, TX2K, UTCC, and more. Could still be fun in NASA TT also. Taking our Mustang to the Optima event was fun, but that car is built around SCCA's ESP class rules - not even very far down that prep level yet - and is still mostly stock in many areas. This E46 could be a bit more extreme in its competition preparation level yet still have the basics of what many consider to be a true "street car": working lights/signals, windshield wipers, a heater, and even a few "optional" things like ABS brakes and power side windows. Now we won't be adding every factory feature back just yet, but enough to be street driven "on a nice day".
We've got a pretty ambitious build plan mapped out but I'm going to hold back some details... in case things don't go according to plan. I'd rather "under-promise and over-deliver" on the performance goals this time. As you can see in the picture above, that I took out in the shop today, the windshield is out. The stock unit was smashed so it had to go - with it out of the way making a roll cage will be easier. Wait, roll cage in a street car? Yes. And it will have carpet, a dash, door panels, head liner, and all of that. Even with all of that - the car will get much lighter.
Stay tuned for more regular updates the rest of 2012.
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