The "Basket Case BMW" Project (Page 6/7)
Blacktree FEB 06, 12:08 PM
The A/C compressor went bye-bye. The system didn't hold a charge, anyway. And I didn't see the point in fixing it, just to remove it later.





I expected it to weigh more. But no biggie. There's still more dead weight to be removed from the car.
Blacktree FEB 13, 06:45 PM
I'm calling the weight reduction project a success. I've picked all the low-hanging fruit at this point. I'm sure there's more weight that can be removed, but we can worry about that some other time. Here's what the interior looks like now.



Now we need to take it to the drag strip again, to see how much difference it makes.
Blacktree FEB 14, 02:49 PM
TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS - 413.4 LB / 187.5 KG

Also, here's the video as promised. I was in the mood for some 80s techno, and some of that made it into the video. Hope you don't mind. 😎



According to my calculations, the car should weigh about 2875 pounds now. When I go to the track, I'll weigh it again to be sure.

[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 02-14-2021).]

Monkeyman FEB 14, 03:26 PM
A question and comment, please?

I'll bet you can get that weight savings up to 500# if you would block the windows to keep them up and then remove the window motors and power lock motors. Also, I'd remove that heavy drivers seat and replace it with a nice lightweight racing bucket instead. I'll bet the drivers seat/motor weights 50#, at least. The power window/lock motors probably weigh another 15#. If you then remove the 50 miles of wiring you don't need, I'll bet you hit 500#.

My question is this. You bought a Beemer to race but removed all the stuff that makes a Beemer what it is, to lighten it up. Seems like it would have make more sense to buy a more "generic" car to start with that might have more power? I mean, you're not going to daily drive the car and luxury isn't really what you're after. Not ragging on you, just asking.
Blacktree FEB 14, 04:37 PM
The passenger seat was 60 lb, so I'm sure the driver's seat is similar. I have a racing seat and 5-point harness ready to go, but am holding off until I get a roll bar installed. I want to install all those things at once. The BMW seatbelt mounts to the seat. So if I remove the seat, the belt goes away also. But the 5-point harness needs a bar to attach to. So yeah...

The reason for getting a BMW... it's complicated. Let me explain. I wanted a project that is front engine / rear wheel drive. I also wanted something with decent handling, and good aftermarket support. Plus there needed to be cheap used examples of said car. Those criteria basically narrowed it down to 4th-gen Camaros or older 3-series BMWs. I literally got this BMW because the seller responded faster than another guy selling a Camaro.

[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 02-14-2021).]

Monkeyman FEB 14, 06:01 PM

quote
Originally posted by Blacktree:

The passenger seat was 60 lb, so I'm sure the driver's seat is similar. I have a racing seat and 5-point harness ready to go, but am holding off until I get a roll bar installed. I want to install all those things at once. The BMW seatbelt mounts to the seat. So if I remove the seat, the belt goes away also. But the 5-point harness needs a bar to attach to. So yeah...

The reason for getting a BMW... it's complicated. Let me explain. I wanted a project that is front engine / rear wheel drive. I also wanted something with decent handling, and good aftermarket support. Plus there needed to be cheap used examples of said car. Those criteria basically narrowed it down to 4th-gen Camaros or older 3-series BMWs. I literally got this BMW because the seller responded faster than another guy selling a Camaro.




I get that.

I was thinking something older, maybe even '80s era.
thesameguy FEB 15, 01:43 PM
Can't speak for everywhere, but good '80s cars tend be very pricey here... you could buy several basket case BMWs for what one decent fox or f-body goes for. And, generally, the power to weight really isn't there *unless* you plan on doing a motor swap. In the '80s, 200hp was a lot. A C4 made 240hp, a damn Ferrari only made 260hp. A run of the mill E46 makes nearly that much and has modern handling to boot. Take out the weight of all those modern conveniences and you're sorted.

I've been going through this exact process myself - finding an inexpensive, fun to drive RWD platform for track days. I thought I had a magic formula to beat the beater BMW equation but nope, I definitely could have bought a 330i by now. Although then I'd be replacing VANOS solenoids and whatnot, so maybe I made the right call.

[This message has been edited by thesameguy (edited 02-15-2021).]

Blacktree FEB 16, 01:00 PM
I did a cost analysis of the 4th-gen Camaro vs E46 BMW. For the Camaro, I could get a V8 engine with decent power. But the chassis has a lot of flex, and needs reinforcement. Plus the suspension is mediocre, and would need to be completely re-engineered. For the BMW, it's the opposite situation. It has a good suspension, but the engine isn't very powerful. So the entire drivetrain will need to be re-engineered. According to my calculations, the total cost of building either car would be about the same.

With that said, the BMW will probably be getting an engine swap sometime in the future. I haven't decided which engine, but am looking at a few options. The obvious choice is the LS series V8. There are even swap kits for it. I'm also interested in the GM Vortec 4200, and the BMW N52. But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. I want to refurbish the suspension and brakes first.
Blacktree FEB 21, 06:42 PM
I wanted to hit the track on Wednesday, but the weather didn't cooperate. We'll try again next week.

In the meantime, I was able to install all the parts I scrounged from the salvage yard. I also fixed an issue with the steering, and gave it an upgrade.

[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 02-21-2021).]

Blacktree FEB 25, 10:14 AM
Last night, I took the BMW to test-n-tune at the drag strip. Fun times were had. Also, I was able to weigh the car. It's now 413 lb lighter than stock. And the weight reduction made a big difference in quarter mile results. Once again, I was able to drive an hour each way, plus race the car, with no major issues. No fluid leaks, no overheating, no broken parts, etc.

Here are some photos.







So now the car weighs 2874 lb, with 1/4 tank of gas. It previously weighed 3287 lb. That weight doesn't include me. I weigh about 155 lb.

Now I need to get all the video off my phone. That might take awhile.