E30 vs E36 vs CRX vs Miata for cheap track day weapon?

mad_machine wrote: pick up an e36 328.. do the intake swap for the intake from the 325 and add M3 cams... will get you most of the power of the M3 I would stay away from the m3 brakes.. grab a set of brakes off of the e46 330i.. just as big and MUCH cheaper (and do not require a spindle change) as for handling.. poly bushes, swaybars, and a set of coilovers will have you hurting on the m3s in a big way

That sounds like a plan to me. I have been looking for E36 325's and 328's without much luck. I guess I will have to keep looking.

My personal experience - The Miata is much more fun to drive in anger on track than the E36. Its lower, lighter, more balanced, easier to work on, cheaper, has a better suspension design (dual A arms vs struts), less consumables (easier on brakes and tires b/c low weight).

I hated the E36 on track. Probably b/c I was used to low, lightweight cars like the RX7. It felt big and heavy and needed ridiculously high spring rates to manage the body roll associated with the comparatively larger body and size.

Put some Toyo RA1 or R888 on the Miata and drive to the track. Pad swaps only take half an hour. Doesn't matter if you do that at the track or at home the night before. Its not like you'll be driving the BMW on track pads to the track either...

^I probably would. I only live about 25 minutes from Hallett and would literally see 3 stoplights and the entry gate.

It's looking more and more like I might stick with finding another E30. I've been speaking with a friend of mine about a V8 swap into an E30 and how it can be performed on the cheap.

Now I've just got to find a good car to start with.

Too bad you're so far away as there's a decent 318i near me in the crusty used car lot. It's got $1250 in the window. I'd guess you could easily widdle them to under a grand.

That said, looking at the engine bay of my car, I don't see the allure of stuffing a V8 in there... There's barely enough room for the I6... Hell, I don't even like the look of a M50/52/S50/52 stuffed in there... the car is hard enough to work on as-is...

I thought E30's were supposed to be easy to work on?

93celicaGT2 wrote:

96DXCivic wrote: The B-series or D-series is a lot cheaper then a K-series swap. I like turbo D-series. They are cheap and swapping one would be easy.

Needs 150% "G23 Vtec Type S."

Looked that up. Pretty cool. I wonder how well it would fit in an EK Civic.

In reply to jonnyd330:

They are very easy to work on. Swapped cars are not much different.

96DXCivic wrote:

93celicaGT2 wrote:

96DXCivic wrote: The B-series or D-series is a lot cheaper then a K-series swap. I like turbo D-series. They are cheap and swapping one would be easy.

Needs 150% "G23 Vtec Type S."

Looked that up. Pretty cool. I wonder how well it would fit in an EK Civic.

If it fits in an EF, it fits in an EK even easier. If/When i get another Honduh, that motor will be in it's future.

I think I am have to say screw turbo D and hello G23.

2002maniac wrote: In reply to jonnyd330: They are very easy to work on. Swapped cars are not much different.

Eh... I guess it depends on perspective... seven years of fiddling with MINI's has spoiled me... compared to those, the E30 is a PITA...

Ian_F wrote:

2002maniac wrote: In reply to jonnyd330: They are very easy to work on. Swapped cars are not much different.

Eh... I guess it depends on perspective... seven years of fiddling with MINI's has spoiled me... compared to those, the E30 is a PITA...

I'm just curious what it was you found a PITA on an E30?

The only job that REALLY sucks IMHO is the rear subframe bushings, but even then, if you aren't pulling it to repaint and such, you can rent a tool to change the bushings with the subframe still on the car.

Rear brake lines SUCK to replace too, but then I haven't really worked on a car where I liked doing the brake lines. I don't mind working on E30's...or the E36 M3. I found things were layed out logically and in a way that simplified service.

Electrics were a bit different (coming from a neon), but there are some great resources out there to help.

Of course, I just did the wires on the LT1, and I didn't find it nearly as horrific as the "I can't believe I just took 7 hours to do my wires" guys on the Corvette forums. (45mins: do some of it from under the car). Different strokes and all that: it depends what you're used to.

Nathan

So far, I've only had to do a few tasks:

Shifter bushings - what a crappy and STUPID design. Bearing in mind, my car has the damping ring covering the guilbo, so everything was completely blocked. Then after replacing all of the parts and adding a Z3 lever, the shifter still feels like ca-ca (although at least it's not a magic-wand anymore).

I still need to replace the engine mounts... and I've debating whether there is enough play in the engine bits to lift it, or if I should hang the engine and lower the sub-frame... Is the E30 uni-body structure strong enough to support the engine using a FWD-type hanger? (keeping in mind the car will be on my scissor-lift)

I guess it's just that everything I've had to do to the car so far has fought me every step of the way.

I recently replaced a '98 E36 with the sports package and great tires with a '99 Miata with 14" wheels and crappy all season tires. The Miata makes the BMW feel like a school bus in driving feel and handling. And I thought the BMW was a really nice car to drive.

z31maniac wrote:

Ian_F wrote:

2002maniac wrote: In reply to jonnyd330: They are very easy to work on. Swapped cars are not much different.

Eh... I guess it depends on perspective... seven years of fiddling with MINI's has spoiled me... compared to those, the E30 is a PITA...

I'm just curious what it was you found a PITA on an E30? The only job that REALLY sucks IMHO is the rear subframe bushings, but even then, if you aren't pulling it to repaint and such, you can rent a tool to change the bushings with the subframe still on the car.

i think one of my least favorite jobs has to be replacing the selector rod knuckle and/or seal, but much beyond that i find them pretty straight forward. subframe bushings w/tool are pretty easy. rear wheel bearings could be a little nicer if it was a hub assembly, especially if it bolted in, but with the right tool its still not too big of a deal.