The Cart Before the Horse: Spec 3 Build

[Senor_Taylor]

First time towing the car and it was pretty nice, besides the fact that renting a uHaul for 4 days costs 20% of just buying your own trailer. Ripped off the porkchops I installed on said uHaul trailer when unloading it, but got one reattached Thursday night. I got a free set of spec wheels from Cobetto and picked up another set of RR scrubs for $60 so I had those mounted Saturday. These look much better than those ugly red things I've been running.

For anyone keeping track at home, that leaves me with
Style 29s with NEW 225/50/15 RA1s - Rain tire
Style 7s with 225/50/15 RRs with a ton of heat cycles
Style 5s painted red with 205/50/15 RRs practically new
Style 6s with Winter Tires
Style 32s with all seasons

The latter two I've had listed for sale forever.

I didn't get to drive until Sunday morning after Maeng took my car out for a session. I texted him while I was on grid and asked how the car felt and he had no issues except it was bouncy in left hand turns. I figured that was just the fact that I had swapped tires without telling him and he went out with 50 PSI in the back left. I went out and immediately discovered a loud clacking sound that got really bad under left hand turns. I pulled in and had pit out check underneath and they found nothing. I went back out and got another 2 laps in before checker and I turned in.

I hoped it was just the fire extinguisher rattling around so I cut that loose and hopped in the passenger seat to head out with Maeng at the wheel and we didn't make it out of turn 2 before hearing the racket and bringing it back in the look. I asked pit out (Brandon) to look at my rear shock mounts to see if they looked funny. He checked and came back around to inform me that there was actually no shock back there. We pulled the car in and popped the wheel off to find that the shock piston has broken through the shock mount. I found a replacement part and threw it in and headed out for my next session. Maeng left his AIM in there so I had some actual times for my first time on track. 2:27, 2:26, 2:25, 2:24.... Okay, I was picking up time, so I decided to keep pushing. Came in hot through Oak Tree and dipped a tire off... and the noise is back. I pull in and check the mount. This one is broken as well. Turns out I installed both missing a washer, so it was pure luck I hadn't blown them earlier. That was the end of my weekend.

I'm looking forward to Summit where hopefully everything can finally come together. A running car without charging issues, tire issues, or other things being broken. The car felt absolutely STELLAR in the few laps between broken shock mounts. I could definitely feel the ~200 lbs of weight loss. The better ride height from lowering the rear was apparent, having balanced, good tires that were actually found inspired a lot of confidence since the car was shaking violently above 60MPH. The headlight intake and cleaned throttle body, MAF, and free spinning alternator definitely made the car feel a lot peppier. I'm very happy about the car.

To do before Summit:
Install new rear shock mounts (again, but properly)
Flip my shock mount reinforcements
Add bump stops to the rear shocks
AC delete
Pull the last bit of carpet
Swap driver seat and harnesses for the halo seat I just picked up

To do before next season:
Remove sound deadening
Install Spec Exhaust
Install ECU Chip
Sunroof delete
Rear Subframe reinforcement
Sway bar reinforcement
Subframe bushings (AKG Poly)
Diff bushings (AKG Poly)
Engine and Trans Mounts (E46 M3)
Rear control arm ball joints (OEM)

Beyond:
Source M3 Control arms, Spec Shocks, Spec Springs, Spec anit-roll kit, camber plates (This step alone will cost 25% of what I've already spent on the car)
If I come into some money or a better job, see if I can get a cage welded up. May not be feasible, but is very important.
Fire bottle
Kill Switch
Drill ignition lock
Vanos rebuild
Baffled oil pan and safety wired oil pump nut

At that point, I believe this car will be 99% of the way to being spec legal.