E46 M3 - Kumho Championship Race Car Build

[jibber_monkey]

On the subject of brakes, we're using an AP Racing pedal box with throttle potentiometer as we are retaining drive by wire. The drive by wire debate went on for about 3 months. Nathan from Race Data Systems made incredibly well informed and persuasive arguments for running DBW and my wilting bank account made equally compelling arguments not to. The main financial issue results from having to run a Motec M600 (or M800) in place of the M84 we had already bought. The reason being that the M84 doesn't support DBW and the Mx00 series do but at a significant increase in cost. Happily a second hand M600 with DBW and Data Logging already installed came up for sale. After carefully feeding the calculation into my Manputer, the answer came back that offsetting the cost of a second hand M600 against the money raised from selling the M84 makes it practically free. So that was that. Anyone want to buy a brand new, never used M84?



Pedal box made up with AP master cylinders .7 for clutch, .625 front brakes, .75 rear brakes. This is our baseline set up but may need to change cylinder sizes depending on how it performs on track. Anyone running a pedal box in their car and care to share cylinder sizes?


Fitted to the car with the throttle plate thing removed (couldn't get on with that thing!)

[jibber_monkey]

Some pictures of an obsessive compulsive fuel system install close to completion:

[shimmy]

After all this, I hope you win

[jibber_monkey]

Can you tell what it is yet?


One flocked single skin fibreglass left hand drive dash with funky carbon fibre support for fancypants Motec switch panel


Please excuse the two bins used to support the dash. It's not normally how we roll but we're on a deadline and the workshop is full!

Panels starting to go on. We're getting it wrapped tomorrow, so it's about time!



That's just a temporary bumper for the show, we're getting a custom carbon kevlar integrated bumper and splitter made up which may (or may not) be ready in time for Autosport...

Some more piccies of the front brakes


Just changed settings on photobucket upload to get bigger picture sizes :-)

Mmmmmm box fresh


In other good news I managed to find the brake bias adjuster cable that came with the AP pedal box. The next big question is, will the parts from Germany and the US turn up in time for the show?

[jibber_monkey]

Real detail thing this but we decided to remove a big squishy bit of rubber from the M3's steering...



and replace it with a lovely new machined piece of steel. Could have used aluminium for weight purposes but it's not a part I want to even consider failing on a race track, so steel it is.

Heat shrink sleeve to get perfect fit - no slop in the this steering system!





Will fit 5mm longer bolts but this will do for the show

[jibber_monkey]

Originally Posted by shimmy

After all this, I hope you win

The thought has crossed my mind that I'm going to look like a bit of a prat if I'm not at least up the sharp end! Don't worry though, we've gone for a subdued and unassuming colour scheme...

[jibber_monkey]

Rear firewall painted and being bonded and riveted in place

[jibber_monkey]

Said unassuming colour scheme being applied earlier today. The end is almost in sight!





Big thanks to Ricky at O.G. Tinting for fitting us in at the last minute. Especially as this wrap is apparently a complete pig to work with. Shiny though :-)

[jibber_monkey]

Just got pictures back from wrapping





Subtle she ain't!

[shimmy]

Originally Posted by jibber_monkey

The thought has crossed my mind that I'm going to look like a bit of a prat if I'm not at least up the sharp end! Don't worry though, we've gone for a subdued and unassuming colour scheme...

Prefect......