1992 318is / LS1 aka: "Alpha E36 LS1"

[Fair!]

With this car coming back to Vorshlag this weekend we figured we'd go ahead and start the "Alpha LS1 E36 Team Car" page here. Should have added this when Teucci got it running earlier this year. This car will continue to be campaigned in XPrepared for SCCA Solo, G class for BMWCCA, and whatever Time Attack/Time Trial class it gets dumped into. Me, Hanchey, and even Teucci on occasion will race it at Texas area events in 2008 and one of us will run it at Nationals in 2008 as well. DIBS! (Amy will continue to run the '97 M3 in STU at most events)


Initial set-up, early 2007, with 17x9 D-Force wheels and 255/40/17 Kumho VictoRacer tires

Teucci is dropping the car off Saturday morning, Sept 15th, and we'll be racing it at the $100-entry-fee (ack!) Oktoberfest autocross on October 1st, out at Mineral Wells. Before that event we need to...

• Add a power steering cooler
• Swap the trunk and rear wing over from the other white E36
• Get a passenger seat in it!

This car hasn't been weighed in a while so we will do that this weekend and post the numbers (should be in the 26XX range). Teucci has been running the car at regional and divisional events this year and has set TTOD in the car more times than not. We want to change little if anything for now, because it works so damn well! Eventually it may get more lightweight body panels, a roll cage, a DASH2 digital display, AST 4300s, and some other goodies.

It has the following parts:

• low mileage bone stock LS1 engine and T56
• Custom full length headers, dual 3" exhaust and cats feeding into and a single 3" MagnaFlow muffler
• C5 Z06 clutch and pp, 12 pound Fidanza flywheel
• 3.91 gearing in a BMW M3 188mm diff housing
• 17x10F, 17x11R CCW 3-piece wheels
• 275/40/17 front, 315/35/17 rear, Kumho V710 DOT race tires
• Carbon Fiber rivet-on flares
• Stock 325 radiator and pusher fan
• Mostly gutted interior
• CF sunroof panel and aluminum LTW doors
• Sparco EVO driver's seat
• Registration and inspection stickers
• Lots of work by Teucci!

Mid-2007 set-up with 17x10/275mm front, 17x11/315mm Rear CCW wheels and Kumho V710 R compounds

We have been gathering R compounds for our now-aborted XP3 build-up and have amassed 18 race tires for use with this car including eight 17" and ten 18" Kumhos and Hoosiers, including a mix of 275s, 285s, 305s and 315s. We will probably migrate to two different sets of wheels and tires unless one set shows to work well and still provide acceptable wear rates for both types of events.

• For track events and Mineral Wells autocrosses, the existing 17" CCWs and Kumho Victoracers in 275F/315R sizes will be used, for better wear and cost effectiveness.
• For Solo use a set of D-Force 18x10" wheels and softer compound V710s or Hoosiers will be used in 285/30/18 and 305/30/18 sizes (we have 2 sets of Hoosier S05s in these staggered sizes already).

We are so psyched to get this car! Its even street legal, so we'll drive it to some local meet-and-greets. Thanks again to Teucci for selling the car back to us after doing all of the hard work getting it up and running. It saves us countless weeks/months getting our white 325is converted to a V8 and then into a competitive race car and lets us focus on much more pressing matters within the business while showing off a fast LS1 E36 sooner. With the E36 LS1 kit finally going into production this is a very important time saver for us.


Late 2007 set-up with 18x10 D-Force wheels and 285mm Front, 305mm Rear Hoosier S05 R compounds

Check back soon for a LOT more pictures, updates, changes, videos, and data logging numbers. Make sure to ask for a ride on the passenger side at local events - it will blow your mind.

Caution: we are not responsible for excessive spending after riding in this car.

[hancheyb]

OK, just drove it. This car will make you rethink your life priorities.

2450 pounds, 350+ hp, 1.4g of lateral grip. Yeah, I'm in for at least two.

[C3]

When does the kit go on sale? I may have some priorities to re-evaluate.

[Fair!]

Lots of test drives and yelps of joy. I actually scared Punky, which was pretty funny. She was nervous as we experienced wheelspin at 50 mph. Get used to it!

Some pictures from today's work - just washing, detailing and waxing.




List of immediate updates:

• Harness for passenger seat. With nothing to hold onto and a 3-point factory belt, its a slip-n-slide over there.
• Power steering cooler
• Add some M3 style side mirrors
• Add a dead pedal
• Put more gas in it!

This this is a total BLAST to drive.

[hancheyb]

Originally Posted by C3

When does the kit go on sale? I may have some priorities to re-evaluate.

We're going to make a run of 10 kits pretty soon. Headers are ready, motor and trans are close. Driveshaft is ready. Cooling is ready. Making some progress.

[Shortcutsleeping]

Originally Posted by hancheyb

We're going to make a run of 10 kits pretty soon. Headers are ready, motor and trans are close. Driveshaft is ready. Cooling is ready. Making some progress.

Pricing???



Costas

[hancheyb]

Originally Posted by Shortcutsleeping

Pricing???
Costas

Working on that. It will be under what all the current kits are going for which is $6-7k.

Brian

[Hunter]

ok so the first thing on my list when i get back from china is going to be buy E36 BMW to put LS1 in

[Paul]

What about the wiring harness? I guess that is my biggest concern since I know you guys have solved the other issues.

- Will the A/C work?
- Will ABS work?
- Will cruise control work?

[hancheyb]

Originally Posted by Paul

What about the wiring harness? I guess that is my biggest concern since I know you guys have solved the other issues.

- Will the A/C work?
- Will ABS work?
- Will cruise control work?

Wiring is probably the easiest part. There is very little overlap btwn the engine harness of the LS1 and the body computer of the BMW. I think it will be around 4 wires, that's it.

A/C is not a huge deal. Yes, we will make that work.

ABS, of course. This is what makes this kit different. We are keeping BMW's brakes "as is". Not touching them.

Cruise. We can address this as well. Either the LS1's cruise or adapt the BMW's cruise to the LS1. This is a lower priority but not a huge deal. The BMW cruise is a seperate computer that uses the speed signal off the dash. All of that will be intact.