Prince's BMW E36 318is Coupe

Hi all,

I bought this car quite a while ago. Originally I got the car as my Civic was involved in an accident and I needed something to get me from A to B, but wanted something that would hold it's value. I travelled to Peterborough one very snowy evening to check the car and it was fine (mechanically) so I lowered the seller to £1200 and drove it away that night. After owning the BMW for a while I decided to keep it instead of the Civic.

I've quietly started my project over the last month or so and decided to share it with everyone on here. It's not the most powerful car in the world but right now it fits the bill perfectly.

The previous owner's work wasn't the best so I have to correct scratches, rust and the awful back box. I've already had to replace a blown manifold (common problem on the M42 lump) and replace the clutch thanks to the release bearing. He did have some taste though as M3 rear lights have already been installed and the car has lowering springs (which will do for now). The car also had the full tool kit, torch, warning triangle and first aid kit.

My plans are:

Cosmetics
- M3 Body Kit
- AC Schnitzer Mirrors
- MTEC Mouldings
- BBS Style 5s (Summer Use)
- Smoothed Boot
- Lashings Of Carbon Fibre

Suspension
- HSD Coilovers (Fully Adjustable)
- X Brace
- Eibach Anti-Roll Bars
- Powerflex Purple Poly Bushes
- Front Upper Strut Brace
- Rear Upper Strut Brace

Power (Aiming for 160bhp+)
- Scorpion Exhaust
- Simota Carbon Fibre Induction Kit
- Big Bore Throttle Bodies
- Remap

Brakes
- Either a 330i conversion or an M3 conversion

Interior
- Honda Integra DC2 Type R Recaros
- Sport Headlining Conversion

In the future I will look into the possibility of a turbo or an engine conversion.

This is how it looked when I bought it:

Obviously those awful eye brows had to come off, and that terrible M badge had to be removed.

So as soon as I had the time I removed them and gave it a clean:

 

[jarrus]

Looks class mate, really does, still thinking about a 325tds myself and your car and the photos keep.pushing me to do it....

and 200 hp you say? Well.... thats what my 306 should manage when Ive stopped the leaks................

 

[Prince]

Looks class mate, really does, still thinking about a 325tds myself and your car and the photos keep.pushing me to do it....

and 200 hp you say? Well.... thats what my 306 should manage when Ive stopped the leaks................

Thanks buddy! A 325tds project sounds good as many not people tune them. You'll have to hunt for them though and get in quick when you do find one worth looking at.

200bhp is what I would expect from a dyno but will have to wait and see. That'll certainly be an interesting comparison!

 

[Loz]

Great pics, I love how tidy your car looks, the supercharger installation looks factory fitted.

 

[Prince]

Great pics, I love how tidy your car looks, the supercharger installation looks factory fitted.

There's a few more bits to tidy up yet (main thing being the driver's side wing - the photos don't show it but I bodged a rusty hole with a rattle can and some filler). I've got a replacement though. The supercharger still needs a little bit of tidying up here and there and the intake is definitely a part I can improve upon. But for now I want to just drive it and see how reliable it is. I've now covered around 100 miles since the installation and so far, so good.

There's still loads more I want to do!

 

[davalav]

Looks class mate!! So chuffed you finally got it all together!

What else have you got planned? More power? Or stripping the interior!?

 

[Prince]

Looks class mate!! So chuffed you finally got it all together!

What else have you got planned? More power? Or stripping the interior!?

Thanks buddy! It certainly got a fair bit of attention of DC12 on Sunday.

Immediate plans are to fit a new wing and a general tidy up. Little things that have bugged me need sorting, for example the fact I have no brake ducts is bugging me so I need a pair of those and new number plates (dealer ones) are needed.

Later this year a short shift kit will be going on, M3 rear anti-roll bar and a BBTB. I also want to adress the intake on the supercharger I think there is room for improvement.

After that I plan on going carbon fibre crazy and finishing off parts of the interior.

Other 'big money' areas are the diff. I want to swap out the original small case diff for a medium case LSD. The ratio is to be kept the same (3.45) meaning the new LSD will need to be modified as they come in either a 2.91 or a 3.10 iirc (328/M3 3.0). Gauges are a must and tbh are the next 'big money' area I shall concentrate on. I've already chosen what I want it's just a case of saving up now.

Clutch wise I'm still not sure. I like the clutch as it is so don't really want a heavy M3 item, but at the same time quite a few people report their 318is clutch starts slipping after fitting a supercharger.

Stripping out and a half cage is a possibility, but as I want to keep the car fully functional I may just have the rear seats re-trimmed to match the front. Other little tweaks are a full geometry setup and front and rear strut braces to add some extra support.

I would like a full re-spray as well but I'm not sure if it'll be worth it yet.

 

[T9 man]

Blimey that is some list you have there Prince :blink: I wish you the very best in getting everything done that you want too

 

[Prince]

Blimey that is some list you have there Prince :blink: I wish you the very best in getting everything done that you want too

Thanks buddy! Obviously I just can't go out and do the entire list but realistically I'm hoping to sort it all out by this time next year.

 

[MasterAuron]

You'll soon want more power. It may feel quick now but 200hp will feel slow in no time and it's nowhere near what your chassis, suspension and tyres can put down sensibly!

 

[Prince]

You'll soon want more power. It may feel quick now but 200hp will feel slow in no time and it's nowhere near what your chassis, suspension and tyres can put down sensibly!

I've already started to think how to get more power and at what point I might be happy. For now having 200bhp is quite nice as the acceleration is quite good. The chassis, suspension and tyres will handle so much more but before power comes driveability.

 

[MasterAuron]

But for now the priority is to get it on track obvs

 

[Prince]

But for now the priority is to get it on track obvs

It deservies to be used properly after all the work so far! Some of the guys on the BMW forums I use are looking to setup some air field days which I think should be good for learning the limits of the car properly. Don't want to run before I can walk!

 

[MasterAuron]

My thoughts exactly, you don't build a car like this to drive to the shops! You'll be fine on some of the proper tracks, plenty big run-offs. Bedford Autodrome would be a good one though if you must do an airfield day, near to you and it's almost impossible to hit anything I hear. I might do it in August.

 

[Prince]

My thoughts exactly, you don't build a car like this to drive to the shops! You'll be fine on some of the proper tracks, plenty big run-offs. Bedford Autodrome would be a good one though if you must do an airfield day, near to you and it's almost impossible to hit anything I hear. I might do it in August.

I've heard Beford is quite good! August sounds like a good time. How much does an air field day cost?

 

[MasterAuron]

It will be between about £100 and £200 depending on day or evening and which layout is used. For example, Club MSV have got an OPL day at Bedford SEN Circuit on Sat 14th of July for £175. Weekdays are normally cheaper too.

Days arranged for clubs on special deals etc are usually a fair bit cheaper though.

Right, I'm off to meet the lads for Le Mans! Have a look at Club MSV, Easytrack etc etc for tracks and prices.

 

[Prince]

It will be between about £100 and £200 depending on day or evening and which layout is used. For example, Club MSV have got an OPL day at Bedford SEN Circuit on Sat 14th of July for £175. Weekdays are normally cheaper too.

Days arranged for clubs on special deals etc are usually a fair bit cheaper though.

Right, I'm off to meet the lads for Le Mans! Have a look at Club MSV, Easytrack etc etc for tracks and prices.

Doesn't sound too bad tbh. An evening would suit me nicely but we'll see I guess.

Have a good-un mate.

 

[turbonutter69]

Just caught up with this buddy. Looking top notch.
You drove it in anger yet?

 

[herb]

Just caught up with this buddy. Looking top notch.
You drove it in anger yet?

daft question he drives a bmw

 

[turbonutter69]

 

[Jakeymd]

The company opentrack signed up to the forum a short while ago. They use bedford and the said he may sort out a TC track day.

 

[Prince]

Just caught up with this buddy. Looking top notch.
You drove it in anger yet?

Cheers dude! Not in anger, but I embarrassed a few 6 pot owners on the way to DC!

daft question he drives a bmw

Depends if you use my lane or not.

The company opentrack signed up to the forum a short while ago. They use bedford and the said he may sort out a TC track day.

Sweet. That would be cool!

 

[jarrus]

I'm in for the a track day with the club....

But as said before by clay... the car will never be really finished...there always something....

 

[Prince]

I've now done over 200 miles with the 'charger and all is well. The car is running well indeed. The car has now covered just over 130,000 miles as well!

 

[jarrus]

Nice, you've got a good engine then...wouldn't worry about it at all matey

 

[Prince]

Nice, you've got a good engine then...wouldn't worry about it at all matey

It'll do double what it's covered so far mate so I'm not worried at all.

 

[jarrus]

Forged rods, pistons, and a turbo next then?

 

[Prince]

Forged rods, pistons, and a turbo next then?

Funnily enough I have thought about that much further down the line, and it just so happens I know a guy that is in the very early stages of developing a twin charge setup using the same 'charger.

 

[jarrus]

Mate, its easy done, best way to do it is to compound it rather than using a system that bypasses the supercharger....

 

[jarrus]

Lancia Delta S4 is a prime example, also a 1.8 I4 it had upwards of 500hp with a supercharger and a turbo.. Chris Harris recently went out in one and was amazed at how broad the torque curve was and how bloody quick it was...

 

[claymore]

Mate, its easy done, best way to do it is to compound it rather than using a system that bypasses the supercharger....

I would have to concur

 

[jarrus]

it also means you can use a bigger turbo as well

 

[davalav]

I'm liking what Jarrus is saying. Compound charged' Beamer! Turn it into some mean drift machine.... Just saying.

 

[Prince]

Any such plans are quite into the future tbh so it's not something I've thought in-depth about. Ideally I like to up the power nearer to 250bhp but we shall see.

 

[geraint13]

*handshake* lol. What's she chucking out roughly now mate ?

 

[Prince]

*handshake* lol. What's she chucking out roughly now mate ?

Thanks buddy! Should be just over 200bhp. I'm getting it dyno'd in August as a few of us on a BMW forum are planning to all go together.

 

[geraint13]

Stay off the outside lane on the m'ways that day then pmsl.
She does sound mean though mate. Fair play to you !

 

[Prince]

Stay off the outside lane on the m'ways that day then pmsl.
She does sound mean though mate. Fair play to you !

Only gotta go to Milton Keynes! Our convoys are usually 'fun' though!

 

[geraint13]

Lmao

 

[geraint13]

I picked the 30d up from there. Lots of round abouts ol.

 

[Prince]

A few goodies have arrived for me.

A new wing (I'm sure some will know why I need one!). It's not perfect but still better than the current one.

Nice and dirty .

All cleaned up.

I've got a new nose cone as well but I'm not 100% happy with it so might not fit it.

These bad boys also turned up finally.

Finding cross drilled rear discs in E36 fitment wasn't easy, but eventually I came across a company called DC Performance who sell discs made by Nitrac. They are made to order and look damn good, and will hopefully perform better. You can look at their range here. I'll also mention their customer service is very good and had the pleasure of dealing with one of the co-owners after receiving the wrong discs first time round (I got ones for a Chrysler ).

As always, comments welcome.