VERY cool race car at VSR1

Mario has a very cool E36 LTW M3 race car on consignment. This car won the 1998 IMSA Speedvision cup, and is a well developed, totally restored with the best of the best equipment .... race car. It would be a great club or SVRA racer with real history.

I nearly bought it but decided to go with a '57 Giulietta Spider race car instead because I want to run with VSCCA (which has a 1959 run with few exceptions). In comparison to the M3, the price of the Alfa is a bad joke (poor value) as it's just a shell, suspension, motor and drivetrain with maybe 5 fuses. The M3 has all the best technology of the day, including a hopped up Euro M3 motor.

Anyway, I think this car is a screaming deal, given the strong history, excellent configuration and top notch restoration (by Mario). I wish I could have both the Alfa and this M3 LTW, but I just don't have the time/$ to run 3 race cars.

John

Does this replace the Elva?
Always loved the Giulietta body, grill interior etc.!

Your Red racer is a Beaut. Just wondering what the approximate price is of the E36 M3. Was it an original E36 LTW ? (White, US Spec engine, 1 of 150)

Nicad said:

Your Red racer is a Beaut. Just wondering what the approximate price is of the E36 M3. Was it an original E36 LTW ? (White, US Spec engine, 1 of 150)

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This was an original LTW that PTG prepared. Went to Bell where it was painted their traditional silver/blue/red livery and run as #54 in IMSA/SCCA etc. History (lite) on the VSR website. If you search on this car, it ran many events in the late 1990's, and did pretty well in most (incl the '09 champtionship). As I understand it, it went to Europe where it was raced in a variety of enduro events throughout the continent.

If I were a guy like Duane, looking for a faster ride, this would be the one to get. Cheap to run, pennys on the dollar to buy, future historic value, excellent shop for storage/maint/race support. It has everything you could dream to want on an E36 M3 race car, including multiple aerodynamic setups, cool suit, full/modern safety gear, AIR JACKS to impress your friends when they're over for a barbeque, tons of custom made carbon fiber, and on and on. Gee, seems like a perfect setup for someone who wants to club race or have the coolest SCDA car.

Stan, no, the elva is in about 200 pieces in my barn. I'm redoing most of the restoration I paid for (ouch).

If I had an extra $100k in the toy budget, I'd buy that Fjord E9 at VSR1 (and sell on Paul Brigg's car w all the cool parts I've collected for it), and also get this M3 just to park on my front lawn (on the trailer) on weekends. But, the damn Elva was a ball buster on the budget and until I climb out of that hole ... I shouldn't buy any more cars.

John

bfeng said:

If I were a guy like Duane, looking for a faster ride, this would be the one to get.

John

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Cheers John - given I am a guy like Duane, I am always excited to get on track in a well prepared car be that single seater formula car, shifter karts, or touring cars.... frankly I am not fussy as long as it is competitive

Should time and financial means permit I see a lot of track time in my future.... and having just turned 41 years old I don't feel like I am slowing down any

if Santa has long arms and deep pockets...

http://www.vsr1.com/index.php?page=95-bmw-m3-lightweight

I hope to get another Go Kart as my track car once the kids leave home. I still have the trailer that my last Go KArt was in when it was stolen. (Sodi Targa).

I had an ex track car as my daily driver years ago and did lapping days with it. It was a VR6 VW Corrado endurance racer driven by Richard Spenard (Villeneuve's driving coach) It was stolen too as was the Corrado that replaced it.
Nobody better steal my Coupe.

Karting is fantastic $:fun, $:speed and HP:Weight

Nicad I am also a karting fan.

Back in Australia I raced from the age of 13 to 21... started with the four-stroke, then 125cc 2-stroke, then twin Rotax 'super-kart'

A few months ago some local enthusiasts here in Boston got together for some karting;

(1) BMW Boston chapter endurance racing using 4-strokes

(2) Track time in Rotax shifter-karts (~90 minutes of lapping not racing)

Photos attached

$ to Speed ratio cannot be matched.

Power to Weight ratio is phenomenal with the Rotax going 0-60mph in <3 seconds and we were getting upto 85mph on the outdoor track south of Boston.

Yes I changed my helmet between events (from the ARAI to the STILO) this season but still use my OMP race suit.

Seems to me there is no finer race car than a Go Kart. I did two seasons at Mosport Kart club and Southern Ontario Kart tracks in Senior Heavy (4 stroke Honda) and KT-100 (Two stroke Yamaha). The best part of all is that it was a race car I had a lift for (fold up stand) and could tow in my now completely rotted two story trailer behind The Corrado tow rig. I'd hope to do a track day with my Coupe one day you are out and get in a photo op with your VSR special!!
I think if I was to buy a new Kart it would probably be a rotax class. Those shifter Karts are wild animals and I'd like to take a driver's course combined with a California type vacation one day.

Back to the E36 Race car….must be a blast! I think a beefed up E36 is probably the best bang for the buck BMW race platform there is.
Still wondering what this costs?

The best go-kart is a street-legal Datsun 2000 But I'm biased.

Street, track, or VARA - you are good to go. Here's one for a decent price that used to belong to Mike Unger when he used it for DE instruction:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Datsun-Othe...9f8b875ce&item=111547020750&pt=US_Cars_Trucks

Cheers
James

DE car?

jamesw said:

The best go-kart is a street-legal Datsun 2000 But I'm biased.

Street, track, or VARA - you are good to go. Here's one for a decent price that used to belong to Mike Unger when he used it for DE instruction:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Datsun-Othe...9f8b875ce&item=111547020750&pt=US_Cars_Trucks

Cheers
James

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Nice car but in a diff league than the e36. This beautiful Datsun lacks a full roll cage, integrated fire system, containment type seat, aero aids for downforce, etc. Nice vintage racer and god occasional De car but not sFe enough for me.

I completely understand bfeng - sorry to take the thread off-course. I was comparing the Datsun to a shifter-kart, not the E36.

I think the E36 is awesome too and if it was $7,700 I would have already bought it ;-)

Cheers
James

My bad

Sorry, twas i who misunderstood.
Btw you karting guys have balls. I wouldn't never go that fast or hard without a DOM full roll cage or stout tube frame all the way around me. Must be a sport for young men.

jamesw said:

The best go-kart is a street-legal Datsun 2000 But I'm biased.

Street, track, or VARA - you are good to go. Here's one for a decent price that used to belong to Mike Unger when he used it for DE instruction:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Datsun-Othe...9f8b875ce&item=111547020750&pt=US_Cars_Trucks

Cheers
James

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I've always wanted a Datsun 2000. Think he'd take a 72 2002 as a partial trade?

bfeng said:

Sorry, twas i who misunderstood.
Btw you karting guys have balls. I wouldn't never go that fast or hard without a DOM full roll cage or stout tube frame all the way around me. Must be a sport for young men.

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Shifter Karts are a bit extreme, but the Kart I was running weighed only 150 pounds and had good basic crushable protection, it is not "That" dangerous. Also, you are thrown out of a Kart generally when it really goes wrong, which is better than being trapped inside it. The biggest danger is the Red Mist and racing against 20 year olds who don't take death and destruction into account.
I had bruised ribs from the G loading over bumps. Speeds in the classes I ran were only about 60 MPH max. I'd like to get back into it when I hit 60 in a few years and plan on taking up more dangerous pursuits if I make 80 (Kawasaki ZX-14) and Mogulmania 2039. Hoping not to go to the "Home"