Guy rallies in $500 e30 with m3 transplant

PaulKK

http://jalopnik.com/5497042/how-a-500-craigslist-car-beat-400k-rally-racers

Got this in an email, looks like it was good craic!!

Anan1

THat's a great story. It's actually a 318i with an M3 engine transplant!

af_thefragile

Wait, how did he mange to beat WRC spec cars churning out over 600bhp of power with 0-60mph times of less than 3secs in a car with no spoilers or body kit creating tons of downforce and an M3 engine??!!?!!

PaulKK

af_thefragile wrote: »

Wait, how did he mange to beat WRC spec cars churning out over 600bhp of power with 0-60mph times of less than 3secs in a car with no spoilers or body kit creating tons of downforce and an M3 engine??!!?!!

The guy must have skills, or no fear!

Seems the course was a bit of a car-breaker too.

Anan1 wrote: »

THat's a great story. It's actually a 318i with an M3 engine transplant!

Duly noted, I'll edit the title!

zilog_jones

af_thefragile wrote: »

Wait, how did he mange to beat WRC spec cars churning out over 600bhp of power with 0-60mph times of less than 3secs in a car with no spoilers or body kit creating tons of downforce and an M3 engine??!!?!!

600 bhp? Current WRC class cars produce around 340 bhp, but he was not racing against these. He was mostly racing against Group N (standard production cars) and A (modified production cars, like pre-1997 WRC) cars. Still amazing stuff though, considering these were Evo IX's and the likes.

I wonder how much the car costed in total, after the engine swap and modifications? The FIA-spec rollcage probably cost a lot more than $500 :pac:

Rowley Birkin QC

Fantastic stuff, cheers for the link OP.

the_syco

Nice one. Gonna read this fully tomorrow

Alanstrainor

Great story, read it earlier. The guy had some balls to drive that heap at those speeds!

daveharnett

What a story.

Some kids threw boulders in the road on a transit and I punctured my gas tank losing nearly a half tank in 24 km on the next stage

Sounds like the car was running on raw crazy for a while there. Actually scratch that, from the start.

galwaytt

af_thefragile wrote: »

Wait, how did he mange to beat WRC spec cars churning out over 600bhp of power with 0-60mph times of less than 3secs in a car with no spoilers or body kit creating tons of downforce and an M3 engine??!!?!!

You won't get much downforce on washboard surfaces at 100. Nothing at all at 35-45.

It's not about power - it's how you get what you have, to the ground.

Voodoomelon

Great read!

high heels

he dident run with the big guys he was in rally america Not the WRC event..

he came 4th out of 9 cars.. And was over 2 and a half hours slower than loab who won the rally :rolleyes:
http://www.rallymexico.com/content.php?page=rally%20America

DanThe

Thats a great read PaulKK,

It sounds a lot like Irish rallying, making the best of what you have and having the time of your life doing it.:)

Muckie

Brilliant stuff, made me smile reading it.

robtri

so so cool.......
good find

Mr Benevolent

Brilliant stuff!

neilthefunkeone

zilog_jones wrote: »

I wonder how much the car costed in total, after the engine swap and modifications? The FIA-spec rollcage probably cost a lot more than $500 :pac:

Built the roll cage himself according to the story.. so to keep the money for tyres...

jozi

Read it earlier, good ready anyway.

The M3 engine would cost a fair bit if it's the S14 from the E30 M3 he put in.

Makes you want to buy an aul banger and give it a go