This 2011 M3 is an on-going track car project. Our customer wants to keep the car streetable, but wants it to be safe, fast, and fun for open track days. Our first round of modifications has included some aesthetic tweaks, handling improvements, engine upgrades, safety equipment, and some other goodies.
Upgrades include:
Dinan intake
Active Autowerke lightweight crankshaft pulley
Active Autowerke software
GMP customized exhaust with Remus mufflers
Bilstein PSS10 coil-over suspension
HRE Wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport tires for the street
Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires on the stock wheels for the track
Vorsteiner Carbon Fiber front spoiler (covered in matte-clear vinyl)
Vorsteiner Carbon Fiber rear diffuser (covered in matte-clear vinyl)
Autopower Industries Roll Bar (powdercoated white to match)
Recaro Sportster CS seats on GMP custom brackets to allow electric adjustment
Hardwired V1 Radar Detector
Carbon Fiber look roundels front and rear
Carbon Fiber steering wheel insert
Matte-clear vinyl cover on OE carbon roof
Matte-clear coat paint on carbon kidney grille trim
Exhaust
The exhaust system had previously been installed on our customers 2008 E90 M3 Sedan which he traded in on this car. For the installation to the new car we powder coated the rear sections and added cat-less downpipes.
Stock Exhaust Out
The Powder Coated Exhaust
The system was too short so we added piping and off to the welder we went
The Remus mufflers
Suspension
The kit
To allow for adjustment of the damper settings we cut access holes in the rear trunk carpet and used the provided plastic caps to cover the holes.
Stock
And completed.
Nice and low
Seats
Now this is where it gets really cool. Our customer knew that he wanted a racing seat but did not want to lose the normal luxury of the BMW factory power seats. Our solution was simple: turn the Recaro Sportster seats into power seats by adding power sliders. In order to do this, a set of factory M3 electric seat sliders were sourced in to replace the provided sliders from Recaro. With those off the seat, it was time to start building the brackets to attach them to the Recaros. One of the issues that we wanted to make sure to be aware of was height; when building the brackets, constant fitting was required to make sure the seat did not raise too high. In the end, with the newly built brackets, the overall height ended up being just a tad lower than the factory seats and, with the M3 spending time on the track, it allows more head room for a helmet. After the seats were able to be bolted into place, the next step was to add a switch to control the movement of the seat. Since we were using factory power sliders it only made since to use factory harnesses as well in order to keep a clean O.E. look. A few other modifications were made during the wiring process in order to deal with an air bag light by transferring the occupancy sensors over to the Recaros. With all the wiring finished, the seats were bolted into place, plugged in to the factory connectors and put to work.
Underneath the Recaro with the BMW motor and lower frame
Assembling the brackets to adapt from the BMW seat to the Recaro
Creating the mounting holes for the seat switches
Work on the motor wiring
Testing functionality with a jump box
When we were certain everything was in order, the seat was installed and ready to go
All the other goodies
Dinan Intake installed
Carbon Fiber Steering Wheel
Matte Carbon Roof
Matte Carbon Kidney Grilles
Carbon Front Spoiler
The Roll Cage
A little while later, we were received a message from the owner and attached were these:
He had hired Greenville, South Carolina-based photographer
Clint Davis to take some shots of the M3. We think they turned out fantastic and we're astounded by how good the project looked! It was definitely one of our favorite builds and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
To see more of this build and all 102 photos,
visit our gallery here!