Bernooo's E92 M3 Clubsport Build

[berns]

Originally Posted by okusa

Why not just pick up a used carbon leather piece?

Didn't do much searching but usually people want a lot for these, and they come with all the pieces... with me only needing the dash. Would rather not waste money on something so small. Actually really like how it came out this way. So unless someone wants to donate some carbon leather trim, this is how it'll stay.

Got rid of my giant RAM suction mount for the AIM and fit it to my carbon radio delete. Not sure if I'll miss this up in my line of site, or be glad it's out of the way and not distracting me / ruining PB laps.



Time to tacking the shifter surround with the extra console cover I have here, as this hacked up one is looking pretty terrible.

I need TJ to thin my wire harness like yours, but don't think I'll get anywhere near as much done if I'm leaving the dash in and keeping AC/Headlights. Wonder how much weight there is vs your extreme cut.

[okusa]

Originally Posted by berns

I need TJ to thin my wire harness like yours, but don't think I'll get anywhere near as much done if I'm leaving the dash in and keeping AC/Headlights. Wonder how much weight there is vs your extreme cut.

I know the number, but won't tempt you by mentioning it since it's big (much bigger than I had anticipated).

[berns]

Originally Posted by okusa

I know the number, but won't tempt you by mentioning it since it's big (much bigger than I had anticipated).

My number will be a lot less than you though, don't you think? I'm ok with temptation, StripclubDJ probably won't want to work on my car anyway.

[1FastSicilian]

Love the mount for the AIM... I have the RAM mount now and I really would like a better mount for it..

Thinking about fabricating something to sit where my Idrive screen is in the second hump.

[reidetailing]

Originally Posted by berns

Trim looks fantastic, Alex.
We all are still here and enjoy reading your journal...keep the posts coming.


Much love,
Alex

[okusa]

Originally Posted by berns

My number will be a lot less than you though, don't you think? I'm ok with temptation, StripclubDJ probably won't want to work on my car anyway.

About 40 lbs

[amg6975]

Originally Posted by berns

My number will be a lot less than you though, don't you think? I'm ok with temptation, StripclubDJ probably won't want to work on my car anyway.

Originally Posted by okusa

About 40 lbs

Same results here. I kept the head unit, amp, front speakers, and one sub but removed the COMBOX, rear speakers, most of the antennas, the FZD and anything roof related, the airbag module/wiring and it was on the order of 40 lbs excluding the airbags themselves.

Leaving A/C does not change the harness thinning except maybe the single wire for the compressor clutch since you need to leave the IHKA anyway, and it's mostly all CAN. The compressor is the only part of that system that has any appreciable weight.

If you removed all audio related wiring, everything airbag related, and the roof harness I'd bet you could remove closer to 50lbs of wire and modules.

[berns]

Originally Posted by amg6975

Same results here. I kept the head unit, amp, front speakers, and one sub but removed the COMBOX, rear speakers, most of the antennas, the FZD and anything roof related, the airbag module/wiring and it was on the order of 40 lbs excluding the airbags themselves.

Leaving A/C does not change the harness thinning except maybe the single wire for the compressor clutch since you need to leave the IHKA anyway, and it's mostly all CAN. The compressor is the only part of that system that has any appreciable weight.

If you removed all audio related wiring, everything airbag related, and the roof harness I'd bet you could remove closer to 50lbs of wire and modules.

Wow, that's wild. Does the dash have to come out for this?

[amg6975]

Originally Posted by berns

Wow, that's wild. Does the dash have to come out for this?

To fully do it, yes. Most of the audio wiring could be removed without removing the dash but you'd have to cut some of it around the dead pedal. I removed all the wire from my car pin-to-pin and labeled where it came from so if I wanted to put it back for some reason I could.

The airbag wiring is super tangled in with the main harness so also a dash out operation to do it "right." The roof wiring you may be able to do without since I think most of it goes down the passenger side to the JBBF.

Protip: leave the two twisted pairs that go from the ABG module to the SZL clock spring so you can route CAN and power through them down the road if you want a fancy steering wheel with CAN functionality.

[berns]

Slacking on updates as usual... but after a year of changes, getting further from the goal, taking an extended summer off from driving and a bunch of other things... I came back to Buttonwillow on a mission. I was going to run that 1:49 one way or another. (I've said this to myself many times to hype myself up, it never worked.)

The goal has been: 1:49.xx @ Buttonwillow 13CW on 200tw street tires, without a front splitter, naturally aspirated. Happy would be an understatement. I almost cried when I finally pulled into the pits and realized it happened. I'll dig into it all further soon, but just got to Big Bear for a 3 day shoot, so my time will be limited. Wanted to share the good news here and post the two first laps of the weekend.

I was able to come back the next morning for Bimmer Challenge and back up the times with another 1:49.8 and 1:49.7... The 49.7 would have been a 49.5 if I didn't hit some kind of fuel cut exiting Sunset. Never happened before but I guess it needed some more in the tank. All in all, I am STOKED. Love this car, love this platform, love this community and am grateful for anyone and everyone that's followed along, supported, helped, been a fan -- anything. 48's next.

[okusa]

Originally Posted by berns

Happy would be an understatement. I almost cried when I finally pulled into the pits and realized it happened.

Congrats!

[tsk94]

Was this with the 295/30 front and 295/35 rear? How'd you like that combo...?

[berns]

Originally Posted by tsk94

Was this with the 295/30 front and 295/35 rear? How'd you like that combo...?

It was. I loved it. The car was flawless and consistently awesome on that setup.
I think it added some forward rake which further helped the front grip, and the gearing advantage is pretty obvious in the video. 3rd and 4th gear are all I need, all the way up to 132mph. I'd been trying to run 295/30 square for the entire year and it just wasn't suiting the car at Buttonwillow. Perhaps with a stock FD, it'd have been ok, but with the 4.10 it was hurting lap times and the car never felt right.

A year ago, I ran 6-7 1:50 laps in one day, on 18x10.5 275/35. That setup was phenomenal, and again, the gearing advantage was written all over the data this whole time, it just took me a bit to put it all together.

Running staggered heghts isn't ideal by any means... I'd consider some further fender work up front to fit a 295/35 all around just so I can rotate, but for now, this will be the street tire setup. Car just works so well this way.

Last time I was at Buttonwillow (before the clutch and driveshaft, a month or so ago), I ran a best of 1:51.4 on 295/30 Nankang CR-S. Couldn't match that time again all day. Loved those tires at Laguna, but have no seat time there, so I'd assume I'd have been faster on an RE-71RS.

At Buttonwillow last weekend, the car ran 1:48.9 on the first lap, 48.6 on the 2nd. Then 3 more 49's the following morning on the same tires. Reviewing data and videos now... optimal best of 47.9 between the 3 quickest 49's... Imagine! If only it were that easy.

Here's the 49.7 from the next morning at Bimmer Challenge. First lap, a friend of mine went off at Sunrise and I had to slow -- ran a 50.8. 2nd lap, a friend lost his splitter and I had to sacrifice my line into Riverside, which DOES NOT work on this car given how much commitment I need without a front splitter. I almost found the dirt exiting Riverside, but held it together. Made up some time by Sunset with a predictive of 49.55, but ran the tank too low and hit some kind of fuel cut at the top of 3rd gear which killed two tenths. Excited to get back out there.

[JobanM]

Great driving as usual Alex! The car rotates extremely well into the lower speed sections, but looks like above 100mph the front end just washes away. I have the 4.44 final drive and like you said 295/30 while gives you a great punch, but on certain tracks it sucks to run out gears at the wrong time.

I am going to test 275/35 all around next year on 10.5 maybe I will grab the new CRS. It will be interesting to compare the data!

[jmeenach]

Solid driving, man.

I'm jealous of your gearing; I need to drop to 2nd gear for off-ramp or I'd be lugging the entire straight!

[omgzirra_exe]

congrats alex! paving the way for NA hero's...

one day i hope to share these conversations with you <3

[Beyond_Ill]

Had a video of Alex and his E92 M3 show up in my YouTube recommended feed this evening.

Sub2 Speedhouse Track Build Interview

[1FastSicilian]

Originally Posted by Beyond_Ill

Had a video of Alex and his E92 M3 show up in my YouTube recommended feed this evening.

Sub2 Speedhouse Track Build Interview

I watched this last night as well.. Great video Alex!

[reidetailing]

Originally Posted by Beyond_Ill

Had a video of Alex and his E92 M3 show up in my YouTube recommended feed this evening.

Sub2 Speedhouse Track Build Interview

Amazing video Alex!! Great job.
Would've been cool if the video incorporated some road driving too.
Great learning more about you, your vision, your story on tracking cars from the street rac*** days, etc.

[gtenedio]

Originally Posted by berns

600/1000 divorced

where do you source your springs?

[berns]

Originally Posted by gtenedio

where do you source your springs?

Eibach.

Thanks guys. Was a pretty chill video! Here's the link for anyone that missed it.
You may or may not see a film about the car come out at some point which will be all road driving.

[berns]

From yesterday's Bimmer Challenge R2 @ Big Willow... what a fucking crazy place.
6+ years away and a bit of practice on the SIM the day before, and the E92 was a rocket ship there on street tires. Good enough for 3rd place in B1... losing to two full-on race cars on Pirelli slicks who were both in the 1:21-22's. Hoping they make the rules a bit more fair soon, but it was a good time!