Smoke on the Water - TLud's E92 M3 build page (Updated with Rolling Shots)

TLud · 12-31-2009, 03:56 PM

I bought my '09 Interlagos Blue E92 M3 on October 18, 2008 with every intention of keeping it stock. Here's how she looked the day I brought her home:

Everything changed in May 2009, when I jumped in on the RAC RG63 wheel group buy. I was bitten by the mod bug, for which we all know there is no cure. My goal was to improve the power, braking, and shifting for the track without negatively affecting daily driveability. I also wanted to give the car a unique look: aggressive, all business, and not flashy. I wanted a look that subtly states that function takes precedence over form with this car.

To add some power, I went with the following bolt-on mods:

Powerchip custom dyno tune
Dinan free flow exhaust
AA pulley kit
Macht Schnell air filter

By my estimate and based on a couple of dyno sessions, these mods added a total of approximately 35 whp and 30 lb-ft of torque. Obviously, the best bang for the buck was the Powerchip tune, which not only accounted for a significant power gain, but also significantly improved driveability. The Dinan exhaust and the MS filter also gave a nice improvement in sound - they added some muscle to the stock engine and exhaust notes without being obnoxious or creating any drone.

The additional power required additional control. For the brakes, I went with a StopTech BBK with 6 piston calipers and 15" rotors in front and 4 pot calipers and 14" rotors in back. I had the kit repainted without the StopTech stickers for a more subtle look. For the street, I'm running StopTech Street Performance pads, and I'll be using PFC 01/06 pads on the track.

I also wanted to improve the stock shifting, the throws were long and notchy and the engagement rubbery and vague. I installed UUC's SSK, which shortened the throws nicely without adding much effort. I later installed UUC's double sheer selector rod, which initially failed to eliminate slop in the stock setup like it was advertised to do. However, my shop has made some additional modifications and it is much improved. The icing on the cake was installing an illuminated E46 ZHP shift knob, which is about 3/4" shorter than the stock knob and nicely weighted, which shortened the throws further and really smoothed them out, all while keeping a very OEM appearance.

On the visual side, I had a very specific picture in my mind, and I turned to the masters to turn my ideas into reality. IND Distribution, and particularly the newest member of their team, Andrew, did not let me down. As a lawyer, the most challenging part of my job is to always put my clients' interests before my own. IND takes that same principle and applies it to the aftermarket automotive business like no other company I've ever dealt with. There were the inevitable hiccups along the way, but IND was fantastic with their proactive communication and extreme attention to detail.

In addition to various trim pieces like the gloss black kidney grills and the color-matched side gills with tinted LED lenses, IND supplied one of the two visual center-pieces for this car, the RDSport Stradale bumper. This was the perfect bumper for me because it has a very subtle OEM appearance, but makes the front look much more aggressive. It also flows really well with the lines of the car from every viewing angle. And, of course, it eliminates the ugly orange corner markers. The paint matched up perfectly with the rest of the car.

The other visual focal point of this car are the wheels, RAC RG63s. Much has already been written about these masterpieces, but to briefly summarize, these are 20-21 lb. 8000 ton forged one-piece wheels designed by RAC (Shep and Chuck) specifically for the E9X M3 in a limited run of 50 sets. I chose gunmetal sight unseen, and I'm completely happy with the way they came out. The strength, weight, and numerous unique design details set the RG63 apart from any other wheel available for the M3, and I feel privileged to have been part of the group buy process.

Spec List

Gunmetal RAC RG63 (19x9/19x10 f/r with ET 22)
Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta 255/35/19 and 275/35/19
StopTech BBK
Eibach Pro Kit
Dinan free flow exhaust
Powerchip custom dyno tune
AA underdrive pulley kit
Macht Schnell air filter from EAS
UUC SSK and DSSR
Illuminated E46 ZHP shift knob from LeatherZ
E92 Lighting clutch stop
OEM aluminum pedals
RDSport Stradale front bumper from IND
Vorsteiner Type II rear diffuser
IND gloss black kidney grills
IND color-matched side markers with tinted LED lenses
AngeliBrights from EAS
Rear fog light mod
Hardwired Escort 9500ix
ClearShield clear bra
Formula1 Pinnacle ceramic tint (35% on sides; 20% on back)

Special thanks goes to IND for helping me make this car look as good as it drives, to Mike and Jeremy with Powerchip for making the group buy happen and turning this car into the beast it is, and to everyone on this forum who has offered advice, suggestions, and knowledge. Last, but certainly not least, I'd like to thank my neighbor, Luis, for taking the excellent photographs to follow.

More pics to follow shortly.

TLud · 12-31-2009, 03:57 PM

Here are a few more pics I took around downtown Houston with my new camera. These are some of the better ones I got. While I was taking these, I met some cool guys who took some rolling shots of my car that came out amazing. I'll post those up when I get them.

TLud · 12-31-2009, 03:58 PM

While I was taking pictures of my M3 in downtown Houston last weekend, I had the pleasure of running into a group of photographers. A couple of them offered to take rolling shots of my car, and of course, I accepted. I love the way they came out. Here's a few of the better ones, courtesy of and major props to Jeremiah of distortography and Dan McCarty (Jeremiah took the shots from Dan's Mazdaspeed 3 using Dan's camera).

10M3MAN · 12-31-2009, 04:03 PM

Very nice I like

808MGuy · 12-31-2009, 04:10 PM

Looks good! Is your car that low with just Eibach springs or is it an optical illusion that makes your front tire look like its tucking into the wheel well?

BCA · 12-31-2009, 04:12 PM

Looks good!

I'll keep an eye out for you around town...

TLud · 12-31-2009, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 808MGuy

Looks good! Is your car that low with just Eibach springs or is it an optical illusion that makes your front tire look like its tucking into the wheel well?

The front wheels are turned slightly away from the camera, which makes them appear more tucked in than normal.

Here are some from my Blackberry that show the gap a little better:

Andrew@IND · 12-31-2009, 04:17 PM

Thank you so much for your kind words! As the newest member of IND's team, coordinating your project was really my rite of passage, and it truly touches me to read that you were pleased with the help I was able to offer.

I love the look of the RD Sport bumper on your car, and combined with the RAC wheels the look is completely unbeatable. I am truly honored that you entrusted me to be a part of the project.

J08M3 · 12-31-2009, 04:47 PM

nice

Sako_335 · 12-31-2009, 04:50 PM

nice

Moxie · 12-31-2009, 04:58 PM

Looks good - Add a shot from the rear maybe?

inter1032 · 12-31-2009, 05:27 PM

nice
have you thought about color matching the brakes?

TLud · 12-31-2009, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moxie

Looks good - Add a shot from the rear maybe?

I'll post some rear shots as soon as I get them from my neighbor.

Quote:

Originally Posted by inter1032

nice
have you thought about color matching the brakes?

I did think about going that direction, and I may try it if I ever decide to repaint my calipers, but I wanted to have just a little red to accentuate an otherwise fairly dark car.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew@IND

Thank you so much for your kind words! As the newest member of IND's team, coordinating your project was really my rite of passage, and it truly touches me to read that you were pleased with the help I was able to offer.

I love the look of the RD Sport bumper on your car, and combined with the RAC wheels the look is completely unbeatable. I am truly honored that you entrusted me to be a part of the project.

Couldn't have done it without you, and I'm glad I had a chance to work with you guys.

yamazaho · 12-31-2009, 06:08 PM

Looking really good man, love them BBKs.

DevJ · 12-31-2009, 06:20 PM

Hey Tom,

Beautiful car! It's very nicely done.

Question for you though- why did you decide to go with the AA pulley rather than the Dinan?

TLud · 12-31-2009, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevJ

Hey Tom,

Beautiful car! It's very nicely done.

Question for you though- why did you decide to go with the AA pulley rather than the Dinan?

Because the Dinan one took too long. I kept hearing it would be out "next month," so I finally ordered the AA. The next week, the Dinan pulley kit was released. Go figure.

Epacy2 · 12-31-2009, 06:55 PM

Well done! Laundry list of mods!

4emthree5 · 12-31-2009, 06:58 PM

So nice.....the RACs really set the car off

Eugene-TAIWAN · 12-31-2009, 07:02 PM

nice touch Tlud, I think all the us guys should go for the Euro bumper.

JC919 · 12-31-2009, 07:15 PM

Very well done Tom, as I've said before, it's the best looking M3 in Houston

Ajax-Prime · 12-31-2009, 07:37 PM

I really don't want to spend $4k more on my car, but you're making it really tough...

Very, very, nice car sir.

gthirtyfizle · 12-31-2009, 07:50 PM

Ur car looks incredible

12-31-2009, 03:56 PM	#1
TLud Colonel Drives: '12 Golf R Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 2,292 iTrader: (3)	Smoke on the Water - TLud's E92 M3 build page (Updated with Rolling Shots) I bought my '09 Interlagos Blue E92 M3 on October 18, 2008 with every intention of keeping it stock. Here's how she looked the day I brought her home: Everything changed in May 2009, when I jumped in on the RAC RG63 wheel group buy. I was bitten by the mod bug, for which we all know there is no cure. My goal was to improve the power, braking, and shifting for the track without negatively affecting daily driveability. I also wanted to give the car a unique look: aggressive, all business, and not flashy. I wanted a look that subtly states that function takes precedence over form with this car. To add some power, I went with the following bolt-on mods: Powerchip custom dyno tune Dinan free flow exhaust AA pulley kit Macht Schnell air filter By my estimate and based on a couple of dyno sessions, these mods added a total of approximately 35 whp and 30 lb-ft of torque. Obviously, the best bang for the buck was the Powerchip tune, which not only accounted for a significant power gain, but also significantly improved driveability. The Dinan exhaust and the MS filter also gave a nice improvement in sound - they added some muscle to the stock engine and exhaust notes without being obnoxious or creating any drone. The additional power required additional control. For the brakes, I went with a StopTech BBK with 6 piston calipers and 15" rotors in front and 4 pot calipers and 14" rotors in back. I had the kit repainted without the StopTech stickers for a more subtle look. For the street, I'm running StopTech Street Performance pads, and I'll be using PFC 01/06 pads on the track. I also wanted to improve the stock shifting, the throws were long and notchy and the engagement rubbery and vague. I installed UUC's SSK, which shortened the throws nicely without adding much effort. I later installed UUC's double sheer selector rod, which initially failed to eliminate slop in the stock setup like it was advertised to do. However, my shop has made some additional modifications and it is much improved. The icing on the cake was installing an illuminated E46 ZHP shift knob, which is about 3/4" shorter than the stock knob and nicely weighted, which shortened the throws further and really smoothed them out, all while keeping a very OEM appearance. On the visual side, I had a very specific picture in my mind, and I turned to the masters to turn my ideas into reality. IND Distribution, and particularly the newest member of their team, Andrew, did not let me down. As a lawyer, the most challenging part of my job is to always put my clients' interests before my own. IND takes that same principle and applies it to the aftermarket automotive business like no other company I've ever dealt with. There were the inevitable hiccups along the way, but IND was fantastic with their proactive communication and extreme attention to detail. In addition to various trim pieces like the gloss black kidney grills and the color-matched side gills with tinted LED lenses, IND supplied one of the two visual center-pieces for this car, the RDSport Stradale bumper. This was the perfect bumper for me because it has a very subtle OEM appearance, but makes the front look much more aggressive. It also flows really well with the lines of the car from every viewing angle. And, of course, it eliminates the ugly orange corner markers. The paint matched up perfectly with the rest of the car. The other visual focal point of this car are the wheels, RAC RG63s. Much has already been written about these masterpieces, but to briefly summarize, these are 20-21 lb. 8000 ton forged one-piece wheels designed by RAC (Shep and Chuck) specifically for the E9X M3 in a limited run of 50 sets. I chose gunmetal sight unseen, and I'm completely happy with the way they came out. The strength, weight, and numerous unique design details set the RG63 apart from any other wheel available for the M3, and I feel privileged to have been part of the group buy process. Spec List Gunmetal RAC RG63 (19x9/19x10 f/r with ET 22) Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta 255/35/19 and 275/35/19 StopTech BBK Eibach Pro Kit Dinan free flow exhaust Powerchip custom dyno tune AA underdrive pulley kit Macht Schnell air filter from EAS UUC SSK and DSSR Illuminated E46 ZHP shift knob from LeatherZ E92 Lighting clutch stop OEM aluminum pedals RDSport Stradale front bumper from IND Vorsteiner Type II rear diffuser IND gloss black kidney grills IND color-matched side markers with tinted LED lenses AngeliBrights from EAS Rear fog light mod Hardwired Escort 9500ix ClearShield clear bra Formula1 Pinnacle ceramic tint (35% on sides; 20% on back) Special thanks goes to IND for helping me make this car look as good as it drives, to Mike and Jeremy with Powerchip for making the group buy happen and turning this car into the beast it is, and to everyone on this forum who has offered advice, suggestions, and knowledge. Last, but certainly not least, I'd like to thank my neighbor, Luis, for taking the excellent photographs to follow. More pics to follow shortly. __________________ '09 Interlagos Blue E92 M3 (sold to a good home) Last edited by TLud; 01-25-2010 at 01:14 AM.
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12-31-2009, 03:57 PM	#2
TLud Colonel Drives: '12 Golf R Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 2,292 iTrader: (3)	More pics (1/24/10) Here are a few more pics I took around downtown Houston with my new camera. These are some of the better ones I got. While I was taking these, I met some cool guys who took some rolling shots of my car that came out amazing. I'll post those up when I get them. __________________ '09 Interlagos Blue E92 M3 (sold to a good home) Last edited by TLud; 01-25-2010 at 01:05 AM.

12-31-2009, 03:58 PM	#3
TLud Colonel Drives: '12 Golf R Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 2,292 iTrader: (3)	Update 1/31/10 - Rolling Shots While I was taking pictures of my M3 in downtown Houston last weekend, I had the pleasure of running into a group of photographers. A couple of them offered to take rolling shots of my car, and of course, I accepted. I love the way they came out. Here's a few of the better ones, courtesy of and major props to Jeremiah of distortography and Dan McCarty (Jeremiah took the shots from Dan's Mazdaspeed 3 using Dan's camera). __________________ '09 Interlagos Blue E92 M3 (sold to a good home) Last edited by TLud; 01-31-2010 at 01:31 AM.

12-31-2009, 04:10 PM	#5
808MGuy Colonel Drives: 2009 E90 M3 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Oahu, Hawaii Posts: 2,119 iTrader: (3)	Looks good! Is your car that low with just Eibach springs or is it an optical illusion that makes your front tire look like its tucking into the wheel well? __________________ 09 E90 M3 - Interlagos Blue / Black Novillo / Sycamore Anthracite / Eibach / HRE

12-31-2009, 04:12 PM	#6
BCA Captain Drives: 2013 E92 M3 Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 764 iTrader: (0)	Looks good! I'll keep an eye out for you around town... __________________ 2013 E92 M3 \| Mineral White Metallic/Black/Carbon Leather \| M-DCT \| ZCP \| Premium \| EPS \| Sirius \| Michelin PSS 255/275 \| 3M Tint 35% Sides & 20% Rear \| IND Light Smoked Reflectors \| LUX H8 5000K \| OEM Black Chrome Grilles & Gills Past BMWs: 2012 F10 535i, 2011 E90 335i, 2009 E90 M3, 2008 E70 X5, 2006 E90 330i, 2004 E46 330i

12-31-2009, 04:03 PM	#4
10M3MAN Lieutenant Colonel Drives: 2006 Nissan Altima SER Join Date: May 2009 Location: Wharton, TX Posts: 1,503 iTrader: (0)	Very nice I like

12-31-2009, 04:17 PM	#8
Andrew@IND BimmerPost Supporting Vendor Drives: BMW Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,525 iTrader: (1)	Thank you so much for your kind words! As the newest member of IND's team, coordinating your project was really my rite of passage, and it truly touches me to read that you were pleased with the help I was able to offer. I love the look of the RD Sport bumper on your car, and combined with the RAC wheels the look is completely unbeatable. I am truly honored that you entrusted me to be a part of the project. __________________ IND DISTRIBUTION \| 866.963.4520 \| IND STYLE \| EISENMANN BLOG

12-31-2009, 04:47 PM	#9
J08M3 Major General Drives: 2011 M3 COUPE Join Date: May 2008 Location: NEW YORK Posts: 6,015 iTrader: (8)	nice __________________

12-31-2009, 04:50 PM	#10
Sako_335 Major Drives: Bmw 335 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 1,130 iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 335 Sedan [0.00]	nice __________________

12-31-2009, 04:58 PM	#11
Moxie Lieutenant Colonel Drives: AW E90 M3/SG 335d Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Stuttgart Posts: 1,776 iTrader: (10)	Looks good - Add a shot from the rear maybe?

12-31-2009, 05:27 PM	#12
inter1032 Major Drives: 2004 audi a4 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: boston Posts: 1,083 iTrader: (0)	nice have you thought about color matching the brakes?

12-31-2009, 06:08 PM	#14
yamazaho Wang D.D.S. Drives: 08' E70 X5, 12' E92 335is Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 6,608 iTrader: (9) Garage List 2006 325i [3.88]	Looking really good man, love them BBKs. __________________ Official Houston Chat Thread

12-31-2009, 06:20 PM	#15
DevJ Colonel Drives: E92 M3 & IS350 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Norman, OK Posts: 2,603 iTrader: (1)	Hey Tom, Beautiful car! It's very nicely done. Question for you though- why did you decide to go with the AA pulley rather than the Dinan? __________________ E92 M3. Mods: \|Eisenmann Race\|AA X-Pipe + HFCs\| and a few others

12-31-2009, 06:55 PM	#17
Epacy2 Ire of the Regime Drives: BMWs Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: STL Posts: 1,209 iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 M3 [0.00] 2008 M3 [0.00]	Well done! Laundry list of mods! __________________

12-31-2009, 06:58 PM	#18
4emthree5 ooT ooT Drives: E46 M3 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: in the car going somewhere.... Posts: 54 iTrader: (0)	So nice.....the RACs really set the car off

12-31-2009, 07:02 PM	#19
Eugene-TAIWAN Brigadier General Drives: E92 M3 Coupe Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Taiwan Posts: 3,104 iTrader: (4)	nice touch Tlud, I think all the us guys should go for the Euro bumper. __________________ Past: Gintani stage3 M3 present: Porsche 993, 964,997.1 GT3, Panamera Turbo waiting to be delivered 2015: Porsche 991 GT3RS

12-31-2009, 07:15 PM	#20
JC919 Lieutenant Colonel Drives: 08 e92 M3 6MT Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Houston & Lake Travis, TX Posts: 1,755 iTrader: (0)	Very well done Tom, as I've said before, it's the best looking M3 in Houston __________________ 2008 AW/Blk 6MT, Akrapovic Evolution, Evosport Pulley, ESS Tune, Dinan Camber Plates, H&R Springs, Braille LWB, Other Track Goodies, TRMotorsport MT1 18s w/Michelin PSS and Hoosier R6

12-31-2009, 07:37 PM	#21
Ajax-Prime Hydrocarbon Man Drives: 2008 M3 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Houston Posts: 428 iTrader: (3)	I really don't want to spend $4k more on my car, but you're making it really tough... Very, very, nice car sir.

12-31-2009, 07:50 PM	#22
gthirtyfizle Colonel Drives: E92 M3 AW Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: NYC Posts: 2,588 iTrader: (4)	Ur car looks incredible

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