Sky—The SS E90 M3 GTR: KMP, MKRennsporttechnik, Spage Sport, Varis, Volk, Vorsteiner

[reidetailing]

Originally Posted by Redd

Are u doing rear spherical conversion next? If you need the tapered washers for the rear wishbones and guide rods outboard bushes, I have some spare sets I made up recently.

I am Redd, yes...will be talking about that next update!

Originally Posted by jbass524

@reidetailing I have almost the same car except its '11 with DCT. I will be modifying it but I WON'T be chronicling it like you. You are impressive with the detail.

I was lucky to get a single owner car with low mileage that was near perfect. I'll be doing suspension 1st then wheels. After that I'll probably upgrade the audio and MMI.

It's great to such a passionate owner.

Thanks jbass, I appreciate you being here and being a part of my journey!

Originally Posted by Senpai

Loving the build progress Alex! The attention to detail here is unbeaten!

Ross, you're the best!





Here is the update I’m sure you’ve been waiting for!!

This update takes place in September 2020.


I’ve really been trying to take Sky to a different level overall with how the car behaves. In order to do that, I needed to think a bit outside-the-box with what part selection from parts readily available in North America that I’m sure perform very well. I decided to look over the pond and inquire with Mario@MK-RennsportTechnik for Motorsport-Grade parts that he offers for our cars.

With my purchase of a spare used OEM Subframe that I would have fully refreshed, and having already purchased Turner Motorsports Solid Subframe and Differential Bushings, I asked Mario about what components I could purchase that I might be missing for the rear of the car.

Mario hinted at this one package he offers for the Rear Subframe that incorporates the following components:


To be more specific, the parts included in this kit are:

• Bumpsteer Correction Kit
• Camber Correction Kit
• Rollcenter Correction Kit

These parts are of the most aggressive nature, and are not really designed for someone looking for the quietest ride. Seeing as though I hardly drive this car, I want every time that I do drive it to be the most raw, aggressive and connected ride possible…hence why I’m ok with such racing parts being installed on Sky.

Here’s a picture of the kit:






Absolutely gorgeous if you ask me! For those interested, here are the product details (directly from Mario’s website):

Benefits :

• Made in Germany
• Much better feedback
• Significantly more grip
• Protective anodized in black
• Much more precise rear axle
• Material test certificate available
• Beveled edges make installation easy
• Change / correction of the articulation points
• No more elastokinematic trace and camber change
• CNC-turned & milled from high-strength aerospace aluminum 7075 T6
• High-strength maintenance-free, motorsport uniball joint (Made in Germany)
• Motorsport tested in various racing series, 24h, BMW Challenge, tourist traffic

While also on his website, I noticed that he offers replacement Trailing Arms. Now when considering Trailing Arms for this car, I initially looked at the ones offered by Future Classic:




These are very nice, and I’m sure would have sufficed…HOWEVER, when you see the MK ones, I think you’ll be blown away with the quality of them:








Wow is all I can say!

Now one thing I want to point out is that the experience with Mario definitely was not super easy. He is quite difficult to get ahold of, as he’s heavily committed to racing, whether that’s him behind the wheel or supporting his racing clients competing in DTM Nurburgring, or other racing events in Germany.

I definitely learned the virtue of patience throughout this process, and I will definitely be better prepared for future orders with him. Admittedly, I was super anxious that I would wake up at 3am EST to reply to his email, just so I could catch him in the emailing headspace, in hopes of hearing back from him immediately instead of a few days later Extreme…yes!

Mario is definitely very knowledgeable with his products, and he is a very nice person from the emails we’ve exchanged. I’m happy to be a client of his, and happy to share with you all some of the highest quality motorsport-grade parts available for the E9X platform!

If you are looking to take your car to a different level, I would definitely recommend emailing Mario. He definitely ships worldwide (as I’m in Toronto).


Please enjoy the pics of the parts:




























Thank-you all for stopping by and stay tuned for next update where I get another part from “over the pond!”

[Yvette]

Now that I am planning to start on suspension, I am very interested how or what those will change in terms of cars behavior. Thank you for sharing your experiences

[reidetailing]

Hey everyone, Happy New Year and thanks for stopping by to this update! This will be very a exciting update where I focus on the Drivetrain and Suspension.

This update takes place in October 2020.


Let’s start off with the Drivetrain; as I hinted in the last post, I ordered something from "over the pond."

I partook in a Group Buy orchestrated by Matt (M3Post Member: “Epoustouflant”) for a Lightweight Flywheel made by UK-based, TTV Racing. TTV is a family-run company with over 25 years in the Motorsport Drivetrain world.

Knowing that I wanted to upgrade my 08 M3 Clutch to the 09+ M3 Clutch, I felt like this was a perfect time to upgrade the Flywheel too; plus the discount offered was too good to pass on (I’m a sucker for a good deal)!
This one is designed to mate with the OEM 09+ M3 Clutch.

Thank-you Matt for organizing the Group Buy, and allowing me to be a part of it!

Without further adieu, please enjoy the pictures of the Lightweight Flywheel:













Moving onto the next part of this update, I will be focusing on the Suspension.

As you saw from last update, I ordered a whole bunch of components from Kinematics wizard, Mario@MK-RennsportTechnik.

I wanted to finish off the rear-end of the car, so I initially looked into the SPL Rear Arms. My good friend Mo@AlphaMotorsports helped me place the order for all the Rear Arms you’ll see in the next picture:





As excited as I was for the SPL Rear Arms, I knew I was settling for great…but not exceptional. I advised Mo@AlphaMotorsports that I wanted to try to resell them or return them because I wanted to go with a more aggressive option – the MK-RennsportTechnik ones.

I’m going to show you all the comparison pictures of the SPL Rear Arms vs. the MK ones. The differences are very subtle, but the biggest difference is that SPL tends to make the arms out of 6061 T6, whereas MK-RennsportTechnik makes theirs out of 7075 T6…so it’s the more stronger/beefier option.

I’m aware that I probably won’t be able to tell the difference between the two, but I’m happy that I went with the best product.


Enjoy the pictures of the differences:















After seeing these pictures, I’m super excited to place yet another order to Mario@MK-RennsportTechnik for some Motorsport parts.

In addition to those MK Rear Arms, I will also be ordering the MK Front Arms from the E90 M3 GTR car.




These are also more aggressive and slightly different than the SPL ones, which I will also show you below:









Again, very small differences that I believe make these the BEST products on the market from MK.


Finally, I ordered some Hotchkis Front and Rear Sway Bars from Mo@AlphaMotorsports. I’m really excited to be amongst the many happy Hotchkis clients in our community; these are truly a top-tier Sway Bar that I know Sky will be excited to have on her.

Enjoy pictures of how they look:









Really happy with how Project Sky is progressing. To restate the vision, I'm creating a museum-level, concourse quality M3, curated with some of the rarest and motorsport-grade parts that are available for this platform. Attention-to-detail is always at the forefront with my builds, and I hope one day you all will have a chance to see this car in person.


Thank-you all for stopping by, and enjoy the update coming next time:

[roastbeef]

What brand of lower control arm are you using? Great build!

[reidetailing]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

What brand of lower control arm are you using? Great build!

I'm still using the OEM one, but the one you're asking about in that above picture is a custom one from MK-RennsportTechnik.




Hey everyone and welcome back to my journal for another update.

Before I jump into the update, I have some REALLY exciting news.

I've decided to embark on a Youtube Channel journey with the M3. It'll be vlog and cinematic-based starring myself and my cars. I have no editing experience, but thankfully I'm a natural behind the camera and have some great content to keep you all interested; nonetheless, I've been spending a lot of time investing in myself to learn editing, paying for cool sFx (sound and transitions), and even designed my own logo!

My first video will be released tomorrow (Tuesday, February 09, 2021) at approx. 2:00pm EST.

I'd LOVE for you all to subscribe, I can promise genuine, engaging, and passionate content.
You can find me on Youtube by searching up my name: "Alex Rei" and I should be the 4th or 5th one to come up...make sure to SUBSCRIBE!!
Make sure to comment as well with your constructive feedback, it's greatly appreciated!

Here's the link to my Youtube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuS...wI56wVR-hR1Apg



OK back to the update!

This update takes place in October 2020.


I’ve been talking a lot with Tom@Core4Motorsports and decided to finally pull the trigger on a full Wheel Hub Upgrade!!

I initially was looking at the Future Classic option, but ultimately decided on the Core4 product, because I feel like it is the more superior of the two.

I asked Tom to put together an optimal package for my car; here is what Tom came up with for Sky:

• M14 Press-In Stud Conversion Hub Set (Front and Rear)
• OEM BMW F8X M-Hubs with 82mm MSI Studs, Rear Bearings, Axle Nuts, Hub Flange Bolts
• Black MSI Lug Nuts

Super excited to receive these, as it’ll give me some peace of mind that I’ll be less likely to turn-in, and my wheel falls off.

Here are some non-proprietary shots of the Core4 Hubs being built:











Next up, I will be addressing the Hood of my M3.

A few years ago, I purchased some Aerocatch Hood Latches…however these are not just the ordinary ones. These were a special collaboration between Aerocatch and Top Secret Japan. The main and probably only difference on these is that they have the Top Secret branding on the packaging and on the Hood Latch itself.
Extra horsepower? I think so

Enjoy some pictures of them:












Now the biggest thing that I’m uncertain on is the positioning of these hood latches.
Below, you will see three different styles, although I personally like Option #3!

Option #1:








Option #2:








Option #3:








Here are some more pictures of Option #3 on various cars, including the M3 GT4 car:

















Now it’s more than just how it looks, from an actual symmetry perspective, I break down why I believe that option #3 makes the most sense, as opposed to Option #1:







Now that it’s clear why I will be choosing Option #3, I also wanted to focus on the attention-to-details of the Hood Latch itself. I decided to purchase some Titanium Hardware from my old-time friend Rick@WestCoastFasteners.
Rick has done lots of work for my Subaru's Titanium Hardware, and so I figured he'd be the right person for this job too!

He actually even has a Titanium Hardware Kit available on his website for these latches. Here's how it will look:







My mind was also working about getting a Dry Carbon Fiber Vented Hood built by my friend Alex@Spage Sport. As much as I’d love to get one from Motorsport24, I don’t like the fact that they have a white gel coat…I want to be able to see the carbon fiber!!

The hood will look identical to this next picture:






I’m just toying with the idea of deleting the Roundel, and flattening the “debossed indent” that the roundel leaves…here’s how I’m expecting it to look:






I personally think that looks MUCH cleaner and better, and will actually match my trunk, as it too doesn’t have any sort of roundel or roundel indent.

I even did a poll on my @screamer Instagram, and it was surprisingly very close…no surprise though that No Roundel wins with 53 of the votes.





Now what if I did something like the GT3-RS, where I could put a BMW sticker in place of the metal roundel for “weight savings” and a true motorsport feel?
Here’s how that would look:





I also did a poll to see what people’s thoughts were on the M3-RS look…seems like it was well received, although I still like the No Roundel look:





Thank-you all for stopping by, and stay tuned for next update!

[Redd]

Originally Posted by reidetailing

Here’s a picture of the kit:

Very good looking kit! How does it install? I don't see any angle markings/notches.

[wheezyF]

Great quality build, I think the roundel delete gives the front end a subtle & clean look

[reidetailing]

Originally Posted by Redd

Very good looking kit! How does it install? I don't see any angle markings/notches.

Thanks Redd, I believe on the bags that the bearings are in, they are labelled with what angles to be installed at.

Originally Posted by wheezyF

Great quality build, I think the roundel delete gives the front end a subtle & clean look

Agreed Wheezy! I will definitely be going with the no roundel option when I embark on the custom Dry Carbon Hood from Alex@Spage Sport.





Hey everyone and welcome back for another update!

This update takes place in November 2020.


So quite a few parts arrived, and I’m excited to share them with you all…let’s get started with some titanium goodness first!

As I hinted in the last update, I wanted to get some Titanium Hardware for my Aerocatch x Top Secret Japan Hood Latches. I consulted my good friend Rick@WestCoastFasteners to make this hardware for me.
I previously mentioned that he’s done all the titanium hardware on Gabby – my Subaru racecar – so I figured he’d be the perfect person for the job!

Please enjoy the pictures:









Next up is the Core4 Motorsports M14 Press-In Stud Conversion Hub Set. To refresh your memory, I had it spec’d out as such:

• M14 Press-In Stud Conversion Hub Set (Front and Rear)
• OEM BMW F8X M-Hubs with 82mm MSI Studs, Rear Bearings, Axle Nuts, Hub Flange Bolts
• Black MSI Lug Nuts

Thanks again goes to Tom@Core4Motorsports for helping me get this order placed and built for me.

Enjoy the pictures:





















Finally, as you know this is a restoration project, with the goal being to transform this car into a museum-level quality M3. I placed an order at a local BMW dealership for some OEM parts.

Here’s a list of the order:

• BMW Front Subframe (31112283440)
• BMW Seal - Rear Left Side Window (51347060219)
• BMW Seal - Rear Right Side Window (51347060220)
• BMW Front Bumper Bracket - Left (51118042081)
• BMW Front Bumper Bracket - Right (51118042082)
• BMW Front Bumper Guide - Left (51117900761)
• BMW Front Bumper Guide - Right (51117900762)
• BMW Rear Bumper Hardware Kit (51122410022)
• BMW Front Bumper Insert - Left (51117907205)
• BMW Front Bumper Insert - Right (51117907206)
• BMW LED Interior Light Package (63122212788)

Well a few of the parts came in, so I figured I show you all what I got!

Enjoy the pictures:





















Pretty exciting to say the least! I’m very excited to see how Sky looks with all of these refresh OEM parts going on, especially the brand new Front Subframe! I’m actually thinking about powdercoating the Front Subframe when I have the Rear Subframe done. I’ll likely powdercoat it silver with a blue flake to match the Silverstone paint, and then I’ll get it ceramic coated for ease of cleaning and protecting…overkill, yes, but go big or go home, and let me tell ya, I ain’t going home!


As always, thank-you all for stopping by; I do hope you find enjoyment and engagement in these updates, I know I do when I write these! It’s all going to be especially worth it when it comes together piece by piece.

Enjoy a little teaser of some choice words from the mastermind and creative director of the build, Usic@TotalMotorWerkes, regarding my Rear Uprights:





And for those interested in getting to know me on a more personal level, I posted my newest YouTube video below:

[reidetailing]

Hey everyone and welcome back to yet another update!

This update takes place in November 2020.


In continuation with restoring the M3, this update will focus on some unique areas of the car that I wanted to focus on.
Judging by the teaser from last update, my Rear Uprights were the butt of the joke, as seen below:




Now, how bad are they really? Could Usic@TotalMotorWerkes be slightly exaggerating, or is there truth to them looking like an underwater anchor characterized by rust and wear?

Enjoy a picture he sent me of how they currently look:




Yikes, it definitely needs a refresh! I decided to call my friend Ian@TurnerMotorsport to help me with ordering some parts.

Here’s what I ordered:

• BMW Gas Cap (16117222391)
• OE LuK Clutch Kit (21212284034)
• BMW Rear Upright - Driver Side (33302283541)
• BMW Rear Upright - Passenger Side (33302283542)
• BMW Rear ABS/DSC Sensor x2 (34526870077)
• BMW Rear ABS/BVA Tube Bracket x2 (34522283017)
• BMW E9X M3 Edition Side Grille Package (51137979351-352)
• BMW Cup Holder (Left) - Black (51459173463)
• BMW Cup Holder (Right) - Black (51459173469)

A couple points to make about this list:

1) This OE replacement Clutch is for the 09+ and will make for a great upgrade from the 08 one. It will be paired up with my TTV Lightweight Flywheel that is designed for the 09+ M3.

2) These Rear Uprights will have the bushings removed to prepare them for being powdercoated to match the Front and Rear Subframe in the Silver with Blue Flake paint. Once painted, they will be ceramic coated to protect them. Finally, I will have the legendary MK-RennsportTechnik Solid Bushings pressed into these Rear Uprights!

3) The M3 Edition Side Grilles will be sent off to Steven@ElevatedAuto to get Clear Bra’d in XPEL Ultimate Plus, and Ceramic Coated with Xpel Fusion Plus.

4) The Cup Holders are being replaced for the OEM ones that have the Silver trim. This will tie in nicely with the silver accents in the car!

Enjoy the pictures:
























































A special thank-you to Ian@TurnerMotorsport for always taking care of me, and ensuring that I get the absolute best service possible. It’s easy supporting someone like him who always gives his 110% to helping clients like myself.
He even threw in a Limited Edition Team Taco Turner Motorsport T-Shirt (try saying that 3 times)








Thank-you all for stopping by this update and stay tuned for an exciting upcoming one…did I read that correctly…Subaru parts for a BMW??

[tlrid3r]

Curious on more detail on the mk rear roll center and bump steer correction kit.

[reidetailing]

Hey everyone and thank-you for stopping by for another update!

This update takes place in November 2020.


The creative juices were going in my head. As you know, I drive a Subaru STi hatch, and really love the platform. There’s something about the 2011-2014 STi Sedan and the E90 M3 that I just couldn’t pinpoint. It eventually came to me that the rear bumper middle section is quite similar with the “ U ” sharpness and shape.

I’ve always liked the look of a Rear Fog Light on cars. With my brainstorming of the STi and M3 rear bumpers similar in design, I got creative and decided to embark on a Rear Fog Light Project for this car.

I know that there are Rear Fog Lights in the Rear Taillights; I want this to be an additional one.

Now before you get your bats and pitchforks, I’m NOT going to be buying one of those dinky eBay rear fog lights. Instead, I’ll be buying the OEM Subaru STi Rear Fog Light and incorporating it into the Rear Bumper Mesh for a super clean look (as if it came that way). I plan to have it wired independently, so that I can run it whenever I want (it won’t be flashing or come on when I brake).

Here are some mockup shots to give you an idea:

















Missing in that last picture is my Vorsteiner Type II E90 M3 Diffuser, the rear end will look perfect with all these little things!


Moving on, a bunch of EXCITING parts arrived!!!
First, I placed the order for the OEM JDM Subaru STi 2011-2014 Sedan Rear Fog Lamp Kit from my friends, the Subaru Specialists of Canada – Touge Tuning.


I then wanted to finalize the remainder of my Suspension Kinematics, so an order to Mario@MK-RennsportTechnik was placed.
The outstanding parts that I ordered to complete the full Kinematics setup includes:

• MK-RennsportTechnik GTR Control Arms (Front Tension Rods, Front Lower Control Arms, Bumpsteer Tie Rod Ends)
• MK-RennsportTechnik Rear Monoball Control Arm Rear Axle (Rear Upper Control Arms, Rear Upper Camber Arms, Rear Adjustable Toe Arms)

I’m happy to finally have the complete MK-RennsportTechnik Kinematics for our chassis. Mario even included a couple candies as a small thank-you. The quality of the parts you will see is absolutely incredible. The one takeaway I have to share is that the overall experience with Mario felt very challenging.

He was very difficult to get ahold of (even being a repeat customer). I was ready (cash-in-hand) to place the order, and it took 2-3 weeks for him to actually place the order, and ship it out, etc. I also wish he would've provided updates, as I felt completely in the dark throughout the order, and had to follow up numerous times (sometimes even being left on Read/Seen without reply). Being realistic though, he’s probably a one-person shop, and as I’ve mentioned he is busy with his race projects and endeavours (so just keep all this in mind before you order)…patient people always win

Enjoy the pictures:





















































Thank-you all for stopping by, and stay tuned for next update when I share with you all a part that’s been on my wishlist for far too long!!

[reidetailing]

This is another good one; WELCOME BACK to another awesome update for Project Sky.


This update takes place in November/December 2020.


The Exterior of my car is missing something. I currently have the Varis Rear Diffuser installed, and a Front Lip pending install (more on this below), but one key component to the Exterior Ground Effects is missing…the Side Skirts.

I decided to finally pull the trigger on some Forcewerkz BMW E90 M3 Side Skirt Extensions Diffusers Splitters! I’m beyond happy to install these to complete the Exterior Ground Effects.

Special thank-you goes to Aeuroplug for helping me acquire these, when Forcewerkz themselves went M.I.A. when I tried contacting them about this product; honestly, I didn’t think they were in business anymore

Enjoy the pictures:















Moving on, as you know I was quite bothered knowing that I bought a replica part for my M3. I say this very humbly: “I’ve always bought the original part or waited until I could afford an original part, instead of buying a replica component.” This approach has allowed me to patiently acquire some very rare parts for both my Subaru and my M3.

Now I did still have that upset feeling that I had "settled" in buying the eBay GT4 Replica Front Lip, so I decided to re-evaluate things.

Recall that I had the OCD Treatment done to this eBay Lip (Polish, Clear Bra, and Ceramic Coat). This lip was in immaculate shape and was READY to be installed!

Here were some pictures from a quick mockup:












It honestly looks incredible…UNFORTUNATELY, I decided to sell it locally before actually installing it. MADNESS, I know.

Going through all that work, just to sell it? Well let me tell ya, there’s a reason behind this madness.

The crème de la crème of lips, YES, thanks to my good friend Ian@TurnerMotorsport, the OEM………..yes OEM BMW Motorsport GT4 Lip (51628322638)
has been ordered!!!!!!!!!!

I’m so pleased to have the support of Ian@TurnerMotorsport in helping me achieve my vision for Sky. While also ordering the OEM Lip, I also ordered the OEM BMW Motorsport Water Pump with Upgraded Aluminum Impeller (11518331044)





Enjoy the pictures courtesy of Turner Motorsport:
















Truly fortunate to have the support of my friends, family, and of course the people like Usic@TotalMotorWerkes and Ian@TurnerMotorsport for helping me achieve what’s gearing up to be one of the most exciting E9X M3 builds in the world.



Thanks again for stopping by, and stay tuned for next update:

[JW330xi]

Originally Posted by reidetailing

The creative juices were going in my head. As you know, I drive a Subaru STi hatch, and really love the platform. There’s something about the 2011-2014 STi Sedan and the E90 M3 that I just couldn’t pinpoint. It eventually came to me that the rear bumper middle section is quite similar with the “ U ” sharpness and shape.

Looking forward to see how this turns out. I've always thought a rear fog could look cool in that spot as well. Probably for the same reason you are saying, with the similarities to the Subaru's rear bumper section.

[reidetailing]

Hey everyone and welcome back to my journal.

It’s been a few months since I’ve made a post updating my journal, due to my focus towards my Youtube channel.
To subscribe to my Youtube channel, simply search my name “Alex Rei.”

Here’s the link to my channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuS...wI56wVR-hR1Apg






This update takes place in November/December 2020.

As teased about in my last post, I turned my attention towards the rear underside of the car.
More specifically, I wanted to address my M3’s rear axles, as they were in really poor shape.

After doing some research, I was surprised to find that KMP actually manufacturers drivetrain products…I thought they only made steering wheels until I realized that the full company name is KMP Drivetrain Solutions.

I simply could have run OEM axles, but I figured that if I’m spending a good chunk of change replacing the axles, a couple more bucks won’t hurt going with KMP’s offering, especially knowing that they are of excellent quality and superior to the OEM offering.

These KMP axles offer the following benefits:

• Higher strength

• Less friction
• Lower temperature

• Easy to service

Enjoy the pictures:












Aside from being pretty to look at, those features alone give me the comfort knowing that I’m making the right decision to transform Sky’s drivetrain with the best parts available!

The plan is for these axles to be paired up with a Drexler Differential from Florian (M3Post Member: Driftflo).
I spoke w/Pascal@KMP briefly over WhatsApp, and he mentioned the following:

“Our axles have 6xM10 bolts on a 94mm bolt circle. The E92 originally has 6xM12 on a 102 circle.
You need to use E46 flanges with the differential from Florian. We did this to make it lighter.”


I thought that was pretty interesting. In the near future, I hope to purchase the differential from Florian to be another step closer in completing my Drivetrain modifications for Sky.



Thank you all for stopping by for this update, and for those who have subscribed to my Youtube channel. Whether or not you actually watch Youtube videos, I’m kindly asking that if you have a gmail account, I would still love it if you could subscribe to my Youtube channel and help me grow my Youtube dreams of being amongst the Top Content Creators!

Stay tuned for the next update

[reidetailing]

Hey everyone and welcome back to this update for Project Sky!

This update takes place around March 2021.

I couldn’t be more excited to share this update with you all…lets just say that I acquired arguably one of the nicest parts ever made for the E9X M3 platform.

This is a part that has been heavily replicated in the aftermarket community, yet will command the respect it deserves being an OEM part…yes OEM.

The pricetag of this will give most a heart-attack, especially considering how close it sits to the ground…still unsure what it is?

OK, THE BIG REVEAL… NO MORE TALKING…PICTURES BELOW!












I’m honestly still processing how lucky I am to have an OEM BMW Motorsport GT4 Lip that I can call my own! The raw manufacturing of it with slight scuff defects is just remarkable how BMW’s Motorsport division really just focuses on functionality, with less regard for form.

Unlike the majority of replicas on the market, this lip is made of full Carbon Fiber construction. There is absolutely no sort of fiberglass in the construction of this lip. It is extremely sturdy, and will hold up well to the abuse it will see on the track.

Prior to the lip getting installed, I will be taking it to my good friend Steven@Elevated Auto to get fully PPF’d with XPEL Stealth to preserve the dry carbon finish, and then have it ceramic coated afterwards.


When I shared the news with my friends and other enthusiasts, many were baffled that I spent over 10 times the amount than the cost of replica lips, for a part that likely will break. I say this candidly, full carbon is not like the replica lips that break with the slightest amount of impact. It is extremely strong and can handle most daily driving abuse, compared to the brittleness of fiberglass with real carbon overlay that you see on majority of lips. So to address any critics, kindly reserve your opinion because let me tell you, this is the real deal, and WILL LAST! (Inb4 Alex breaks this lip)


The story behind me acquiring this Holy Grail part is that I always knew I wanted the OEM GT4 Lip. If you recall, I purchased my first and last replica ever…that being the GT4 Lip. Not to sound or come across as an elitist, I just truly griped knowing that I bought a replica part, given my strong fundamentals in supporting only the real companies. I always try to support the original companies who design products, because if it weren’t for them, replica parts wouldn’t exist; so it’s important to always support the originals because they spend all the R&D money and pioneer the industry forward, but I digress.
So given my unease with buying a replica part, and going through the full extent as you’ve seen on Page 5 where I had the replica lip polished, PPF’d and ceramic coated in preparation to run it on my freshly painted bumper, I SOLD IT, I COULDN’T DO IT GUYS!

Now before selling it, I coordinated getting its replacement…the OEM BMW Motorsport GT4 lip.
Awhile back, I was promised a sponsorship from my favourite company in the BMW community, Turner Motorsport. I have spent a bit of money with this company, and have always had great experiences with them, so they had my full brand loyalty.

I’ve never asked for any sponsorships with my Subaru or BMW, just because I never felt the need to, as the places I go to usually always take care of me with small discounts without me asking. I think loyalty and building a relationship definitely speaks for itself, and people who are in business usually get this. My mom always told me, “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.” I’ve never asked for a sponsorship, nor would I expect free parts, but given how much money I will be spending on restoring Project Sky, I figured I’d ask, even a 5% discount would be more than enough in the grand scheme of things). I proposed that a sponsorship would be mutually beneficial given my business acumen, the quality of build I’m aiming to produce, all while placing Turner Motorsport in the best light that the top builds continue to use and support them and vice versa. They don’t need my support, as they are already well established, but given the attention my build currently receives and the extreme attention it will receive once completed over the next few years will be worth it given the age of this platform!
With that being said, the sponsorship unfortunately fell through the cracks due to poor communication on Turner Motorsport’s end, and you can believe I was disappointed. I say this honestly, I became especially bitter towards how the ********** group buy was able to secure a sponsorship from Turner Motorsport (good for Matt@**********, as he’s a nice guy who does a lot for this community…it was just a moment of insecurity and weakness for me).

Anyways, I realized fast that nobody owes me anything, and having been “silver-spooned” my whole life, rejection hits hard. All in all, it was a good learning experience…I can say though I was ready to make an extreme move and cut all ties with Turner Motorsport given my overwhelming bitterness with the whole ********** sponsorship, and mine falling through…however, I took a deep breath and decided to put it aside.
I saw that Turner Motorsport had the OEM BMW Motorsport GT4 Lip on their website, which I’ve been eyeing for a couple years. I decided to call in to inquire about it and spoke with Ian Shea@Turner Motorsport. Ian is on the sales team and has been excellent to deal with. I actually shared with him that I’ve been a long-time client of the ECS brand (ECS is the parent company of Turner Motorsport) dating back to my first car, the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta 2.Sl0w. I expressed my dismay towards the sponsorship, sent him the email proof of what was promised by their marketing team, but I was ready to move on from it.
Ian demonstrated active listening and wanted to make the Turner experience right for me. He explained how the OEM GT4 lip is quite challenging to acquire, as apparently it’s a VIN-locked part where you’d have to own an M3 GT4 spec, as part of the BMW Motorsport program. Thankfully Turner Motorsport had a couple of these in their collection, but we did experience some hurdles from BMW in Munich about being reluctant to sell it to me. Someone on Facebook who apparently works for BMW retail had mentioned that it’s not a VIN-locked part, and that it’s easy to get, but I personally doubt that, as when I tried asking several local dealerships and provided the part number, they said they were unable to get it...so shout out to Ian@Turner for making this happen.

While I was at it, I also ordered the BMW Motorsport GT4 Water Pump with Upgraded Aluminum Impeller.
You probably figured that being an OEM Motorsport GT4 part would’ve been enough to sell me...and let me tell you, YOU’RE RIGHT!







The main feature with this part is the impeller is aluminum instead of the OEM M3 impeller being plastic and degrading over-time...so that added piece of mind is definitely nice!

I also have some pictures of the beautiful KMP Axles for the E9X M3:





I did a little photoshoot of some of my favourite parts of the car so far, so please enjoy:


































Below are a couple of my Youtube videos that feature the OEM BMW Motorsport GT4 Lip, make sure to subscribe and get involved in the comments:

Thank-you all for your continued support both here, and on Youtube…I’m grateful and lucky to be able to buy the parts and build relationships with people like Ian@Turner, who are helping me in making this one very special car!
Stay tuned for next update where I do some “interesting” things with these parts!!

[reidetailing]

Hey everyone and welcome back to my journal for the newest update.

This update takes place around April 2021.


My OG TE37s have been missing a critical element to their look…the Center Caps!!

I love the more track-spec look without them, but when your hubs are rusty, it’s not a good look. Thankfully, I have new OEM hubs thanks to the Core4 Motorsports upgrade kit. Nonetheless, I think these wheels do look significantly better with Center Caps than without them.

What’s interesting is how difficult of a process it is to actually get authentic ones from Volk (a division of Rays Engineering). The Magnesium Blue finish on my OG TE37s is a special order colour, so it’s already more difficult than the standard finishes that are offered. Coupled with Center Caps being an accessory part and made-to-order, you can imagine how long I had to wait for these! The OGs typically require the A-Flat Type Center Cap - Clip Type.
Many places either didn’t offer that style on their website, or even want to go through the “hassle” of ordering this.

Back in August 2020, I was searching online and found System Motorsports, an authorized Rays distributor. I decided to contact them about ordering these Center Caps for me. I found that they don’t actually ship to Canada, which was really unfortunate…back to the drawing board. Thanks to the forums and social media, I’ve established strong, meaningful friendships with people worldwide! My good friend Rawson (M3Post Member: Senpai), who I picked up my Dinan Exhaust from in New Jersey where he lives, was willing to help me out.

The plan was for Ross to order it for himself, have it shipped to him in New Jersey, and then I’d buy it from him…and that’s exactly what happened. As mentioned before, this process took forever! We placed the order in August 2020, there were minimal updates from System Motorsports, and in fact the same week Ross received them, we almost cancelled the order entirely, as we weren’t sure if they were ever going to come I guess you can say patience is a virtue

A very special thank-you goes out to my good friend Ross for always being willing to help me out…like I said, I value forums and social media, because it’s amazing how they promote the sharing of information and foster relationships to blossom.

Enjoy the photos of the Center Caps:









Funny enough, I had a mild heart attack when Ross only sent me 2 boxes Rays included 2 Caps per box, so thankfully we were OK!


The next part of this update will address the teaser photo in the previous update.





In this photo, I showed you all that I had a few interior pieces removed. Were they broken? Was I getting the Carbon Leather Trim? The answer…NEITHER!

Recall when Alex@SpageSport designed my Carbon Center Console, the goal was minimalism and simplicity. Areas were either deleted completely or relocated. I wanted to continue this methodology throughout the remainder of the car’s interior; which is why I decided to remove a few of the interior trim pieces.

My plan with the car is to fully delete the air conditioning, as I have marginally used it since ownership.




I love how Brett (M3Post Member: slicer) designed his interior with the deletion of the Audio section of his dash via a carbon fiber block-off plate, while retaining the Climate Controls. I plan to in fact do the opposite; I want to keep my Audio section while fully deleting the Climate Controls.






With the interest of weight savings, minimalism, and simplicity, all interior vents will be deleted. This entails sending the aforementioned interior trim pieces to Alex@SpageSport to fully delete them as though they were never there! In the pictures below, the blue “X”s indicates the sections that will be deleted, while the purple diagonal lines indicate the Carbon Fiber Weave Direction…so that the weave pattern of all carbon parts are pointing in the same direction.







While doing that, I think having a “signature plate” that says something like “Designed by Spage Sport” would be an elegant touch. I figure it would be somewhere centered around where the Climate Controls were.
I believe this will fully transform the interior and stay true to the established values I’ve set for the car.








Thank-you all for stopping by for this update. I’m really excited with how the car is progressing, and hope you all are enjoying the journey thus far!
Stay tuned for next update:

[Drifter2090]

Keep the updates coming Alex

[reidetailing]

Hey everyone and welcome back to my journal!

I’m super excited to share with you all that I’ve purchased some really cool Suspension Components for Sky — my E90 M3.

This update takes place in March 2021.

I’m going to be restructuring my journal updates going forward in a slightly different, more appealing way.
Shout out to M3Post Member: "derbo" derbo for the inspiration…I’ve been a big fan of his journal and the way he organizes his thoughts.

New Suspension Components

I hinted in the previous update of the Strom Motorsports E9X M3 Uprights.

These are the pinnacle of precision and excellence for the E9X Suspension. They will be paired up with my entire front arms suspension components from MK-Rennsporttechnik.
I truly believe this will take my M3 to the maximum level of performance and handling.

Please enjoy some photos showcasing them, along with all of their proposed benefits. Also, enjoy some pictures of when I received them along with my brand new Hotchkis Front and Rear Sway Bars thanks to my friends at Alpha Motorsports here in Toronto:

Suspension Question

Need some guidance on Coilovers. I’d like your thoughts on whether I should get either of the following Coilovers for the ultimate handling M3:

• Ohlins TTX Coilovers
• MCS 3-Way with External Reservoirs
• Nitron R3 Coilovers with External Reservoirs

Feel free to either PM me or comment below which of these 3 would be ideal to run.

Concluding Thoughts

Thank-you all for your continuous support with both my Youtube Channel and my journal here on M3Post.
Stay tuned for next update, it’s going to be a good one.

[Drifter2090]

Great progress Alex, new format is very clean as well

[derbo]

Nice update!

I'm jealous of those Strom uprights! After doing my calculations, I do not meet the inch drop height requirements.

Can't wait to see what you do. For your suspension, I recommend selecting spring rates that compliment the bars as they will add a lot of roll stiffness compared to the factory arb.

Is this build going to be a full out track car? Those choices are beastly for street use.



I appreciate the shoutout too.

[911r]

@mountains_2_sea on Instagram has had both TTX and MCS 3-ways on his E92 M3, I would reach out for him for his input.

Hard to go wrong either way, but my votes for MCS! Thoroughly enjoyed my set, really surprised me.

Edit: I also see you plan on pairing the Strom knuckles with your MKRennsport arms. I would reconsider, as the adjustment of the MK arms would be negated by the change in effective suspension geometry done by the Strom knuckles—as the knuckles were ultimately designed to be used with OE arms. I know others have had issues in the past pairing SPL front arms with Strom knuckles, in that some modifications needed to be made.

[spooni]

Great build my friend. I look forward to seeing how this comes together!