Figured it was time to start a build journal as I thought the mods would be enough... until the next one. This was my wife's daily now dedicated track vehicle so all posts are written through her feedback/comments. Also a good read to show that anyone can start doing track days as long as you start slow and take your time to learn the track and your car!
Jan 1st 2016 - Purchased the car new as part of dealer inventory. Actually, traded our 2015 MG on SO for this BSM on Black.
March of 2016, it hit the track completely stock with 1500miles on the odometer with Bluegrass Bimmers BMW CCA HPDE at NCM Motorsports Park. Needless to say, it was a blast and the weaknesses of this street car soon itself evident. Let the mods begin.
IMG_2998 by
D S, on Flickr
IMG_2994 by
D S, on Flickr
June 2016 - First thing was to get some of the roll out of her. An H&R swaybar was installed up front...
https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1272785
Career changes and traveling put a hold on tracking until the following year.
Mar 2017 - Did a lead & follow HPDI day at NCM and found the sway bar was not nearly enough to get the roll out of the car and the shoulders of the stock MPS3s were getting worn alarmingly fast.
Aug 2017 - TC Kline DA coilovers installed. TC set the camber plates at max negative. Front and rear toe was set per BMW factory which is slightly in.
https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1414910
ED6F13C7-51BC-4CEA-B106-26C85B56943B by
D S, on Flickr
Oct 2017 - Lead & follow day at NCM to shake down the new suspension. Tire wear looked great! The car was transformed and the new confidence allowed more speed which proved the factory pads were inadequate for track use.
2C52F775-1FFF-4193-B3A5-BB8A30496044 by
D S, on Flickr
Oct 2017 - Hawk DTC-70 brake pads installed prior to a track weekend with Bluegrass Bimmers at NCM. Unfortunately, cold weather, too much camber, MPS3s, and unfamiliar braking feel made for a not so nice weekend with a couple of tank slappers that robbed her confidence in the car.
F1CFDBA7-CDD3-4DD7-97C7-0B1022857E3D by
D S, on Flickr
June 2018 - After some discussion with TC Kline, we decided to put the camber in the middle setting and give it a shot. Another lead & follow day at NCM. And her confidence was back! But this time, the stock MP3s were toast.
Aug 2018 - 265/35 & 285/35 Bridestone RE71Rs were fitted on the stock 19" 437M rims. A new chapter started with an HPDE hosted my NCM. The tires put her confidence above and beyond anything before. Coupled with DTC-70s and an alignment that inspired confidence, lap times became the focus of attention!
Oct 2018 - The RE71Rs in front needed to be flipped after the previous weekend. One more event before the end of the season bumped her into intermediate group with laptimes at NCM around 2:30.
2019 - 9 track events and approved for Advance Solo. 7 at NCM, 1 at Mid-Ohio, and 1 at Putnam Park. No setup changes. Same alignment with a bit of toe in front and rear. TCK camber plates at middle setting. Damper settings were still set at basically full soft per TCK street settings. Front RE71Rs would only last 5-6 days, Rears were lasting 9-10 days. Lap times kept dropping with a fastest time of 2:27 at NCM.
Apr 2019 - NCM Corvette Bash HPDE. After driving with full DSC on since this point, her instructor commented how she can apply gas a bit earlier on track out. She explained and demonstrated that her foot was on the floor and the car wasn't responding. She mustered the courage to try MDM for the first time and quickly realized how restrictive the traction control system was. She also found that US MDM was not as free as she would like so a coding session with Alex at Alpine gave her the following track specific coding items. She Intentionally left out GTS steering and the car does not have EDC. These are the settings she still runs today, even the Putnam spin below. FYI... she leaves steering in Comfort after trying the other options.
GTS traction
GTS differential
GTS transmission
Juluy 2019 - NCM HPDE with 1010ths Motorsports
Aug 2019 - Mid Ohio HPDE with Buckeye Bimmers. Her favorite track!
2398AD41-A55D-4949-A7AE-69AD2382BB84 by
D S, on Flickr
Sep 2019 - Finally set alignment to zero toe in front! Noticed more stability while car is under steering load. Putnam Park HPDE with Windy City Bimmers. With increasing confidence and an off friendly track. She went off on 3 occasions with not damage. This was her first time at Putnam and really learned the limits of the car and her ability. Best lap of 1:21 with traffic. Below are 3 laps from Putnam with the 2nd lap being fastest and the 3rd lap being one with a spin in Turn
Ended the season with a new found respect for safety. Also, the RE71Rs and stock brakes were beginning to show their limits.
Dec-Mar 2020 - Installation of the Black Friday spending spree.
Dinan Monoballs in the front tension struts
https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...1660889&page=2
BAE4A196-DBDA-4152-8483-17C04C987CBF by
D S, on Flickr
3E888AD5-368C-43B1-A3C9-629DB79F3DF8 by
D S, on Flickr
AP Racing BBK 9668/9449 with DSUNO pads
Motorsport Hardward wheel studs (2nd set after 3 years)
8A5047AB-D4C6-4603-AC4A-8697B5B89EDE by
D S, on Flickr
7368ABE6-8690-4119-985A-4C5F9C988F10 by
D S, on Flickr
Sparco QRT-R seats with QRT-600 side mounts
Schroth Enduro 6-points
https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1683863
1433575E-0588-4045-A01A-AA045C8B7ED5 by
D S, on Flickr
Apex FL-5 18x10et25 and 18x11et44
Toyo Proxes RR 275/35 and 305/35
5CE3CF09-535E-478E-A9B0-8474E7DAADA8 by
D S, on Flickr
00F85B82-2F0A-43A2-9781-4E1A580EFF35 by
D S, on Flickr
69B4DC57-61E4-454A-99A2-19FDC4830B21 by
D S, on Flickr
Mar 2020 - Custom half cage and rear bulkhead by Mark McMahan
B275C2B4-A7C7-4D0C-9199-8F1D6B80C551 by
D S, on Flickr
5FBBBC1C-B1D2-4D82-AEA5-40004B65E4B9 by
D S, on Flickr
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D S, on Flickr
June 2020 - Shake down run at NCM after the off season mods and of course the lifting of the COVID19 closures. The monoballs gives the front more presence and a planted feel. But now the rear feels so distance, more numb. Need to look at Dinan or SPL toe link arms. With such large rubber in the back, there may be some slight deflection on track out as well. After driving with a 6-point harness and HANS, you feel naked driving or even riding as passenger without. The car is planted but lap times are still a couple seconds off last years best. AP Racing brakes are amazing! But not sure I'm in love with DSUNO's, she kinda misses the slightly softer less rotor friendly feel of DTC-70s. Toyo RRs can definitely handle being over driven and even abused with brake tests. However, haven't quite yet capitalized on there extra grip yet. Butt dyno is programmed at RE71R limits I suppose. Also, may look at raising ride height but not sure as it seems the car is getting into the front bump stops a bit more than before going over the table top at NCM.