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Thread: dodint's Automotive Evolution

  1. #701
    Administrator dodint's Avatar
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    It's a 3.0si which has the N52B30 that I've seen quoted at 255 and 261hp. I assume the higher number is for euro applications. The early Z4s had the same motor as my E46, the M54B30 at 225hp. Then in 2006 they dumped that motor for the N52, and offered it in a 215hp and 261hp output levels. I didn't want to step backwards from the output I have in the E46 so I hunted down a 3.0si.

    It feels quick, sorta. I *know* it's fast but the automatic transmission is just so smooth it's hard to tell. 0-100 is achieved in the length of a highway on-ramp but you don't feel it.

    This Z4 is a first gen, post-facelift. Takes a lot from the E46-era parts bin. The shifter is the exact same one we had in our first E46, a 330xi automatic. Lots of stuff is very familiar. I was hoping it would be more like the E63 but that wasn't a realistic expectation.

    Unfortunately I broke the blue/chrome roundel taking it off. Whoever installed it screwed it on and I thought it was pull-off like stock and I ended up breaking it. It looked like a regular BMW roundel but the white was chrome. I thought at first the white had just peeled off of the backing but it looked pretty clean for that to be the case.

    It's a DD so I'm not too bent out of shape about the tires. They're Bridgestone Driveguard runflats. I measured the wheels and they seem to be 8-8.5" so if I want to bump them up later I will. If I want to tack it to a TNiA or bring two cars to a TTN, I will just use my race wheels on it as they should bolt up. It's questionable how close the 255s will be up front, but we'll see. It has 225 square now. I did the math and the size the PO put on there is the same exact OD as the factory size, they're just narrower, so you're right the speedo inaccuracy is baked into it from the factory it seems.

    I only plan to keep the car for 2-3 years, so I'm not going crazy modding it. Made some of the little fixes mentioned above, scheduled a date with my tint guy, and that's about it.

  2. #702
    Interesting. I think my N51 (and N52 in the E90s) is rated at 230hp by BMW - halfway in between the Z4 N-motor ratings. It sounds like the Z4 uses some E46 era stuff and some E90 era stuff (door handles, engines after the refresh...)

  3. #703
    Administrator dodint's Avatar
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    I really miss the N62 I had in the 650i. Very cool V8. Made a beautiful euro-V8 sound and was quick to spin up. 360hp that felt available the whole way through the rpm range.

    My light controller worked so now the headlights are fixed and everything is back together. Predictably one headlight is 'fresher' than the other as they haven't worn at an equal rate; but I doubt anyone will notice or care but me. Was nice to drive it to work today.
    I bought some caliper paint a few years ago (red) and never used it. While the wheels were off for the other project I took the pads out of the calipers, cleaned them, and painted them. I know the race car crowd will easily spot that I simply painted my small and stock calipers but it looks good against the black/silver. Fun to indulge in that kind of thing when you're driving a non-serious car.

    Also, I got a lot of the 3M clear bra off. It came up mostly without incident using my heat gun. In some areas it did leave film residue that I've been lifting off with Goo Gone and a towel. I got it off the hood and fenders, just need to take some time and work it off of the front bumper cover. Sadly there is a *very* faint difference in the paint color above and below the former bra line but you'd have to be looking for it to see it. Hoping a good wash and wax will help blend it in even better because right now it's dirty above the line and spotless below it which is making the difference seem even more prominent.

    We're going hiking this weekend; I'll try to take some nice pics of it near a waterfall or something.

  4. #704
    Administrator dodint's Avatar
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    Random candid from a trailhead we parked at before hiking last weekend:



    There's some weirdo in the background, not sure what that's all about.

    I bought some cheap Chinese aspherical mirror glass and installed the drivers side before we left. It's fantastic, completely removed the huge blind spot. It's absurd that the US mandates flat glass, this is so much safer.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  5. #705
    Administrator dodint's Avatar
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    The prior-prior owner of the DMC, who did the restoration of it, tracked me down and wants to buy it back. He's got a case of seller's remorse. If he'd accept an offer to sell at $45k it would make my amateur racing very comfortable moving forward. As it is it's tough juggling building a race car and having a classic cruiser. They take a lot of the same time and physical resources.

    Ash is against the sale and I'm not to keen on it either, we discussed it earlier in the year and decided to just wait till it's paid off that way it won't be a financial liability. But I'm really hooked by time trialing and the eventual move to wheel to wheel and the thought of doing that without a cash flow concern is really appealing.

    I do know that if I sell the DMC I won't buy another one. The one I bought was just about perfect and I'm not sure another one would measure up, particularly since they keep going up in value.

    The PO sent along some pictures of it while it was being restored. Pretty cool.

  6. #706
    Ask me about my bottom br FaultyMario's Avatar
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    Sell it and use the funds to buy the new Tesla version.
    acket.

  7. #707
    Administrator dodint's Avatar
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    Extended the offer to the PO. He wants to accept but just switched jobs and his onboarding background check hasn't gone through yet. When it does we'll make a deal, probably around New Years. I wouldn't sell to anyone else, but sending it back to the guy who restored it has a certain poetry to it that softens the blow of letting it go.

    Again, selling it would be a huge commitment to racing. Tyler and I want to run One Lap together in 2021 and this would go a long way towards making that not only possible, but financially care free.

  8. #708
    High Plains Luddite George's Avatar
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    Good luck with that. Sounds like an interesting situation, no matter how it turns out.

  9. #709
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    /me giggles with excitement

  10. #710
    Administrator dodint's Avatar
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    Luckily we'll have Bryan to go first in 2020, he can give us some pointers.

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