Turbo BMW M3, just got it back!
Discussion
now tht is simply awsome..... I have been running an e36 M3 for quite a few years now and I still have no idea what to replace it with... maybe a turbo,d M3!
I do have a serious question, I really love the sound of my M3 exhaust (it has an ac shnitzer) and am building a twin turbo BMW V12..... my question is how did the turbo effect the exhaust noise?
does it still howl?
I do have a serious question, I really love the sound of my M3 exhaust (it has an ac shnitzer) and am building a twin turbo BMW V12..... my question is how did the turbo effect the exhaust noise?
does it still howl?
It howls alright! It is a fantastic car to drive (a bit bonkers i'll admit), drives just like the original. We went to town on the conversion and rebuilt the engine from the ground up using forged racing pistons etc. This is probably a bit of an overkill as the engine could probably handle in the region of 750bhp quite comfortably on higher boost with the internals we have put in. We built it to this spec to ensure that it will run reliably in the 550-650bhp range. The guy who did the conversion has done 25 M3's now and to date he is yet to have a serious engine problem, i believe he has done over 40 000kms in his without it skipping a beat.
We also upgraded the brakes to big 8 pot calipers in the front with larger disks as you can see, felt it was necessary to put some big anchors on it if we were going to give it a bit more in the power stakes. Also upgraded the suspension all round and the car is driving brilliantly, feels like a brand new car, tight just like it came off the factory floor. It idles smooth at 900 rpm and just purrs, not like some other modified cars that are sometimes lumpy and rough, the guy really did a fantastic job, worth every cent!
As for the performance, well it is completely nuts to be honest. It drives just like a normal E36 M3 up until around 4000rpm and then things just get a little silly. Right now we are good for a 12 second quater mile but the real fun is on the road in 2nd and 3rd gear, 1st just disappears as you hit the rev limiter (still at 7200rpm) before you know what happened. I ate my first supercar yesterday, an Aston Martin Vanquish, left him for dead, that will give you some indication of how she goes.
Anyway, it is back into the shop tomorrow to fit a few extra's. Will keep you posted if you are interested.
We are busy looking at a E46 M3 turbo now, they have just finished one and the numbers are looking good...
We also upgraded the brakes to big 8 pot calipers in the front with larger disks as you can see, felt it was necessary to put some big anchors on it if we were going to give it a bit more in the power stakes. Also upgraded the suspension all round and the car is driving brilliantly, feels like a brand new car, tight just like it came off the factory floor. It idles smooth at 900 rpm and just purrs, not like some other modified cars that are sometimes lumpy and rough, the guy really did a fantastic job, worth every cent!
As for the performance, well it is completely nuts to be honest. It drives just like a normal E36 M3 up until around 4000rpm and then things just get a little silly. Right now we are good for a 12 second quater mile but the real fun is on the road in 2nd and 3rd gear, 1st just disappears as you hit the rev limiter (still at 7200rpm) before you know what happened. I ate my first supercar yesterday, an Aston Martin Vanquish, left him for dead, that will give you some indication of how she goes.
Anyway, it is back into the shop tomorrow to fit a few extra's. Will keep you posted if you are interested.
We are busy looking at a E46 M3 turbo now, they have just finished one and the numbers are looking good...
ugh ugh ugh.i like a lot.i knew you wernt from england before i looked at your profile.this sort of conversion just doesnt happen here,theres very few like this and the few that have been done are mega £
i love it mate.have a look at my m3 on my profile.thats quick but i bet yours is animal.
with a good launch and somehow getting traction you got to be getting 11 sec quarters.mine saw a 12.9 at santa pod so yours should anniliate that
i love it mate.have a look at my m3 on my profile.thats quick but i bet yours is animal.
with a good launch and somehow getting traction you got to be getting 11 sec quarters.mine saw a 12.9 at santa pod so yours should anniliate that
Nope, sitting in Sunny SA mate, bit plus here is that the speed cops have more important things to worry about, got my own autobahn all over!!! 
I like the look of your baby as well, what year is it etc?
Going to be turning the boost up to around 1.2bar from 0.7 currently (will be increasing my tyre bill as well!!), will let you know how it goes.
I like the look of your baby as well, what year is it etc?
Going to be turning the boost up to around 1.2bar from 0.7 currently (will be increasing my tyre bill as well!!), will let you know how it goes.
Thats funny I am in sunny Cape town at the moment on business...... I'd love to convert my M3 to turbo, would be great practice for my GTT but my M3 is a work hack and it has done over 150k miles now.
Do you mind me asking how much the conversion was and do you have a video of it?
Your definatelly right, there isn't enough turbo'd M3's in the UK
Do you mind me asking how much the conversion was and do you have a video of it?
Your definatelly right, there isn't enough turbo'd M3's in the UK
Hey AndyGTT, great to have to in my thread mate, been watching your personal project with keen interest!!
The total conversion was R160 000 which equates to roughly 11 000 pounds. That included the suspension, brakes, engine etc, the whole thing. Pretty pricey conversion but worth the extra money in my opinion because she really does drive well. There are guys doing conversions for aroung half that but the reliability is a big unknown and i figured rather spend upfront and save in the long run.
My next project is a Ultima GTR. Off to London tomorrow and will be going up to see them next week sometime.
Good to have you in Sunny SA mate, hope you are enjoying Cape Town, pretty awesome this time of year i am sure.
The total conversion was R160 000 which equates to roughly 11 000 pounds. That included the suspension, brakes, engine etc, the whole thing. Pretty pricey conversion but worth the extra money in my opinion because she really does drive well. There are guys doing conversions for aroung half that but the reliability is a big unknown and i figured rather spend upfront and save in the long run.
My next project is a Ultima GTR. Off to London tomorrow and will be going up to see them next week sometime.
Good to have you in Sunny SA mate, hope you are enjoying Cape Town, pretty awesome this time of year i am sure.
Love it. 455 at the rear wheels?! damn....
I've had an M3 since summer last year. Wicked fun but not got much use out of it over the winter months (just starting to take her out again properly now the roads are starting to dry up). How do you find it having that much power running through the wheels? Mine scared the cr*p out of me on the M27 a few weeks ago with 360bhp, slightly damp road, put my foot down to get past an old fella in a kia sitting in the outside lane at 60mph (why do they all do that?), the rear broke loose - 4th gear, already doing 70mph in a straight line... i went totally sideways, scared the hell out of me, let alone the white van man to my left and somehow - after staring straight at the armco with the right front wheel bouncing down the rumble strip on oppostie lock - gathered it up politely and carried on my way past the kia chap (if not rather slower than my initial intentions and with just a bruised ego...)
point being, 455bhp must be great in the dry, but anything other than that - life threatening?!!!...
I've had an M3 since summer last year. Wicked fun but not got much use out of it over the winter months (just starting to take her out again properly now the roads are starting to dry up). How do you find it having that much power running through the wheels? Mine scared the cr*p out of me on the M27 a few weeks ago with 360bhp, slightly damp road, put my foot down to get past an old fella in a kia sitting in the outside lane at 60mph (why do they all do that?), the rear broke loose - 4th gear, already doing 70mph in a straight line... i went totally sideways, scared the hell out of me, let alone the white van man to my left and somehow - after staring straight at the armco with the right front wheel bouncing down the rumble strip on oppostie lock - gathered it up politely and carried on my way past the kia chap (if not rather slower than my initial intentions and with just a bruised ego...)
point being, 455bhp must be great in the dry, but anything other than that - life threatening?!!!...
To be honest i haven't driven it in the wet, too scared! It is a real handful in the dry, we are losing traction in 1st, 2nd and 3rd, only getting good hookup in 4th. I am going to take her to a suspension specialist next week to have a chat about the traction, just losing too much power right now.
I think i am also going to fit some stickier rubber to lend a hand, the current tyres are not happy!
Planting your foot in 3rd and having her fishtail down the road is a lot of fun but not so good for the tyre bill...
I think i am also going to fit some stickier rubber to lend a hand, the current tyres are not happy!
Planting your foot in 3rd and having her fishtail down the road is a lot of fun but not so good for the tyre bill...
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