My E36 M - Modification Input Pls!

[ZimZimmer]

I'm thinking of doing a few things to my M over the next few months.

Can anyone help with the things I'm not keen about it?

- Urghhh the horrible plastic wood effect trim and gear knob needs to go. One Evo I almost bought had nice shiny silver trim... Any links to places that stock alternatives?

- I hate the gearstick. Far too much movement. A short shift would be nice! Any recommendations on which one to get?

- The car just doesn't sound the part. I'm thinking of exhaust and induction kit? Just to make it sound that little bit more mean and any slight performance increase is a bonus. Not after any large tail pipes - would rather it look like the stock exhaust! Again recommendations?

- Is it worth putting a strut brace on? I don't intend on any track days so just erm sensible fast road use.

Cheers! [ok

[CA Automotive UK]

hi Zimmer

having owned an Evo for past 7 years , here i smy 10 pence worth and weblinks :

-INTERIOR TRIM ....either paint the wood trims to a suitable colour , or we can supply you carbon fibre trims http://www.ca-automotive.co.uk/carbon-f-e36-interior.shtml

- GEARLEVER ...I am a fan of the active autowerke item , but not everyones cup of char ...please see http://www.ca-automotive.co.uk/styling-interior-controls.shtml

- INTAKE AND EXHAUST ...if budget allows then you will , in my personal experience , get the most benefit from active autowerke intake and Eisenmann exhaust . however the Gruppe M style replica intakes give the "best " sound , but not as much power or throttle as active intake , due to heat soak and fan wash on the Grp M .
see http://www.ca-automotive.co.uk/ecis-induction-systems.shtml

...and also all the options on PERFORMANCE EXHAUSTS menu section on my home page

-STRUT BRACE ....worth it IMO ..tightens up the slightly wooly steering and promotes more rear end biased handling rather than the excessive understeer on OE cars .... this one is down to personal choice , please see all the options shown in our SUSPENSION & CHASSIS section , mainly Wiechers and CA /Other sub sections

best of luck , let me know if we can help further

[CA Automotive UK]

i also have alovely ASA supercharger kit for sale for the M3 [cool
cost £9500 ish new , 5000miles old , +800 bhp aprox .
Offers around £5500 :)

[CA Automotive UK]

errrr .... thats + 80 bhp , not 800 :D

[ZimZimmer]

Thanks for the info - I'll have a look at the links over the weekend :cool:

Oooh supercharger pic to tempt! What's the torque figure like with that?

800 horses - I'll have it :D

[CA Automotive UK]

LOL

800 BHP would be a treat me thinks :D

toque aprox 460 Nm.... ish

[CA Automotive UK]

just to get you salivating that little bit more Zimmer , i also have these items on offer in case you may be intersted :

- carbon firbre replacement front lip for M bumper
- carbon boot lid
-carbon seat backs , 1 x pair
- genuine HID xenon conversion
- LED tail lights
- wheel spacers
- Eibach pro kit springs
- Polished ACS logo cill plates
- projector indicators
- angel eyes ccfl type
- aa intake

THANKS

[ZimZimmer]

That's a lot of torque :D :D :D . Now if I can justify that I need a supercharger to the other half who thinks my car is quick enough already :rolleyes:

[CA Automotive UK]

tell her its afuel saving device ...and you wont be telling porkies cos thats what super and turbo chargers were first designed for ..:)

[Sport Coupe]

Roy, I was reading an old issue of PBMW where you fitted a AA CAI to a Dakar Yellow M3 and the fitting wasn't that good and involved a few modifications.

Is this still the case with the AA CAI ?

Do you do any full on airbox's like the E46 CSL one for the E36 M3 too ? [cool

[CA Automotive UK]

hi sport

yes I know the article you refer to . It is difficult for me to defend the product without sounding like I am just making excuses , but here goes anyway , judge for yourselves :

- the article was written by the now sacked Greg Emerson.Anyone who new him knows he would often get a bee in his bonnet over nothing and go off on one ; in this case he did not like the fact the heatshield had to be cut in length by 30 mm to suit euro model fitment , as our headlights are "deeper " than non elipsoid USA versions !!

- the installer in question did not seem bothered to take time to do it properly .

- Our clear instructions on installation were NOT followed , at all ; that is why the article makes it seem the kit did not fit and that there were "pieces left over ". Crap !

- The aa kit provides the best insulation against engine heat and fan wash of ANY intake currently on the market . The air within the heatshield is a full 70 DEGREES F cooler than the adjacent engine bay area once car is at full operating temp . That is why it works so well. However , as common sense will dictate , you need real world air flow ( not the undersized fan used at front of the dyno in this case ) for this system to work at its best and to chill the air ( roughly +1 bhp for every 8.5 degrees F you can cool the intake charge )

- I still stand by the performance and quality of this system above almost any others , in terms of extra power and response. Just look at how many rival intakes lately have taken to employing a similar ( but far less effective ) heatshield design .I will admit tho Gruppe M style intakes have a throatier sound ( because they are not as heat insulated as the aa intake ). I tried EVERY intake available on my Evo , testing on dyno and seat of the pants ....aa won easily .

- another forum member M Couling ( among many others i cannot recall just now ) fitted one to his ACS M3 and saw 9 bhp on dyno !! His opinions are well respected on the forums .

- we have regularly seen 5 - 9 bhp gains , depending on car .

- I will go further and offer a FULL REFUND on the aa intake if someone does like it or thinks it falls short of the information above .

- I am eager to highlight that the company who fitted the intake for that article has since changed hands , and CA works closely and in harmony with them on many sales .

Regarding CSL type carbon boxes , in 2 weeks we will be fitting and mapping one of these to a customers M3 , I have mentioned this on another thread on the forum .The customer is a City of London University professor ( mechanical engineering ) , doinig development work for BMW and Merc , so we had better get this right or my ass is grass as they say .

We are hoping for 20 - 25 bhp , with more throttle response and a nicer sound ; this is the type of system that DOES use a MAF ( enlarged ) , with a new map onto the oem DME , no need fot Alpha N throttle position type managaement .
Will keep you all posted on how this goes

sorry to have gone on so long , hope it was of some interest

regards