Z3 Race car 'Gulf'

roadzterracer

Dedicated Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2021
Points
33
Warning long post!
Here are a few pics of my Z3 race car, recently spotted @ Silverstone & will be @ Oulton Park for the BMW LIVE event.
I purchased the car quite a while ago & began the transformation to race car. It's an M52b28 widebody with what can only be described as an extensive list of modifications!
Custom Cages T45 multi point roll cage inc door bars & tied into front turrets. Custom strut bracelet.
Boot floor reinforced, spare wheel well deleted, additional bracing in boot to shocker towers (reinforcing plates to top mounts)
'Stock' M52b28, rod bolts, M3 sump, pickup, scavenge & oil pump (modified to prevent gear failure) recently new timing chains (inc oil pump chain tensioner mod from Hack) new lifters & vanos rebuild.
DTA engine management
Uprated engine mounts.
Oil cooler.
Power steering cooler & relicated reservoir.
'Supersprint' tubular manifold to Custom exhaust (with sport cat)
Standard 5 speed box, quick shift, solid mounts.
Lightened single piece flywheel & Uprated paddle clutch.
Adjustable bias peddle box, 6 pot willwood calipers on front with Custom bells & J hook rotors. PBS pads
Cross drilled rear discs, handbrake delete & std rear calipers, PBS pads. Additional proportioning valve in rear circuit.
Aeroquip hoses throughout (brake & fuel)
188 diff with 8 plate LSD. Modified driveshafts.
Gaz gold dampers, H&R arb's extended front arms, reinforced rear beam & trailing arms.
Polybushed or solid mounted as required. Modified steering arms & adjustable top mounts.
Fiberglass bonnet, boot lid, doors, sills & front wings. Bespoke hardtop, modified to accept roll cage, poly windows (except 1/4's & front screen) Carbon air scoop.
17" Team Dynamics rims (square set) with Nankang CS-R (dry) & Rainsports (wets)
Front splitter & end fences, rear spoiler.
Along with all the required safety equipment (seat, harness, fire extinguisher etc)
AIM dash / datalogger & smartycam.
There's probably a bit more that I've missed (intentionally or otherwise 😎)
Feel free to pop over & have a chat at Oulton (as long as everything goes OK!)20250523_160231.jpg20250523_160231.jpg20250523_160242.jpg20250523_160255.jpg20250523_160422.jpg20250523_162608.jpg20250523_162615.jpg20250523_162631.jpg20250523_162640.jpg20250523_162649.jpg20250523_162655.jpg20250523_162708.jpg20250403_100724.jpgFB_IMG_1723052075133.jpgFB_IMG_1723052055994.jpg
 

John_B

Zorg Guru (II)
Supporter
British Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
Jun 2, 2023
Points
116
Location
Derbyshire, UK
Model of Z
Z3 2.8 pre-facelift (Izzy)
Absolutely love this! Amazing work
 

Pingu

Zorg Guru (III)
3rd Party Trader
Joined
Dec 8, 2011
Points
145
Are you allowed to improve the intake manifold?

Everything you've done looks like a massive improvement on OEM.

The intake manifold stands out to me as something that could be limiting the engine.

I don't know of any tuned intake manifolds for your engine unless you go for individual throttle bodies, but there must be something out there that is better than what comes as standard. I know there is an upgrade that some people do, but that just makes the diameter bigger and a few less restrictions, I'm talking about tuned intake pipe lengths and cylinder pairing - much like your tuned exhaust.
 

roadzterracer

Dedicated Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2021
Points
33
Are you allowed to improve the intake manifold?

Everything you've done looks like a massive improvement on OEM.

The intake manifold stands out to me as something that could be limiting the engine.

I don't know of any tuned intake manifolds for your engine unless you go for individual throttle bodies, but there must be something out there that is better than what comes as standard. I know there is an upgrade that some people do, but that just makes the diameter bigger and a few less restrictions, I'm talking about tuned intake pipe lengths and cylinder pairing - much like your tuned exhaust.
As it happens, I have a set of throttle bodies with adaptor. Tried them on & was actually down on power & torque at the dyno. Needless to say the M50 plenum went back on!
Over winter I intend to port my spare head, match the throttle bodies (& re-drill to accept stud pattern) valves, seats, guides etc, then 'invest' in schrick cams. So hopefully these will improve performance.
That's just about as far as the race regs allow without moving up a class.
 
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