135i Race Car Project Thread - 1Addicts.com riding on board

[Rana135i]

Very nice! Keep us posted!

[scottn2retro]

Originally Posted by Focusedintntions

I believe i saw a great pic of your car in this months Grassroots Motorsports! You guys need to update this thread more and give us a heads up of where you're going. Would love to make it out to a track and see you guys live!

I found it. It's a write up in this months (Feb) GRM. O'fest races this year are at Mid-Ohio in Sept.

[scottn2retro]

Hi All -

Maxxis Tire started the video series on our team and their new RC-1 R compound tire

[annalisa_ferri]

Originally Posted by scottn2retro

we're trying this year with no rear sway bar. Our thinking is, it is so small, it's not doing a lot to keep the car from rolling over, but when it does body roll, it will just try to lift the inside wheel. So we'll see if this helps keep both rear wheels down better (and Ralph has the ability to drive a car with a lot of body roll and still go fast)

This is extremely interesting.
As you know, there is a lot of debate about the rear sway. I'm not far from true if i say that 99% opt for a bigger rear (typical: E92 M3).
You are going in the opposite direction, and your reasons sound very consistent.
But what are the final thoughts after many track events? Are you happy with no rear sway? Did you regret? What are pro/contra?

[scottn2retro]

Originally Posted by annalisa_ferri

This is extremely interesting.
As you know, there is a lot of debate about the rear sway. I'm not far from true if i say that 99% opt for a bigger rear (typical: E92 M3).
You are going in the opposite direction, and your reasons sound very consistent.
But what are the final thoughts after many track events? Are you happy with no rear sway? Did you regret? What are pro/contra?

We recently tried a bigger rear sway bar and our conclusion (so far) is that we prefer none. But I think we are going to try some stiffer damping and if that improves things, we may try having one again.

[scottn2retro]

Hi All -

Been a while, but we are still racing the 135i


What's up next is moving the car up in class. We'll be doing the 1M front end conversion so we can run 275x18 tires on all 4 corners. We'll also be looking at front brake upgrade, shock upgrade and some aero for the little beast.

[wildcat767676]

Car looks great!

I've been tracking mine for a couple years and still have some cooling issues and brake issues. I was wondering if you might have a list of upgrades to your car for track abuse somewhere?

[granracing]

Do you already have a front splitter on it? For a few years I've been tempted to really dive into that, use thread / streamers with a lead car video taping it but just never got there. (A different car than the 135 but same theory.) Curious what you end up doing and the results.

[scottn2retro]

Originally Posted by wildcat767676

Car looks great!

I've been tracking mine for a couple years and still have some cooling issues and brake issues. I was wondering if you might have a list of upgrades to your car for track abuse somewhere?

Probably posted somewhere earlier in the thread, but I'm using a Dinan oil cooler and an HP AutoSport (was HP Autowerks) radiator.

Maybe after this round of build-up, I can look back and compile a mod list.

[scottn2retro]

Originally Posted by granracing

Do you already have a front splitter on it? For a few years I've been tempted to really dive into that, use thread / streamers with a lead car video taping it but just never got there. (A different car than the 135 but same theory.) Curious what you end up doing and the results.

We don't yet, but we've made one for the e90 M3 and the bumper structure is similar. We'll probably make one almost exactly like it.

[wildcat767676]

A mod list would be great when you have time!

Did the radiator help a lot? I already have the upgraded oil cooler which helped but did not 100% eliminate boost reduction/limp. Did you upgrade the fan like the PPK package does?

Thank you for this thread, very informative!

[scottn2retro]

Originally Posted by wildcat767676

A mod list would be great when you have time!

Did the radiator help a lot? I already have the upgraded oil cooler which helped but did not 100% eliminate boost reduction/limp. Did you upgrade the fan like the PPK package does?

Thank you for this thread, very informative!

Taking out the A/C condenser up front made a big difference. I can't remember if we changed the fan or not.

[alexmtl_135i]

Possibly the best thread I've read to date on 1addicts! So much win and so much useful information. Keep up the good work!
One question for you scott, what's the process for your sponsor search? I've done a sponsored road trip for charity last summer, and looking for sponsors was really difficult.

[scottn2retro]

Originally Posted by alexmtl_135i

Possibly the best thread I've read to date on 1addicts! So much win and so much useful information. Keep up the good work!
One question for you scott, what's the process for your sponsor search? I've done a sponsored road trip for charity last summer, and looking for sponsors was really difficult.

Well, the process is a lot different now. I rely (and maybe a little too heavily) on our reputation and the relationships we've built with vendors over the last decade of racing. So a lot of times now it's an e-mail or phone call to set up a lunch meeting and we let the meeting work out the deal. But we've got a decade of history of delivering on our promises.

But back in the beginning, it was a lot of hard work and convincing people that you will actually do what you say. A big part of the problem is there are tons of people out there asking for sponsorship, but a really high percentage of them will not even really begin the project. So what potential sponsors are more likely to do is give just a little and see what you do with it. I call it the 'trust ladder'. Once you've demonstrated you can be trusted with a little, you can get a little more next time. And there is no telling how many people take a sponsors product and sell it instead of using it, which makes us all look bad.

Another problem has more to do with just how business and taxes work. It is so much easier for a company to give you product than cash for a number of reasons: 1) they have a lot of ways to write off product 2) if they give you product instead of cash, you are more likely to actually use their product 3) with cash, they have to report it as such and have you fill out a W-9 form and now you have to report it on your taxes.

[granracing]

I've found bartering or asking for product support to be the easiest and least stressful. Things such as brake pads, race tires, a race shop (if you're fast enough, win, will earn them more business AND they like you). When getting cash, it changed things from a hobby to work.

Here's some information that I posted on my website (the resource is all about how to get into motorsports and related articles): http://www.goaheadtakethewheel.com/a...ponsorship.php

It certainly can be done but takes a lot of work and time. The biggest advice I can give is to really sit down and think who you personally know, who your friends and family know, that might be able and willing to join in a partnership (don't say sponsor).

[scottn2retro]

Originally Posted by granracing

It certainly can be done but takes a lot of work and time.

Unless you have some inside connection with a company that will throw money at somebody starting out, you pretty much have to start small and build your credibility.

When we started the e46 M3 back in 2006, I joked that it may have been worth it for me to pay Crevier to let me put their name on my car (for those that don't know, they are like the 3rd largest BMW dealer in the US). Getting someone like that on my car, even if I undersold the exposure, gave me huge credibility with other sponsors that reside in SoCal. So that's another strategy - find a way to get somebody on board first with some credibility. Seldom do sponsors want to be the first on board a new project.

[granracing]

So that's another strategy - find a way to get somebody on board first with some credibility.

That is an excellent point!! Amazing how companys will see a few well-know already involved and the sale becomes soooo much easier. For some silly reason, I never really put that together with racing sponsorships.

Are you at the point where you need to provide hospitality for sponsors at the track? I've shyed away from getting to that point thus far.

Off the sponsor subject, how do they control how much boost is being used in the car? Data systems with post race checks?

[alexmtl_135i]

Thanks for the detailed info! It's very nice to have a little insight of what's going on behind the scene.

Congrats for the car, again!

[Da_Meister_22]

Grabbed this thread a bit late, but wow amazing turn out. Loving this track 135i

[scottn2retro]

Originally Posted by Manny@ActiveAutowerke

Grabbed this thread a bit late, but wow amazing turn out. Loving this track 135i

Thanks - now onto doing the 1M front conversion (anybody know any good 1M conversion threads):

First, I had to get a 1M front bumper, front fenders and front fender liners and see where that gets me. Drilled pilot hole for tow hook.



Put the fenders and front fender liners on. Hehe, look at the gap to the old rear fender liners. Hmm - may need to get 1M rocker panels too


Needed to cut away some of the vent backing on the passenger side front fender liner to clear the Dinan oil cooler and put an extenstion bracket to get the outboard end of the oil cooler attached to the fender edge.


Put in the grills and the front bumper is ready to try on


On the front of the Dinan oil cooler, need to make an extender plate to reach the front bumper


Had some gaps under the front where I either need to make hole filler plates or get 1M undertrays


But overall, not too bad. Those are Apex 18x9.5" et22 wheels with 3mm spacers and 270x18 tires. You can't space out too far without the outside edge of the tires hitting the fender wells when turning.

[Da_Meister_22]

Great write up. I recently (last week) installed the 1M front bumper on my 135i as well..loving it.

[scottn2retro]

Ralph did a little work on the doors - to the tune of 20 lbs. each