1M Track Day - High Heat, Data, and Video

[Drillslinger]

Originally Posted by Slappymangooze

Hey DP, sorry if I haven't seen this in a previous post but... your exhaust tips are black. How did you do this? is it painted or something?

In one of the other threads Dan mentioned he taped/papered the rear end off and hit his tips w/high temp paint.

HTH

[Dan Parker]

"It also means that the 1M is pretty easy on tires..? Even wear..?"

As long as you keep things tidy. It does beg you to slide it when traction control is off. It will understeer and oversteer if you don't pay close attention but it rewards being smooth with the inputs.
I was going for consistency in my lap times, not huge smoky drifts but as the day progressed the tires had trouble with the heat. I expected the engine to give up before the tires but they are street tires, on track, after all.

[Redadair]

Originally Posted by l888apex

nice analysis...but where's the heat soak? you must not be driving it hard enough. if you want I'll come over there and show you how it's done!

+1

[Dan Parker]

Everyone can have their turn as soon as it's paid for and you can get me out.

[M3Sweet]

a few questions for you..

1. They let you goon track with that TraqMate suctioned cupped to the windshield?... BMW Club drivers' events require fixed mount with safety tether

2. As a former e46 M3 owner I had the luxury of fitting 4 track tires/wheels in the back seat and my gear in the trunk...can you do that with the 1M?

3. I sell GoPro's and memory cards if you need another..lol... just ask me and I'll give you a good price on accessories or a card... see www.uniquephoto.com

4. How did the stock brakes do? I am considering installing a StopTech Trohy BBK

5. Do you think R-compound tires would have helped you?

[woodym3]

Originally Posted by M3Sweet

a few questions for you..

1. They let you goon track with that TraqMate suctioned cupped to the windshield?... BMW Club drivers' events require fixed mount with safety tether

You probably run with the New Jersey and Del Valley Chapters where Lisa worries about Easy Pass transponders and things like that.

[Dan Parker]

a few questions for you..

1. They let you goon track with that TraqMate suctioned cupped to the windshield?... BMW Club drivers' events require fixed mount with safety tether

It's a very heavy duty suction cup. I had my reservations because I don't use suction cups in the race car but this one is used by a lot of spec miata racers and if it stays put for them I figured it would stay put for a DE. It did.

2. As a former e46 M3 owner I had the luxury of fitting 4 track tires/wheels in the back seat and my gear in the trunk...can you do that with the 1M?

I haven't tried but the trunk space is less deep than an E46 so it might be a problem.

3. I sell GoPro's and memory cards if you need another..lol... just ask me and I'll give you a good price on accessories or a card... see www.uniquephoto.com

Thanks! I might be contacting you. I'm stopping by the place where I think it was lost tomorrow.

4. How did the stock brakes do? I am considering installing a StopTech Trohy BBK

The stock brakes were incredible but remember I switched to Performance Friction pads and Super Blue Fluid. I suspect things would have been different had I not done this. Unless this car is being turned into a race car/enduro car I would save your BBK money for something else.

5. Do you think R-compound tires would have helped you?

Absolutely! I would prefer to have a stiffer/lower suspension to compliment the stickier tires as the factory suspension felt soft on track. That's to be expected since it's very forgiving on the street. M really did a great job making a suspension that is compliant for street use but it wasn't ideal for the track when pushing hard.

[Dan Parker]

A couple more pics...

Checkout how squatted the rear is on pic 1. Slight oversteer in pic 2.

[flipm3]

NICE!! Those two are my favorite thus far!

[larryn]

Dan, I use tire totes and fit 4 tires (255 and 275) in the back seat or my 135i with no fuss. Just for future use.

Awesome thread, and thanks for posting your detailed impressions. I know a lot of us were wondering about the performance of the stock car on track. in that kind of heat, it was certainly a great test.

[adrean8j]

Yeah I have a shot from almost that EXACT angle (Henry's omnipresence again ). I have some squat but not as much as you for sure....then again you are def. faster than me around that track as I have only driven it for one day Great shots as usual from ColourTech South!

[Dan Parker]

"I use tire totes and fit 4 tires (255 and 275) in the back seat or my 135i with no fuss. Just for future use."

Thanks, good to know! Do you slide them in from the trunk?

I stopped by the gas station where I believe the sd card was lost and no luck. Bummed

[larryn]

Originally Posted by Dan Parker

"I use tire totes and fit 4 tires (255 and 275) in the back seat or my 135i with no fuss. Just for future use."

Thanks, good to know! Do you slide them in from the trunk?

I stopped by the gas station where I believe the sd card was lost and no luck. Bummed

about the SD card loss.

I just put them 2 deep, side-by-side on the back seat. With harnesses, I have even left the back seat bottom cushion in the garage at home and put em on the rear carpet. No need to fold the seats.

[UsualSuspect]

Thanks for the play by play!

[Franklin Joseph]

Dan,
not sure what shifter/knob you have in your racecar...but what do you think of the shifter? (mainly the height) Did you have the armrest up or down?

i'm used to the taller shifter (AKG in my E36)...and considering the jaffster knob (just for track use)

[Dan Parker]

In the race car I have the BimmerWorld race shifter with BMW alcantara/aluminum shift knob. It's quite tall but totally direct to the transmission. I installed it since the video in my sig. Here's a video from Mid-Ohio with the new BW shifter below. It's no good for the 1M as it requires solid mounts all around. I have the same shift knob in a 6 speed pattern and plan on installing it in the 1M but I just haven't taken the time to do it. The stock shift boot seems to be glued to the stock shift knob but I'm sure there's a way to make something else work. I did leave the arm rest down while on track. I think the stock height is fine for me but everyone is different.

Edit: I just remembered, I co-drove a 2 hour enduro with a friend 4+ years ago and he had a Jaffster knob in his E36 with UUC short shift kit. It took some getting used to but even then I didn't think it was the feel I liked. It was too wide. Then again, I'd drive a stick with no knob because it's just more precise to me.

[Franklin Joseph]

Yeah the jaffster knob is thick. I used to have the dr.vanos tall knob and that was better (before i got the akg kit - wish BW came up with their race shifter earlier)
I will try to tape up the armrest and try it stock at my first track day before making changes.

Nice video, sounds like a healthy m52.

Thanks.

[Franklin Joseph]

Dan,
u ever find a good harness for the car? i just got done with a track day and i was tossed around quite a bit.

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by Franklin Joseph

Dan,
u ever find a good harness for the car? i just got done with a track day and i was tossed around quite a bit.

Dammit you suck! so you were at MSR Houston? Any issues with the heat? It's 99+ everywhere in TX right now.

[Franklin Joseph]

Originally Posted by M3 Adjuster

Dammit you suck! so you were at MSR Houston? Any issues with the heat? It's 99+ everywhere in TX right now.

yup MSR Houston. It was hot at the track!!!

Car temp was just above the 250 mark and cooled down to under 250 on my cool down lap...with no loss of power. Did the whole track in 3rd and 4th.
Car has plenty of power. The idiot behind the wheel needs to learn how to drive again!

[FJS]

Originally Posted by Dan Parker

I mounted the gopro to my helmet before the session and must have left it on last night because the battery went dead as I was going on track. It's charging now.

I decided to leave MDM on and try the M button. This made me work on being smoother but my lap times were 1.2-1.5 seconds slower then with electronics off (and high tire pressures). It takes getting used to it but when the traction light is flashing you can feel the system working each corner. There's some crazy fast machinery in my group and someone put some fluid on the track last session so I may leave MDM on so I don't wad up my car. I've had 3 people tell me I was crazy for bringing this super rare car to the track.

6 mpg. I'm out of fuel in 2 sessions!

I know what it must be like, an awesome car should be driven the way it was made for. Only problem as you stated some people saying about how could you do that to a rare car, well, good question.

I can't wait to get mine later this week but am completely aware how rare it is and bought it just for that, having a rare beautiful little car back to basics as people have said it's so like the e30. To drive a bit but not thrash, it's going to be very hard to abstain myself, I know.

The wait is killing me, now the question is, which model bimmer can you drive bat out of hell and back that is not a collectable at this level? I ask as I see you are a knowledgeable person in the subject (not blowing smoke), I have collected a couple already but want to drive one that doesn't matter to trash or thrash.

Thanks

[Dan Parker]

u ever find a good harness for the car?

No but I haven't bothered since I doubt I'll be tracking it much anyway. The race car is my priority right now since I need to focus on the 2nd half of the season. I'm in 2nd place and don't want to be the first loser.

Hyper-Sport in Atlanta fabricated a sweet harness bar for my Z4 M Coupe a few years ago so they would be the ones I'd call if I was going to get more serious with the 1M on track. It just doesn't make sense (for me) to have a race car and semi track car (1M) when I'm trying to win races (and stay under budget).

Are your arms sore? I felt like I was hanging on to the steering wheel all day and I'm not used to that. The seats are perfect for everything except lateral G's on track and suddenly the bolsters seem less that stellar.