All of the above. The E36/46 stuff is lighter. The E82/90/92 cars are heavier but can easily be brought down to 3100ish with basic weight reduction normally done on track cars.

M50/52/54 all hold good power, but need boost or they run forever naturally aspirated. The N54 just needs upgraded turbos, some bolt ons and fuel mods to make 600hp reliably. Or just have fun w/stock turbos at 400-450, peak torque is at 1400rpm stock. They can fit reasonably large tires without much trouble.

I've got a friend with a 328i E36 that's well setup. He got the car for like $1500, added a bolt in cage, seat, steering wheel and suspension mods. He's like $5k into the entire car and he keeps up with lots of cars he shouldn't be able to.

Lots of suspension parts are interchangeable between different chassis. Companies like Hard Motorsport make just about every aero part and interior bit needed for a 3 series track car of any gen. The E36/46 stuff has a few issues that need addressed if you get serious like reinforcing the rear subframe but for the most part they're problem free platforms.

 

3100lb E90/92 with 600HP sounds fun. Also sounds like a money pit, but it sounds fun.

The E36/46 route seems like an obvious choice for RWD track beater car. It's easy to come by parts and knowledge for that platform.

 

E9x definitely doenst sound like a cheaper route than the Evo, just a different money pit.

 

E9x isn't that bad. And they're dumb cheap compared to an evo. A N54 powered 335i can be bought for like 8-10k with not crazy high miles. All the M control arms and knuckles bolt right up and aren't too expensive. N54 isn't that expensive to maintain either. As long as you have index 12 injectors and the HPFP has been replaced (by now pretty much every motor has had this done), there really isn't anything expensive to maintain that's different from other cars. The only thing that needs to be addressed is cooling which is remedied mostly with a better oil cooler.

 

I would do a E36 3XXi or 3XXsi over a E9X 335i any day. For all the points you mentioned. They are cheap, and plenty capable with the right (also cheap) mods.

The E9X can def be a money pit like an Evo.

 

That's what I was counting on with A GM lover, co-worker, then he goes and gets an 09 Z06 (for 33 grand
and 32K miles too). 3160 lbs, UGH!!! (and 7.0L 505 Hp stock, and dry sump already, and 275/325 tires already, etc...)

https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-car...te-z06-vs-zr1/

So much for my big weight advantage..................

 

It's not a very effective dry sump. People still lose rod bearings with the stock dry sump and those LS7s drop valves on a regular basis because of poor guide machining from the factory. Believe me, tracking a corvette is not as glamorous as you might think. The only guys I know with vettes who've not had issues either don't track their cars or the issue$ were fixed by a previous owner.

 

Believe me I'm no chebbie lover, was just shocked when he got it and I looked up the weight.

 

Thanks for confirming my suspicions. I'm not old enough, nor do I own enough jean shorts to drive a Corvette yet. I've always wondered what they're like as a track day car, though.

 

The dry sump is easily fixed with a different/baffled tank, and the guides aren't the end of the world unless you're paying someone to pull the heads.

 

You have to run the updated tank, still put a baffle in it, baffle the pan and run a higher scavenge stage pump if you don't want to lose motors on actual sticky tires. Also installing the pump requires a couple hundred dollars of special services tools because if you don't align the pump correctly on the crank you'll wipe it out. By the time you do all that you're almost to the cost of a legitimate aftermarket dry sump.

Guides aren't bad if your valves aren't already damaged. But you're still going to wait on a machine shop to machine and install new guides.

 

Not to mention you'll be spending over $10k for another LS7 if it goes bad

 

Any big NA motor swaps been done for EVO track work?

 

 

Lawl wUt