BMW Chumpcar

So, we started building my spare E36 BMW as a builder rally car when a fellow former rallyist Brooks sent me an email about Chumpcar. Few messages back and forth and discover a new rule for 2013 in Chumpcar that allows any 92-95 2.5L E36 BMW to compete provided it remains completely stock. Voila! That's what I've been trying to say is what we should strive for, a spec class with these cars that require them to be virtually stock form. So put out a feeler to some friends and business partners saying, "should we do this?" And we did.
Here's the fun part. 1.75X0.095 DOM construction and a few extra bars in the Chumpcage can result in a NRS legal rally cage. With Rally Solo being embraced by NASA, I think we could easily find an additional 5-20 competitors for rallysprints and hill climbs here in Colorado. Brooks' is testing at a local track in his E36 today. We aren't quite that far along but the Chumpcar race is in two weeks. Additionally, Brooks and myself are both planning to take our Chumpcars to compete at the Temple Canyon Hill Climb two weeks later on May 11-12.
Total spent is just under $3k to get the car ready for the event.
Anticipated total expense to purchase and build the car, and compete at first event, entry fee, tires, fuel, pads/rotors, etc. is under $6k. I have fronted most of the vehicle costs, maintenance items, etc. Pads, rotors, tires, entry fee, and fuel is being split between all five of us drivers.

Anyhow, here is the door bars I came up with. Completely within the door skin, no negative bends, welded to b-pillar, doors are still able to open and close (though rear doesn't open super far), and maximum distance between driver and door bars. Still have to do all the vertical elements. Finally finding a use for the ever growing pile of <24" roll cage tubing scrap.

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Grant Hughes

I'm sure that you are well aware of this Grant, and I haven't read through this new rule, but I would "ass"ume you are still allowed to replace all of the wear items with oem pieces for "Free" under the rules, correct?

If so, I guess I just found out what car I'm building for chumpcar/road racing (new roadcourse in Edmonton opens this year)

Yeah, bushings have to remain same materials, can't use M3 stuff like control arms or suspension that have better attributes. My amount includes new front control arms, tie rod assemblies, struts, shocks, and a junkyard diff (3.91).
You CAN upgrade things, but it will gain you penalty laps. Wheels, tires, and brakes are 2X stock, but brakes have to remain stock BMW which I interpret to mean non-drilled or slotted, which mostly affects pad choice since some brands out gas worse than others or something like that...

X is technically legal for Chump. A rally car would be legal provided the required bars were all in the 1.75X0.095. In rally, removable members are legal as well so certain things could be made to come out for Chump, add back in for rally.

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Grant Hughes

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NoCoast
A rally car would be legal provided the required bars were all in the 1.75X0.095. In rally, removable members are legal as well so certain things could be made to come out for Chump, add back in for rally.

And no windows in chump. But 91-96 Escorts are on the good to go list as well.

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Kirk Coughlin
Woodbury, MN and River Falls, WI

Quemadmodum gladius neminem occidit, occidentis telum est.

Windows aren't required in rallying.

First event went great. Day one was two four hour enduro races. We had four drivers which isn't ideal when a driver is allowed to drive as much as two hours. Minimum five minute pit stops.
Dave started off the session and got up to speed really quickly. He did a few laps then did a quick pit stop to check how tires were doing, check pressures and retorque wheels (one bolt had loosened). Despite the early stop, he'd climbed up to about 3rd place.
Next stop was for fuel. The filler we were using had some zipties to slow fuel flow so that it didn't overflow in some shitty Subaru neck. Unfortunately it had also bent there and was restricting flow and coming out vent almost as much. It was fucking miserable and it took ten minutes to get ten gallons into the car (more than needed for the next driver). So we dropped WAY down the standings. Next driver, Ryan McLaughlin, does his hour with no issues, climbs up a few spots, and comes in for change. I go out, putz around and learn the course (had walked it once, didn't watch ANY video so had no clue where I was going. I let lots of people pass me and then followed them to get an idea of lines. Twice I pulled 2nd gear instead of 4th going from 3rd to 4th. Both times on first lap or two but figured out what I was doing after that. I came in after around 25-30 minutes to make sure Allison Kern got a turn behind the wheel as well. I am not a fan of sliders so we had to actually move the seat and belts to a second bracket and set of eyelets. This was the first time moving under pressure so took us about 12 minutes total with gas. Allison got out and got about 30-40 minutes of time. All was good, we finished the first event.
Second event we started with Allison in the car since seat was already setup for her. She went out hard and ended up holding first place for almost 3/4 of her hour. We took our first stop, moved seat, filled gas, and sent Ryan back out in about 7 minutes. Getting faster, but also got in trouble as we found out that if the driver change requires a wrench it can't happen til fueling is done. Another lesson learned. Ryan goes out, his hour goes by without much worry, we decide if he has more than half tank, we won't add fuel, and just send me out so we have a 1-2 minute driver change instead of being forced to do 5 minute pit stop. I go out with some aggression. I was 6-8 seconds or so faster than morning from the get go and am getting a feeling for the course. I passed a TON of cars, some of them multiple times. I never got passed during my hour. Around 55 minutes in I start keeping an eye out for the goose. Then there is a yellow flag situation just before the pit turn in. I get past it, then notice the goose is out, which means, do another lap then come in. I consider diving for pits now to take advantage of the yellow, but it's too late and I want another lap! Come around, yellow is still out but car is being towed into pits. I slow down, try to decide if I have to wait for wrecker, see control guy waving at me so I go in front of wrecker and into pits. Another official comes over and yells at me for cutting off the wrecker. Wrecker blocks me driving through pits and I eventually get to our pit area. 5 gallons of gas, get Dave in car, 20 seconds to start... He heads out and we walk back to tent. Standing talking and realize, hey Dave's still at pit out control? Turns out I got us a three minute penalty for cutting off the wrecker. Suck, but okay. Dave sets close to FTD during the session and manages to climb us up to a 10th overall finish. 23 entries.
We then removed the A/C and did some general checks on car, rolled fenders a bit with the jack handle, and make some plans for next day. I jack up both ends and crawl around looking for weird. All looks good.
Next morning we get there and go to swap tires left to right (track hard on left side.) Rear left wheel had lots of camber and some bad wear pattern we had noticed night before so figured we'd turn camber out and go. Holy shit, wheel bearing is destroyed! Parking brake must have been on and holding stuff tight or something when we checked night before. Missed the first half of the day disassembling, searching for a bearing, borrowing/buying tools to disassemble and got it back together in time to join a few laps into the 4th of 6 20 lap sprint races. Ryan goes out and runs the car a few laps, comes in, discover the cut brake cable is what is making that sound, rubbing on pinion, no worry, keep going, etc. My turn for 5th race, starting in 12th place, quickly (like right away) I zip forward into 3rd place behind the two cars on pole, the other two E36 BMWs. Three way battle ensues for next 5-6 laps. Suddenly coming into the first corner at 110 MPH I try to pass 2nd place (rallyist Brooks Freehill) on the inside by not braking til really really late. Doesn't work and suddenly the car is super squirrelly. Three corners later and the car nearly spins out from under me even though I'm not pushing it. Lose enough speed and momentum that 4th place gets around me and I lose confidence worrying that the camber change we did changed toe enough to mess everything up and get squirrely once tires got up to temp. Or something came loose. So I decide to let rest of field by me so they can have their own races. Then I realize I should go in, send Dave out for a few laps so he can see what he thinks and we can press hard for the win in the last race, which our start position on that one would have given us a big advantage. Heading around course and look down in the second longer straight and see CEL and pegged coolant temps. Shit! Head in and our weekend was over. Coolant expansion tank blown up. No clue if other issue. Engine still runs and drives, drove on and off trailer so potentially positive.
Guess it means I won't be running it in the hill climb, but pretty sold on the stock E36 Chump/CHCA race car. We did 445 or so competitive miles and ~1.5-2 hours of seat time a piece on Saturday alone. Hooked!

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Grant Hughes

Need to fill up on paragraphs.
Or space bar.

Like that.

Only know-never-to-blow-up expansion tank is Volvo. seen 'em swell like crazy but no failures ever.

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

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john vanlandingham
Only know-never-to-blow-up expansion tank is Volvo. seen 'em swell like crazy but no failures ever.

We heard that at the race too - unfortunately that not a legal swap based on the rules...and neither was the fan delete mod that another team was running. Will probably just stick a new radiator and expansion tank in it and head out for a testing day and see how it does.

Was good fun - got some video so hopefully we'll have something to share about the car's earthshattering performance. LOL

Dave

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john vanlandingham
Need to fill up on paragraphs.
Or space bar.

Like that.

Only know-never-to-blow-up expansion tank is Volvo. seen 'em swell like crazy but no failures ever.

Sorry, I blew one up. Spent the $100 and got a nice Joe's racing alloy one.

Quote
phlat65
Sorry, I blew one up. Spent the $100 and got a nice Joe's racing alloy one.

Found a nice aftermarket solution, but unfortunately while a sparco steering wheel, new ball-joints, and brake pads are considered "safety items" a radiator isn't so we gotta run stock or OEM equivalent. I'm taking that to mean we've still got to run a radiator with plastic end tanks and the plastic expansion tank.

Dave

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DaveK

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john vanlandingham
Only know-never-to-blow-up expansion tank is Volvo. seen 'em swell like crazy but no failures ever.

We heard that at the race too - unfortunately that not a legal swap based on the rules...and neither was the fan delete mod that another team was running. Will probably just stick a new radiator and expansion tank in it and head out for a testing day and see how it does.

Was good fun - got some video so hopefully we'll have something to share about the car's earthshattering performance. LOL

Dave

You cannot be serious.
What a inimaginably stupid rule.. Only a true idiot could think of a rule like that.
Idiots.

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Quote
phlat65

Quote
john vanlandingham
Need to fill up on paragraphs.
Or space bar.

Like that.

Only know-never-to-blow-up expansion tank is Volvo. seen 'em swell like crazy but no failures ever.

Sorry, I blew one up. Spent the $100 and got a nice Joe's racing alloy one.

Musta been some karmic thing..
OK I have seen some sit exposed to direct sunlight for centuries get screwy..

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Quote
john vanlandingham
You cannot be serious.
What a inimaginably stupid rule.. Only a true idiot could think of a rule like that.
Idiots.

All other cars can do that sorta stuff as long as they stay within budget. Since at the moment the 325 is the "cheater car" they try to level the playing field by saying 'zero mods or deviations from stock parts' allowed. See rule 4.9 for specifics to the E36.

It does bum me out a little that we can't do some of the fun 'crap can' stuff that the other cars do. You can cut the stock springs...but you can't drill a hole in the sway bar to make it stiffer. Sorta weird stuff, have been referencing the rule book every time an idea pops into my head.

https://www.chumpcar.com/downloads/chumpcar-rules.pdf

Dave

Quote
DaveK

Quote
john vanlandingham
You cannot be serious.
What a inimaginably stupid rule.. Only a true idiot could think of a rule like that.
Idiots.

All other cars can do that sorta stuff as long as they stay within budget. Since at the moment the 325 is the "cheater car" they try to level the playing field by saying 'zero mods or deviations from stock parts' allowed. See rule 4.9 for specifics to the E36.

It does bum me out a little that we can't do some of the fun 'crap can' stuff that the other cars do. You can cut the stock springs...but you can't drill a hole in the sway bar to make it stiffer. Sorta weird stuff, have been referencing the rule book every time an idea pops into my head.

https://www.chumpcar.com/downloads/chumpcar-rules.pdf

Dave

And with the miserable front knuckles which have some gross huge spacing between the caliper bolt up, we can't easily shove on any Soooper bitchin calipers...On your rally car either (been mocking things up in anticipation of the inserts arriving shortly.)

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Quote
john vanlandingham
And with the miserable front knuckles which have some gross huge spacing between the caliper bolt up, we can't easily shove on any Soooper bitchin calipers...On your rally car either (been mocking things up in anticipation of the inserts arriving shortly.)

Would an extra 10-12mm offset on the wheel make any difference? We ordered up some braid wheels with a 35 offset which makes clearing the rear coilovers require a 10mm smaller spacer and still keeps the front tire well under stock body work.

Dave

Quote
DaveK

Quote
john vanlandingham
And with the miserable front knuckles which have some gross huge spacing between the caliper bolt up, we can't easily shove on any Soooper bitchin calipers...On your rally car either (been mocking things up in anticipation of the inserts arriving shortly.)

Would an extra 10-12mm offset on the wheel make any difference? We ordered up some braid wheels with a 35 offset which makes clearing the rear coilovers require a 10mm smaller spacer and still keeps the front tire well under stock body work.

Dave

MAYBE, just MAYBE radial mount calipers--which I just happen to have a convenient set of here, MIGHT be made to work... But the spacing is so wide for the caliper lugs....grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.