M2 build

BMW M2 Build - Hood Repaint

In the category of “more show than go” I wanted to paint my Agency Power carbon fiber vented hood in OEM alpine white. The carbon fiber is a nice look but a little too Tokyo Drift for me. So I took my hood to a local paint shop and I had them paint the hood except for the vents which I kept in exposed carbon fiber. I have been letting the paint fully cure before getting it wrapped in clear Xpel to protect the paint from the track marbles. The hood now looks like it came from the factory as a GTR option. Its a nice throwback to the E36 and E46 M3 GTRs of past.

BMW M2 Build - Data Logging Setup

Not only do I love to modify a car simply to modify a car, but I love it when those mods actually make you go faster and become a better driver. Getting good (and easy) data logging in a track/race car is critical. There are many different options to choose from ranging from smartphone setups, to advanced amateur setups, all the way to pro level setups. To read about what data system I put into the SVMC M2 check out this blog posting.

But what I found out once I began using that setup was that I was getting some confusing data readouts. Getting bad data is worse than getting no data. So I once again reached out to my friends at Edge in Fremont and they hooked me up with their data guru Jeremiah Wennermark from Man & Machine Consulting. Very quickly Jeremiah found out that my config files for my AIM Solo 2 DL and Smartycam were not setup quite right. He was able to provide me new config files remotely and I was able to simply load them up.

Jeremiah and I also talked about how to get better data from the SVMC M2 which either means upgrading the AIM system or moving over to a Motec system. Both of those options will require a good amount of coin so for now I will use my AIM Solo 2 DL but I do agree a more flexible and powerful system is preferred. Jeremiah also offers track side analysis, remote analysis, and complete data logging car setups. If you are in the need to work with someone on getting the best data logging you can, or you simply want someone to help you understand what all those squiggly lines mean after your race…..reach out to Jeremiah at Man & Machine Consulting.

A bit more about Man & Machine Consulting:

We are proud to focus on the analysis and development of drivers, vehicles, processes, and teams across the motorsports spectrum. Our passion revolves around efficiently getting drivers and vehicles up to speed. We can support teams' with the most basic data acquisition and excel with professional motorsports' grade instrumentation and controls.

Our passion lies in objectivity, engineering, growth, and sharing all of the above with teams. We strive to elevate our clients' standards by sharing our passion and processes. Doing so allows them to continue to grow long after our contracts are complete. Many consultants hold their processes and information close to their chest thus hindering clients' long-term development. We take pride in supporting our clients, their vehicles, and their sponsoring partners. VISIT US

BMW M2 Build - Wheel and Tire Update

I have been asked what my current wheel and tire set up is on the SVMC M2. If you have been following the build you will notice that I started out with a square setup, but then I did go to a staggered setup for a while. While that allowed for a slightly wider tire in the rear I ended up going back to a square setup because I did run into some clearance issues when I went to a 285/305 setup.

I currently run Apex FL-5 ET40 18x10.5 satin black with Nitto NT-01 275x. This setup doesn’t require any fender rolling and it clears the Sparta big brake kit and KW clubsport suspension. Because the wheels are 10.5 yet the tires are 275/35/18 the tires are stretched a bit to give them a slightly larger contact patch. I have found this to be a great all round setup without compromising much of anything. The Nitto NT-01 give me about 20 heat cycles so about 4 full track days. They are my preferred track tires as they are very progressive, very grippy, and handle the heat cycles well. They are not the best for the street as they are loud and they are a bit slick for wet roads but given I am in CA I have no problem using them on the street simply to get to the track.

You got to love the simplicity of a square setup that just works.

BMW M2 Build - Fixing Track Failures

Contrary to what a Porsche owner says…..the BMW M2 is a great track car platform. Sure a GT3 or GT4 is more capable than any of BMW’s M line. But those Porsches cost significantly more (like 3-5 times more) than a stock M2/3/4. Even after you spend a ton of money turning an M2/3/4 into a track beast you are still in the hole less than a stock GT3 or GT4. Yes a Porsche will be faster, but speed and lap times are not always the main point of a car build. For some of us the main point is to simply have FUN and to create a one of a kind car. So if you are like me and you want a project car, but also want a great platform to work on, and you are on a budget, then the M2 might be a great option…..at least until you have a Porsche budget to play with :)

With that said, there are a couple things you will need to address on the M2 to make it a great track car that frankly are annoying oversights by BMW. The first, which is very well documented throughout the web, is the tendency for the M2 to go into limp mode on the track due to fuel starvation. While that is bad enough as is, what is worse is that you don’t know it is due to fuel starvation unless you have a code reader. This happens when you are pushing the car on the track under G load and the fuel tank is 1/2 full or less. What happens is the car will signal a drivetrain malfunction and immediately put you into a 35 mph limp mode…..not awesome. Fortunately the fix is easy and cheap. All you need is Dinan’s Fuel Upgrade Kit.

Another annoying mod you need to make on the M2 for the track is to either turn off all the nannies or code in new settings for the nannies so you have more control of the car. The US MDM settings are a joke. The Euro MDM settings are better, but the best for the track are the M4 GTS MDM settings. You can also use the M4 GTS settings for steering, the differential, and the transmission (DCT). To learn more about how I coded these into the SVMC M2 check out this post.

Other than those obnoxious, yet required, mods you enter the normal mods like wider wheels and tires, better brakes, better suspension, and more power. In case you are wondering what order of mods you should do I would suggest tires, brakes, suspension, codes/tunes, and then power. No need to have more power if you can’t do anything with it. If you are wondering what the priority is for the safety mods (cage, seats, belts, fire suppression, etc) my philosophy is that once you get out of the “A” run group and are driving solo then you should begin creating a plan for your car and start increasing safety along the way. Safety mods should never be overlooked and as you get faster your budget should shift from fun stuff to safe stuff.

One last comment about BMW’s for the track. If you are working with a modern BMW (anything after the e46 M3) weight is an issue. There is only so much weight you can strip out of a modern BMW, but you can say that about most modern cars due to safety standards.

UPDATE 11/12:

I took out the SVMC M2 to test out the Dinan upgraded fuel pump kit and it worked perfect. Before this upgrade I would go into limp mode if I let the fuel get to 1/2 a tank due to fuel starvation. With the upgrade kit I am able to take my tank all the way to empty without going into fuel starvation. I know this because yesterday at Sonoma after lunch I forgot to refuel and in my 4th session out I drained my tank to near empty without ever going into limp mode. The Dinan fuel pump kit is a must buy for any M2 that is going to see track duty.

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BMW M2 Build - More Coding / Tuning

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I have already done some coding and tuning but I did not go very extreme right away as I wanted to see how the car performed closer to stock. Now that I have done a handful of track days in this car I decided to code/tune a few more things. Here is what I had previously done:

Engine Tune

Coding

The Euro MDM was a huge improvement over the US MDM. The Euro settings are far less restrictive for aggressive street driving but still not great for the track. If you are just starting out on the track the Euro MDM settings might be perfect, but as you pick up speed on the track and start to push the car you will find the Euro MDM settings still a bit too aggressive on the exit of the turns. I track my car in Sport+ mode which still allows some nannies to take over at times. This is not ideal, and frankly I need to simply turn all the nannies off on the track, but if you still want to hold onto some form of a safety net the Sport+ mode is pretty good.

The best way to keep some nannies but to have the car set up for the track is to code in the M4 GTS settings for MDM, steering, differential, and the DCT. You can have an outfit like CodeMyCar do this for you remotely by hooking up a laptop to your OBDII…..or you can do it yourself if you use something like Thor - The M Flasher. Thor uses an OBDII bluetooth adapter and a smartphone app so that you can change the settings between stock, aggressive street, and track. This method costs a bit more than the usual remote coders but I like that I can do it myself at any time without needing to schedule an appointment. This also allows you to switch back and forth between settings with a quick (10-15 minute) code refresh. So at the moment I have changed out the Euro MDM for the GTS MDM along with the GTS settings for steering, diff, and the DCT. Now it is time to go test out the new settings (off to Sonoma Raceway).

UPDATE 11/12:

Yesterday I was out at Sonoma shaking down the SVMC M2. I was running with the M4 GTS mappings and I have to say they are nice. I honestly can’t say I noticed a huge difference between those mappings and the Euro mappings but my impression is that in Sport+ (most traction control turned off) the car slipped when it should, didn’t slip when it shouldn’t, shifted fast, and handled well. So if you are looking for the most aggressive settings for the track I would recommend the M4 GTS mappings. One down side to Thor’s M Flasher…..when I flashed the M4 GTS mappings it re-enabled my previous TPMS delete. So that makes the entire day I had my TPMS alarm going off but it did not impact the car. Now I have to work with Code My Car again to get the TPMS disabled again.

BMW M2 Build - Carbon Fiber Vented Hood

As you can tell I have tried very hard to get the SVMC M2 to look and perform like a GTS, just in M2 form. The meaningful mods have all been performance oriented, but I have done some cosmetic mods along the way to achieve the right look. Most of the time I don’t have heat issues with the M2 but every now and then I will get an error message. It has never gone into limp mode but those error messages are annoying nonetheless.

So I started to look around at heat management solutions which got me thinking of getting a larger intercooler, radiator, oil cooler, and DCT cooler. I have that all picked out but have decided to wait a bit before doing that project as the cost gets up there pretty quick. Seems like a great winter project to keep me busy.

Another option for heat management is a vented hood. While this usually doesn’t “solve” a heat issue it can help increase air flow to the engine bay as well as let the heat dissipate better. I had looked at just buying vents and cutting into the stock hood but that is involved, runs some risk of it not looking clean, and does not have other benefits like cutting down on weight. So I looked for carbon fiber vented hoods for the M2 similar to the ones found on e36 or e46 GTRs. There are a few options out there but most try to mimic an M4 GTS hood which has a power dome + 1 small vent. It looks decent but the vent is so small I doubt it will do much (if anything) for heat management. So I went with the Agency Power Carbon Fiber Dual Sided Vented Hood. It has three good sized vents, full carbon fiber, plus a power dome for some M3/4 style. The fit and finish is very good with only modest gaps along the body seams. The vents are the largest I have found for the M2 and there is the added benefit of some weight savings compared to the stock metal hood.

The plan is to paint the hood in OEM Alpine White but to leave the vents in gloss black carbon fiber. Once that paint job has fully cured for a few weeks I will wrap the hood in Xpel to protect it from the abuse of the track. So far I am very happy but I won’t know if it actually helps with heat management until I get back out on the track and do some sessions and compare my heat measurements. Stay tuned for details.

BMW M2 Build - Data and Video System

All respectable track cars need a data and video system of some kind to see where you can improve. In my case I need all the coaching I can get. There are plenty of systems out there to choose from. You have the inexpensive iPhone + app setup. The slightly more expensive iPhone + app + GoPro system. The expensive dedicated data and video system that tap into the ECU and receive a multitude of data channels and then overlays that data onto track video. And finally, the pro custom systems that monitor every aspect of the car and streams that data back to the pit crew for real time analysis.

On any given track day the dominant system (by far) is the iPhone + app + GoPro. I started with this system years ago and it is great for the price. You have apps like Harry’s Lap Timer that do a terrific job at capturing some data channels and video and putting it all together for engaging video footage. The only issue is that you can’t do deep analysis on the data or easily compare the data from a reference lap to the rest of your laps. Also you end up with gear all over the windshield (iPhone + GoPro + cables). There is a practical problem with all that gear stuck to your windshield or dash besides visibility……and that is “when” it falls off it may fall into the driver’s footwell and obstruct the pedals. Having something fall by your feet as you are dive bombing into a turn is not a great feeling. The other thing that bothered me with the iPhone setups was the constant management I had to do with the gear. Turn this on, check that, recharge this. All of that time and attention took away from enjoying the day and focusing on driving.

So years ago I switched to an AIM system. My original system was a Solo DL + Smartycam. A system like this is more streamlined, is automated (turns on and records and shuts off all based on you starting and finishing a session), and since it is a dedicated system it is more feature rich. The downside….price. These systems can add up quickly but if you are on the track enough they are worth it. About 1-2 years ago AIM updated their lineup and came out with the Solo 2 DL and Smartycam GP HD 2 which is the system I picked for the SVMC M2. It taps into the ECU, has GPS, draws power from the car, overlays the data onto the video in real time, and has a powerful (albeit cumbersome) computer application to store and analyze all your data. The Solo 2 DL even has wifi connectivity to pass all the data (not video) to your track side laptop.

Keeping with the GTS theme for the M2 I decided to do a custom installation for the AIM system to hide all the wires and make it look like a factory option. So I had a fabricator (TC Design) build a metal housing over the cup holder area of the M2 in the center console and powder coat that glass black so I could mount the Solo 2 DL in a central place that is out of the way but easy to read. It also allowed me to tuck all the wires behind the dash. The enclosure also gives me a place to mount switches in the future. I then mounted the Smartycam GP HD 2 behind the driver in the backseat footwell so I could easily access it but keep it out of the way. I am left with a system that is fully contained, fully automated, pulls data from the car, and makes analysis quick and easy. In short it is fool proof and works every time without having to do anything. The only issue I have with the Solo 2 DL is that the level of ECU support for the F87 chassis is light. BMW is rather strict on what channels they allow to flow through to systems like AIM. This is more of an issue for BMWs as other cars like Porsches are much more open. But the data channels you do get are rather good (some temps, RPM, wheel speed, calculated gear, etc.). A slightly more advanced option would be to run independent sensors and use an AIM system like the MXm. In hindsight I wish I had gone this route.

Now let’s talk about predictive grip data. One thing that most data systems lack is true predictive grip data which is the level of potential grip your car has at any given moment. The only system I know of that has this capability is APEX. This little device has a series of lights that show you the potential grip at that moment compared to the amount of grip you are using. The APEX device wirelessly connects to your iPhone and does have other data recording capabilities, but for my purposes I only really use the APEX system to record potential grip compared to actual grip. It is a great way to see how effective you are using the grip….AKA how hard and smooth are you driving. If you are not interested in buying an AIM system you can use APEX for an end to end system that is better than most iPhone + app setups.

Once you have all the data and video information handy then you need to know how to read the data. For that get a book or take a class or watch training videos to make sense of all those squiggly lines. Good luck with that.

BMW M2 Build - Custom Laguna Pipes

The last time I was at Laguna Seca I blew sound enough times that it almost ended my day. I ended up having to literally coast through turn 5 to pass sound (not fun). I started thinking about what kind of Laguna pipes I wanted. The issue is that I wanted them easily removable and I didn’t want them to scratch up the finish of my Dinan exhaust. So I came up with the design of putting the pipe extensions inside the Dinan tips and securing them with some simple bolts. I asked Edge Motorworks in Mountain View if they could fab them up and as always they were up for the challenge. They took it to the next level with some trick welding, stenciling their logo, and painting the pipes with matte black high temp paint. They simply redirect the sound away from the mic at Laguna but its enough to pass the strict 90 dB sound limit without having to lift or shift early. To be fair I do need to engage my electronic exhaust baffle as well but without a doubt these one of a kind pipes did the trick.

BMW M2 Build - Dinan Exhaust

For this build I tried to focus first and foremost on performance mods….but every now and then you need to do a mod simply to do a mod. I have had a few of those on this build but the most recent one is getting a Dinan free flow exhaust added to my Dinan resonator delete. While Dinan claims some performance enhancements for their exhaust system they are not material in my eyes. They are simply enhancements to make the car more enjoyable. Here is a great video highlighting the different options Dinan provides for the M2.

There are other systems that are louder or more exotic but the Dinan system is loud enough, 50 state legal, well fabricated, looks great, and reasonably priced. For all of those reasons I felt it was the right choice for the SVMC M2. Now I just hope I pass sound at Laguna Seca!!!!

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SVMC M2 video by Apex #2

Another short video by Apex focused on the SVMC M2.  This time we were trackside at Sonoma doing some test and tuning. I currently run their matte black 10.5” wide FL-5 wheels, their stud kit, and spacers in the front.  This gives the SVMC M2 a 275 (stretched) square setup which is about all we can fit without body medications given we are also running a KW clubsport suspension and a BBK. Also featured in this video is Sparta Evolution's M2 racing brake kit.

BMW M2 Build - Aero

Keeping with the theme, I wanted to make the SVMC M2 as track oriented as I could, while keeping with the GTS look.  So that meant putting on an aero package.  I wanted something that was streetable but functional on the track.  This is easier said than done as most streetable aero packages do virtually nothing on the track for downforce.  To accommodate both street and track I decided I wanted the aero package to be adjustable as much as possible so I could dial up or down the amount of downforce depending on the application. Most importantly, I wanted to make the aero package BALANCED.

You can't just slap a wing on the back but do nothing to the front.  You also can't put on a nice looking large front splitter but leave the rear untouched.  Doing one end of the car without balancing the downforce effects to the other end of the car might upset the car's grip profile to the point that you are doing more harm to your lap times than good.  So I had to find a package where the design of the parts were meant to work together.

That landed me with a front adjustable splitter that was modeled off of the M4 GTS and an adjustable racing wing modeled off of the M235ir factory race car.  There are a few companies making these types of aero package but in the end I went with RW Carbon out of SoCal.  They make affordable, nice looking, practical parts that accomplish what I was looking for.  I was pleased with the carbon fiber weave pattern and the fit of the parts to the M2 body.  I did have to upgrade all of the hardware that came with the parts to ensure the parts could stand up to some abuse on the track.  This meant replacing screws with bolts and adding more 3M tape in some places.  Also you will need to fabricate some support plates for the racing wing otherwise you risk bending your truck over time.  For this I had Edge Motorworks do the fabrication.

The front adjustable splitter was time consuming to install as you need to remove the bumper, but it was a rather simple process.  The splitter has three pieces: a support piece, the main splitter, and the adjustable plate.  What is nice about this design is that it is modeled right after the M4 GTS but scaled down to fit the M2, and thus follows the lines of the car perfectly.  It also allows for a couple inches of adjustability or you can quickly and easily remove the bottom plate to make it more streetable.  It also has some air ducts in the splitter that you could fabricate a mounting plate and hose to route to the front brakes if you wanted to.  This might be something I do over the winter. Since I had to remove the bumper to install the splitter I took the opportunity to also install a front camera system so that when I park I can avoid smashing the carbon fiber splitter into parking curbs. The front camera also makes loading and unloading the car in the trailer easy.

One thing I really liked about RW Carbon's racing wing was that you could order it with low towers or high towers as well as with racing end plates or GTS end plates.  With these options plus the fact the wing has some angle adjustability you end up with lots of choices and options to find tune the setup.  I bought both end plate and tower styles, but my go to setup will be the racing end plates with the high towers.

Lastly I did install some side skirts from RW Carbon which does not add any downforce or performance to the car, but does help tie the look of the various parts together.

Overall I am thrilled with the RW Carbon aero package I pieced together.  There are other aftermarket options, and some OEM options, but for the price and function you can't beat RW Carbon.  You might notice some quality differences here and there and you might need to beef up the mounting hardware but for the price RW Carbon is hard to beat.

SVMC M2 video by Apex

Apex, who makes street and racing wheels with specific fitment for various cars, was kind enough to share the video they shot that featured the SVMC M2.  I have run Apex on a few different cars with great success so they were the obvious choice when building out the SVMC M2.  I currently run their matte black 18x9.5 ET28 FL-5 wheels and their stud kit.  If you want to learn more about my wheel and tire setup for the SVMC M2 go here.  Thanks again Apex for featuring the SVMC M2 in your promotional video.  Also featured in this video is Sparta Evolution's M2 big brake kit.

BMW M2 Build - Racing Seats

Virtually any street car (no matter how expensive) is likely to have subpar seating for the track.  I have driven some of the nicest street cars you can buy (Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, McLaren, and others) and all had subpar seats for the track.  Don't get me wrong, these cars have great seats just not ideal seats for the track.  Most sports cars don't have enough lateral support, no or poorly placed harness passthrough holes, and their seats usually weight 50lb+.  The M2 was no exception.  While the seats where great for the street with nice materials, comfort, and design....they were not up for track duty.  

Nice looking but not enough lateral support and no safe way to support racing harnesses.

I decided I wanted proper racing seats but I wanted them to be streetable.  Many race seats have so much lateral support it is a challenge to get in and out of them.  Also many have a halo design which is safer on the track but tends to cause visibility issues and are in fact not street legal.  So that meant I needed to find proper racing seats that had the safety and support I wanted for the track but that were street legal and manageable enough for ingress and egress.

With that as the decision criteria I looked at all the usual suspects (Recaro, Sparco, OMP, Momo, Racetech, Sabelt) and while all of these are excellent seats none really fit my criteria.  They were either too street focused or so track focused that they were not practical for the street.  Some companies had the right type of seat but I did not fit them very well due to the width of the bucket or the height of the harness passthroughs.

I then checked out Cobra and found what I was looking for.  Cobra is a UK based seat company that has the full spectrum of seats from vintage, to street, to extreme racing.  One of their more popular designs is the SUZUKA PRO and for a period of time that was my first choice as I fit great in it....but the lateral support was so extreme for a dual purpose car it wasn't practical enough for my application.  I then talked to Cobra and learned that the IMOLA PRO was very similar to their Suzuka Pro in design, but the Imola Pro had slightly less lateral support that resulted in better ingress and egress for the street while still giving enough support for the track.

Another advantage to Cobra seats is that many of their seats come in two different widths and many also offer their Pro-Fit system.  The Pro-Fit system is where they offer multiple thicknesses of the back, bottom, and leg support pads.  So between having two widths to choose from and three thicknesses of pads you have 36 different options to get a near custom fit.

I then had to decide what mounting hardware I was going to use to fit the Cobra Imola Pro seats into the factor mounting points of the M2.  I ended up going with a company I have used in the past, VAC Motorsports.  They have custom rails for the M2 that give dozens of options on where you mount the seats in order to get the perfect position.  They also offer accessories for the rails such as sliders, a fire extinguisher mount, 3 point seat belt mounts, harness mounting points, and even a sub strap mounting bar.  Because this was a dual purpose car I opted to have both 3 point (for the street) and 6 point (for the track).  I also wanted the seats to be on sliders so that a variety of drivers and passengers could be comfortable.  Finally I wanted the first extinguisher mount as some of the organizations I run with have that as a requirement.  I called VAC and they were able to pull together a package for me that gave me all the options I needed.

As for the 6 point harnesses, I again went with a company I have used before.  Schroth Racing is a trusted name in motorsports and I have still not found any harness I like better.  I went with their Flexi 2x2 6 point.  It is great with a Hans device, comfortable, and easy to adjust.

A word of caution to those that are going to do something similar to a modern car.  Keep in mind that once you remove factor seats you will throw a ton of error codes and your dash will light up like a Christmas tree.  By removing the factory seats I had warning messages for airbags, seat belts, seat heaters, position memory, and passenger sensing.  All of those needed to be coded out which I did by working with CodeMyCar.

With all that done I still had two decisions to make. 1) What do I do with my factory M2 seats? and 2) Do I stay with the theme of a factory GTS style build and thus reupholstery the race seats to match OEM materials?  As you can see below I was able to fab up a mounting plate and convert my M2 seats into office chairs, which are surprisingly comfortable.  For question #2, I figured that if you go this far you might as well go all the way.  So I am currently working with a custom upholstery shop to make the race seats match OEM materials of leather, Alcantara, and polar blue stitching.  More on that in a future blog post around the custom interior - which might have been the hardest part of this whole project.

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BMW M2 Build - Racing Steering Wheel with Display

Sometimes you do a mod to get better performance.  Sometimes you do a mod to achieve a certain look.  Other times you do a mod just because you know you will like it.  That is why I added the BMW M Performance racing steering wheel with built in display.  It just makes driving the car more fun and interactive. 

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The steering wheel is wrapped in black Alcantara and finished with a matte carbon fiber trim.  The buttons, paddles, and airbag all come from your original steering wheel.  There are two buttons (one on the left and one on the right) for your thumbs to toggle between the functions of the display.  The center display has useful information such as oil and water temp as well as not so useful information like a lap timer.  While the lap timer and other monitoring functions work well, any respectful track driver would use a real data logger.  There are also shift lights to the left and right of the center display.  This might be the most useful (and fun) part of the steering wheel.  You can set the RPM threshold of the shift lights rather easily in the settings of the steering wheel.

I have taken the SVMC M2 onto the track a few times since this mod and while it doesn't make you faster it certainly put a smile on my face lap after lap.

BMW M2 Build - Racing Suspension & Brakes

No track car is complete without a proper suspension system.  The M2 (F87) comes with a great street focused suspension that is comfortable on the track.  Many of the components come directly from the M4/M3, and if the car is only going to see light track use the stock setup is likely good enough.  After spending a couple days with the car on the track I decided I wanted a more track/race specific suspension system.  The main things I wanted to change over the stock setup is that I wanted to put in more negative camber, I wanted a lower and tighter ride, and I wanted adjustability to accommodate different tracks and different setups.

To accomplish this I choose KW Suspensions 3 Way Clubsport coilover kit and their adjustable camber plates.  I also upgraded the rear camber arm bearing with Bimmerworld's M4 kit and the front upper control arm bearing with Bimmerworld's M4 kit.  This will take out some of the snappiness when quickly unloading the suspension.  I decided to keep the sway bars and control arms all stock for now, but after we get some more track testing done we will decide if any further medications are needed. 

Like the suspension, the M2 stock brakes are good for street and light track duty but not up for the task of heavy track use.  I had already upgraded the pads and fluid but found the brakes still needed more stopping power.  Instead of going with Brembo or StopTech or AP I decided to go with Sparta Evolution out of Washington.  They have fantastic track and race kits at a reasonable price that should be considered before simply going with the bigger brands.

Their calipers are forged in aluminum, come powder coated or anodized, have quick release pad retainer pins, and there are a ton of pad options to choose from.  For the M2 we were able to upgrade to Sparta Triton 6 piston in the front and 4 in the back (stock is 4 and 2).  I went with their 3.0 pads which are designed for heavy track use but manageable for the street.  They have less and more extreme pad options as well.  For rotors I went with Sparta's Pegasus two piece floating hat rotors with an S-slot pattern.  They are 380mm front and back (just a bit bigger than stock).  This should be a huge improvement over the stock setup.  There is a chance we will still need some brake air ducts which we can fabricate if needed.

Edge Motorworks of Mountain View helped me select the suspension and brake systems as well as doing all the install and adjustments.  Edge also did a corner balance and track focused alignment.  We did find we needed a 5mm spacer (3mm might be enough) in the front to properly clear the wheels.  Now its time to test it out on the track and fine tune the setup to optimize the performance.

BMW M2 Build - Custom Cage

I, like many others, started my track experience in a stock street car but it wasn't long before I realized just how important safety gear is.  In my opinion you can't spend too much money on safety gear.  I knew I wanted a cage added to the M2 and while a full cage would have been safer it would have limited the SVMC M2 to the track as it would no longer be street legal.  Because this build had to be street legal, I went with a half cage.  But not just any half cage, an extremely custom and over-engineered half cage by TC Design.

I could have gone for an off the shelf half cage and pre-fabricated rear seat delete panels.  I could have gone with the high end options from BMW Moto GP, RKG, or Fall Line.  But when you look at all of these options you will notice some design compromises that seem to be a little less safe.  All of the cages I looked at were built to some spec (NASA or SCCA usually) and certainly are better than no cage, but they seem to have sub par mounting points or had the horizontal bar at the wrong height or used a simplistic design that sacrificed strength.  I have no doubt they are all "good" cages but I wanted the best possible half cage.

That is what led me to TC Design who I commissioned to design and fabricate the cage and rear panels.   TC Design took inspiration from the BMW M4 GTS cage but made design improvements on how and where the cage mounted to the chassis as well as changing the design of the horizontal bar.  The gusseted main hoop cross showcases Tony's welding skills, increases the strength of our design over the M4 GTS, and puts the horizontal bar in a better position for the racing seats and 6 point harness.  We then topped it off by powder coating the cage in white to match the car.

 Tony then moved onto designing and fabricating the panels which are a work of art.  He was able to bend and cut the panels to fit perfect and give it an OEM look.  The panels are removable as needed and were powder coated in black for durability.  It is almost a shame that these panels will be upholstered in OEM Alcantara and Polar Blue stitching to match the factory interior.  Be on the lookout for a future blog posting focused on the upholstery which has been one of the most difficult parts of the build to source and plan.

The end result was a stronger cage that stayed with the theme of a no compromise GTS.  Next stop....back to Edge Motorworks to have the brakes and suspension finished before some much needed test and tuning.  Then it goes to the uphostery shop to have the racing seats and rear seat delete panels dressed up before going back to Edge for some carbon fiber aero parts installed.  Stay tuned to watch my madness unfold.

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BMW M2 Build - Power

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The M2 comes with decent power from the factory without any modifications, but in the spirit of building my vision of an M2 GTS, I wanted to do a few things.  Before I get flame mail from those that want huge horsepower cars....I acknowledge that the M2 is not the most powerful thing out there.  But the power it does have is very balanced with the chassis.  I am in the camp that believes you don't need 500+ hp to have a fast track car.  With the right driver I have seen a Miata make a fool out of a Porsche or Corvette on the track.  I believe that a good driver and a balanced car will likely lay down the fastest lap times.  Stock the M2 has an inline 6 cylinder single turbo putting out 365 hp and 343 lbs torque pushing 3,450 lbs.  Not bad for a short wheelbase car that is priced reasonably.  The turbo has some lag but not much and often it is unnoticeable.  On the track under hard pushing you can notice the turbo lag a bit, but you can compensate for it by spooling up the turbo a bit early.

At the time I modified for power there were not many options.  No one had bigger turbos or bigger intercoolers available for the M2, so I opted for a cold air intake and a tune.  For these kinds of mods I always go with Dinan as they are a trusted brand that make reliable products.  I did not want to push the power too high as that often leads to other parts breaking or wearing out early due to the added stress or heat from the power mods.  I wanted a bit more power but mostly more responsive feel in the power delivery that would not stress the drivetrain or cause maintenance issues down the road.  I also live in CA and thus I wanted power mods that would pass CA's strict smog requirements.  Thus Dinan was the first place I looked as they are one of the few that go through the trouble of getting CARB certified (at the time of this post they are still pending CARB approval for some of their power mods).  

I got their cold air intake kit finished in carbon fiber as well as their stage 1 tune.  The cold air intake adds some engine bay jewelry but also gives the engine a nice note when you rev it up.  The stage 1 tune changes the signals going to the ECU that then "tricks" the ECU to make adjustments which results in more power and more responsiveness.  That is an overly simplified explanation, but for more details check out their product pages.

The claimed gains for these mods are as follows, but I will be doing a dyno after the build is done to record actual power and weight changes.  These gains are likely under ideal circumstances and thus I am a bit skeptical of how real they are, but what I can say is the car does have more power and responsiveness than a stock M2 and thus I am satisfied.

  • Cold Air Intake: 10 hp peak gain, 15 lbs torque peak gain
  • Stage 1 tune: 15 hp peak gain, 7 lbs torque peak gain

About a year ago Dinan did come out with a bigger turbo and intercooler package which would more dramatically increase power.  The reason I have not gone this far with the power mods is that the balance of the car (the best part of the car in my opinion) might suffer.  With gains of 101 hp and 86 lbs torque for Dinan's P2 Power Package I am not sure the car's chassis can properly utilize that much power.  Even on the track there are very few times I tell myself "I wish I had more power".  Usually I am wanting a bit more grip or more brakes as the power seems fine 95% of the time with the Dinan power mods I have already done.  

Those that follow BMW rumors know about the M2 Competition (M2 CS) coming out.  I have already been asked why I based this build on the original M2 and not wait for the M2 CS?  There are a few reasons.  The first is that when I bought this M2 and thought about the build the M2 CS was only a whisper.  The second is that the M2 CS will have a new engine (a detuned version of the S55 from the M3/4) yet the M2 CS will cost an estimated $10k more.  For $10k I could always tune up my M2's power to match or surpass the M2 CS's power if I really wanted to.  If I was to do that I would certainly go with Dinan's P2 Power Package.  But the biggest reason I did this build on the original M2 is that I am not sure I need more power given this is a track oriented car versus a street or drag car.  I want the best stopping power possible so I can dive into turns and I want power I can confidently lay down coming out of turns.  For that I don't need the M2 CS but rather I need big brakes, great suspension, and a balanced setup.  And from what I have heard, the M2 CS will not upgrade the brakes or suspension over the original M2 as the M2 CS upgrades are focused on the engine and cosmetics.  And even if they did upgrade the brakes they still would not match the Sparta Evolution brakes I am about to put on.  So I have decided not to fall into the age old trap of simply wanting more power.  I am focused mostly on getting power I can lay down and having a great suspension that compliments the balanced M2 chassis.  Plus I happen to have an M2 laying around :)

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    BMW M2 Build - Cosmetics

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    Not all mods need to deliver performance, sometimes you have an image of how something should be or how you want something to look and you feel compelled to just mod it into reality.  Call it vain, call it a waste of money....in the end you are creating something that is uniquely you.  That is the theme for this stage in the build.  I simply wanted the car to look a certain way.

    The M2 is a great looking car straight from the factory but there were a few things that I felt were "off".  Some of these things were a matter of personal preference, other things were design flaws forced on BMW by regulation or certification requirements.

    Some of these things I bought and had installed when I purchased the car, other things I added shortly after I took delivery, and some things were recently added to complete the look.  I have listed everything I have done that fits in the "do it because I want to" category.  Not much to review as there are no claimed performance enhancements but what I can say is that I picked my vendors very carefully to have the highest quality possible.  So needless to say, these parts have great fit and finish.  Enjoy.

    List of parts:

    BMW M2 Build - Wheels and Tires

    One of the first things I do with any build is get new wheels and tires with the goal of getting more width and thus more grip.  I also want a set of tires that are designed for the track versus the street for better turn-ins and braking.  I once again used Apex wheels as I like that they are designed for BMWs and thus don't need spacers.  They also fit many big brake kits, are lighter than OEM wheels, and are reasonably priced.  They have a BBS sort of look but without the BBS premium price.  Here are some pictures of the before and after, but don't mind the large gap between the tire and fender as we have not dropped the car yet.

    I went with 18x9.5 ET28 FL-5 wheels in satin black.  I wanted to go as wide as possible without rolling the fenders or having to buy or fabricate a wide body kit.  The stock wheels have a staggered setup, but after consulting with Edge Motorworks and Apex we decided to go with a square setup.  This will give the front a lot more width while also giving the rear some more width.  This also has the added advantage of allowing some tire swapping to prolong the life of the tires.  I also went with an Apex stud kit to make wheel changes a snap.  While many people prefer the bullet nose style of stud kits (mostly I think because they look good and resemble a professional race car) I always go with the hex head style.  The reason being is that the hex head is far easier to install and maintain proper torque settings.  The exact kit I used was the black 14mm by 75mm hex head which can be found here.  

    For tires I went with Nitto NT01 275/35ZR18 95W.  These are DOT compliant competition tires and thus are much more suitable for the track than the various OEM tire options.  The stock tires are 245 in the front and 265 in the rear so with a 275 square setup I am adding considerable width and grip especially to the front where the car needs it the most (in my opinion).  I am not planning on adding any more power to the car outside of what I have already done with a Dinan tune, so I feel the 275 should be fine for the rear.  Ideally I would have 285 in the front and 305 in the rear but we plan on adding a big brake kit by Sparta Evolution and KW Clubsport coilovers and we were not sure if 285/305 would fit properly without rolling the fenders.  Once we have the brakes and suspension done (in April) we can make the necessary measurements to see if 285/305 would fit and if they do we might swap over to that.

    I have taken the car out on the track with these wheels and tires and my first impression is positive.  I certainly have better turn-in, braking, and grip overall even with a rather stock alignment.  Once I get the brakes and suspension on I will have a better idea on how the whole package will perform, but so far I am pleased.  Keep in mind you either need to add TPMS sensors to your track wheels and then constantly reset the system when you lower tire pressure or change tires.....or better yet code out TPMS from your car as I mentioned in my "Coding" blog post.

    Next up....brakes and suspension come mid-April.