2010 Only Events This year was the same as 2009 with no major changes and just events. I have picked some of the best images I have from 2010’s events.
2011 Out of the Fog After so many years of not doing meets and drives I finally came back around and started doing them again. This was mostly due to the fact the girlfriend of the time liked doing these activities with me so it made it easier to organize these events. I still was organizing the EuroSunday events but now doing my own drives as well. Before we get to the drives, here are some of my favorite images of the EuroSunday events of that year. In March of 2011 I ordered the Samsco intake elbow and AFE intake scoops. These were the first upgrade to the car in years sadly On June 1st 2011 I did my first track day at Thunderhill. It was a fun experience but I realized that the track was not my cup of tea. Yes it is fun but I was getting more bored as the day went on. This could be because I drive the track like back roads and trail break in so I am not fast on the track. Oh well.
One of the drives I organized in 2011 was a drive to Livermore down mines road. This is one of my favorite drives of Northern CA. In October of 2011, the girlfriend and I decided we wanted to say we have driven down ALL of HWY 1 or PCH. We took a week of work and hit the road. We had no plans, no pre-defined stops, just the open road and a map. All we knew was we wanted to stop at Disney Land and end up in San Diego. Other than that, it was all up in the air. If you have not done the PCH drive from SF to San Diego then you are missing out. Once you get to Monterey heading south you really hit some amazingly beautiful country. It is well worth the time off to take trip. We did the northern section in April of 2012 to complete the northern and southern sections. Below are the Images of the car on that drive. The images start at the split of HWY 5 to Monterey where the GF drove to the start of HW1. From there the images are shots going down HW1 all the way ending in San Diego.
The last images I have for 2011 was a drive I lead up HWY 1 to Biscomb Road. This drive is a full day of driving along the California Coast and some very fun off the beaten path back roads. The images are at a fuel stop and check point for the drive.
2012 CSL Path Determined If you have been reading this, build thread I believe I have brought you up all the way to January 2012. I hope that all the scrolling and reading to this point has been interesting and well worth the sore finger. I have included summary of the car in its current state as of 2012. Engine & Exhaust AFE Stage 1 Intake AFE Air Scoop D/A Race software Samco Intake Elbow Supersprint V1 Stepped Headers Supersprint V1 S Race cats Supersprint Center Sections W/Resonator Eisenmann Race Exhaust 83mm tips Rouge Engineering Under drive Pullies Ignition Solution Plasma Coils Turner Motorsports Oil Cooler Kit Suspension TCK E46SD E46 Smart Design DA Coilover 500/600 springs TC Kline Camber plates OE Strut Tower Eibach Sways with polly bushings Ground Control Lower rear control arms Ground Control hybrid control arm bushings Transmission & Drive line Ground Control Differential Bushing limiting kit / nylon discs Power Flex Tabs UUC Tranny mounts hybrid (red) Brakes STOPTECH Yellow BBK StopTech Stainless Steel Brake Lines Axxis Ultima Break pads Motul RBF600 Gold now / was blue to start Exterior BMW CSL Carbon Fiber Roof BMW CSL Trunk BMW CSL Rear Diffuser BMW Euro bumper with/custom molded in CSL splitters BMW LED Taillight conversion (no led module) Interior Hardwired Valentine V1 UUC SMG Peddle set Wheels & Tires BMW CSL 19 Rims Michelin Pilot Super Sport 245/35/19 & 275/30/19 – Filled with nitrogen Turner Motorsports 10mm front spacer (needed to clear the calipers) BMW CSL 19 rim front spare
The start of 2012 I did my second track day at Thunderhill. Like the last track day I had fun but by the end of the day I was just not feeling being on the track. Maybe it is because I love my car to much or I want to see a different turn. In either case I will go back but I am in no hurry to do so.
In April of 2012 I went to the Sacramento Delta to take photos of both the M3 and the 1M. The wife drove the 1M and helped me take some cool pictures of both cars. I was hoping to get some better pictures but that just means I just have to go back out there and take more, oh darn.
By May of 2012 I had the light bulb moment that said dam the torpedoes and full speed ahead on the CSL conversion. So I placed my orders in May for a LARGE amount of parts. The following list is what the first round of modification entailed. BMW CSL Airbox (kit) 11617833496 --- AIR COLLECTOR 11617831740 --- BRACKET 07119902973 --- HEX BOLT WITH WASHER 07119900398 --- HEX NUT X2 11617831745 --- MUFFLER CLAMP X6 11617833497 --- UNFILTERED AIR HOUSING 11617833648 --- INTAKE 07129952137 --- HOSE CLAMP 11617833646 --- AIR DUCT 11617833645 --- SUCTION TUBE 07119905016 --- COUNTERSUNK SCREW X4 07119901780 --- FILLISTER HEAD WITH WASHER 16131176747 --- PLASTIC NUT 07119931115 --- FLAT WASHER X2 07129952127 --- HOSE CLAMP 11617833647 --- AIR SHUT OFF CALVE 11157833649 --- VENT HOSE 13717896774 --- INTAKE MANIFOLD 13621739510 --- TEMPERATURE SENSOR AIR 13727838625 --- BMC AIR PANNEL FILTER SMG tank to replace the one on the stock airbox 21532282549 --- Expansion tank for SMG fluid BMW Center console 51167895578 --- Console-CSL 51167896362 --- Frame-CSL 51167896361 --- Frame- CSL 51167896956 --- Insert-CSL 51711904843 --- Blind plugD=23MM X2 34417896360 --- e-brake boot 51168235570 --- Bracket 07129901644 --- Body Nut X2 71111180290 --- Sheet Metal Screw X2 I am making CSL door panels in alcataera. I got the idea from the interior of my 1M. Also I wanted to be different then everyone. 51417896919 --- Door handle front left-CSL 51417896920 --- Door handle front right Differential upgrade. This is all the items needed to make a kit. Turner Motorsports - 3.91 Ring and Pinion 33121205138 --- securing plate for pinion 33121204657 --- crush sleeve 33107510289 --- output seals X2 Summit TMK-HM803110 --- bearing race Summit TMK-HM803149 --- inner pinion bearing BMW CSL Bumper 51117896820 --- PAINTED FRONT BUMPER TRIMSILBERGRAU 51117896379 --- Aerodynamic cover, left 51117896380 --- Aerodynamic cover, right 51117895883 --- GRILLE,AIR INLET LEFT 51112695252 --- Flap, towing eye, primedM 51118191149 --- Gasket 2125 MM BMW CSL Engine parts (note I already have the exhaust cam) 11317835041 --- INLET CAMSHAFT 11337833259 --- Rocker Arms X24 Chassie Tuner Motorsports Sub frame kit Suspension BMW ZCP/CSL steering rack Software Evolve Stage III alpha N software. Need to match the intake, cams, and exhaust all together ESS SMG Software Engine Zionsville Competition radiator/electric fan kit - 2 speed controller - Shroud - 16 spal fan Samco radiator hose kit Interior Recaro SPG-XL seats - I am 6'5 so need the big boy seats Ebay black aluminum SMG paddles Custom rear seat delete Custom CSL / Interior mod
While I was waiting for parts to arrive, I setup a drive to Santa Cruz. This drive if you know the area has some “hidden” back road sections that most people do not drive on. This allows for some great time just blasting around tight corners or parking in the road to take pictures.
I recently drove an E46 CSL in Germany and was quite pleased. . . although SMG II felt rather primitive compared to the DCT in the GTS and the CRT. . . (Do I have the best job in the world, or what?)
June 2012 has now rolled around and all the parts I have ordered have slowly started arriving. The first items off the large parts order list where the Turner 3.91 gears and reinforcement kit. The cheapest upgrade I bought was a set of EBay black aluminum SMG paddles. While cheap, I loved the look and the paint will not start to bubble like the OE BMW ones did. After the SMG paddles, I received the CSL Intake cam HOWEVER it was damaged in shipping. I had the Exhaust cam already as it was a wedding gift from the now ex-wife in 2008. At this point in time, I had to return the cam and fight to get a new one.
Parts continue to slowly arrive every day. The bearing items from Summit Racing showed up so I could do the differential gear upgrade. Next item to arrive is the Zionsville Competition Radiator and fan kit. The same day as these parts arrived, I got an Email that the CSL steering rack is on its way and the new Intake cam was shipped from Germany to the US supplier.
July 2012 the now fiancé and I came back from a two week vacation in Aruba and Curacao to find that Mr. UPS has left me some new items. These parts were the Evolve R Tuner system, 73MM Wheel stud conversion, and the CSL/Completion steering rack.
The first of the new upgrades required me to pull the SMG control unit and ship it to ESS for their SMG software. I will have more comments on this later on as I found out some interesting info on this later down the road.
Big box should up with some of the parts you all have been waiting to see. CSL intake, install hardware, air ducts and less a few parts the supplier missed in the shipping. I contacted the supplier and they are shipping the missing items from this order. So have to wait for the last few parts need to have the complete CSL Intake. Also included in the box where the CSL door handles to make the custom CSL doors.
Soon after the big box showed up the miscellaneous box of parts showed up. This contained mostly the parts for the center console. Also included was the OE BMW differential parts and the SMG expansion tank. Basically all the nuts and bolts which means all that is left to arrive is the CSL cam, Bumper, snorkel and center console. Mid-August 2012 I finally got the SMG controller back from ESS. I was disappointed in how they returned the unit to me. Controller was not in a static free bag as I sent it to them and it was in a USPS flat rate box with only one pass of bubble wrap. After reinstalling the SMG Controller, I went on a 40 miles of driving and could not tell 100% if there is a change. From what I notice, it seems to change up and downshifts are a smidgen faster in feel. I am taking it on a “spirited” drive on August 30 so we will see how it drives.
The drive I did on August 30th was the Livermore Mines run. This time I was able to arrange a photo shoot at an old airbase. This made for some great images, which I need to go back and do once the car is done.
The Monday after the drive, the Samsco hoses arrived. I hope that these will help keep the car running cool for years to come. Saturday 9/1/2012 I was finally was able to install one of the major parts on the M3. My fiancés father works for a Porsche/Subaru shop so I was able to get access to a lift so I could install the steering rack. I combined it with two oil changes as well. Might as well make the most of having a lift right. Wife drove the 1M to the shop on a nice Saturday AM drive there.
The following images are of the install of the steering rack. Sorry for the crappy image quality as all I had was my Iphone. The install of the steering was pretty straight forward and took about 2 hours to do the install. I also changed the oil as it was due.
