Ferrari Mailing List: Re: NFC: Fun with Jeff and Tom0

[LtWacko (LtWacko]

Dave over at Continental in Hinsdale, IL let me have my first ride in a  308. 
 He is also a fellow BMW CCA member.  He said the 308's  essentially 
performed and handled like the E30 M3's  Once we warmed the  oil, he let me 
hang the 
car out.  Brave fella I must say.  I guess he  didn't know about my local 
reputation...  Anyway, we did run a pretty much  stock E30 M3 in One Lap of A a 
few 
years back.  We looked like a pimple in  the line up amongst the Vettes and 
Vipers up front.  The Viper owner lined  up after us said he would hate to pass 
us because it would slow both of us  up.  Of course he never looked us 
straight in the eye again embarrassed by  his performance!
 
If you are willing to put up with the maintenance of an E30 M3, go for  it.  
The motor is really the only finicky thing.  The rest is standard  procedures 
for a regular E30 with parts cost 3 times as much...  M3 = Money  times 3!  
Don't believe me?  Check out costs of control arms and  wheel bearings.  Odd 
that they are 3 times the cost of normal E30's.  
 
For less than a third the cost, pick up an E30 325 and stuff a  schrick cam 
in it.  Normal suspension and software upgrades and you will  have nearly 
identical performance of a slightly modified M3.  Also, the  motor swap I 
talked 
about earlier can be done to normal E30's too and definitely  outperform the M3 
for less cost than one.  Contact me off list if you want  more info.
 
Rodney
 
In a message dated 11/26/2006 5:17:02 A.M. Central Standard Time,  
ferrari-request [at] ferrarilist.com writes:

Message:  3
Date: Sat, 25 Nov 2006 21:08:57 -0600
From: "Tom Reynolds"  <kjtar [at] cox.net>
Subject: [Ferrari] NFC: Fun with Jeff and Tom
To:  <ferrari [at] ferrarilist.com>
Cc: The FerrariList  <ferrari [at] ferrarilist.com>
Message-ID:  <005e01c71108$36b83180$6501a8c0 [at] tu.ok.cox.net>
Content-Type:  text/plain;    charset="iso-8859-1"

No Ferrari content but it  *might* be interesting if you've been at all 
hooked on "Tom's fun car search".  
A few days ago Rick L. told me that what I really was looking for was a  E30 
M3 (after my "review" of a '98 328iS and mention of a previous drive in a  '95 
E36 M3).  He said that Jeff R. had his old E30 M3, and another 1 or  2, he 
thought.  I emailed Jeff, and today he and I got together at my  house.  
I thought my 'Mario' handled like it was on rails.  (And  it did.)  But, the 
E30 M3 that Jeff brought over to the house today was,  it turns out, just as 
good.  If not better.  The car was  amazing.  It's probably as fast or faster 
(quicker) than my 308gt4 was,  and I suppose I could go on and on. The feel, 
the sound, the looks  (yes).  Just suffice it to say that I am so grateful to 
Jeff for so  unselfishly setting aside his time to thoroughly go over the "look 
for" things  on the E30 M3.  And, of course, not only showing me how it 
handles, but  letting me drive it and see for myself.  
I'm so very glad I've had a  chance to be the recipient of so much wisdom and 
experience on this  list.  And, to the Tulsa listers: Jeff, Dave, and Rick, 
(honorary). And  to the list: to (largely) be listened to, it's a great 
feeling.  The  short list on cars to consider just got a lot shorter today.  
Now all 
I  have to do is figure out how to make a lot more money sooner than normally  
possible.  And to others who've been there for me as sounding boards,  who've 
given feedback, who join in with suggestions and other ideas, thanks to  all 
very very much.
:)
Best regards, (and thanks again, Jeff)
Tom  Reynolds
Tulsa, OK