Connor’s E36: Standing on Solid Ground
Connor Lydon believed that he could spare himself a lot of headache if he bought a largely prepped car instead of starting from scratch. Even if it had been raced, we wagered he’d be better off with a used race car than beginning the build with a basic road car. Years of cone carving had given him some idea of what modifying a stock car entails, and how much work is really required to get one in fighting shape.
“In autocross, you can push ten-tenths and the worst thing that can happen is you hit some cones. Pushing this hard without fear helped me get really comfortable with oversteer in a short time span.”
After three years of autocrossing a well-prepped Z3 M Coupe which he built with his dad, he decided to make the transition into track days under the guidance of his mentor, Ryan Rich. Not only did Ryan help Connor understand his AiM data so he could make remarkable progress in under a year, he encouraged him to take the next step into time trials with a fully prepared car.
Thanks in part to Ryan’s guidance, Connor knew what to look for, and this BMW CCA IP-winning E36 M3 ticked most of all the boxes. The combination of mild aero, reduced weight, and a proven mechanical setup would provide a level of performance that would, on occasion, cause him consternation.
During his first shake down with the car, Connor was mostly satisfied. “It drove fine. Honestly, the biggest hurdle then (and now) was just how well it stuck. I was scaring myself pretty regularly; whatever I did, it took it. I had to try and quiet that part of my brain that anticipates a big accident.”
While the basic package worked well enough, he felt it wasn’t quite as responsive as he would’ve liked, so he opted for a set of stiffer springs. This proved a mistake, as the car became so bouncy that he skipped off the track in one of Willow Springs’ scariest corners at 120 miles per hour.
With Tony Colicchio’s Spec bump steer and roll center correction kit, camber plates, and a set of new MCS two-ways with remotes, revised damping, and a milder set of 750-pound springs, the machine was totally transformed. The icing on the cake was a Diffsonline race differential with a TC Designs extra-capacity housing to avoid overheating.
Some complain the E36 understeers too much, but the aero, the differential, and the mechanical setup has made it really neutral with an inclination to oversteer. Slight lifts would bring the car around just enough to place the car accurately.
“You hear about how E36s can understeer, but this car is always neutral and willing to rotate. With the aero and the mechanical setup, it’s very stable and confidence-inspiring, especially at higher speeds.”
Then came the second order of business: weight. At 2,900 pounds, the car was not quite as light as is easily achievable with a car as svelte as a stripped E36. To trim another 150 pounds, he installed Mashaw’s fiberglass doors, hood, and trunk.
Such a light car with a 3.73 final drive can accelerate rapidly with a moderate amount of power. Sunbelt high-lift cams, custom longtube headers, and M50 intake manifold help this refreshed S52 engine produce a respectable and somewhat peaky 270 at the wheels. “The gearing is just short enough to where you get a great drive off the corner, but you can still hit 144 mph coming around Roval at Auto Club.”
Due to the combination of respectable acceleration, reliability, and remarkable grip, the main issue on Connor’s mind at all times is if he can commit to the grit-your-teeth corners. “ The biggest struggle now is trusting the car’s gonna be there for me. I mean, I don’t have to lift entering Turn 8 at Thunderhill East, but I have had it rotate on me there when I didn’t get it just right. Trusting the car into T10 at Sonoma takes some faith as that is a terrifying place to have an off.”
While the car was well built, its stellar running record has a lot to do with Connor’s meticulous maintenance habits. Because the high-lift cam stresses the motor some, he changes the oil every ten hours and usually changes the rest of the fluids around that interval. “I’ve tried to be as conservative as I can with this car – I don’t like to run glittery fluid through the diff longer than is necessary.”
And that approach has paid off; not one weekend-ending failure over five years of ownership. Its low weight has made it relatively kind to consumables, so all in all, it’s been about as cost-effective as anything quicker than a momentum car can be.
PFC race calipers up front and PFC 11 pads provide ample stopping power.
If he were to hang onto the car and chase lap times, he believes that it could benefit from a little less weight and a little more torque. “Currently, it breathes well up high at a cost of low-end torque. I’d opt for a stock-cammed S52 with M52 intake for more grunt below 5,000 revs. For NorCal tracks, I think this combo is faster — even if it means losing 40 horsepower.”
However, he’s chosen to race another car better suited to wheel-to-wheel. Anyone interested in picking up a sorted time trials machine that can lap Thunderhill Five-Mile in 3:04 can now do so for a reasonable price and carry on building upon a sturdy foundation.
