[EatThatLunchBaby]

Has anyone here explored the wholesale market for an E46 330Ci? I’m thinking about building a track car and I don’t even know where to begin with wholesale. Do I have to have a dealers license to purchase? Are there contacts who could source me one with a decent engine? Any help here would be greatly appreciated

[zachdog]

I have a 325ci with a ZHP engine and 6MT transmission installed, along with an H&R suspension, a Z4 short shifter, and a Z3 steering rack that I’ll be selling soon. I’m in Kansas City. It won’t be a bargain, but it will be less expensive than a stock ZHP. PM me if you’d like details.

[EatThatLunchBaby]

Originally Posted by zachdog

I have a 325ci with a ZHP engine and 6MT transmission installed, along with an H&R suspension, a Z4 short shifter, and a Z3 steering rack that I’ll be selling soon. I’m in Kansas City. It won’t be a bargain, but it will be less expensive than a stock ZHP. PM me if you’d like details.

I appreciate the post but as I’m getting older I don’t want to jump ahead to the part when I have the car ready for the track. I want to find something I can build on my own. Sounds like a sweet ride you got though! Any thoughts on how you found it or got the process started?

[zachdog]

My father-in-law bought the car new and I purchased it from him 12 years ago. I’m competent in the shop and did all the mods and upgrades. The engine swap was the most challenging, followed by the transmission swap. Everything else was pretty easy, just time consuming. It’s quicker than my 230! Enjoy your project. Finding one without rust, in decent shape, will be the initial challenge. Good luck!

[M-technik-3]

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/cars-sale/ great source for prebuilt cars. Building a car is very pricey these days so getting one at a fraction of the cost always helps. Put a new fire suppression system in and some new belts and it saves some big time money.

[86Zed]

Originally Posted by EatThatLunchBaby

Has anyone here explored the wholesale market for an E46 330Ci? I’m thinking about building a track car and I don’t even know where to begin with wholesale.

What type of racing are you looking to do? The prevalence of E46 spec racing, Lucky Dog Racing, etc. has driven prices up for most half-decent examples. Frankly a lot of donor cars are very tired and in need of a major overhaul. Even if you aren't looking to do full wheel-to-wheel this website is a great place to start. The ZHP premium is not worth it unless you find a deal

http://spece46.com/faq/

I too looked in the rustbelt (near MN) area and gave up the E46 search to buy a rust-free 99' Miata instead - and proceeded to build a full half-cage HPDE car. I respect the desire to complete the ground up project yourself. Everyone should do that once in their life even if it is not most efficient or cheapest route. BMWCCA classifieds, Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist the best places to look

https://www.bmwcca.org/classifieds

[EatThatLunchBaby]

Good to know, and thanks for the link on the pre-built but money isn’t really an issue currently. I’d rather spend more to have the experience of building something myself.

I hadn’t really thought about a specific racing series but I did like the thought of building a spec E46 in case it becomes something I (or my kids) want to pursue. Ideally, I’d love a dedicated track car that is well balanced, manual, and not crazy fast. Thanks for the links and input!

[86Zed]

Originally Posted by EatThatLunchBaby

I hadn’t really thought about a specific racing series but I did like the thought of building a spec E46 in case it becomes something I (or my kids) want to pursue. Ideally, I’d love a dedicated track car that is well balanced, manual, and not crazy fast. Thanks for the links and input!

The #1 reason I mention spec E46 is to utilize all their knowledge on how to bulletproof the car for track usage - ie oil pan baffle, drilled oil pump nut, etc. There are also some bolt in roll/harness bar options

Good read
https://www.vorshlag.com/forums/foru...lopment-thread

[wellvrsd]

Copart and IAAI get plenty of e46's with no or minimal body damage. Some of them have clean titles, some don't. Many e46's have a hammer price under $1000. Expect to pay 500-800 in fees above the hammer price. You can buy directly through them in some states, in others you need a broker. I use ridesafely.com myself, but there are many others to choose from. Good luck in your search!

[Nettles]

Why the wholesale route if money is no issue?

[EatThatLunchBaby]

Originally Posted by Nettles

Why the wholesale route if money is no issue?

Money not really being an issue with doing modifications. I’d rather buy a good baseline car that I can put money into vs buying one that has most of the work done for me (if that makes sense). I’m looking to go on a journey instead of spending ~$30k on an already built spec e46

[EatThatLunchBaby]

I’ve been tracking my G80 M3 now and I’d like something slower that I can test the limits without worrying about as much. I’m drawn to the E46 chassis because I could potentially get a good manual car with linear power delivery and good balance. If you have any other suggestions into potential vehicles, I’d love to hear them