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TUNING MENU
1988 BMW M 3
OWNER JOHN CORY ROWAN
STUDENTS ZACH LAGARENNE, JUSTIN
BURCH, PARKER BROWN, REESE COCHRAN,
ISAAC GESUNDHEIT, PETER GOLLEDGE
HOMETOWN DENVER, CO
INSTAGRAM @honestassembly
POWER 550 hp, 56 0 lb-ft of torque
ENGINE F8 0 M3 S 55 B30 engine swap; CSF
cooling package; custom downpipes and
intakes; Ouroboros Fabrication stainless
oval exhaust
DRIVETRAIN F8 0 M3 six-speed manual
transmission swap; DiffsOnline 3.3 8
differential machined for four clutches and
custom ramp angles
ENGINE MANAGEMENT Factory ECU with
BPM Sport software
FOOTWORK & CHASSIS MCS three-way
remote dampers and true rear coilovers;
custom tubular suspension, subframes,
and chassis reinforcements; BimmerWorld
suspension components; SLR Speed
geometry arms
BRAKES AP Racing Radi-CAL calipers; F8 0
M3 ABS (converted to four channel), master
cylinder and booster; modified pedal box
WHEELS & TIRES 1 8x8.5 Forgeline
three-piece centerlock wheels; 2 45/ 35 R1 8
Michelin Sport Cup 2 tires
EXTERIOR Bare metal restoration; carbon-
fiber spoiler and gurney flap
INTERIOR Cardinal Red Napa seats; Black
Napa dash, console, and pillars; new carpet,
trim, plastic, and rubber throughout
First-generation E30 M3 with a fourth-generation F8 0 M3 engine. Minus custom downpipes, intakes,
exhaust, and software, the 3.0L twin-turbo straight-six makes about 4 2 5 hp in stock form. Throw that into an
E30 chassis that’s 1 , 000 pounds lighter, and you have the recipe for madness!their experience and philosophy with
the group. It was a two-way street in
terms of benefits, with the veterans able
to share their skills and the students
getting an assist with major decisions
throughout the project’s timeline.
“Being able to share with and show
someone else what you are passionate
about and help them be successful in
the same realm instead of just building a
project on your own is really rewarding,”
Cory says.
The work ahead was considerable.
In order to speed up the process, a mid-
’80s E30 was brought in to serve as the
test mule for drivetrain and suspension
fitment while the actual M3 hero car
was disassembled, blasted, and restored.
By the time the engine, transmission,
and wiring were ready to be transferred
to their permanent home, it was only a
couple of weeks before the show.
In addition to its wild engine swap
(the first S55B30 to find its way inside
an E30 chassis), the BMW was also
gifted with a full F80 ABS system, AP
Racing brakes, and MCS three-way
remote dampers and coilovers. A custom
geometry tubular suspension system
from SLR Speed and a fully reinforced
chassis help with body control, as do
custom subframes and BimmerWorld
components. The engine is kept cool
by way of a CSF charge cooler and heat
exchanger, and it has had its ECU tuned
by BPM Sport. The interior is finished
in BMW Cardinal Red leather, and a
carbon-fiber spoiler and gurney flap
work together with converted centerlock
wheels from Forgeline to set off the
coupe’s visual appeal.
The near-year of blood, sweat, and
tears immediately paid off. The E30 wastransported from Denver down to Las
Vegas just in the nick of time, where
it was selected as a Top 12 finalist in
SEMA’s Battle of the Builders, as well
as one of three recipients of our Super
Street SEMA Award with Meguiar’s. It
was more than the team could ever
have dreamed of. After all, their goal had
been to build a BMW that could stand
alongside SEMA’s best.
That triumphant performance at
America’s most significant aftermarket
show was just the beginning for the team,
however. The new goal is to transform
the energy that fueled the initial build
into a viable business model. “We were
joking that ‘Hey, wouldn’t it be great if
these guys ended up with a shop when
we’re done?’” Cory says with a laugh. “But
a couple of the other mentors involved
and I realized we had something really
special going here. Some of the reactions
we got from other industry folks really
put the wind in our sails and gave us
the confirmation that we could take this
further than just a single-car build.”
To that end, Rowan and a few others
pulled together money, shop space,
and tooling so the students who were
interested in exploring the potential of