Eck's M3, the progression.

[mick_b]

mee no likey the winter look ecks

[Steve]

don't have to deal with that in texas

p.s. love the car.

yeah, but then you have to live in texas.

[ECKS///M3]

Small update on the car, done this a while ago now but never had the chance for any decent pics.

So, i replaced the standard clear corners with smoked units. Defo works better with the E36 dark headlights. No more U.S. amber running lights either, now fitted ULTRA 501s to match sidelights and give a similar colour to the xenons. Also i got bored of the french fogs quickly and wanted to stick with the smoked front end so i thinned out some craft glass paint and smoked the fog lenses. Pics....





GT front splitter is also gone, well destroyed anyway :lol: but i prefer the smoked lights and smaller lip now. Much less fussy and a more subtle look to the car.

Also running the standard wheels through the rest of the winter as i decided not to bother cleaning the car or polished wheels and this was the result :lol:






After a few hours elbow grease and a tube of Autosol the rims are ready again for the good weather 8)




Until the roads clear a bit it's winter mode FTW!



Oh yeah some reflection shots from this mornings cleaning too, 8.30a.m. -9C hardcore!! :lol:





Cheers for looking 8)

[WhiteStripes]

Love the look of your car! and the engine will have any American drooling all over the place

What he said.

That car is so nice. I wish we got that engine in the states. I bet it's a fortune to import over a used one too.

[Matt James Nilles]

Damn great Bimmer.

[Schieldrop]

From what I've heard BMW did adjust the gearing on the US spec engines to make up for some of the lost performance.

[ECKS///M3]

tis very nice,

will look awesome on coils

don't have to deal with that in texas

p.s. love the car.

Cheers again.

When i first started researching the e36 M3, i couldn't believe it didn't run the euro spec engine. Bit of a poor effort from BMW with that. I read that some Canadian owners that reseved the car new, cancelled their order because they felt cheated at not having the actual M engine.

I love my engine though, the performance, the sound. Awesome for an 11year old car.

[Turbo2]

I legally, can't have a euro motor here in California.

don't have to deal with that in texas

p.s. love the car.

[Mike_6kv]

tis very nice,

will look awesome on coils

[ECKS///M3]

Sorry mate, i meant the indicators

I had robbed a spare set of bulb holders from spare headlights. Then drilled out the indicators right under the original fittings. So it's actually sidelight bulbs hidden under the indicator bulbs. The reason i wired them independantly is because i wanted to have them on without the sidelights on. It should be quite simple to take power from your existing sidelights, tap it into the indicator bulbs using a resistor to restrict the voltage. This would allow your indicators to glow on a low wattage sidelight circuit but still flash when you switch the stalk. You would also have to use a diode to stop the indicator circuit from powering the sidelights once they are linked. Hope that makes sense and helps mate.

I actually like only the corner splits better than the full GT treatment. But still prefer none at all. And keep in mind even just the corner splits go low enough to be an issue.

Yeah mate, the thing is my GT splitter is a glassfibre rep so it's pretty rigid. With the corners they would be a softer rubber type that would allow some flex. So they won't get damaged too easily.

[Schieldrop]

Yeah the lip will be going once the front comes down more, but i always feel the e36 M bumper needs something. I will probably fit the GT corner splitters without the adjustable centre section.

I actually like only the corner splits better than the full GT treatment. But still prefer none at all. And keep in mind even just the corner splits go low enough to be an issue.

[adonis]

Are you talking about the dimmer mate?

Sorry mate, i meant the indicators

[ECKS///M3]

Maybe i'm like the centercap police or something, because I feel like i say this all too often, but it'll look much better with some centercaps.

I didn't want to run caps on it at all but i stuck some silver ones on to see the look and i do like them. Will be getting a full set together and then try and get the colour matched to the centres soon.

Car will be PERFECT once you get coilovers....very awesome so far.

Cheers man, i need 'em soon. After seeing the e36s stance that can be achieved on here i'm 100% set for coilies and possibly adjustable rear camber arms.

Sweet ride mate. But I'd lose the GT lip and dump it on coils.
Still not bad stance for a set of eibachs tho.

Yeah the lip will be going once the front comes down more, but i always feel the e36 M bumper needs something. I will probably fit the GT corner splitters without the adjustable centre section.

Looks good with them sidelights, how'd you do that mate?

Are you talking about the dimmer mate?

[Schieldrop]

Sweet ride mate. But I'd lose the GT lip and dump it on coils.
Still not bad stance for a set of eibachs tho.

[adonis]

Looks good with them sidelights, how'd you do that mate?