95 Base conversion to G-Stock legal ClubSport?
 

n00b here. I just picked up a clean 95 318ti from a friend, with plans to mainly use it as a fun economical daily driver. But as a longtime autocrosser, I can't help but think about in terms of cone action.

I know it's a bit underpowered against the boosted Minis in GS, but it would certainly build character to campaign an underdog car... Or at least get the car into Stock-legal form in case the car ever gets reclassified in HS.

Right now the car isn't quite legal in stock - it's a Base model with the M-Technic plastic body parts and LSD added post-factory. I don't want to remove the diff, so the idea of a ClubSport conversion crosses my mind.

So I'm looking for help with some details on a correct ClubSport conversion, correct as far as the SCCA Solo2 rulebook is concerned. (I know it won't be a real ClubSport to those concerned about history, serial numbers, concours, etc...)

I did some searching here which answered a lot of questions, but a few details have proven elusive:

1) Springs - Were there different sport springs used between the 95 ClubSport and other years' Sport package? Any leads on part numbers or identification of pre-owned springs? I see realoem doesn't list springs, but instead suggests a visit to the dealer. (Might just do that but was wondering if anybody else already has...)

2) Rear hatch spoiler - These were never available from the factory on the 95 ClubSport, right? Anybody know if these were just attached with sticky tape, or maybe holes were drilled for its installation?

3) Interior differences - Were the seats the only change to the ClubSport interior over the base model? Are the only seat differences being fabric type (neat cloth in center and leather bolsters), or were the seats shaped differently or equipped with different adjustments? I'm under the impression color doesn't matter (under the comfort/convenience allowance) but if anything is functionally/materially different then it needs to be addressed.

Thanks in advance...

Aaron

Dude you gotta join our Ti club here in denver. Well its actually a colorado club since we have members all around colorado. I can't help much since i too have a base model. I just got a ACS replica spoiler and i'll be attaching that with double sided tape if that helps.

Thanks for the invite. I'll look into it.

I'm hoping the spoiler on our car has the tape only... I know tape would hold it fine, but the Germans have a way of taking things very seriously. :smile:

Well the ACS spoiler is a 3 piece thats why it can be taped. But i guess it depends on what type of spoiler you get. What exactly are you looking in getting?

I think the stock is drilled in and bolted into place.

okay so the club sport and sport springs are the same.
there are also sport sway bars that come on the sport/club sports.

spoilers didnt come standard as you know. but i think factory ones were either double sided taped or possibly attached with a bolt and nut(not sure though)

the club sports all had red millpoint, door panels seats and also the ebrake and the shifter boot had red stitching.

i do believe that answers all your questions.

You do know that you could get a base model 95 Ti with LSD, right? It was the cold weather package. It would be much easier to try to reproduce a 95 sport with the cold weather package. Then the interior doesn't matter...

Mine is an active package, that came with the LSD stock.


The front sway bar is unrestricted in stock class, so you would probably want to go with something other than the club sport bar if you want to be really competitive.. Springs and shocks are also unrestricted, so you would want to use something better than the OEM stock sport springs...

I think you could build a much better car just using the "winter package" to justify the correct LSD, and then use the suspension rules in stock to build a suspension much better than what the sport or club sport had...

Good info, thanks...
I really didn't think about a Sport conversion because the car has the M-Technic bumpers/mirrors, but that might be an easier way to go. Downgrading to the more common bumpers might be easier than upgrading to the sport seats... But the bumpers/mirrors look cool though and I'll bet the sport seats are a nicer place to sit while going to/from work.

FWIW, the SCCA Solo2 stock ruleset doesn't allow aftermarket springs, just what came from the factory for the car and option package. For a car that you also want to daily drive, this is a good thing IMO. Once you open up spring changes, anything competitive at big events ends up more of a trailer queen. Already have one of those, waiting for its next journey on the trailer. :)

A few more questions - are the sport struts dimensionally the same as the non-sports? I understand they're different parts, maybe just due to valving? And has anyone found out what the sport spring rates are? The car came with some tired Bilsteins, and if I send them in for rebuild the rates would be good to know.

Rest assured that any info you help provide will be supporting a Ti used in motorsport situations. :)

I think the sport has the M bumpers... just not the mirrors. The Clubsport and Sport are very close.

Had to go re-read... I thought springs were included, but it is just shocks and front roll bar... Sorry about that...

Probably easier to reproduce a sport/winter package though... Just depends on how you want to do it, but honestly, there are better/cheaper alternatives. The Ti is not competitive at all in GS... But good luck to you if you decide to take this all the way.

The 95 sport is different than the 96 sport, so you have to make sure you get the proper details for the 95 sport... I know there is a thread somewhere on here where we figured out the differences between a 95 club sport and sport.. Pretty sure the 95 sport doesn't have any of the cosmetic upgrades..

95 sport and 96 sports are the exact same mechanically but cosmetically the 96's have the bumpers, side skirts and moldings.

There could be a political effort involved here too - lobbying for the Ti in HS or maybe waiting for a reorg where the Ti isn't up against the boosted Minis.

I think I'll try to find the Sport springs and rear swaybar, replace the front swaybar with something bigger, and get the Bilsteins freshened up. Then see how the car feels before getting too serious with the rulebook legality issues.

Once a buildup starts though... It can be hard to stop! Just... One... More... Experiment...

VERY hard to stop lol!