This weekend, the largest car festival of the Scandinavian summer takes place in Norway’s Rudskogen Motorsenter: Gatebil’s Main Event.
We have been covering this event for a long time and it will continue in 2024 with Alen on the ground to capture all the action and antics that define the #BecauseGatebil mantra.
While he’s there, Alen will also be selecting a few cars to show off; another long-running Speedhunters tradition. Ten years ago at Gatebil Rudskogen we showed Stig Helland‘s very cool turbocharged BMW E30 M3 look-a-like – a car he still owns to this day. What better time to take another look at it than for this week’s throwback post…
2014 function
Do you ever think about how good today’s cars have become? They are better than ever, and it doesn’t matter what brand you’re talking about. Modern cars are safer, more fuel-efficient, more comfortable, and more reliable than those of the past. They are also faster than ever. A lot of faster…
Take, for example, a rudimentary family sedan like the Honda Accord. Even in its base four-cylinder guise, a brand-new Accord could go toe-to-toe with some of our favorite cars from the ’80s and ’90s on the drag strip or the racetrack. Opt to equip a new Accord with the optional V6 engine, and you’ll get the kind of acceleration and performance that was once limited to the domain of high-end sports cars.
But what does this mean for our favorite performance cars of the past? Cars that were considered fast when they were new, but would struggle to keep up with a typical family sedan today. The legendary E30 BMW M3 is a perfect example of this. While its driving dynamics and style are still praised, its on-paper performance may seem disappointing to those spoiled by modern cars.
Many enthusiasts are perfectly content to enjoy their E30 M3s just the way they were, and the model’s ever-increasing value can attest to that. But what about those who love the shape and style of these classics, but want performance on par with today’s blazingly fast machines? Stig Helland is one such person. Hailing from Hellandsjøen, Norway, Stig enjoys spending his spare time messing around with vintage BMWs, including the M3 clone you see here.
Stig had always loved the styling of the E30 M3, especially the car’s aggressive, wide body panels. What he wasn’t so keen on was the M3’s S14 engine. He appreciated its qualities, of course, but knew that a naturally aspirated four-cylinder would simply be left behind in the Norwegian world of high-performance.
When Stig was given the chance to buy a heavily modified 1986 325i last year, which combined the iconic looks of the E30 M3 with killer, tire-smoking performance, he couldn’t resist.
At first glance, it just looks like a nicely preserved E30 M3 with a few aftermarket touches. But as you get closer, it becomes clear that there’s more to it than meets the eye.
If you look closely, you’ll notice that the tires are wider than normal, the exhaust system is larger in diameter, and the cabin is fitted with a full roll cage.
Any illusions that this is a standard M3 are blown away when you pop the E30’s hood and see a big chunk of BMW’s straight-six with a giant slug on the side. The engine itself is a 3.5-liter S38B36 sourced from an E34 M5, and it’s been fully built and primed for major boost.
The block equipment includes CP forged pistons with heavy pins, a polished crankshaft and forged H-beam rods. At the top of the cylinder head, the valve train has been reinforced with upgraded springs and retainers. The fuel system has also been overhauled and now includes dual Bosch 044 fuel pumps, Precision 1.260cc injectors and a Nuke Performance Blackline fuel rail.
The turbocharger is a BorgWarner S475 race unit mounted to a custom manifold fabricated by JAAS Performance. A 4-inch downpipe sends pressure out through a custom 3.5-inch exhaust system.
Perhaps the biggest external clue as to what’s going on under the hood is the front-mounted intercooler and 3-inch pipes neatly tucked into the E30’s bumper.
With a boost pressure of 1.7 bar (25 psi), the setup is good for exactly 900 hp to the rear wheels. But what Stig appreciates even more is the peak torque of 849 lb/ft. He says you can floor the pedal in any gear and enjoy instant wheelspin for as long as you like.
With so much power and torque, it was necessary to bring the rest of the E30’s drivetrain up to spec. The gearbox is taken from an E39 5 Series diesel, the clutch is a twin-plate, rally-spec unit from Tilton, and drive is delivered to an E28 M5 differential with heavy-duty axles.
Suspension-wise, the car uses mostly factory E30 M3 components, along with adjustable K-Sport coilovers and Powerflex polyurethane bushings all round. When it comes to the ever-important wheel and tire combo, there’s a decidedly period-correct look, with deep OZ Hartge wheels that complement the wide M3 bodywork perfectly.
The wheels are 17×9.5 inches at the front and 17×11 inches at the rear, with 215/40R17 and 245/35R17 tires respectively.
Peering through the OZ’s spokes, you’ll also notice the E30’s upgraded braking system, which uses a 330mm K-Sport brake system up front and factory E28 M5 brakes at the rear.
As for the body, apart from the M3 conversion the modifications have been kept simple. Why mess with perfection, right?
The aftermarket changes that to have Subtle details have been added: an M3 Sport Evo front spoiler, upgraded Hella lights and a set of DTM carbon fiber side mirrors.
In the back you will find a carbon fiber rear spoiler along with a set of Startec taillights. The finishing touch is a coat of Zinnoberrot Red paint applied by Øyvind Leiknes.
The cockpit carries over the same sense of simplicity. Much of the equipment is standard E30 M3, while the steering wheel and gear knob have both been upgraded with M-Tech parts.
Given the tough conditions this car will face at Gatebil and other track events, the aforementioned roll cage and a pair of Sabelt Racer bucket seats have also been installed.
Calling this E30 a ‘sleeper’ might be a step too far, but the subtle styling does little to detract from the beast lurking beneath the bonnet. I think the way this car manages to combine obscene amounts of horsepower with a show-car level of detail deserves a lot of credit.
Normally a ‘clone’ or ‘tribute’ car will attempt to at least match the performance of the car it is trying to imitate, but in this case we have a machine that four times the power of a standard E30 M3. What a tribute!
Mike Garrett
Instagram: japanifornia
Photos by Peter Kelly