I'm on a reality TV show......no REALLY!

Finally the time has come! I can now talk about it!

The reality show I was on is going to premier next Thursday on speedtv here in America.

Funny enough the was a few BMW racers driving besides me. There was even a 2002 ITB racer from the east coast (The Canzone brothers) naturally we all became friends once we found that we both raced '02's !

You can see my face in the first promo for a sec too.....

watch the promo here....

http://www.setup-tv.com/

BTW- thats me in the gif below in the black hood.....hehe

There will be a new episode each week. 8 total episodes and SpeedTV website says it available on HD.

Still hasn't really sunken in yet that I will be seeing myself on TV.....worse yet that the whole country will too.

I hope they make me look good. I know I didn't make a fool of myself like some did.

I'm so pumped for this I can't wait. Big viewing party at my friends house for sure next Thursday!

We are bound by some serious contracts so I can only talk about whats made public. So I can talk about each episode after it airs......

The stakes are high, the driver talent pool is MUCH higher than season 1 and the action was non-stop.

NEXT Thursday set your DVR to record! Should be a very entertaining 8 episodes!!

BTW.....the cars were Pontiac Soltice GXP (turbo I-4, RWD) 260hp I think and roll cages made by Pratt&Miller....they were alot of fun but I missed my BMW!!!

here is the SETUP thread on bimmerforums
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=942076

Rear trailing arm reinforcements!

Next up : Reinforcing the rear trailing arms.

Now unless you can find yourself a nice new set of boxed Tii arms you'll have to "box" your trailing arms yourself. I seen many other people doing it many ways....I think my design is pretty sweet. and STRONG.

Initially I was going to add an additional bar across the arms but I really do not think it is necessary.

One of the dimple hole line up with the brake line holes for installation.

Once again fixturing/jigging is the name of the game here. The last thing you want is bent reinforced arms that are useless. Welding tends to warp/shrink everything. I found that I actually had to preload or stretch the arms apart so that when I was done I would had the same measurements.

This whole process takes alot of work!!

Remove arms
disassemble arms
sandblast arms
paint arms on the inside
clean arms for welding (grinding)
make template from cardboard
cut gussets from sheet metal
dimple sheet metal
bend/form gusset to control arm curve
secure in place for tack welding
measuring
applying "jig"
measuring
welding reinforcements
Cleanup
Painting

finally re installation!!

wow...trust me it takes alot more time and work to do it than to write this post!

I know what some race shops charge to do this and now I know why.

That said I made 2 pairs and 1 pair is for sale. I will be making more as well and selling them on my site. If your interested in a set email me.

once again if your going to do this yourself be very careful not to end up with bent arms!!!!

see all the pics CLICK HERE.



forming and bending it so that it would fit perfectly flush took alot of time. Alot of back and forth!







I used a punch and dimple "Dimple die" tool I bought from www.tricktools.com. I bought a 1/2 inch press model $40 and a bigger punch model that I used for the trailing arms....$90+

They have many a few different types. I bought the one that after drilling a pilot hole you bolt the two halves together and by using a air gun as it brings the two halves together it also punches the hole! You can also and preferable do this using a Press. You keep pressing the Die together until your gusset is nice and flat again. If you do it correctly you should end up with a nice flat gusset with dimples on it.

I used 16gauge sheet metal.

Solid rear subframe "bushings"

Fabricating solid rear subframe bushings....

First you have to completely remove the rubber from a stock bushing. I did this by drilling out most of the rubber on my drill press then using a dremel.

then you have to fabricate the to endcaps

then you have to correctly position and weld the central insert/bushing

You can get these ready made from Ireland Engineering...for $125

Worth every penny if you can afford it. As this project too a good amount of time...

I too broke and well I have all the tools and did a pretty good job with the tig welder if you ask me!

see all the pics CLICK HERE.

Front control arm reinforcement!

Reinforcing the front control arms...

Seeing as BOTH of my front control arms were bent....some reinforcing was in order.

Now I have seen many racers do this to their arms. I've seen some stitched and some with 1 plate added. I did one better and stitched the arm and added plates. Each plate once dimpled only added 6oz. so total weight gain in this crucial unsprung weight area was 12oz per side....not bad I think....

Stock control arm sand blasted = 2lbs 5.5oz
Gussets (dimpled) =6oz each
complete welded assembly = 2lbs 12.2oz

....plus they look kick ass! don't you think? worthy of a baja trophy truck!

click here for all the pics...

Front subframe reinforcement

Believe it or not my subframe was bent!!!!!

Weather it was from my little incident at BE or from before is unknown. But now we know it can happen. I bought a junkyard subframe and had it sandblasted.

I fabricated a plate that I welded to the inside of the engine mount and added another brace on the other side as well. On top of that I decided to go all crazy and add a steering box brace/support.

why not I got time, tools and nothing else better to do.

While I was at it added some dimpled plates to the bottom and stitch welded some of the seams around the subframe

see all the pics CLICK HERE.

Shiney steering box?

Decided to do a overhaul of my front suspension components including some new paint on everything!

cleaning, brushing, sanding, spraying....

Even the steering box got some nice silver paint.......

All the pics CLICK HERE.

Rear subframe down....

...and for my next trick I removed the rear subframe...

This was a bit more tricky to do alone....but I did it.

You put at jack under the diff.
remove the wheels
remove the drums and pads
remove the brake lines
remove the drive shaft
undo both subframe bolts
lower the complete assembly
roll it all from under the car

...admire your handiwork

see all the pics CLICK HERE.