Cage in my M3

[LeeVuong]

I am officially removing my M3 from daily duty. It will now be a dedicated track day car (instruction/practice) and racecar (vintage and production). I have an appointment at my friend's shop in three weeks to build an 8 point cage.
I will first have the car straightened and I will remove the sunroof cassette for clearance and weight. I have built my own cage in my 2002, so basically I know where I am going. Except...

Where I am not sure is for the dash bar. I want to retain the heater and wonder if it is compatible with the dash bar. Rollcage will have the A posts going thru the dash.

[UweM3]

I am officially removing my M3 from daily duty. It will now be a dedicated track day car (instruction/practice) and racecar (vintage and production). I have an appointment at my friend's shop in three weeks to build an 8 point cage.
I will first have the car straightened and I will remove the sunroof cassette for clearance and weight. I have built my own cage in my 2002, so basically I know where I am going. Except...

Where I am not sure is for the dash bar. I want to retain the heater and wonder if it is compatible with the dash bar. Rollcage will have the A posts going thru the dash.

yes and no.

I have a bar under the dash and my heater/blower still works. but you will need to shape the plastic channels to go over the pipe and you will loose the flap function (can't be closed anymore) but that doesn't really matter IMHO

[jimmy p.]

Lee, I studied that to death back when I did my cage V1, and trying to keep the heater core, heater box assembly as stock compromises the dash bar.
I couldn;t find any way around it.

When I did my 2nd, much more extensive cage, I put the dash bar where Kurt my cage guy wanted it and then figured I work out a heater/ defroster.
I then relocated my heater core and mounted an aftermarket fan and ducting.
That sorta worked pretty well.

I have since become paranoid about having the heater water in the car and taken it out. I'm going to go to the bilge blower with a heat sink / heat box off the floor like I saw in one of the Turner WC cars.
As much as I wanted to keep it, and thought I could figure out a work around, I ended up like everyone else and pulling it all out.
Just my .02
jimmy

[95yellowjacket]

yes and no.

I have a bar under the dash and my heater/blower still works. but you will need to shape the plastic channels to go over the pipe and you will loose the flap function (can't be closed anymore) but that doesn't really matter IMHO

A spec E30 I helped put together was the same way, but still retained all functions minus flap

[e21jason]

Given 8/10 track days i do seem to be wet I have kept the heater in the e21 with one of these

http://www.t7design.co.uk/index.php?...roducts_id=180

[dreeves]

Lee, my car has a dash bar with the heater intact.

The cage was done through VSR; here's a (blurry) photo:


And, with the dash reinstalled:

[LeeVuong]

Thanks for picture, Dave.

[lucid]

Here are more VSR cage pics. I took the heater box out soon after as I don't want hot coolant in the cabin.

[Ron ///Man]

Lee:

I just had a cage put in my new ITR car. It has a bar going behind the dash and I wanted the HVAC box saved for just (w/o hot water) so we can try to defog the windshield on really humid days. I'll snap a pic for you when I get back from WGI on Tuesday. My cage builder has a way of adding the cross tube such that it's not bent. He also uses it to hang the steering column at a custom height for the driver.

[LeeVuong]

HI Ron

Please show up some pictures. ;-)

[JS154]

I am officially removing my M3 from daily duty. It will now be a dedicated track day car (instruction/practice) and racecar (vintage and production). I have an appointment at my friend's shop in three weeks to build an 8 point cage.
I will first have the car straightened and I will remove the sunroof cassette for clearance and weight. I have built my own cage in my 2002, so basically I know where I am going. Except...

Where I am not sure is for the dash bar. I want to retain the heater and wonder if it is compatible with the dash bar. Rollcage will have the A posts going thru the dash.

Do the dash bar so it runs above the steering column.

If you want a heater box, ditch the stock one and use an auxiliary heater box for a Jeep (look in the back of ther Summit racing catalog) Much smaller, much lighter, easy to plumb anbd wire and it;a all metal.

About $200, or you can buy mine for $125 shipped that I ended up not using.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-991102/?rtype=10

[JS154]

Or you could do one of the following:

rag on a stick taped to the trans tunnel.

edge shaving gel smeared on the inside of the windshield

12v 400 cfm marine blower on a switch.

[Eric]

Do the dash bar so it runs above the steering column.

If you want a heater box, ditch the stock one and use an auxiliary heater box for a Jeep (look in the back of ther Summit racing catalog) Much smaller, much lighter, easy to plumb anbd wire and it;a all metal.

About $200, or you can buy mine for $125 shipped that I ended up not using.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-991102/?rtype=10

electric heater correct?

[JS154]

electric heater correct?

nope just a smaller, more robust, lighter, simpler heater core/blower and wiring.

[kevnj]

Lee, I studied that to death back when I did my cage V1, and trying to keep the heater core, heater box assembly as stock compromises the dash bar.
I couldn;t find any way around it.

When I did my 2nd, much more extensive cage, I put the dash bar where Kurt my cage guy wanted it and then figured I work out a heater/ defroster.
I then relocated my heater core and mounted an aftermarket fan and ducting.
That sorta worked pretty well.

I have since become paranoid about having the heater water in the car and taken it out. I'm going to go to the bilge blower with a heat sink / heat box off the floor like I saw in one of the Turner WC cars.
As much as I wanted to keep it, and thought I could figure out a work around, I ended up like everyone else and pulling it all out.
Just my .02
jimmy

Jimmy,

I'm about to go through my heater core in my street driven track car and would love to toss it in the garbage. Have you started to put together the alternate solution with the heat sink?

I love the simplicity of the concept and like you want to keep hot coolant out of the cabin. I'm willing to be the guinea pig if you can point me in the right direction with the parts you were contemplating.

Thanks,

-Kev