jons355

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/2206/untitled-52.t.jpg"></center><p>I have finally decided to take the plunge and complete my 88 Dinan M5 track car. I want to strip the interior completely out and install a full roll cage. I want a welded cage and need some shop that can put one together. My car is based on the E28 BMW 5 series and I suspect that there are no roll cages ready made so I will need one custom made.

Any advice from you regular boardmembers for a shop in the Washington DC, VA/MD area that can do this for a reasonable price and get it done rather quickly.

Thanks,


Jon P. Conlon
1996 750iL
1995 F355 Challenge
1988 Dinan M5
2000 A6 Avant
1962 Caddy Fleetwood (for sale)

Warren Wang

Sucker! Hehe, just kidding. There are 2 places that I recommend. One in particular. An Irish guy named Mitch Piper out in Manassass, who does great work, but he's also got a backlog a few months long. You can try to beg and plead, and lie by telling him you're about to enter it into a race. (703)530-0353, I think... If that's not it, look up Rotary Performance, and ask them for Mitch. He works out of their shop.

The other place that does nice cage work around here is Kearney Racing. http://www.kearneyracing.com

I've included a link with some pictures of my Type R. The interior work was done by Mitch Piper. A long, long agonzing wait. His current list ends somewhere in October. If you bribe him, he might be able to sneak you in. Kearney is slow too, but I don't think they're as backlogged.

BTW - If you want to meet a guy that can drive the living daylights out of an E28 535, let me know. His car isn't the best prepped in the area, but his times make it seem like that!

Warren<ul><li><a href="http://www.printroom.com/ViewAlbum.asp?userid=wwang&album_id=28502">Picture s of my cage, seat, coilover, and shock dyno.</a></li></ul>

jons355

<center><img src="http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1554314&a=12922290&p=48475607&Sequence=0&re s=high"></center><p>Yeah I have been told about Mitch's work. I met a young guy at Summit last year with a yellow Type-R. He had a custom made cage that Mitch did for him and I was very impressed with the work.

I may have Mitch do the work regardless of the time it takes. I had never really considered a cage until late last year while at Watkins Glen for a track event. I was in my Challenge car and another Challenge car was in front of me as we were going through turns 2 and 3. He had a tire blow out and destroyed the car. It looked really horrible but he walked away with no injuries not even a scratch.

I also have another friend who flipped his Challenge car at Summit Point earlier this year during an SCCA race (Jeff Staley who runs in T1 and ITE). After seeing his car I was amazed to learn he too was uninjured.

I feel "naked" in my M5 compared to my Challenge car because of the abscence of a cage. I also am worried about running with competition seats and five point harnesses in my M5 but NO cage. I have heard some people say that running a five point harness with no cage is a bad idea since you can not really move around much with a properly tightened harness and that without a cage to protect the roof from caving in you really want the ability to shift your body or duck your head away from the impact and that this is hard to do with a harness. I don't know if this makes sense but I have had several different people raise the question.

As for joining the club, yeah it's now a track car that will never see street duty again. They will have to cut the dash and the interior will be stripped, but in the end it will be one mean E28.

By the way, would the person you referred to as driving the 535 be Klaus? I know a guy named Klaus who instrcuts for the BMW club and the Mercedes club. He drives a wicked 535. I have seen him eat other instructors for breakfast (many of them driving E30, E36 M3's and E28 M5's).

Regards,

Jon P. Conlon

Warren Wang

We need to introduce you to Bill Brochu. He's smokes people left and right in his old 85 535. He makes them feel a little better though, because he stuck an M badge on there, so people think they're getting whooped by an M5, heh. His wife autocrosses very well too. She's fast enough to embarass a lot of guys. For some reason though, she doesn't like track speeds.

Is your challenge car back in comission yet? I was at the race where Jeff got... aided... off the asphalt. Didn't see the wrecked car though.

The guy in the Type R you're referring to is a friend of mine. His cage is well done, especially considering that the interior had to be left in tact.

I am TIRED. I was trying to put the motor mount inserts in my Type R, and I found a busted motor mount. It was really bad, as in, might as well not even be there. I've got it rigged up for now with the motor mount inserts to provide some support, but I need to take care of it asap. I've got an event on the 23rd-24th @ Summit w/ NASA.

Warren

jons355

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/2206/dcp00630.jpg"></center><p>Warren,

I would really like to meet this guy. Actually instead of the "M" logo what he ought to do is really screw with peoples minds and put a 528e or even better a Euro 518i emblem on the car.

I called Rotary Performance and left a message for Mitch this afternoon.

The Challenge car was rebuilt in less than two months, but now I am trying to locate a wiring harness for the front of the car. Mine got crushed and some of the wires are melted. Ferrari North America has none and we have been unable to track any spares down. Next step is Ferrari in Italy which could be a real hassle. If they have one lying around it can be shipped over, if they don't it could take months until the get around to producing one.

My other options are getting one from a salvage yard (car with only rear damage) or have this one repaired. However after looking at the damage the labor to repair my harness would cost several times more than getting a new or used harness.

Ferrari's are great cars, but when you need something from the crew in Italy, they work under the assumption that a crisis on your part does not constitute a crisis on their part. If you own several Ferraris or your a big wig they get one done right away but if your a relatively new Ferrari owner or like me you buy all your cars used they couldn't care less how long it takes to make one.

My car has been repainted and we are awaiting some graphics to be made up and sponsor stickers to arrive. Take a look at that screaming yellow paint. All the guys at race shop keep telling me to contact McDonalds and see if they will stick some "Golden Arches" on the car and send me some sponsor ship money.

I might be at the NASA event that same weekend with the M5 doing their driving school. I met Chris Cobetto at the SCCA Enduro a few weeks ago and he invited me out. Looks like fun. I asked him about racing the Challenge car in the NASA races and might do so at year end, if the damn guys in Italy can get a bit of a move on it.

Anyway thanks for info on Mitch and the cage. Hopefully you will get to see it before the season is over.

Regards,

Jon P. Conlon

PS: What car will you be driving/racing at the NASA event the Type-R?

jons355

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/2206/dcp00633.jpg"></center><p>

dhh72

Warren-
Paul Grimes, myself and a bunch of other people are going out to the 23rd-24th NASA event at Summitt. I assume you'll be in the Type-R. Look for a big group of VW's come rolling in. For many of us it will be our first time there so we're very excited to get out on the track to learn.

Gary Lin was suppose to come out w/us, but he bailed. He's going to a Rallycross and then a regional AutoX the next day. We'll all be there for both days. Should be fun.

Do you know if they usually have loaner helmets there by any chance?

Warren Wang

they might not, and they may run out. I'll bring my extra MA95 rated helmet, assuming I remember.

Gary's a cool guy. Too bad he won't be out there. There will be quite a few Type R's out there, myself included, assuming it's in one piece. I pulled an all nighter last night doing a full brake job. Well... It didn't really have to be an all nighter, it's just that I didn't start til like 1am... No biggie, I'm on vacation, and I slept on the plane.

Hey John, the Durango isn't a 318... It's the 360cc. Yikes.

Warren

dhh72

Cool.. Look forward to meeting you Warren. I'd GREALY appreciate the helmet if you remember to bring it. Hoping they will have the ones that folks use from FATT there that we can borrow.

See you on Sat.