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      12-28-2007, 07:58 AM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Femme View Post
Base car: Alpina Roadster S #46, 04/2004



Goal: to create the ultimate Z4 - focused and refined.

Mods done:

- Helene Performance filter
- Strong Strut strut tower bar



- eOpen eTip module
- New rear axle drive with 3.46:1 final drive ratio (stock: 3.23:1) and Drexler Motorsport LSD



In progress:

- Custom made coilovers and rear dampers/springs by Reiger Racing Suspension





- Turner Motorsport front subframe reinforcement kit



- TMS front lower arm bushings



- TMS rear bush limiting kit



- TMS rear trailing arm bushing



- 330i ZHP sport control arms



- Z4-M bonnet



- Mov'it 342mm 4 piston brake kit, front



- Sandtler drilled brake discs rear
- Black painted calipers
- Stainless steel brake lines
- Improved brake pads



- Voltphreaks 6lbs battery



- Facelift xenon headlights and rear lights
- LED fog light





- Repainted Alpina Dynamic wheels



- Facelift bumper
- Facelift diffuser, modified for quad pipes



- Interior door handle LEDs
- Improved sound dampening in doors



- Recaro Pole Position seats, to be retrimmed in leather, new seat heating elements
- Recaro sliders
- Recaro seat mounting consoles



- VAC Motorsports Z4 floor mount adapters



- Schroth asm autocontrol II harnesses with shoulder pads in black leather



- Custom made quad pipe exhaust based on modified Alpina muffler



- Aero side skirts



- Modified fenders, needed to clear Mov'it brakes

Planned:

- (Feb 2008) Custom ESS TS3 conversion (Lysholm twinscrew compressor, ESS camshaft kit, custom made lowered compression forged pistons, custom developed DME software)

holy cow! i can't wait for the finished product. keep up the good work.
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      12-29-2007, 12:18 PM   #24
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what rear bumper is that on the alpina? i really like the rear diffuser on it....

is that a BMW factory part?
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      12-29-2007, 12:26 PM   #25
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That is the BEST looking Z4 Roadster I have ever seen. Phenomenal work! Great looking car.
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      12-31-2007, 01:28 PM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Feyd View Post
what rear bumper is that on the alpina? i really like the rear diffuser on it....

is that a BMW factory part?
The rear diffuser is part of the aero package for the facelifted Z4. It's a beautiful part but for some reason very few people have than this mod. It only fits the bumper of the 2006 and 2007 models. My car is from 2004 so I had to change the bumper to fit the diffuser and facelift rear lights.
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      01-07-2008, 05:09 PM   #27
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Nice car!!!

How did you modify the diffusor?



To me it looks like you enlarged also the left cut. Is that right?

I have been thinking of the same mod (exhausts left and right and the original diffusor) but its not so easy to make the cuts look identical on both sides...
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      02-07-2008, 09:39 AM   #28
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where do you guys find all these parts?? I'm sorry but I'm new to imports.. especially BMW.. I search but I can't really find anything. I have a low 11 second Trans Am... I know where to get all the parts for it because I was always a domestic girl before...

I need help finding places that make aftermarket parts.. I need to start modding!!
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      02-07-2008, 09:58 AM   #29
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MsBitch View Post
I need to start modding!!
Which school of modding do you plan to attend? There tend to be two course curriculums: Show and Go.
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      02-07-2008, 10:33 AM   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by epbrown View Post
Which school of modding do you plan to attend? There tend to be two course curriculums: Show and Go.
A combination of the 2 is always encouraged
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      02-07-2008, 03:28 PM   #31
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I'm more concerned with the "GO" thing... I'd like my car to look nice but not flashy.. just fast. I have a low 11 second TA.. all it has is fresh custom paint and wheels.. plain and simple

Quote:
Originally Posted by epbrown View Post
Which school of modding do you plan to attend? There tend to be two course curriculums: Show and Go.
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      02-07-2008, 06:02 PM   #32
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MsBitch View Post
I'm more concerned with the "GO" thing... I'd like my car to look nice but not flashy.. just fast.
Not a lot more go to be had on the Z4M. In my opinion, there are only two routes to take: diff swap or forced induction.

A differential swap will run you $2000-$3000 and you can pick 3.91 or 4.10 gear ratios. This is the best bang for the buck mod in terms of performance. Intakes and exhaust mods will run you about the same price and you'll need a dyno to tell you where the money went; the diff swap you'll feel the next time you step on the gas pedal. The 3.91 adds grunt in the first 4 gears, while 5th and 6th leave some fuel economy on the table. The 4.10 means manic acceleration is only an ankle-flex away in every gear, but fuel economy is a joke and your wallet won't be the one laughing.

Forced induction kits are in the pipeline, but a ways off. They'll also be much more expensive - maybe triple the diff swap. The HPF turbo kit for the E46 M3 is $16,000, so expect a comparable price if they ever get around to the Z4M.

Other elements of the Go curriculum include weight reduction (carbon fiber panels, seat swaps and lighter wheels), driver training (track days, performance driving schools), and brake/suspension tuning (bigger brakes, coilover suspension, short shift kits, etc).
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      02-07-2008, 07:14 PM   #33
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Having modded many a prior car on one level or another, including a recent 400whp Subaru STi track day special (w/ an easy 25k in mods), I really can't see too much point in doing a whole lot to the M Coupe.

The diff swap definitely sounds reasonable. But getting into the motor IMHO is pointless--the car is already way fast enough for most mortals on the road and only a pro driver should want for much more on track. And you really can't beat a well tuned naturally aspirated high horsepower motor like this one.

Exhaust/Intake--if its a high quality setup and you want a little or a lot more noise, maybe, but don't do it for power, cos as said above you'll only think you're noticing a difference. Same goes for an ECU tune--plus you're potentially messing w/ warranty and service plan.

Brakes--my first impression (I've only had the car for a week) is that they are pretty darn good. If you're tracking the car, maybe a Brembo or similar BBK would make some difference, but weigh that against getting free pads and rotors from BMW under the warranty and service plan. I'd rather have the ability to go back to the dealer when I wear them out at the track.

Suspension--yes, I'm sure thats probably the place that improvements best can be made if you're tracking or Auto Xing, and of course a slight drop does make the car look wicked. I'd be hesitant not to lose the cars suppleness and balance though, especially for street driving. Maybe a good track tuned alignment here for a couple of hundred bucks.

Wheels and tires--definitely and probably the best way to personalize the car. Again, need to balance going to 19s with staying on 18s and keeping the suppleness. 19s do look good though. I'm sure there's better tires out there than the Contis, especially for track.

Interior/Controls--seats are fantastic for anything short of full on racing IMO. With the nav, bluetooth and iPod interface, I'm not really wanting for much more on the ICE--well maybe Sirius, but thats a bit steeply priced IMO. So maybe a short shifter and the much praised CDV, though I'd probably actually want to drive a car with both before going there.

In reality, of pretty much any car out there, the M Coupe hits its target with the least compromise, so there's not a whole lot of room for major improvement w/o spending massively, losing the fantastic warranty and service plan and compromising its balance as a daily driver.

But of course we will play with them...
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      02-08-2008, 10:53 AM   #34
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Quote:
Originally Posted by epbrown View Post
Not a lot more go to be had on the Z4M. In my opinion, there are only two routes to take: diff swap or forced induction.

Other elements of the Go curriculum include weight reduction (carbon fiber panels, seat swaps and lighter wheels), driver training (track days, performance driving schools), and brake/suspension tuning (bigger brakes, coilover suspension, short shift kits, etc).
I understand what you mean by weight reduction as well as suspension. Not trying to sound like a bitch but me having tits doesn't make me a car idiot.

In fact I'll give you a quick list of things done to my Trans Am:

Pacesetter Long tube off road headers (armor plated)
Pacesetter off road Y-pipe
Corsa catback
4400 Custom Stall
Custom Built Race Trans & a Tranny Cooler
Removed all EGR & AC
LS6 Intake
Custom spec Cam 232/240/114+2
Push rods
Roller Rockers
New timing chain
Ported throttle body
New oil pump
Weight Reduction - removed all carpeting & back seats
UMI Torque Arm
UMI Subframe connectors
UMI Lower Control Arms
8 way adjustable front & rear Shocks
C5 Wagon Wheels, painted gunmetal gray
295/35/18 Goodyear F1 Supercars
Moser 9" ; 370 gears, detroit locker, 35 spline axles
3.5" inch PST driveshaft
Chummmma Tuned

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      02-14-2008, 10:20 AM   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MsBitch View Post
I understand what you mean by weight reduction as well as suspension. Not trying to sound like a bitch but me having tits doesn't make me a car idiot.

In fact I'll give you a quick list of things done to my Trans Am:

Pacesetter Long tube off road headers (armor plated)
Pacesetter off road Y-pipe
Corsa catback
4400 Custom Stall
Custom Built Race Trans & a Tranny Cooler
Removed all EGR & AC
LS6 Intake
Custom spec Cam 232/240/114+2
Push rods
Roller Rockers
New timing chain
Ported throttle body
New oil pump
Weight Reduction - removed all carpeting & back seats
UMI Torque Arm
UMI Subframe connectors
UMI Lower Control Arms
8 way adjustable front & rear Shocks
C5 Wagon Wheels, painted gunmetal gray
295/35/18 Goodyear F1 Supercars
Moser 9" ; 370 gears, detroit locker, 35 spline axles
3.5" inch PST driveshaft
Chummmma Tuned

Nice TA. Must be great at the drag strip! I'm betting you can pop the front wheels off the ground when you launch, right?

Now if only it could turn... :P

What GO goals are you looking to achieve with your Z?

There's lots of aftermarket support for the Z, but none of it is cheap.


Just a few brands off the top of my head:
Intakes - AFE, Dinan for full intakes, drop in filters: K&N, BMC
Exhausts - Remus, Eisanmann, Dinan, Supersprint
Suspension - KW, Bilstein, Eibach, Koni

That should be a quick start for you to start researching parts, but pretty much any major manufacturer covers BMW in some way or another.

If you're looking for major BMW tuners, try Turner Motorsports, Rogue Engineering, UUC Motorwerks, or Dinan. These guys are more specific to the BMW brand and make some one off parts that are great mods.
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Last edited by pbdm4k; 02-14-2008 at 10:37 AM..
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      02-14-2008, 01:43 PM   #36
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Update on my car:

380mm 6 piston Mov'it brakes:











Schroth autocontrol seat belt inertia reel:









The seat belt inertia reel (don't know a better name for it) is mounted using a brace on the original mounting points. We had to cut a hole near the upper speaker. The seat belts are perfectly aligned to the belt slots in the seats. The 100mm speaker will be replaced by a smaller 3.5" model. We have ordered two frames from a Mercedes which will be used the cover the edges of the hole in the interior panel behind the seats.

The whole top had to be removed the mount the inertia reel.
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      02-14-2008, 02:02 PM   #37
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Looking good, femme.

Can the stock seat belts not be used with the Recaros?
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      02-14-2008, 02:58 PM   #38
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Why did you go for drilled instead of slotted breaks?
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      02-20-2008, 09:15 AM   #39
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I have a question for Femme:

I am thinking of getting those recaro pole position seats for my car. I have the standard leatherette seats (it was the last manual 2007 model in the province, so I had to take it), and they are total rubbish.

My question is how the seating position compares to stock. I assume there is no height adjustment. How can you know before buying the seats whether you will be able to see properly? I am 5'7", and I am not sure if these seats will fit properly.

What about comfort? This is my only car, so I want to be able to fit in the seats comfortably in the winter with a coat on. I'm about 170 lbs (geez...this is starting to sound like a personals ad).

Do you miss having the rake adjustment to recline the seats?

Also, can the seat heaters be used with this seat?

Finally, is there any other seat that anyone would recommend for daily use?

These questions are open to anyone who has these seats, or other racing seats. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Last edited by DR Z4; 02-20-2008 at 09:38 AM.. Reason: Extra Info
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      02-20-2008, 03:09 PM   #40
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You should have some height adjustment with the side rails for the pole positions, but adjustment is limited.
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      03-26-2008, 04:01 PM   #41
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Originally Posted by pbdm4k View Post
Looking good, femme.

Can the stock seat belts not be used with the Recaros?
The stock seat belts can be used, but the may be uncomfortable in your neck areay. We thought four points would be nice, we didn't know in how much trouble we would get to fit the Schroth seat belts. Using the stock seat belts is more sensible (at least it will be way less expensive).

Quote:
Originally Posted by DR Z4 View Post
I have a question for Femme:

My question is how the seating position compares to stock. I assume there is no height adjustment. How can you know before buying the seats whether you will be able to see properly? I am 5'7", and I am not sure if these seats will fit properly.
My car is still not finished so I haven't been able to drive in the car with the seats installed.

There are three slots for height adjustment on the Recaro sidemounts. In the middle position the seating position is already lower then with the stock sport seats in their lowest position. It's perfect for my length (189cm / 6'2"). The are coverings you can use to increase a seating position.

Quote:
What about comfort? This is my only car, so I want to be able to fit in the seats comfortably in the winter with a coat on. I'm about 170 lbs (geez...this is starting to sound like a personals ad).
I find the seats very comfortable to just sit in. I don't know how they will work for long distance trips on bumpy roads. Getting into and out of the car is harder with the Recaro seats.

Quote:
Do you miss having the rake adjustment to recline the seats?
I think the adjustment through the three slots on the front and back side of the seat is good enough.

Quote:
Also, can the seat heaters be used with this seat?
The seats are currently at a leather retrim shop. They will also fit seat heating elements. We ordered seating heating pads for the stock Z4 sports seats.

Here are the updated pics. The car is currently being prepared for a repaint in a dark grey Lamborghini colour. The Voltphreaks battery has been fitted and the car has been driven for the first time to check for issues with the suspension. Some adjustments have to be made to the front springs and the stabilizer links. I am still waiting for the seats to return from retrimming.























We have also installed two orange coloured LEDs behind the roll bars to lighten up the top, but I forgot to take a picture of it . I hope it will nicely complement the LEDs in the door handles.
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      06-11-2008, 03:43 AM   #42
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Femme, this is my first post and thanks for the great pics showing the amount of work you've done.

I am also attempting the facelift of the rear lights on my 2004 Z4, and I'd like to ask you what you did to get the rear lights to work as they should. Did you just do a plug and play? I understand the circuitry is somewhat different as the earlier lights have a single circuit and share one bulb for both parking and brake lights, which means the same bulb of the parking lights just gets brighter when the brakes are applied. Whereas the new design has a separate circuit for the LED parking light (which are the horizontal bars above), and the brake light is in fact a separate non-LED bulb which comes on and off when braking. What about the check light on your dash? Did this come on?

Any help or information you can provide would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Mel
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      07-06-2008, 01:01 PM   #43
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Femme, is the car finished?

Care to share some pics?
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      07-23-2008, 02:16 PM   #44
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AllBlackS View Post
Femme, this is my first post and thanks for the great pics showing the amount of work you've done.

I am also attempting the facelift of the rear lights on my 2004 Z4, and I'd like to ask you what you did to get the rear lights to work as they should. Did you just do a plug and play? I understand the circuitry is somewhat different as the earlier lights have a single circuit and share one bulb for both parking and brake lights, which means the same bulb of the parking lights just gets brighter when the brakes are applied. Whereas the new design has a separate circuit for the LED parking light (which are the horizontal bars above), and the brake light is in fact a separate non-LED bulb which comes on and off when braking. What about the check light on your dash? Did this come on?
I haven't done the installation my self so I don't know all the details. The facelift conversion is described in this document (it's in German unfortunately). You need at least a new bumper, new rear light units, new light control module, a software update and you have to run some extra lines from the light controle module to the rear lights. It's definately not plug and play.

Maybe someone has time to write a translation of the german document.

Quote:
Originally Posted by gxanthop View Post
Femme, is the car finished?

Care to share some pics?
Delivery of the car is planned for Saturday. Today I have driven the car for the first time in a long time. There are still some minor issues that have to be fixed (seat heating pads and the audio system are not working properly). The new suspension with the Reiger dampers and uprated bushings is working extremely well. Very comfortable and well controlled, much better than stock even though the car has been lowered several centimeters. We still have to fine tune the suspension.

The exhaust has a very nice sound, brakes are doing well and the Recaro seats are superb.

These are the latest pictures:






Last edited by Femme; 07-23-2008 at 03:50 PM..
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