Back at the shop, the ICS techs begin a transmission transplant. When the martyred gearbox is removed it's left in gear. Even so, I can spin the shaft effortlessly with two fingers; the teeth on the gear have been completely sheared off. It's what 800 lb-ft of torque will do to a stock tranny.
You might expect not many factory parts would be left on a mega-horsepower car like this, but in this case the transmission is far from being the only veteran piece. In fact, the car retains A/C, a full interior, and the differential, suspension (save the much-needed solid rear toe bushings)-even the brakes-are all bone stock.
The heart of the turbo system is a giant PT76 turbocharger. It flows through a large GTS turbine wheel spinning inside a .96 AR T4 housing, and it's bolted to a Boostlogic exhaust manifold. The turbo's 76mm compressor draws air through an ICS low-mount, 4-inch intake pipe and filter. From there, the 3-inch ICS intercooler piping takes the compressed air through a custom 3-inch-thick intercooler, continuing to a 68mm custom throttle body, and into the stock OBD-I intake manifold. Amazingly enough, the 1000-hp dyno run was done with a stock 64mm throttle body. A large, gravity-fed Weldon fuel pump delivers juice through a -12 fuel line into a custom ICS fuel rail feeding the 1,600cc injectors. Fuel pressure is maintained by an Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator.
In order to make full use of the pressurized airflow, ICS had the cylinder head built by Headway Performance in New York. Headway's port and polish resulted from extensive flow bench testing for maximum power using oversized valves, dual springs and recessed valve guides. Custom-grind Schrick cams keep the valves open longer, and the head is clamped onto the block using ARP head studs and a VAC Motorsports 1.8-mm multi-layer metal head gasket. A custom set of CP pistons and Pauter connecting rods compress the air/fuel mixture and spin a stock S52 crankshaft.
The factory main caps are fastened by ARP main studs and the engine bearings are stock. ICS also modified the oil pump for higher flow capacity. Fluid temperatures are kept at a normal range thanks to a drop-in Zionsville high-flow aluminum radiator and a trick, simple bolt-on oil cooler setup that Victory Product Design sells for the E36 M3. The Setrab oil cooler core cools oil coming from the VPD oil filter housing cap and directs it back through steel-braided hoses and AN fittings supplied in the kit.
With this much horsepower you would think this car would have a sick quarter-mile time. But given the limited amount of grip and the relative strength of the driveline, the car's stupid power will never be put to good use until it gets a totally revamped driveline and new tires. When that happens, ICS should expect to see standstill passes exceeding 155 mph. Not surprisingly, George Kakaletris has higher hopes.
"If not this car, we'll be turning one of our M3s into an all-out drag car with a goal of 1500 whp," he said. "This should be good for over 175 mph in the quarter mile."
Pencil me in for another ride, George.
1995 BMW M3
Drivetrain
Longitudinal front engine, rear-wheel drive
Engine
3.2-liter (S52) inline six, dohc, four valves per cylinder, CP 8.5:1 compression forged pistons, Pauter forged rods, ARP head and main studs, ported and polished head, Schrick camshafts, oversized valves, VAC metal head gasket, ICS intake pipe, PT76-GTS turbocharger, custom intercooler, Sias Electromotive TEC3 EMS, 1,600cc injectors, Weldon fuel pump, Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator, ICS fuel rail, 3.5-inch turbo-back exhaust
Transmission
ZF five-speed manual
Suspension
Stock springs, dampers and anti-roll bars, solid rear toe bushings
Brakes
Stock assemblies
Wheels and Tires
Factory alloy wheels, 7.5x17 (f) 8.5x17 (r) Michelin MXX3, 225/45-17 (f)245/45-17 (r)
Performance
Peak Power : 1025 whp@ 6700 rpm
Peak Torque: 860 lb-ft @ 6000 rpm
*measured at the wheels