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I am NOT attempting to develope a drag racer, rather a gentlemen's road racer. The underlying theme here is STEALTH. I will, at the risk of being long winded, explain my logic for my interest in a successful performance modification program.

BMW in it's primary function as a manufacturer some years ago apparently decided that we here in the US were bastard stepchildren. It is only until the arrival of the NEW M3 that Euro spec & US spec were the same. To BMW's credit this was the logical choice. IN Europe, there are fewer drivers per capita than in the US. In addition, the costs involved with owning and operating a car (in Germany) are by comparison very high. BMW found that their roads bear less vehicle traffic and are in much better condition than ours. The Europeans operate their cars at much higher speeds than we do. European buyers demand a higher level of performance than we do, especially after spending long periods of time earning their license, paying very high insurance rates and astronomical fuel costs.

Simultaneously, we here have a more restricted driving style (F***in speed limits) and on poorer roads (generally) which are more crowded to boot. If you think about it, the target buyer for a 740il is "older" and less likely to want to operate a manual gear box. In Europe 740i / 740il & 750i / 750il's are available with the manual. Here that is not the case. So my chosen vehicle is an Americanized version targeted for the Luxury buyer rather than the Performance buyer.

This is my first BMW and I feel that it is capable of more that it is currently doing. On the track as it is currently set up, I can and readily DO stay right on the back bumpers of M3's and non turbo Porsche's. If fact on the straights there is enough power to overtake some of my fellow club members. Overtaking requires distance, for two reasons, first power to weight ratio and second the automatic trans puts LESS power to the wheels than a manual would. An additional disadvantage with the automatic is the lack of an immediate downshift.

Therefore if as I intend, I have the motor worked, I am in effect going to develope an M7. My concerns are the following:
Will the automatic survive, long term, with a 500 hp. motor? My thinking is that the automatic tranny will NOT have much of a life expectancy under track conditions. I imagine that once the motor is worked there is NOWHERE to go with the car on a resale basis, (excepting of course if I find another fellow as NUTZ as I am). Since the car & I will essentially be marrried, manual trans or not, then WHY NOT?

The manual will furnish several benefits, first ability to manage the higher output from the motor. Secondly the performance enhancement in the turns on the track. Thirdly I imagine it will be alot of fun. As an owner of a 7er, there is a certain amount of pride felt when at a club track event, the instructor and the club president as well say, "I have never seen anyone DO that with a 7" This comment was made with the car as it is now, I want to reach the next level.

The nuts and bolts of all this is that the 4.4l E38 is relativly new and there has been very little performance engineering done to the model. I have found that I am essentially swimming upstream alone in my quest to develope the Ultimate Sleeper. To undertake the R&D of a serious engine modification without addressing the transmission is expensive folly. I modified the brakes to handle the increased speed, what about the drive line?

Who can do this? Where can I find out which parts to buy? Is there someone capable of doing the installation?

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