Volume XLVIII No. 5 May 2020 - Tarheel 2020 May.pdf · 2020. 5. 6. · Andrew, a college classmate...

Volume XLVIII No. 5 May 2020

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TARHEEL CHAPTER BMW CCAPO BOX 30203 CHARLOTTE, NC 28230 • http://tarheelbmwcca.org

TARHEEL BMW CCA CHAPTER OFFICERS

PRESIDENT Paul Dunlevy6424 Littlewood Drive, Kernersville, NC 27284(336) 996-3149 [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT April Curtis1200 Mt Vernon Church Rd, Raleigh, NC 27614(919) 847-7542 [email protected]

SECRETARYKaren Seymour-Blood(704) [email protected]

TREASURERAndy Barbee(704) [email protected]

EDITORBob Blood(704) [email protected]

MEMBERSHIP CHAIRMANJonathan Strine(919) 670-1280 [email protected]

ACTIVITIES CHAIRMANBrenda Dunlevy6424 Littlewood Road, Kernersville, NC 27284(336) 996-3149 [email protected]

CUSTODIANDanny Staley596 Rest home road, Wilkesboro, NC 28697(336) 973-3404 [email protected]

HPDE CHAIRMAN Tom Tice3711 Crosstimbers Dr. Greensboro, NC 27410(336) 207-4127 [email protected]

MEMBER-AT-LARGE Bud BorenP. O. Box 39403, Greensboro, NC 27438(336) 691-1699, (336) 691-1698 Fax

BOARD EX-OFFICIO MEMBER &ADVERTISING COORDINATORPaul Hoecke, Sr.1513 Arboretum Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27514(919) 967-2069 [email protected]

CHANGE OF ADDRESS?Roundel, BMW CCA, Inc. 640 South Main Street, Suite 210Greenville, SC 29601

AREA COORDINATORSASHEVILLE AREA Christopher Joyner Arden, NCC: (828) [email protected]

CAPE FEAR AREA Position Open

CHARLOTTE QUEEN CITY AREAS Chris Webber (Area I)(704) 523-9118 C: (704) [email protected] Barbee (Area II)[email protected](704) 701-2294

DOWNEAST/I-95 AREA Alex KordisGreenville, NC(757) [email protected]

HURRICANE REGIONPosition Open

NORTHERN MOUNTAIN AREA John CochranePO Box 741Valle Crucis, NC 28691(865) [email protected]

ROANOKE AREA JoElla John - (540) [email protected] DonaldsonBlacksburg, [email protected]

SANDHILLS AREA Danny MillerFayetteville, NC(301) [email protected]

TRIAD AREASWinston-Salem - Marc SchatellWinston-Salem, NC [email protected] - David HarrisonGreensboro, [email protected]

TRIANGLE AREA Robert McIsaacClayton, NC(919) [email protected]

Jeff KrukinChapel Hill, NC(919) [email protected]

FINE PRINT

WRITTEN & PHOTOGRAPHIC CONTRIBUTIONS to the FOOTNOTES are welcome and encouraged. Please send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you would like your discs or photographs returned. EDITORIAL DEADLINE is the 1st day of each month prior to the publication month, i.e. February 1 for the March issue. The Editor reserves the right to edit for length and appropri-ateness. Articles and classifi ed advertisements may be mailed,

or emailed to the Editor’s attention.

The FOOTNOTES currently reaches over 2,900+ people throughout North Carolina, the USA and Europe.Advertising Rates:

Display Ads: Full page $90, one-half page $55, and one-quarter page $28. All rates quoted are per issue. Discounts for contracts paid in advance: 15% off – 12-month contract, 10% off – 6-month contract, and 5% off – 3-month contract. All adver-tising must be coordinated/approved by Paul Hoecke 919/967-2069. Rates are for ads run consecutively and all ads must be paid in advance. Ad copy must be submitted camera ready. All copy which must be altered or prepared for publication will result in the advertiser paying standard commercial rates for any work deemed necessary by the Editor. Such A Deal advertising is free to all Tarheel Chapter members. Ads submitted must not be longer than 40 words, not including name and telephone number. Ads submitted which are longer will be edited to suit our space limitations. Ads will run for three months only. Commercial advertising is not accepted in the such a deal section. Non-Members can advertise in this section for a fl at fee of $5 per issue (checks sent to Club P.O. Box). The same 40-word limitation plus name and telephone number applies. We appreciate the support of our advertisers, and while their ads’ presence in the FOOTNOTES does not necessarily imply endorsement or approval by the TARHEEL CHAPTER, we do encourage our members to consider our advertisers for the products and services they offer. The Tarheel BMW List provides a casual, online forum for chapter members to discuss BMWs and BMW CCA events and related topics of interest to local members. To begin getting the Tarheel BMW List, send an e-mail to [email protected] (make sure you send the email from the email address that you want to receive the list mes-sages), or contact list administrator Frank Massaro at [email protected] for assistance. The TARHEEL CHAPTER, BMW CCA, INC. (hereinafter referred to as the “Club”) is a non-profi t North Carolina corpora-tion. The Club is in no way or manner connected with Bayerische Motoren Werke A. G. or BMW of North America, Inc. The Club’s mailing address is PO Box 30203 Charlotte, NC 28230. The TARHEEL FOOTNOTES is published by the Club on the fi rst of each month or on the fi rst postal business day thereafter. This publication and all its contents shall remain the property of the Club, and all information provided therein is provided by and for the members of the Club. Offi cially recognized chapters of BMW CCA and BMW ACA are granted permission to reprint or excerpt any material in the TARHEEL FOOTNOTES. The Club assumes no liability for any of the information contained herein. Unless otherwise noted, none of this information bears the status © factory approvedTM. The ideas, opinions, and suggestions expressed in regards to technical matters are those of the authors, and no authentication is implied. MODIFICATIONS UNDER-

TAKEN WITHIN THE WARRANTY PERIOD MIGHT VOID THE

WARRANTY.

ON THE COVER:

This month, we’d like to give a warm Tarheel wel-come to 31 new and returning members and as-sociate members. This brings our total chapter membership to 3147! Our membership is the life-blood of the Club. Without your participation, there would be no Club. We offer a wide variety of activi-

Caron Almond Old Fort NCCaleb Anderson Denver NCLambert Ayuk-Takem Rolesville NCStephen Barone Weaverville NCLarry Caringer Southport NCMabel Caringer Southport NCRyan Clark Mooresville NCMatthew Eastling Winston Salem NCAaron France Westfi eld NCDan Kastner Durham NCHarold Kramer Granite Falls NCDonna Kramer Granite Falls NCChristy Massagee hickory NCRalph Massie Monroe NCMichael Mayberry Statesville NCStuart McHenry Kernersville NCEdward (Ed) Merritt Waynesville NCGeorge Meyer Pittsboro NCDan Millard Charlotte NCNancy Miner Hendersonville NCDave Moore Charlotte NCRushwett Musandipa Lake Wylie SCJonathan Petit-Homme Raleigh NC

Alex Shahrak Cary NCGeoffrey Smith Greensboro NCPaul Smith Apex NCGabrielle Smith Greensboro NCBrad Sutika Winston Salem NCJohn Vaughn Washington NCDonna Walker Garner NCBobby Wilks Sherrills Ford NC

ties, and welcome the opportunity to get to know you better at some of these events. We encourage you to contact your Area Coordinator to fi nd out about local dinner meetings and other ways to get involved in YOUR club. Come join us, you’ll have a great time!

Bimmer Tales: Every car has a story, Bimmers includ-ed. Some are destined to be hard working daily drivers and grocery getters; some are slated to be garage queens. Over time, some get to progress through a series of “experienc-es” and emerge in a very different place from whence they started. So, it is with a certain E30 we are fortunate enough to be the current caretakers for.

This particular example was purchased in March of 1984 by my parents who decided that it was time to dump the family haulers and rekindle all my Dad missed from his short-lived ‘71 2002. Morristown (NJ) BMW delivered her

and she began a hard-working life as primary transport, grabbing groceries and commuting through inclement weather year in, year out. She’d had a few weird electrical issues un-

MEMBERSHIP CORNER(continued on page 6)

BMW Car Clubof AmericaTarheel Chapter

PAUL HOECKE Notes from the roadWorst Cars Redux

A couple of months ago, I asked readers of this column to reminisce about the worst cars they’d ever owned. And to illustrate my point, I re-galed you with tales of cars I’ve owned in the dim past – that is, before I became the BMW addict I am today. You may also recall that I was charita-ble; I blamed those cars’ many defi ciencies on the fact that they were products of their time. Apart from the occasional misbegotten monstrosity, they were merely the result of the then-available level of automotive technology, I said.

Well, I still stand by that – mostly. This cer-tainly includes most European imports at the time, from the late Fifties to the mid-Seventies. Despite lacking the performance, technology and other amenities we consider de rigueur today, they appealed to true blue automobilisti because of their driving qualities, or size (smaller than what Detroit produced), or relative fuel economy, or cuteness, or all of the above.

In truth, owning a British, German or Italian import back then demanded dedication and pa-tience. (Except for TV detective Columbo, I never knew anyone who owned a French car.) Dealers were few and far between; fi nding parts was often an exercise in ingenuity; and working on the cars was an adventure which entailed a steep learning curve, especially for those of us raised on Detroit Iron. (At the time, there were a lot of jokes going around about getting used to switching on the high beams by fl ipping a stalk on the steering column instead of stomping the button on the fl oorboards. Like, do you still have to use your foot?) Yet, true car guys of both genders were will-

ing (and usually able) to live with these, for them ‘minor’ issues.

However, having said all that, I must single out British cars of that era for being, shall I say, much more demanding of TLC than their Con-tinental peers. Indeed, I think I’m being kind; some of them were awful, requiring the proverbial Patience of Job to keep them running. (For more about that, see below.)

Now, I’m not claiming they were pigs, design-wise; many were brilliant, great to look at. Nor am I saying they weren’t fun to drive. They were – when they ran. And I’m not basing this opinion on having owned one, which I didn’t (lucky me). But I had friends who did. Friends whom I helped with their characteristically British car problems in their many times of dire need. It made me quite familiar with what Satch Carlson refers to as the ‘off-kilter’ nature of British automobiles. (FYI: This story was triggered by Satch’s column in the Feb.-March issue of ROUNDEL, in which he describes his ‘interesting’ experiences while working on a classic – i.e. 1960s – Mini panel van which he, or his Party A, had recently acquired.)

The supreme example of British engineers’ misplaced ingenuity I recall most vividly was a Jaguar. It was an XK-120 coupe belonging to Andrew, a college classmate of mine. His girl-friend (later wife) was British, which may have infl uenced his choice of cars. (The Jag replaced a Rambler wagon, as I recall.) And as it turned out, it was truly the Car From Hell. (Of course, Andy would never admit it; he was in love.)

For one thing, the car had Lucas electrics. I

2 TARHEEL CHAPTER FOOTNOTES http://www.tarheelbmwcca.org

know; mentioning the Prince of Darkness may suf-fi ce to put you in the picture. But I’ll go on; like they say, the devil is in the details, which are too delicious to omit here.

Many were the times when I’d fi nd Andy sit-ting cross-legged on the garage fl oor, staring at wiring that looked like spaghetti falling out of the dashboard. Light switches wouldn’t work. Short circuits would make themselves known on a ran-dom basis. And then there was the starter button (funny how that has made a comeback), which would decide to misbehave at the most inconve-nient times. You know, like in a remote parking lot, in driving rain.

I suspect the latter problem may have been caused by the Jag’s intricate starting system. Namely, the car ran on 6 volts, but to start it re-quired 12 volts! To choreograph this electrical ballet, the genius designers of this system had resorted to two 6-volt batteries. Poking the starter button was supposed to connect the batteries in series to deliver 12 volts, via a relay or solenoid; I don’t recall which. (You do know the difference between the two, don’t you?) After which the bat-teries would return to delivering 6 volts. In theory.

In practice, this process was an iffy thing. Sometimes, the starter wouldn’t crank, especially in the wet. (This always reminds me of the char-acter in the movie ‘Gumball Rally’ who can’t start one of the British cars in the race and wonders if it’s because “England is a humid country.”) Then there were a few occasions when it engaged but didn’t disengage. (Ouch!) And as if this wasn’t enough, there was more to this crazy system to compound poor Andy’s problems.

To accommodate the batteries in the Jag’s narrow engine bay, the designers had placed them inside the right and left ‘wings’ (fenders), with access covers which could only be reached from inside the bay. What with corrosion fi rmly fi xing the cover fasteners in place, it was a perfect case of out-of-sight; out-of-mind. I doubt anyone except the most diligent enthusiast (which Andy wasn’t) would’ve checked the batteries regularly. The result was failing batteries and rust, lots of it – inside the fenders!

I could say more. There were mechanical di-sasters as well. Like the classic wire wheels on a splined hub which could destroy the splines if not mounted correctly – and did on at least one occa-sion. (In the car’s defense, that was largely Andy’s fault.) But I think I’m done beating this deceased equine. The Lucas electrics alone were enough to drive even the most dedicated wrench twirler up the wall. Enough so to qualify this Jag (and prob-ably at least some other British cars of that era) for the ‘Worst Car’ title.

I sometimes wonder how much this tendency for oddball design contributed to the decline of the British auto industry. It certainly didn’t help. Small wonder you see British police nowadays driving BMWs in Panda livery. But the icing on this cake (at least for me) is a recent press photo. It shows Brexit supporters celebrating the ‘di-vorce’, waving the Kingdom’s fl ag while riding in – an Isetta!

As for Andy, he must have seen the light at some point. Last I heard, he’d switched to a Mer-cedes.

Discover YourPersonal Mechanic

Steve Wood30+ Years of Experience

CERTIFICATION/TRAINING: Degree in Auto Repair from Forsyth Technical Com-munity College, factory trained in Porsche and Audi

SPECIALTY: BMW, Porsche, Audi, VW, Volvo and Mercedes-Benz

PERSONAL: Married, 3 Children, Grand-father of 4

Greensboro, NC [email protected] - (336) 852-6795

5316 W. Market Streetwww.foraccents.comT - (336) 294-2137

•••

Hello, fellow club racing fans.By now, you all know that BMW CCA Club

Racing (CR) is in a state of suspended animation as all track events have been halted for the time being. This is part and parcel of a directive issued by the National Club Board on March 20 in re-sponse to the nationwide coronavirus emergency, which prohibits “engaging in any in-person events or gatherings under the umbrella of the BMW CCA” until the fi rst of this month – i.e. as you read this issue of FootNotes.

For us here in Tarheel Land, it meant that the race and racing school scheduled for early last month at VIR did not take place. It was under-standably quite a blow for everyone concerned. It certainly was so for all the club racers – including seventeen from our chapter – who had already signed up for the VIR event when the axe fell. We can imagine that the ten local track warriors who were looking forward to competing in an all-Tarheel Chapter Spec E36 class were especially disappointed.

But under the circumstances, it had to be done.

On the bright side (if there is one), we’ve been assured that no one’s VIR registration fee, racer or spectator, had been charged (and wouldn’t be) when this went into effect. As for anyone with airline and/or hotel reservations re-lated to the event, we understand that many of these businesses have instituted liberal cancel-lation/rescheduling policies, which should offer some relief.

Moreover, the stated timeline of this suspen-sion (so far) suggests that affected races may be rescheduled for later in the year. Hence our head-line. (FYI: a red fl ag is displayed when conditions are too dangerous to continue the session. It may be replaced by a green fl ag if conditions improve.)

However, as this report went to press, the future was still far from certain. If the emergency were to continue at its present pace, which is highly likely, the suspension may be extended by several weeks, if not months. It may even cause some 2020 CR events to be cancelled outright. It’d be a bummer but could be unavoidable.

In short, as you read this, the season outlook for CR events is still iffy.

Turning to the local pro racing scene, those of you who follow BimmerWorld Racing (BWR) are probably aware that BWR’s assault on the Mi-cheline Pilot Challenge series has been impacted as well. For the time being, IMSA’s response to the crisis has been to only reshuffl e the series schedule without cancelling any events. (Presum-ably, IMSA is doing this with fi ngers crossed on both hands!)

First off, what was originally Round Two – the 2-hour race at Sebring in March we expected to report on here – did not take place. It’s been re-scheduled to November, which makes it the 2020 series fi nale instead of Road Atlanta, which is still set for October. Three other upcoming races have also been rescheduled: The one at Mid-Ohio – what was this month’s Round Three in the series – has been moved to late September; Laguna Seca

BY PAUL HOECKECLUB RACING REPORT


COVID-19 Red Flags Club Race Events

TARHEEL CHAPTER 2020

* Not a Tarheel BMW CCA sponsored event

ALL MAY IN-PERSON EVENTS ON HOLD/CANCELED - Our calendar is in very much up in the air at this point - please check with event organizers as to the status of events after June 1st until further notice.

Jun 13-14 Corral at Charlotte Spring Autofair CMS Charlotte, NC Andy Barbee [email protected] 20 Buckhorn Lake Picnic - Wilson NC Robert McIsaac 919-880-8021 [email protected] 26-28 Summer HPDS-VIR North Course Phil Antoine Details and Registration on MotorsportReg Jul 9-12 Trip to Amazing Asheville-Asheville NC Robert McIsaac 919-880-8021 [email protected] 11 Slalom Run to Stagville Durham NC Robert McIsaac 919-880-8021 [email protected] 19 Bimmers, Beemers and Bacon Farmers Market Robert McIsaac 919-880-8021 [email protected] 15 Hundred Dollar BBQ Run-Carthage NC Robert McIsaac 919-880-8021 [email protected] 21-23 Corral at IMSA Race VIR Brenda Dunlevy 336-996-3149 [email protected] 29 ///M Day at Performance Center Greer SC Details and Registration on MotorsportRegOct 14-15 Corral at Charlotte Fall AutofairCMS Charlotte, NC Chris Webber 704-906-8876 [email protected] 15 2020 Carolina BalloonFest-Statesville, NC Robert McIsaac 919-880-8021 [email protected] 23-25 Fall HPDS-VIR Full Course Phil Antoine Details and Registration on MotorsportReg Oct 24-25 ///M Day at Performance Center Greer, SC Details and Registration on MotorsportReg Nov 11-13 *12 Hours of Sebring - Sebring FL See website: sebringraceway.comNov 13 Fall VIR Charity LapsVIR Robert McIsaac 919-880-8021 [email protected] 5 Danville Tank Museum Danville, NC Robert McIsaac 919-880-8021 [email protected] 10-11 BMW CCA Club Race School Roebling Road Mike Hinkley [email protected] 11-13 BMW CCA Club Race Roebling Road Mike Hinkley [email protected]


ON THE COVER:der warranty but that settled out quickly and she took up residence in and out of my Dad’s garage. He had an array of BMW motorcycle projects that frequently ate up all available fl oor space, so the E30 spent more than a few winters covered in snow.

She was never hit but by the time the 10th birthday rolled around the weather had done a number on her exterior so a repaint was ordered up. Just past her 11th she made her last really long trip, an eleven-hundred mike hop from NJ to NC. During these years, beyond commuting, she saw lots of service as a country road cruiser, head-ing out in evenings with the sunroof open and the tunes blaring. Lots of Bruce Springsteen was involved, I later discovered.

By the time she was 17, our children started to drive and my Dad briefl y entertained the idea of letting them have the old Bimmer for running to and from high school. The lack of airbags prob-ably saved her from that particular fate! In the meantime, the dash cracked from the sun. It was capped. The shifter boot wore out it was replaced. A raised manhole cover was nailed and all the oil bled out, but quick thinking saved the engine. The cap over the cracked dash itself cracked.

By her 25th birthday the paint was again ragged, some rust was bubbling through and oil was weeping from a variety of places. She still cranked up on demand, however, and pulled will-ingly. Instrumentation was hit or miss, with the

gas gauge going in and out like border radio.Just as she turned 27 my Dad passed away

leaving a wish that it should pass to us ... if we wanted her. A walk around in the garage and a drive through the neighborhood proved that even though she looked tired and ran a little rough with a quarter million miles under her belt line, the basic bones were still good and worth saving.

She hopped a fl at bed and returned to NC, by way of Ray Korman’s shop in Greensboro. The Ko-rman team noted that the bones were good, the rust was modest, they hadn’t seen an interior this good in a long time … and the idea of keeping it in the family made it a worthy project. The resto-ration took about 9 months, but the results were very much worth the wait.

will run on the Labor Day weekend instead of a week later; and there’s Road Atlanta, which now is set for Oct. 14-17 instead of a week earlier. No-tably, the August date of the race at VIR remains intact – so far.

Clearly, IMSA is hoping that the crisis will have abated after mid-year. (However, we think they’re being optimistic) And we have yet to hear from BWR about how James Clay and his troops are responding to the revised schedules of this series as well as others they expected to compete in.

In other words, things are still fl uid all around, so stay tuned.

Finally, we may derive some consolation from the fact that this isn’t the fi rst time in our nation’s history that crises of one kind or another dis-rupted most sports activities, not to mention life in general – because we always recovered, sooner or later. But this scourge sure hits home, this time around.

In the meantime, we can only wish everyone to stay safe and sheltered from the Bug.

How I Keep It Looking New

I currently drive a 2015 F80 M3 sedan, which is now 5 years old (from production date). The color is called “Tanzanite”, but it is an appropri-ate description – it has lots of sparkle, particularly in the sun. Several fellow BMW owners have com-mented to me on how pristine the car looks and have asked how I keep it that way. So I’m going to tell you how I do it like Frank Sinatra. “My Way” is KEEPING it clean and not letting the elements, dirt, road grime, tree sap and other substances get it so bad that it becomes an impossible chore to make it right again.

Washing - wash the car with a good detergent designed especially for car fi nishes (available at any auto-parts store). Dish-washing soap will strip off any wax you have and tends to dry the paint out, requiring you to wax it more often. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. It’s important that if you hand-wash your car, you use a good amount of suds to fl oat the dirt off and apply it with a clean sponge, soft brush, or terry/chamois wash cloth or mitt. Anything else is going to in-duce small scratches and swirls in that clearcoat or single-stage paint, creating more work. And none of us wants that, right?

If you use a drive-through car wash, be sure it’s safe for low-profi le tires on larger-diameter wheels – some of them will scratch the outer lip of alloy wheels. Most of the newer car washes are equipped for higher-end cars, but it’s worth mak-ing sure. Also, if you have a convertible top, use a mild soap or soft-top-specifi c cleanser to keep the material clean, and be sure to “seal” it with some-thing like “Ragg-Top” or the stuff they sell at the Dealership at least twice a year if not more often. Use only plastic cleaner and plastic polish on soft rear windows – don’t use Windex, which will dry the plastic and make it turn yellow.

Drying - I prefer the new micro-fi ber towels – to avoid those swirls and scratches. In fact, I pur-chased a “Pure Freaking Magic” towel (their de-scription) from Griot’s Garage. They aren’t lying – one car, one towel. If your wheels are fairly clean, you can use a soft towel to dry them or wipe up any remaining brake dust, although a squirt of wheel cleaner or detailing fl uid like Griot’s Speed Shine will help get the remaining grit off. More on wheel/tire care later.

Paint Cleaning - I use Griot’s paint cleaning clay, but Meguiar’s makes a good kit as well. This

So now, having just passed her 36th birthday she has an honored place in our garage, huddled with a Battery Tender, but ready to roll on a mo-ment’s notice. The E30 now has become some-thing of a Garage Queen although she gets driven regularly. On her very best day she had 121hp, a fraction of the M2 stablemate, but no matter. It is a completely brilliant car to drive that is in-credibly rewarding once you understand how she works. When our son took his fi rst turn behind the wheel, he couldn’t stop smiling, which is ex-actly the reaction my Dad had when he picked it up all those years ago. And the reaction I have now when blitzing across North Carolina Byways. And yes, we still have the Springsteen tapes in the glove box … this one WAS Born to Run. -Rob-ert McIsaac


is a very sticky type of modeling clay that is used with a lubricant (like Speed Shine or Meguiar’s or other brand-name detailing fl uid) to pull off foreign substances without damaging your paint or removing wax. Flatten the clay into a “patty”, spray a small area with the fl uid, and slide the clay over the sprayed area. Do this a few times and turn it over to see how much ugly stuff comes off of a freshly-washed car. You will need to “turn” the clay by pulling and kneading it to expose more clean surface so that it doesn’t build up and quit working properly. No pressure is required, just glide it over all the panels on your car, includ-ing headlights and taillights. Follow up by wiping off the excess detailing fl uid with a microfi ber towel. Run your fi ngers over the surface and pre-pare to be amazed.

Polishing - If your paint is oxidized or dull, you may want to use a “cleaner” and a fi ne polish to bring up the shine. I highly recommend the use of an orbital polisher and foam pads to apply these and other fi nish restoring/protection ma-terials. Unlike the old lambswool buffi ng pads, these won’t burn your paint, and the orbital’s ec-centric motion will keep from causing swirls. Ap-ply whatever you’re using sparingly and don’t bear down on it – the weight of the polisher will do the trick. Here again, I like both Meguiar and Griot’s products. With the Griot’s stuff, you use an or-ange pad for polishes (black for really fi ne polish) and a red pad for glaze, sealant, or wax products. Remove the residue/haze with a good soft cloth.

A word about glaze – this stuff is really good for hiding small imperfections in your paint, like mild swirls and scratches in the clearcoat. It adds depth to your paint and restores any lost oils. It’s an extra step, but it’s one of those things that will make your paint really stand out. I recommend Meguiar’s Show Car Glaze or a comparable prod-uct from Griot’s or other brands. You apply it and remove it just like polish or wax – be sure to use that microfi ber or other soft cloth to thoroughly remove the residue.

Waxing/Sealing/Coating – this next step will depend on your preference and how often your

car is used. Griot’s and a number of other sup-pliers make what’s called Paint Sealant, and it’s the same stuff the dealers use on new cars. It’s a synthetic substance that seals your paint and provides great protection without having to reap-ply more than once a year. This is the best to use on your daily driver, unless you like waxing every 60 to 90 days. Suffi ce to say it lasts longer, makes water bead, and it provides ultraviolet protection and a good shine. But here’s a secret: on my cars, I am using one of the new silicon-based “ce-ramic” coatings (TechShine from Aerolon) that is applied with the car wet, then rinsed off. It can be applied to paint, trim, glass, and wheels to pro-vide a microscopic layer that is hydrophobic – wa-ter just stands up and rolls off the surface. This helps prevent dirt and other contaminants from sticking to the coated surfaces.

It’s easy to apply, but avoid direct sunlight – hand-wash your car, rinse it off, and apply the ceramic coating with the sponge applicator that comes with the product. Wet the applicator and squeeze the excess water, shake the bottle and then pour a small amount on the applicator, much like you would on a foam polishing pad. Wipe it all over the car just like you’re washing it (add a small amount to the applicator as you do each body panel), then rinse it off thoroughly. I recommend drying it with either a microfi ber towel or an air blower if you have one. Let it sit for an hour or so – it’ll set up and be slippery to the touch when it’s cured. And look like a glass coating.

Glass – on the outside, use a good brand-name glass cleaner (I like Griot’s) and newspaper (the ink will polish your glass) or, if you prefer, a smooth microfi ber cloth that will absorb the dirt and contaminants. Griots also makes glass-cleaning clay if you have stuff that won’t come off or hard-water stains. For those, use a glass polish – either by hand, or you can get a pad for the orbital to apply it. On the inside – if you have tinted windows, make sure your glass cleaner does not contain any ammonia – it will wreck your window fi lm by drying it out. Use a soft cloth to

Hundred Dollar BBQ Run? Chasing The (Alleged) Best BBQ in NC!

• What: A cruise to Carthage, NC, to the Pik ‘n Pig … a great opportunity for “Dinner and an Air Show”. This is the place folks fly into with their planes for the aforementioned $100 sandwich. It will be considerably less costly in a Bimmer … but no less fun!

• When: Depart on Saturday, August 15th at 10:00am. Come early for breakfast and/or coffee at 9:00am!

• Where: Departure from the Starbucks at 180 Cabela Drive, Garner, NC 27529 • Objective: A great day, an awesome meal, a terrific show and some fascinating photo

ops. Pik ‘n Pig is located at 194 Gilliam McConnell Road, Carthage, NC 28327 • Duration: Figure 6+ hours including driving. • Contact Information: For details, connect with Rob McIsaac at

[email protected] or 919-880-8012.

clean the interior side of the glass, particularly if you have tinting fi lm.

Interior – vaccum it thoroughly every time you wash your car, including between the seat cush-ions! Removing the grit will keep your upholstery and carpet from deteriorating. And if the carpet or mats are dirty or stained, use some foaming interior/carpet cleaner (Blue Coral is good) with a dry sponge, followed by vacuuming to remove any foam or residue.

if you have leather seats and panels, use a cleaner/conditioner combo product every 60 to 90 days. This is especially important in the hotter months, as leather will dry out. Also, as my wife says, it keeps the interior “smelling like Nieman-Marcus’ shoe dept”. If your leather is dirty, you may want to use a cleaner fi rst, then follow it with conditioner, and then buff it with a soft cloth. For cloth seats, use a good mild foaming cleanser and vacuum them after cleaning. Be very careful with alcantara – make sure your cleanser is safe for that material.

Under the hood – I like to keep the engine and engine bay clean and free of leaves, debris, and dust/dirt. You can either take your car to a do-it-yourself spray-wand wash and use the green soap (wheel/tire cleaner or some actually have an engine-cleaner setting) to coat your warm engine and bay, or you can use something like Simple Green mixed 50-50 with water. Let it sit at least 5 minutes and then rinse it off with high-pressure spray or the hose nozzle adjusted to a “jet” set-ting. At the car wash you can follow this up with the “spot-free” rinse if you like. Be careful not to get soap or water into your intake. If you have ex-posed plug wires/connectors or distributor, avoid spraying directly on them, and dry them off with a cloth when fi nished. Remove excess water from surfaces and when dry, you can use Armor All or an engine-dressing solution (Griot’s makes one) to enhance the appearance of any plastic trim or hoses.

Wheels and tires – if your wheels are really dirty, use a wheel cleaner or Simple Green di-


luted 50-50 with water (same as for the engine compartment) to help remove the brake dust and dirt. For the tires, I recommend using a tire cleaning foam and then a long-lasting tire “gel” (Meguiar’s makes a good one) rather than just Armor-All (foam or liquid), which doesn’t last very long. Wipe up any excess that gets on your wheels so the dirt and brake dust won’t stick. Similarly, wipe away any tire dressing that gets on your paint to avoid having dirt and dust stick to it. There’s also a product called “Wheel Wax”, and it really works well to keep brake dust and other grime from sticking to your wheels, although the aforementioned ceramic product is even better.

Maintenance – it’s not necessary to do all these steps every time you wash your car, but I highly recommend using a good detailing fl uid to

bring up the shine and keep the dust off. I also recommend using the clay bar every few months, and more often if your car sits under or near trees – that sap is nasty stuff that the clay will make short work of. You can do just the fl at surfaces or the whole car, depending on how anal you are (or how sore your back is).

And fi nally – whenever possible, keep your car under cover. I used to work from home and am now retired, so mine stays in the garage most days; if you have access to a parking garage, use it. But my best advice is if you see your car’s fi n-ish suffering from exposure to sun, tree sap, road grime, bird deposits, etc. - clean it as soon as possible. Believe me, you’ll thank me a few years from now when your car looks as good as new! -Alan Greene

Raleigh Dinner Was Wunderbar! AKA, Remember When...

February offered us a warm and mostly dry evening for a monthly dinner in The Triangle. Once again, it was a great time to kick tires and swap tales (some of them pretty tall!) as we en-

joyed the festive environment at Farina. The staff was full recovered from the fl u that plagued them last month and provided us with both excellent service and some good humor as we explored “off

menu” dining options. Who knew there were so many pasta alternatives?

By the time the group was fully engaged we had a grand total of 13 Bimmers and 20 of the faithful assembled for the Big Event. We had a rollicking good time talking about the upcoming driving events, including our impending trip to Fort Bragg to visit the 82nd Airborne Division’s museum. The Fort is a terrifi c place to explore but the security protocol makes the TSA look like a model of speed and effi ciency. We’ve been in contact with the base Security Offi cer and Com-manding Offi cer … and test driven the security apparatus twice … so we think we have things “nailed down”. On March 7th we will make a pret-ty direct route to get there, which still includes ample time on the wandering back roads that grace Harnett and Cumberland counties. A great time should be had by all! Remember, in this case, “all” means everyone over 18 who has a valid driver’s license or passport for getting past secu-rity. From the DOD, we know that “passes can be obtained at the visitor center on the All American

Freeway. To get a pass, motorists have to have a government-issued ID card and proof of insurance and vehicle registration”. Armed with this infor-mation, the process actually goes very smoothly.

We also reviewed a series of upcoming events, including the “Easels in the Garden” week-end in Edenton. The tickets of this are on sale now with details listed here: http://cupolahouse.org/easels-in-the-gardens.php. Harder to get than the tickets will be a hotel room, if you’re in-cluded to make a weekend out of it. There are not a lot of local options, but the Hampton Inn is the suggested venue to vector in for. It is located at 115 Hampton Dr, Edenton, NC 27932. The rooms are surprisingly brisk, a result of high demand for the weekend, but the event looks to be a great time.

Rodney Wright shared an update from the Tar

Heel Sports Car Club, who is hosting their next Autocross event at the Danville Regional Airport in Danville, VA, on March 7th. Details and regis-tration can be found here. And yes, we have an embarrassment of riches on this date … so many things to do, so little time!

As part of our story sharing, we talked about “old” BMW’s fi nding new homes. We recently were fortunate enough to become current caretak-ers for an E36 M3 that found an open garage bay. The opening was created when we donated our E90 335 to our son and daughter-in-law in San Francisco, who have found it to be the ideal vehi-cle for securing the car seat for their own 8-month old son. As my grandfather once said, “cars never wear out … people just get tired of fi xing them”.

Based on that, I suspect both the E36 and the E90 will have long roads ahead of them since we’re all enjoying keeping them in fi ne tune.

After a raucous birthday celebration (Coleen was kind enough to “volunteer” to be the cel-ebrant at this dinner) over an epic cannoli, it was time to begin to wind down the evening. Gradu-ally we wandered down into the garage to explore an array of vehicles, including an M4, an M2, a brace of drop tops and an X3M40 among many others. With the exhaust notes reverberating in the underground deck, we gracefully rocketed out into the evening … and the beginning of some evening showers. Timing is everything! -Robert McIsaac


Spec E46 Build - Part 1

In this column, I’ve decided to document and share my racecar build. This is Part 1 in a series of future articles (who knows how many?) that will highlight the journey/adventure of the build. I hope you enjoy following along.

THE GOAL: To build a reliable racecar to compete in the

Spec E46 class that will be both safe and fun.

THE CAR: Spec E46 is a class established to race BMW

330i and 330ci models that were built between 2001 and 2006. No convertibles, XI or ZHP models are allowed. For my build, I chose a 2001 330ci model that I found on FB Marketplace. It has 231k miles on it with a clean history. The previous owner was even willing to drive the car over three hours to meet me at an agreeable location. The car looked good, sounded great, drove well, and the price was right – SOLD.

THE PLAN:In short, I bought the car in August of

2019 with the hope of racing by the Spring of 2020. Aside from the roll cage and dyno pulls, this build will take place in my garage with the car safely supported on jack stands.

STEP 1 – DISASSEMBLYThis step, much like a home remodeling

project, requiring demolition…yes DEMO! It absolutely fascinates me how well cars are made these days – an engineering marvel you might say. The number of different connec-tors and fasteners in mind boggling. Most of the disassembly falls in to the category of “weight loss.” Everything must go – factory seats, carpet, insulation, noise barrier, win-dows, window regulators, HVAC, emissions, sunroof cassette, and lots of sensors and wires.

To be continued… -Brian Dehler

1 - Loaded for the trip home

2 - Seats removed

3 - Interior removed. HVAC removed. Chassis wiring harness removal begun

4 - Chassis harness removed

5 - About 45 lbs of chassis harness. Hope to shed about 15 lbs of wiring from this harness!

6 - Fasteners, and lots of them! About 10 lbs worth so far.

7 - Time for a trip to the landfi ll!

ASHEVILLE AREA DINNERDate: Last Tuesday each monthTime: 6:30 pm

Where: Different Location Each Month

All BMW marques are welcome (cars, motorcycles, Mini, Rolls, etc.).

Contact Chris Joyner at [email protected] for more information.

CAPE FEAR AREADate: 4th Thursday each monthTime: 6:30 pm

Where: The Forest restaurant at Cape Fear National Golf Club 1281 Cape Fear National Drive Leland, NC 28451

Email Matt Sarkela for information at [email protected].

CHARLOTTE AREA I DINNERDate: 3rd Thursday each monthTime: 7 p.m.Where: WaldhornRestaurant 12101Lancaster Hwy (Old Hwy 521) Pineville,NC (Locatednear Carolina Place Mall) (704) 540-7047

We’re still hanging out at the Waldhorn Restau-rant on the third Thursday of each month. Contact Chris Webber at H:(704) 523-9118 C: 704-906-8876 or e-mail at [email protected] to RSVP. Please join us (great German food and beer). See you there!

CHARLOTTE AREA IIDate: 1st Thursday each monthTime: 6:30 p.m.Where: The Speedway Club at Charlotte Motor Speedway 5555 Parkway S., 6th Fl, Concord NCPlease email Andy Barbee for more information at [email protected] or (704) 701-2294

DOWNEAST AREA BREAKFAST (Greenville, Wilson Rocky Mt) Date: 1st Saturday each monthTime: 8:30 a.m.Where: Scullery Coffee House and Creamery 431 Evans St Greenville, NC 27858

Email Alex Kordis for information at [email protected]

HURRICANE REGION AREA (New Bern, Jackson-ville, Morehead City)

Contact Alex Kordis Area Cordinator for Down East at [email protected] if you are interested in joining them for meetings.

NORTHERN MOUNTAIN AREA DINNERDate: 2nd Wednesday each monthTime: 6:30 p.m.Where: Booneshine Brewery 465 Industrial Park Drive Boone, NC 28607 828-278-8006

Cost: Only what you eat and drink.Contacts: John Cochrane ([email protected]) or Mike Langley ([email protected])

A fun gathering of BMW friends for a discussion of all things car related.

ROANOKE AREA Date: 2nd Tuesday each monthTime: 7:00 p.m.Where: Pizza Pasta Pit 1713 Riverview Dr. Salem, VA 24153

Near corner of Electric Road and Apperson Drive.

Contact JoElla John [email protected] or Scott Donaldson [email protected] for mor information.

SANDHILLS AREADate: 4th Wednesday each monthTime: 7:p.m.Where: ScrubOaks

LOCAL SCENE


ALL IN-PERSON EVENTS ON HOLD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICEContact event organizers for updates and alternative vertual events

5780 Ramsey St #108 Fayetteville, NC 28311

ScrubOaks is a contemporary american restaurant that also offers a great sports bar setting. Many reg-ulars frequent the Kings Grant golf club and stop by afterward for a meal. Wednesdays offer half off wine (bottle and glass)

Contact Danny Miller for more information [email protected]

TRIAD AREA WEST DINNER (Winston-Salem)Date: 2nd Tuesday each monthTime: 6:00 p.m. Drinks, 7:00 p.m. DinnerWhere: Sixty Six Grill and Taphouse 3440 Frontis Street Winston-Salem 27103

Please contact Marc Schatell for more information at [email protected]

TRIAD AREA EAST DINNER (Greensboro)Date: 1st Tuesday each monthTime: 5:30 p.m.Where: Mac’s Speed Shop 1218 Battleground Ave Greensboro, NC 27408

Please contact David Harrison for more information [email protected]

TRIANGLE AREA DINNER (RALEIGH)Date: 3rd Tuesday each monthTime: 6:00 p.m. Tire Kickin’, 7:00 p.m. DinnerWhere: Farina Neighborhood Italian Lafayette Village 8450 Honeycutt Rd #100 Raleigh

Please contact Robert McIsaac for more information at [email protected]

TRIANGLE AREA DINNER (CHAPEL HILL) - NO JULY DINNER SCHEDULEDDate: 1st Wednesday each monthTime: 6:00-6:45pm People arrive on the top fl oor of the parking garage for car viewing and stories 6:45pm Walk to the restaurant for dinnerWhere: Hickory Tavern (next to the Hampton Inn www.thehickorytavern.com 300 East Main Street, Carrboro 27510

Please contact Jeff Krukin for more information at [email protected]

The Triangle’s Choice For Auto Body

Locally Owned

Family Operated

Community Focused

Serving The Triangle For 30 Years

Kenny Hawkins Automotive605 Germantown Road

Raleigh, NC 27607(919) 851-0242

* Early and late model BMW’s

(Call for motorcycle maintenance)

* Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) or

BMW Original parts

* Many years of experience exclusively with

BMW repairs, maintenance, and modifi -

cations and race prep (Club events)

* Latest Diagnostic Equipment

Chris Joyner, Owner/Technician

76 South Market Street

Asheville, NC 28801

(828) 398-0325 [email protected]

Hours: 9:00 – 6:00 Monday through Friday

Joyner’s EST. 1993

An Independent BMW Specialist

ALL IN-PERSON EVENTS ON HOLD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICEContact event organizers for updates and alternative vertual events

Footnotes classifi ed ads are free to members in good standing of the BMW CCA. Nonmembers can also place advertisements here for $5.00 per month (see inside front cover). Please enclose all necessary information with your advertisement. Unless you tell us otherwise, your ad will appear here for three (3) consecutive issues. Classifi ed advertisements can be emailed to the Editor’s attention at [email protected].

BMW CARS FOR SALE:

2003 M3 Carbon Black/Cin-namon, 75K miles, SMG, Sub-frame re-enforced, valve ad-justment, Powerfl ex subframe and trailing arm bushings, rear axle shaft and wheel bearings replaced, new CV joint, clutch replaced, Eibach springs, Koni shocks, Eurobahn ECU, Borla exhaust. Excellent condition. $20,000 Chris 336-403-8215 (NC)

2013 BMW 335i The Ultimate Spring, Summer & Fall Driv-ing machine for sale -- pristine convertible, like brand new with 53,010 miles, Alpine White ex-terior, Red leather interior and M Sports package. Fun to drive and ready for the top down season! If interested, please email: [email protected] or call: 980.613.9018

2013 E93/M3 DCT Convert-ible in fantastic condition. Alpine white exterior with fox red interior. Carbon fi ber trim. 32,050 miles. Premium, com-fort/convenience, and winter packages. All maintenance up to date and Blackstone oil analysis for the last 2 years. Clean Carfax from new and records since I purchased in 8/2018. Title in hand. Garaged and ceramic coated fi nish. Only taken out on sunny days. No excuses on this last-year, normally aspirated, V-8. VIN WBSDX9C59DE786214 Mike, 704-905-4376 (m) Charlotte

MISCELLANEOUS:

Tarheel Chapter BMW CCA Email List Join us online: The “list” provides a casual, online forum for chapter members to discuss BMW’s and BMW CCA events and related topics of in-terest to local members. Basi-cally it’s a sort of electronic dis-cussion board, almost anything is free game, as long as it has some connection to BMW’s (no matter how remote the connec-tion might be).To join the list surf on out to: http://www.topica.com/lists/tar-heelbmw/ Info on how to sub-scribe or unsubscribe can be found on this page. If you want a shortcut to subscribe- simply send an email to tarheelbmw-

[email protected]. (make sure you send the email from the email address that you want to receive the list mes-sages!!)

THE 02 GROUP A special in-terest group for 2002 owners in NC. For more information about the group and how to join, check out our website: www.the02group.org

The Z-Series Car Club of America (ZSCCA) is a na-tional special interest group of BMWCCA dedicated to the en-joyment of all Z-Series BMW’s. Several local groups are ac-tive in VA and NC. Find us on Facebook, or at zscca.org

SUCH A DEAL


Amazing Asheville! Blue Ridge Parkway Means Weekend Adventure!!!

• What: A weekend venture to the mountain wilds of Western North Carolina! Highlights include spectacular scenery, beautiful mountain roads, the vibe of Downtown Asheville and the chance to visit Mount Mitchell. Great food and amazing adventures are just around the next bend! On a clear day you can see The Smokey's!

• When: Depart on Thursday, July 9, 2020 at 10:00am. Come early for coffee at 9:00am! • Where: Departure from Leith BMW, 5603 Capital Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27616• Objective: A fun and enjoyable weekend away that offers great driving, terrific food and some

fantastically interesting adventures.• Where to Stay: Goal is to be downtown. Best options are Kimpton Hotel Arras, Asheville, 7 Patton

Avenue, Asheville, NC, 866-539-9234 or he Aloft Hotel, 51 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC, 540-839-5351. Make your own reservations for Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights.

• Duration: Depart on Thursday (7/9) morning … home on Sunday afternoon (7/12). • Contact Information: For details, connect with Rob McIsaac at


Brilliant Blowing Rock! NC Balloonfest, Boone and The Highlands All Await …

• What: A weekend adventure to Western NC to explore the fall beauty in the area. This is also a chance to take in the NC Balloonfest, the Linville Gorge, Grandfather Mountain, Little Switzerland and a bevy of brilliant sightseeing adventures that are waiting to be “unpacked”. Downtown Blowing Rock has a great set of culinary and microbrewery adventures to also be explored! Dining and Driving away across the Old North State heads west.

• When: Depart on Thursday, October 15, 2020 at 10:00am. Come early for coffee at 9:00am! • Where: Departure from Leith BMW, 5603 Capital Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27616• Objective: A fun and enjoyable weekend away that offers great driving, terrific food and some

fantastically interesting adventures … and fall foliage!• Where to Stay: Hemlock Inn, 134 Morris St Box 422, PO Box 422, Blowing Rock, NC (828-295-7987).

The Inn at Ragged Gardens, 203 Sunset Dr, Blowing Rock, NC (828-295-9703). Green Park Inn, 9239 Valley Blvd, Blowing Rock, NC (828-414-9230). Many other options but don’t wait too long! Make your own reservations for Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights.

• Duration: Depart on Thursday (10/15) morning … home on Sunday afternoon (10/18). • Contact Information: For details, connect with Rob McIsaac at


END GAME

Social distancing...


Footnotes classifi eds...

Ads are free to members in good standing of the BMW CCA. Non-members can also place advertisements here for $5.00 per month. Please enclose all necessary information with your advertisement.

Unless you tell us otherwise, your ad will appear here for three (3) consecutive issues.

Classifi ed advertisements can be emailed to the Editor’s attention at:

[email protected]

WANTED: Your photos and sto-ries.

Got a tale to tell about your Bimmer, photos you want to share with your fellow Footnotes readers, or just a suggestion?Email your submissions to [email protected] on, you can do it... We would love to hear from you!

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OOne Stop Collision Repair Center Over 50 Years Combined Experience

All Makes & Models Welcome All Insurance Companies Accepted

Frame Work & PDR Available

Owner Scott McDuffie – Member Since 1989 3510 E. Wendover Ave, Greensboro, NC 27405

(336) 375-4516

Summer 2020 M Club Day Big Fun @ BMW Performance Center!What and Where:• Each year, the Tarheel and National Capital BMWCCA Chapters sponsor major events at the BMW Performance

Center in Greer, South Carolina. These events give us access to the facilities and the instructors at a remarkable location … at a deeply discounted price. This school is a special program designed by the Performance Center staff specifically for our chapter members.

• The price covers the training sessions … and the use of current model ///M Cars for the event. M2’s, M3’s, M4’s and M5’s were the highlight of the adventure in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. We expect more of the same for the coming year. Best of all perhaps, is the opportunity to have a great learning and driving experience while using someone else’s Gas, Tires and Oil!

• Remember the old adage that “no car is faster than a rental!”.When:• The “spring” event is on Saturday, August 29th, 2020Next Steps• Registration now open: msreg.com/August2020MClubDay

Contact Information: For details, connect with Rob McIsaac at [email protected]

TARHEEL CHAPTERBMW CCA, Inc.www.tarheelbmwcca.org

PO Box 30203Charlotte, NC 28230

///M Day at Performance Center, Greer SCAugust 29, 2020

Volume XLVIII No. 5 May 2020 - Tarheel 2020 May.pdf · 2020. 5. 6. · Andrew, a college classmate...

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Transcript of Volume XLVIII No. 5 May 2020 - Tarheel 2020 May.pdf · 2020. 5. 6. · Andrew, a college classmate...