Possible new Strut Brace Group buy!!!

[maverick]

I am looking for a member who has preferably a 96+ 318ti with the M44 motor and no DA supercharger to maybe take a trip to Simi Valley in Southern California to allow John Mason of Mason Engineering to test fit one of his e36 318i braces or make a template for a prototype front strut brace for possible production and possibly a group buy deal. Is there anyone near by willing to do such a task?

I look forward to hearing from a volunteer.
Thanks,
Dave Ellsworth

[Marv17]

in what state? cuz we have a simivalley here in SoCal

[maverick]

It is Simi Valley Ca, I am sorry I left that out and I will try and fix it, are you close by?

Dave

[mohaughn]

It doesn't fit, he'll have to make something different. Talk to the guys at vorshlag, they have tested them out. I'm pretty sure if he needed measurements, vorshlag could provide him with them.

edit- Hmmm, just noticed that Vorshlag has fitment listed for the e36 318ti. "into North America including the E36 M3, 325, 318 and 318ti "

I also noticed that you said he has done a 318i specific strut brace. They must not have had this one done when I was shopping for this last year. If he has one that fits an e36 318i it will also fit a 318ti. I would still call Terry at Vorshlag as they have done extensive fitment testing with the mason bars, and work with a lot of e36 cars.

[maverick]

Originally Posted by mohaughn

edit- Hmmm, just noticed that Vorshlag has fitment listed for the e36 318ti. "into North America including the E36 M3, 325, 318 and 318ti "

I also noticed that you said he has done a 318i specific strut brace. They must not have had this one done when I was shopping for this last year. If he has one that fits an e36 318i it will also fit a 318ti. I would still call Terry at Vorshlag as they have done extensive fitment testing with the mason bars, and work with a lot of e36 cars.

I spoke with Vorshlag as I saw the same info and thought they had sorted out what fits what and I need a set of their top mounts anyway and figured I would order them together. Well there is some doubt that end as they are selling the 6-cyl brace and saying it will fit the 318ti and I know that is likely not correct and that the chances are they tried it on a 6-cyl conversion ti or maybe it might clear with the Downing Atlanta Supercharger mounted as it eliminates the high intake issue...knew I needed one of those for some reason LOL!!! They said they know that had one fit a ti, but could not remember which engine/intake was in it at the time. They do not sell on a regular basis the 318i bar and I have spoken with John Mason at length and he is unsure as the battery might be in the way on the ti as in the sedan/coupes it is mounted in the trunk, not the firewall.

Still looking for a car to test fit it on and John has been trying to work out something as well, he seems eager if we can just get the details ironed out.

Dave

[DSKM3]

I might be able to offer my 97 ti for this. I am in Orange County (80-ish miles South) and could possibly drive up on a Saturday if it would be a one-day thing. My M44 is completely stock and the only relevant mod is Koni SA shocks w/H&R sport springs.

I have been tempted to go ahead with the Sparco since it seems that it might fit (someone had posted that the battery box interference was tolerable), but would rather have something that definitely fits.

Cheers,
Darren

[mgbman69]

If you're in Virgina I'm in NC would be interested if I get a prototype...

PM me, I'm also a Mechanical Engineer

[tiFreak]

nice, any idea how much it will cost?

[maverick]

Originally Posted by tiFreak

nice, any idea how much it will cost?

Give me a couple of hours and you will get the whole deal!!!

[tiFreak]

thanks, it's probably more than I can afford but we'll see

[maverick]

I have been in touch with John and here is where we are and where we will end up very shortly. I am waiting only now to hear back about when the production jigs will be ready and how we might test the first production bar to be 100% ready to have the group buy bars shipped out ASAP with a guaranteed fit on any non-wrecked/tweaked cars.

The new E36/5 318ti front bar works with the stock air box and should easily work with most any aftermarket CAI. It clears the stock intake which is the stumbling block of most of the 6-cyl bars fitting our cars. It clears the battery box and allows for + height batteries as well. It is very similar in layout and construction to the Rouge Engineering RaceBrace made for 6-cyl
E36’s as John designed and man futures the RaceBrace for Rogue and gives the same benefits over the average strut brace. It is custom fit for our beloved ti’s and will be tig welded and superbly made as it is recognized that John makes some of the very best bars in the business and has loads of real world race fabrication and engineering experience, This will be a very high quality piece and very well engineered and I want to thank Darren for providing the “fit” car as without a real car to fit the precision can’t be there, it seems he may well be the production “fit” tester as well. I also want to really thank John Mason for putting up with my nagging but he did not need to as he has been eager from the start to make this bar as long as he had someone to work with, thank you John.

So here it is:
Very soon from John’s website at http://www.masonengineering.net/ the prices should be as follows:

Carbon Steel weighs 5 lbs. with Raven Black Satin Powder Coat for $250.00

Aluminum Alloy weighs 2.5lbs with Scotch Brite Brushed finish for $285.00

Shipping on either bar will be approximately $30.00 US/Canada via UPS – no FEDEX and no US Postal service - as the size of it pushes it into a minimum of 30 pounds shipping weight, though the weight in steel is 5 lbs. and aluminum will be half.

By all accounts a very good price for an extraordinary piece of hardware!!!


Now, for the great news for the group buy I will be coordinating as soon as possible. John has graciously given me the following prices and these should be solid and final prices will be given when I officially start the buy:

Minimum group buy quantity for a 10% discount and a modest shipping discount is 6 bars.

Steel $250.00 - $25.00 = $225.00 + $28.00 shipping = $253.00

Aluminum $285.00 - $28.50 = $256.50 + $28.00 shipping = $284.50


If we can get a minimum of 12 bars for the group order we will get a 15% discount:

Steel $250.00 - $37.50 = $212.50 + $28.00 shipping = $240.50

Aluminum $285.00 - $42.75 = $242.25 + $28.00 shipping = $270.25

I will get the group buy details out as soon as possible and once we meet the levels we are after I will likely collect all funds via PayPal and use the same to pay John and he will ship the individual bars as per the above restriction.

So, we have a new strut brace available to us, and a beauty it is. Once this bar is established and we have an idea of the reception of it, John has expressed that he may make available a rear brace of some sort to compliment this new front one.

Thanks,
Dave Ellsworth

[tiFreak]

cool, that's not too much, unfortunately it's more than I can spend right now since I still have plenty of other suspension work to do first, I'll definitely pick one of these up at some point though

[maverick]

Originally Posted by tiFreak

cool, that's not too much, unfortunately it's more than I can spend right now since I still have plenty of other suspension work to do first, I'll definitely pick one of these up at some point though

Great, just stay in touch and it may be a little while getting the word out and a group buy quantity, so who knows. I have looked and looked and it not only is on the cheeper side of the spectrum it is the best bar ever for our cars and I know the version that Rogue is selling is rated very highly as are all of John's products.

Dave

[roadrash]

I'm interested in one, and I know my mechanic has been looking for this sort of thing. I'll let him know to check this out.

[maverick]

Carbon Steel weighs 5 lbs. with Raven Black Satin Powder Coat for $250.00

Aluminum Alloy weighs 2.5lbs with Scotch Brite Brushed finish for $285.00

I just got the weights from John and I will shortly be getting the first production bar for final check and I will take photos and post and have the group buy with all the details in full swing by then, but the prices should be good and even at retail this is the best bar for the buck by a wide margin I think and the more we buy the better as at 12+ with 15% off this becomes a really great deal!

Dave