5erFest return trip story from Zane Coker

[Adam W in MN]

Zane emailed me about some fun he had on the highway returning from 5erFest. Told me to go ahead and post it on the board:

Well, on the way back I had some road kills in Georgia. I know you like this sort of stuff. First was one of those new Hemi cars outside of Atlanta, came up on me fast and started flashing its lights. I took a pull to the right, a hard pull, which kind of woke up the Hemi. He pulled along side me and started his thing. Well, that was it, I laid into her and destroyed that car.

Next near Cordele, Georgia came upon me an exotic (Viper it looked like), back onto my rear and roaring (dam, do these old 5er's attract shit or what). I turned up the boost and downshifted to forth.....I don't know what happened in fourth but the car lunged like never before, like it was in first gear, pegging the speedo, I mean, like a drag car and when I hit 5th it lost the rear and smoked the tires. By the 4-5 shift, I was at least 15 car lengths from the other car and when my tires caught, I could not even see the dam thing! But I must've put too much ont o the motor and fouled the gasket, which was in the design of things. I pulled off for safety at exit 104 in Cordele....right next to the Watermelon Capital Speedway, right in the middle of a drift event. Talk about ironic. I guess that was why there was exotic stuff on 75. The place is in the middle of nowhere and there I was, surrounded by a flock of turbo drift cars.

Anyhow, I've never felt my car pull as hard as it did. My maps must've been funky from my road tune plus the pump gas. My internal pressure readout showed 38psi of boost....oops. Oh, well, part of the fun with these turbo motors. She's up for a refreshing, anyway.

[C.J.]

Damn that is wicked! I'm glad I could meet the guy and see his car.

How was your trip back to Chicago, Adam?

[dworthy]

38psi? Just a tad bit too much on the boost eh? Good to see that the headgasket did what it was designed to do... give.

[Duke]

Damn - blew a solid copper gasket with O-ringed head and block. Now that REALLY sucks, I was hoping that combination was "blow" proof.

Did he get it flat-bedded all the way to FL?

Adam, can you send me Zane's email again. I have lots to talk with him about.

38 PSI must be in the 800-900 RWHP range..................scary. Wonder if he was injecting Methane? If not, that could have contributed to the HG failure.

[Jeremy]

Sounds like the wastegate signal line failed and he overboosted.

Jeremy

[RonW]

First was one of those new Hemi cars...

It may have a hemi, but does it have a Dreikugelwirbelwannenbrennraum?

[bmwperformance]

Damn - blew a solid copper gasket with O-ringed head and block. Now that REALLY sucks, I was hoping that combination was "blow" proof.

Did he get it flat-bedded all the way to FL?

Adam, can you send me Zane's email again. I have lots to talk with him about.

38 PSI must be in the 800-900 RWHP range..................scary. Wonder if he was injecting Methane? If not, that could have contributed to the HG failure.

Scary is an understatement...I mean, it was wicked. When fifth gear pulls as hard as first gear, that's the ticket, man. Motor is fine, too. Just lifted the head and pushed the gasket away from the O Rings....mega cylinder pressure. This gasket is eight years, so figure 8 seasons of pure boost. Not bad. No signs of detonation, either. Good R&D for the m30 platform which shows that these engines can take stupid boost.

Anyway, it was a pleasure meeting all of you at the Fest. I had a fantastic time! Many choice cars there, much appreicated the time and effort that went into them all.

Zane

Duke, my email is: Nastroma@worldnet.att.net

Feel free to contact me anytime.

[Nebraska_e28]

Zane, thanks for your support & open invite! I didn't have the priveliage of chatting with you, but I'll look forward to the next opportunity. Wicked car man, I would love to see some footage of those kills!

Cheers,

LJ

[Azure]

Great to meet you Zane, awesome to finally meet the man who owned the car I drooled over after seeing it so many years ago online back in Australia. You still have the same site after all that time, too!

[Jeremy]

Whoa, a 38psi 4th and 5th gear pull and all you did was push the headgasket back?!?

2 points to overbuilding a motor.

Jeremy

[KillerPM]

First was one of those new Hemi cars...

It may have a hemi, but does it have a Dreikugelwirbelwannenbrennraum?

HAHA.. Best ad I had ever read about the E3.

[alotawatts]

Zane, please post any recent pics you may have of your E12
thx

[Kyle in NO]

There are plenty in the 5er Fest 07 pic thread...

[Patrick McHugh]

Adam! Here's your videos... Sorry to Hijack!

http://s27.photobucket.com/albums/c171/ ... MG1581.flv
http://s27.photobucket.com/albums/c171/ ... MG1580.flv

[c_spargo]

I'm astounded that drivetrain parts put up with that for any time at all.

[Adam W in MN]

I'm astounded that drivetrain parts put up with that for any time at all.

If memory serves, Zane has some pretty extensive mods done to the drivetrain to beef things up in his car.

[c_spargo]

I think we need a refresher course to remind the rest of us how unworthy we are...

[Adam W in MN]

Hey gang, here's an update from Zane on the head gasket he blew on the way home from 5erFest in this turbo E12. Is that car a fucking monster or what? Picture and note he sent me below.

Here's a pic of my gasket blown completely out of the motor! Mind you, this is with studs AND O-rings! Pump gas! If only on a dyno, I wish, but I would imagine almost 1000hp at 38psi to do what I did. FlatOut who made my new gasket says that I was pushing at least that to do what they saw for themselves--and they build custom gaskets for the NHRA Top Fuel crowd all the time.

Not to worry, the high hp book is closed on the black car for a while, or at least until I want to brave it again. She's going to just kick around and remain dependable, as she was meant to be. I got her back together and a good clean up after the trip still remains. Even still, I added some safety margins that will help keep me away from tearing down engines all the time, just in case :o)

Zane

[Nebraska_e28]

That's insane! I wonder how much loot I'd have to dump for results like that?

[C.R. Krieger]

That's insane! I wonder how much loot I'd have to dump for results like that?

If you gotta ask ...

[Kyle in NO]

Its free! Just disconnect your wastegate signal line...

[Nebraska_e28]

Soooo true!

[e28bmw]

If you find a lot of loot I heard Zane built an e24 for somebody.

[Adam W in MN]

If you find a lot of loot I heard Zane built an e24 for somebody.

Yep, he delivered the car to the Sharkfest gathering that was a few weeks before 5erFest 2007. The build took the better part of a year and was pretty much a cost-no-object affair.

Zane is taking on projects like this on the side for people because of the notoriety his black E12 has received. He has his own shop now and does all kinds of work (not just forced induction BMW's). For instance, he did some work on a Grand National recently.

[Nebraska_e28]

Hmm. I've got more time than $$, but on the other hand time builds $$. Perhaps I'll touch base with him down the road once my dreams get a bit closer to reality.

[e28bmw]

Adam Wilson in Chicago,

Is that e24 to the same standards as zane's black car? If so that would be sick. Have you seen it or know anything else about it? I am just amazed at the power output zane can get

[Adam W in MN]

No, the E24 isn't at the hp level of Zane's black E12. I think I asked Zane once about the E12 and he said he didn't think he could ever duplicate that in another car for a customer. It's just too over-the-top as anyone at 5erFest 2007 can attest to.

[Hunter has a Bimmer3]

38 PSI must be in the 800-900 RWHP range

HOLY F***!!!!!!!

[zcoker]

Hey Guys,

Still around and still have the black car and it still runs great. I have not showed it much or done much of anything other than drive it around on weekends to keep things fresh, even thinking of selling it. I got onto a slippery slope with a Porsche 930 turbo slantnose, acquired a few years ago, now at 2600lbs and 500hp, it rips ass like no other. And I thought engine building was easy! Never touch one of these things! But when done, they are very sick cars that takes much nerve to hang on to and not black out....else kill yourself. I was even thinking of getting a Fla. tag which says "WIDMKR" for widow-maker. haha Anyhow, thanks for all the memories and glad you guys think of me or my car often. You guys are great!

My email is: nastroma@comcast.net

I'll help anyone with advice, knowledge or what have you.

[BDK]

Gawd, whatta blast from the past....

Zane you gotta post pics now,,,, it's the rule....