WE’VE BOUGHT A BMW M635 CSi SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO
Report 6: the war on rust begins. Then it’s all about Group A goodies
There was a point recently where this M6 track car idea seemed like a terrible plan. I think it was after the seats had been thrown aside and the 35-year-old carpet was being prised away from the floorpan. This was quickly quashed at the sight of what lurked under the carpet. I’m not sure if you can call it carpet, as it appears to be the only thing holding it all together. Forget a carbon monocoque chassis; this M6 utilises man-made fibres infused with oxidised metal to deliver a chassis as rigid as an answer from Dominic Cummings.
Not that any rust should come as a surprise, however. But for those crying out for a sympathetic restoration, there’s nothing sympathetic about the condition of the bits being removed. They’re about as clean as the new 4-Series grille is subtle. And the solution to both issues involves a recycling bin and starting afresh.
It’s only right to question such a drastic decision, at the very least to make sure you’ve not gone entirely mad. But there’s no need to worry when you see the work and quality of CNC Motorsport, as Group A restoration is the firm’s bread and butter. So, an M6 with some go-faster bits is hardly asking ‘em to engineer the space shuttle.
What’s on the menu? First, Alan and the team will be making the chassis solid. This could be a 10-hour job, could be 100-plus hours. Once solid and prepped, a six-point roll cage will be fabricated which handily retains the dash and doorcards, as per the Group A rules.
Next on the CNC machine are the all-important centrelock wheels; three-piece with a mesh design finished in JPS-style gold. There are no tacky adapters involved here; AWS machines its own hub conversions, drive pegs and nuts all required to convert the M6 from five-stud to a single centrelock fitting instead.
It should – touch wood – be fairly straightforward stuff. But if the next three updates involve Alan poking a rusty sill with a screwdriver and shaking his head, you can assume it’s anything but.