March 2012

This issue: Track Car Project BMW On Demand National Board Meeting Remembering Two Significant Members live green print green

At Commerce Printing, we are committed to minimizing the environmental impact of our operations. From simply recycling our paper trimmings to powering our entire facility with wind energy, we remain dedicated to the conservation of our natural resources for the present as well as future generations.

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS IN BUSINESS

916.442.8100 • www.commerceprinting.com live green print green The Ultimate May 19, 8:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Candlestick Park, San Francisco Upcoming schools: Driving Skills July 28 and October 20 Experiment with your car’s handling! Break your old bad habits! Have some fun, while you pick up some useful driving skills! The GGC Car-Control Clinic is the perfect answer, whether you’re starting out as a teen driver, or just want to hone your talents. Remember, the Car-Control Clinic is a prerequisite for GGC track schools, too! But it’s also terrifi c fun—and useful!—in its own right.

Things to know: What you get: • Must be a member of BMW CCA • Personalized attention from • Must have a valid driver’s license experienced GGC instructors (no learner’s permits) • Instruction geared to your level • Notarized Minor Release Waiver • Short “chalk talk” followed by required if you are under 18 hands-on exercises (see the GGC website, clinic • Skid pad, slalom, and overview) braking exercises • Two students can share one car • Learn proper use of steering (each must register separately) wheel, brakes, and throttle • allowed • Approved pre-requisite for on-track • Be open-minded and willing to high-performance driving school have fun!

At Commerce Printing, we are committed to minimizing the environmental Car-Control Clinic impact of our operations. From simply recycling our paper trimmings to powering our • Online only: go to www.ggcBMWcca.org/Calendar • Registration is fi rst come, fi rst served; opens 6-8 weeks prior to the clinic entire facility with wind energy, we remain dedicated to the conservation of our natural • Only $120 per student—lunch included! ($168 for non-members, includes resources for the present as well as future generations. one-year membership to BMW CCA)

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS IN BUSINESS

916.442.8100 • www.commerceprinting.com March 2012 Die Flüsternde Bombe 1

Photos by Christina Breton 2 Die Flüsternde Bombe March 2012 Contents Volume 41, No. 3 March, 2012

FEATURES In Memory: Scott McClenahan 12 In Memory: Leif Anderberg 13 BMW On Demand 14 National Board Meeting 17 Anatomy of a Track Car 19

14 DEPARTMENTS Chapter Information 4 Calendar Of Events 6 Announcements 8 Minutes 22 New Members 24 Meanwhile, Back At The Wrench... 27 Factory Authorized BMW Dealers 28 BMW CCA Discounts 28 19

On the cover Die Flüsternde Bombe: Here’s the way to see “The Whispering Bomb” Europe in style: Rent a The Official Magazine of the BMW 740d from BMW‘s Golden Gate Chapter, BMW CCA Die Welt in Munich. Your input is encouraged! Magazine submissions 1969-2012: Celebrating 43 years BMW Group Press deadline is the first of each of BMW enthusiasm in the Golden month prior to publication. Gate region.

March 2012 Die Flüsternde Bombe 3 CHAPTER INFORMATION Board Members GGC, BMW CCA GGC BOARD [email protected] Golden Gate Chapter, BMW CCA, Inc. is a nonprofit California PRESIDENT Donna Seeley. [email protected] corporation, it is a chapter of the BMW Car Club of America, and VICE PRESIDENT Kelly Collins, [email protected] is not connected with Bayerische Motoren Werke AG or BMW of SECRETARY Open. [email protected] North America. Die Flüsternde Bombe is a publication of the Golden Gate Chapter, all ideas, opinions, and suggestions expressed in regard TREASURER Tamara Hull. [email protected] to technical or other matters are solely those of the authors, and no MEMBERSHIP CHAIR Ian Dunn, 253 797-0273, [email protected] authentication, endorsement, or guarantee is expressed or implied. MEMBERS-AT-LARGE Roger Ball, Canyon Chan Golden Gate Chapter BMW CCA, Inc. assumes no liability for any of Event Staff the information contained herein. No factory approval is implied unless CHIEF DRIVING INSTRUCTORS Billy Maher, 707 546-5572 so indicated. Modification of your BMW within the warranty period Peter Vinsel, [email protected] may void the warranty, and some modifications may violate federal CHIEF STEWARD Jeff Stowe or state laws or regulations. All contents remain the property of the TRACK SCHOOL PROJECT MANAGER Kelly Collins, [email protected] chapter, but BMW CCA and BMW ACA chapters may quote or copy from the publication, provided full credit is given to the author and the DRIVING EVENTS COORDINATOR Tammi Hull, [email protected] Golden Gate Chapter, unless other wise noted or specifically prohibited. CHIEF SCRUTINEER Ramon Le Francois, 408 956-1662 Chapter Mailing Address: CAR-CONTROL CLINIC COORDINATORS Canyon Chan, Grant Low, Mark Magee, and Paula Williamson: [email protected] Golden Gate Chapter BMW CCA 68 Mitchell Blvd, Suite 250 AUTOCROSS COORDINATOR Rodger Ball and Jeff Roberts, [email protected] San Rafael, CA 94903 AUTOCROSS CAR CLASSIFICATIONS Daniel McCormick, [email protected] TECHNICAL SESSION COORDINATOR Hernan Pelassini, [email protected] DRIVING TOURS ORGANIZER Mike Zampiceni, [email protected] BMW CCA CHARITABLE EVENTS COORDINATOR Joe Fant, [email protected] The BMW Car Club of America, lnc. is a not-for-profit national as- BMW FESTORICS COORDINATOR [email protected] sociation of over 70,000 members, dedicated to the enjoyment of Bombe Team driving . Membership is not limited to BMW owners and aims to provide access to driving and social events, maintenance and technical EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kelly Kirkland, 650 400-9300, [email protected] information, parts discounts, and more. Dues are $48 per year, with an ADVERTISING MANAGER Percy Chow, 925 323-4844, [email protected] associate member added for $10 more. Members receive the monthly REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Jonathan Bush, Percy Chow, Dennis Harrold, Aleksey Kadukin Roundel magazine and a newsletter from their local chapter, or from a PRINTING Commerce Printing chapter of their choice. The Golden Gate Chapter is one of the largest Requests for replacement or extra copies of the GGC newsletter should be directed to the chapters in the BMW CCA with over 4,300 members. membership chair. For a new membership or to renew an existing one, please call toll free Communications Team 800 878-9292 or visit www.bmwcca.org. Visa and Mastercard accepted. COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Kelly Collins, [email protected] BMW CCA mailing address: WEBMASTER Kris Linquist, [email protected] 640 South Main St., Suite 201 GRAPHIC DESIGN Percy Chow, www.percydesign.com Greenville, SC 29601 Area Representatives Phone: 864 250-0022 NORTH BAY Paula Williamson, 707 695-3998, [email protected] Fax: 864 250-0038 www.bmwcca.org SAN FRANCISCO Ian Dunn, 253 797-0273, [email protected] EAST BAY Mary Sandkohl, 510 530-4871, [email protected] PENINSULA Ken Glidewell, 650 799-8212, [email protected] MEMBER UPDATES SOUTH BAY Kris Linquist, 408 392-0890, [email protected] Membership address corrections are only accepted at the MONTEREY BAY AREA Mark Radovan, 831 421-0519, [email protected] BMW CCA website or national office. SAN LUIS OBISPO AREA Dennis Harrold, [email protected] BMW CCA Pacific Region VP NATIONAL BOARD REPRESENTATIVE Jeff Cowan, 650 322-4938, [email protected] PRIVACY STATEMENT By joining the BMW Car Club of America (BMW CCA), you provided personal information that allows us to contact you. BMW CCA provides this information to the Golden Gate Chapter (GGC) of the BMW CCA MAGAZINE AD RATES PER MONTH: for the following purposes: • To send the GGC magazine Commit to: 1 issue 2-3 issues 4-7 issues 8-10 issues Commercial Advertising: (Die Flüsternde Bombe) by U.S. Mail. Inside black and white ads: This publication is read monthly • To help us create content and events most relevant to you. Full page $344 $327 $310 $275 by over 4,300 BMW enthusiasts in • To alert you to updated information and other new services Northern California. Deadline for from ggcbmwcca.org using an email announcement list. 1/2 page $188 $179 $169 $150 new ad artwork is the fifth day of GGC BMW CCA does not distribute personal information to any 1/4 page $135 $125 $113 $105 each month prior to publication. third parties. The information you provide to BMW CCA to be used Please submit artwork to the Ad- by the GGC will not be used for any other purpose—we promise. Bus. card $ 88 $ 84 $ 79 $ 70 vertising Manager. Inside color ads: Commercial advertisers are re- Full page $500 $475 $450 $400 sponsible for supplying their own PUBLISHING 1/2 page $263 $250 $237 $210 ad copy. All commercial advertising Die Flüsternde Bombe is produced monthly (except for combined issues must be paid in advance. Contact Nov/Dec and Jan/Feb). Article/photo submission deadline is the first day 1/4 page $175 $166 $156 $146 the Advertising Manager for further of each month prior to publication. Submissions go to the Editor at: Bus. card $99 $94 $89 $84 details: [email protected]. [email protected]. Please note, this publication is sent Specified Placement fee: 25% of ad cost/mo. Bulk Rate USPS. Inside front/back cover: For Web or Email-blast advertising rates, please contact the Advertising Full page $513 $488 $462 $410 Manager. Back Cover: $775 $737 $698 $620

4 Die Flüsternde Bombe March 2012 ACROSS THE BOARD

e just finished our first driving school Ten years ago, BMW chairman Helmut Panke of the 2012 season at legendary addressed the crowd at the Paris Motor Show and included Laguna Seca—a big success! But with this little gem: “The BMW brand stands for a promise of the Wweeks and months of behind-the-scenes planning and fascinating, individual automobiles, and we shall continue number-crunching of budgets that I end up putting into to keep our promise in this respect. A part of this prom- these events, I often wonder why I torture myself like this! ise is never to build a boring And then it all comes back to me. As soon as I drive out BMW.” I hope BMW continues of the hot pit and enter the track, I have the next 30 min- to uphold this promise, and I utes all to myself— pure freedom and “The BMW brand stands for a promise fun. I get to leave behind the stress of fascinating, individual automobiles, and and demands of work we shall continue to keep our promise and crabby bosses, the house that needs in this respect. A part of this promise is cleaning, the dry never to build a boring BMW.” cleaning that needs to be picked up, the By Kelly Collins, Vice President dentist appointment also hope you are never bored that STILL hasn’t managed to schedule itself. There are no with your BMW. texts, no calls, no emails. Turn after turn, lap after lap, I get If you are, I have the perfect solution: Sign up for a to focus on nothing but my car and my driving. There is driving school. You already own the perfect car for it—and always something new to learn, and bad habits to break! I promise you it won’t be boring! It certainly helps that I love driving, but whether I’m tearing up the local off-ramps of West San Jose or hitting up Whole Foods for groceries, my car just makes me happy. Driving it on track is an added bonus. It’s like our little secret: I’ve seen a side of my car that few people ever get the chance to experience. I come away from every driving school with a new respect for my car. Its engineering and capabilities never cease to amaze and delight me. THIS is truly what our BMWs were meant to do!

March 2012 Die Flüsternde Bombe 5 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

xxMARCH xxAUGUST Mar 3 Car-Control Clinic GG Chpt Aug 17 Legends of the Autobahn* Central Cal Candlestick Park, San FranciscoSOLD OUT! Canyon Chan Monterey legendsoftheautobahn.org ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] Aug 18-19 BMW CCA Festorics* Central Cal Mar 10 Autocross Test & Tune GG Chpt Monterey Frank Patek festorics.org Marina Municipal Airport, Marina Jeff Roberts Aug 25 Autocross GG Chpt ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] Marina Municipal Airport, Marina Jeff Roberts xxAPRIL ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] Apr 14 Autocross GG Chpt xxSEPTEMBER Marina Municipal Airport, Marina Jeff Roberts Sep 17-23 BMW CCA Oktoberfest* BMW CCA ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] Mid-Ohio Course, Columbus, OH BMW CCA xxMAY bmwccaofest.org May 5 Autocross GG Chpt Sep 21-23 FIA WTCC Corral GG Chpt Marina Municipal Airport, Marina Jeff Roberts Infineon Raceway, Sonoma Donna Seeley ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] ggcbmwcca.org May 19 Bimmerfest Bimmerfest Sep 22 Autocross GG Chpt Rose Bowl, Pasadena Marina Municipal Airport, Marina Jeff Roberts bimmerfest.com ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] May 19 Car-Control Clinic GG Chpt xxOCTOBER Candlestick Park, San Francisco Canyon Chan Oct 20 Car-Control Clinic GG Chpt ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] Marina Municipal Airport, Marina Canyon Chan xxJUNE ggcbmwcca.org Jun 2 Autocross GG Chpt Oct 21 Autocross GG Chpt Marina Municipal Airport, Marina Jeff Roberts Marina Municipal Airport, Marina Jeff Roberts ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] Jun 2-3 Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival CorralGG xxNOVEMBER Chpt Infineon Raceway, Sonoma General Racing Nov 3 Top Driver Shootout GG Chpt generalracing.com Marina Municipal Airport, Marina Jeff Roberts Jun 10 Tour & Steam Train Ride GG Chpt ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] Niles Canyon Railway, Fremont Mike Zampiceni Nov 9-11 Thunderhill Driving School GG Chpt ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows Kelly Collins xxJULY ggcbmwcca.org Jul 14 GGC Summer Party GG Chpt * Indicates a regional or national Club event Private Residence, Los Altos Hills Jeff Cowan To add an event to the calendar, email your information to: ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] [email protected] Jul 28 Car-Control Clinic GG Chpt Candlestick Park, San Francisco Canyon Chan ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] Jul 29 Autocross GG Chpt Candlestick Park, San Francisco Jeff Roberts ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] Connect With Us GGC Website www.ggcbmwcca.org & Calendar GGC-Monthly www.ggcbmwcca.org/?page=subscribe e-Blast Mailing tinyurl.com/GGC-BMW-CCA-fan tinyurl.com/BMWccaFacebook http://twitter.com/ggcbmwcca http://twitter.com/ggcbmwccaautox http://twitter.com/bmwcca tinyurl.com/BMWccaLinkedIn

BMW CCA www.bmwcca.org Website www.bmwccaOfest.org

6 Die Flüsternde Bombe March 2012 March 2012 Die Flüsternde Bombe 7 ANNOUNCEMENTS You will learn the basics of per- BOMBED OUT formance-car control by participating in three low-speed exercises—slalom, Help us pick a name! We think it’s time to update the skidpad, and emergency-avoidance tac- Calendar name of our chapter magazine—Die Flüsternde Bombe. The tics—complete with instruction. These Whispering Bomb is a term that the German magazine exercises will better prepare you for situ- Auto Bild used for BMW 2002s in the late ’60s in reference ations on the track, as well as in everyday to sound its grilles made as it bombed around the race driving. track; help us choose a name that is more fitting for 2012 and beyond! Send your witty suggestions and submissions After this school, you’ll know what to do when your to [email protected]. car begins to slide, or how to safely maneuver in control during that panic stop. Even if you think you know what WE NEED A SOCIAL-EVENTS DIRECTOR! you are doing with your current skills, come out and The Golden Gate Chapter is seeking a social-events explore the limits of your car in a controlled setting. This director to plan and coordinate enjoyable social activities is also an exceptional (and fun!) school for teenagers and for our chapter members. This position is key to helping the beginning drivers. chapter retain members! The ideal candidate is someone Attending a car-control clinic is a prerequisite for all who enjoys people and can produce events that appeal first-timers (with no previous on-track driving experience) to a broad audience, creating new opportunities as well who plan to attend our high-performance driving schools. as continuing the tradition of our most popular events. If Event cost is $110 for BMW CCA members and $158 you are interested in volunteering, please send an email to for non-members (which includes a one-year BMW CCA [email protected]. membership). Lunch is included. If you plan to attend, TECH-SESSION COORDINATOR please read our event overview! WANTED Registration for our clinics begins approximately 6–8 weeks before the event. For more information, see the CCC Do you love the technical aspects of cars? Maybe the Overview or contact the CCC team. perfect opportunity is here waiting for you: The GGC has a vacancy in our tech-session-coordinator position. This job Our 2012 schedule: entails scheduling, managing, and promoting tech-oriented May 19 (Candlestick) October 20 (Marina) events for our chapter members. The ideal candidate will July 28 (Candlestick) plan tech sessions at local shops and companies that cover AUTOCROSS TEST & TUNE a variety of topics. March 10 Perhaps you’ve read about many of the interesting past Marina Municipal Airport, Marina sessions that Aleksey Kadukin has organized during the Autocross team, [email protected] last several years; members have had the opportunity to go into top-level shops to learn about suspension setups, This is a non-compete, pre-season event offered to those body and paint technology, detailing, etc. Being in the interested in seeing what driving an autocross course is all heart of Silicon Valley, the range of prospective sessions about, without the formalities and competition. is wide open for this coordinator; within our area, we’ve We will have a short autocross course setup with various got so many big-name firms to choose from: the BMW elements you can expect to see during a competition event. Tech Office, Dinan, Tesla, Chevron, Canepa Design, and a Coaches will ride with you to give you tips and help you variety of high-end tuners and shops. If you are interested get comfortable with this type of driving. No run groups in volunteering for this position, please send an email to or classes are assigned, just plenty of fun driving! [email protected]. In addition, we’ll offer several test areas for experienced 2012 CARS OF GGC CALENDAR autocrossers to use to dial in their suspensions and tire pressures at a venue we use most frequently. It’s like the swimsuit issue of Sports Illustrated, so you Further details and pricing are available on the website. don’t want to miss out on the all new Cars Of GGC calendar— available now at the GGC Cafe Press Store for only $16.50! While you’re there, check out the other GGC-logo items available. And yes, for those who have missed it, the famous GGC thong is back in stock—a perfect accompaniment for the calendar! cafepress.com/ggcbmwcca CAR-CONTROL CLINIC March 3 Candlestick Park,SOLD San Francisco OUT! CCC Team, [email protected] Car-control clinics are our Club’s greatest community service. Because of these courses, there are now many bet- ter and safer drivers who share the road with you and me. Why don’t you become one of them, too?

8 Die Flüsternde Bombe March 2012 CENTRAL CAL CHAPTER: airport runways. Generally, a course will be defined ONE-DAY DRIVING SCHOOL using traffic cones. One at a time, drivers negotiate the course, testing their skills against the clock. Time penal- April 13 (Friday) ties are charged for disturbing cones, with a penalty of Buttonwillow Raceway, Buttonwillow, CA one second per cone. As a rule, each driver takes six to cccbmwcca.org seven runs at an event, and is awarded the best time of BMW CCA Driving Schools are conducted on a closed all runs taken. circuit and supervised by experienced instructors, resulting This is an inexpensive, safe way to experience racing. It in a safer learning environment. The primary emphasis of develops your driving ability, and helps you discover your the high-performance driving school is a hands-on driving car’s capabilities and limitations—making you a better, experience in your own car—with a BMW CCA driving safer driver on the road. Many would-be race drivers use instructor sitting beside you. it as a jumping-off point into the sport of road racing, but You will learn how to handle and control your car in this the greatest thrill of autocross is the challenge of beating secure environment, which will prepare you for emergencies your own time. It’s fun! Want to learn more? Check out and allow you to discover your limits and your car’s capabili- our Autocross Primer at ggcbmwcca.com under Driving ties. In addition to one-on-one instruction with your instruc- Events>Autocross, or visit bmwautocross.com. tor, there are classroom sessions, which help teach driving Non-BMWs are allowed to participate, but all partici- theory that is subsequently applied on the track. A driving pants must be BMW CCA members. If you are not currently school is an excellent way to enjoy your car, while building a member, you can add a BMW CCA membership during skills and driving proficiency. The school is open to students the registration process and pay during checkout. of all skill levels. Novices with no track event experience are welcome! Our A group will feature the A+ curriculum. Event cost is $50 (a sack lunch is optional for an extra $5). Our lunch break is only 30 minutes long. You must The price is $250 for members of BMW CCA, $298 for return on time! The drivers’ meeting begins at 9:00 a.m.; if non-members (includes a one-year membership in the BMW you miss the drivers’ meeting, you will not be allowed to CCA). Register immediately at MotorsportsReg.com— regis- participate in the event. tration is open until April 6, unless we fill the school earlier! Registration is only at MotorsportReg.com AUTOCROSS: FIRST OF THE SEASON! Upcoming autocross dates: April 14 May 5 (Marina) September 22 (Marina) Marina Municipal Airport, Marina June 2 (Marina) October 21 (Marina) July 29 (Candlestick) November 3 (TDS: Marina) Autocross team, [email protected] August 25 (Marina) Our first official autocross of the season! Autocross events are low- to medium-speed auto- TOUR AND STEAM-TRAIN RIDE racing events that are often run in parking lots and on June 10 Fremont Mike Zampiceni, [email protected] This tour starts in east San Jose and ends in the Niles Servicing BMW's in Campbell since 1990 district of Fremont. We’ll start out the morning the right way, by travers- ing some entertaining back roads east of San Jose, then head over to the Niles Canyon Railway in Fremont. Here we’ll take a ride on a restored steam train to the village of Sunol and back. Lunch is planned in the Niles area for after the ride. The Loma Prieta Region of the Club of America will be joining us for this event. GGC SUMMER PARTY! July 14 BMW Scheduled Inspections and Service Preventive Maintenance, Repairs and Private Residence, Los Altos Hills Upgrades for: Mark your calendars; we’ve set a date for our chap- ter party! We’ll start the day with a great touring drive Engine (optional) over some fantastic mountain roads. The party Transmission and Driveline starts in the afternoon at an incredible private residence, Suspension where you’ll be treated to a feast and a pool party. Bring Brakes the whole family to this one—it’s always the best gathering of the year! 408-379-7828 Online registration and additional details will be avail- 25 S. Central Ave in Campbell, California able as we get closer to the date. We are passionate about BMW's and it shows in our work

March 2012 Die Flüsternde Bombe 9 43RD ANNUAL GGC FACEBOOK PAGE/TWITTER BMW CCA OKTOBERFEST Thank you to everyone who “likes” the Golden Gate September 17-23 Chapter BMW CCA on Facebook! At this point, there are Columbus, OH 1,101 of you—and the numbers keep growing! Our Facebook BMW CCA, bmwccaOfest.org page can help you to stay up to date on the latest chapter For BMW fanatics, there’s nothing like the annual BMW happenings: news, social events, and driving events. CCA Oktoberfest. Every year, hundreds gather from around Not on board yet, but want to be? Find us at tinyurl. the country to celebrate the joy of owning a BMW. There’s com/GGC-BMW-CCA-fan. something for everyone, whether you love to compete—on You can also follow us on Twitter @ggcbmwcca. We’ll and off the track at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course—improve tweet the latest info from our various events and keep you your driving skills, or just have a good time. If you’re a posted on all things GGC. racer, a tuner, or a cruiser—or if you just love BMWs—you won’t want to miss Oktoberfest 2012. CHAPTER MERCHANDISE THUNDERHILL DRIVING SCHOOL! It’s time to stock up on eco-friendly hoodies, shirts, and caps with the GGC logo to show everyone your chapter pride! November 9-10 Our two stores also have chapter stickers, mugs, mouse pads, Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows license-plate frames, and bags. Don’t forget to pick up the Kelly Collins, [email protected] latest edition of the Cars Of GGC calendar, too! Visit our Come learn the art of high-performance driving at merchandise and apparel stores at cafepress.com/ggcbmwcca our Thunderhill driving school! The focus of our driving and http://ces.landsend.com/BMWCCA-GoldenGate. school is on safety and education; every student is assigned BMW COLLECTABLES an instructor until they are signed off at the event. Our dedicated team of experienced instructors will help you Looking for some cool, historic BMW-related parapher- learn at a comfortable and enjoyable pace. nalia to fill out your collection? The BMW CCA Founda- tion’s online store is filled with temptations for you. They Your vehicle must undergo a technical inspection by a now have over 230 different BMW brochures listed—both qualified mechanic within 30 days of the event. Bring the cars and motorcycles. completed, stamped, and signed GGC Tech Inspection Form with you to registration. Self-techs are not allowed, and Be sure to check out all the other great items in the store. tech-inspection forms other than GGC’s will not be accepted. They are still offering free shipping within the U.S., and they’re constantly adding new items to the store, so check Check the website for additional details. the site out often! bmwccaFoundationStore.com.

10 Die Flüsternde Bombe March 2012 March 2012 Die Flüsternde Bombe 11 SCOTT MCCLENAHAN DEC. 17, 1960 - FEB. 5, 2012 IngosImages.com McClenahan Flicker archive McClenahan Flicker

GC driving instructor and group leader Annie Nesbit created these stickers to honor Scott at the most recent GGC driving school at Laguna Seca. The background is the Saint Andrew’s Cross, the Scottish national flag, which Scott had painted on his racing helmet.

here was a memorial celebration on console myself. The next day, when I arrived at the track, my February 11 in honor of Scott McClenahan, friends were all busy getting ready for the race. Amid the who passed away recently. The service was chaos, I noticed my broken car sitting there with a trophy on heldT at the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco and it. The guys noticed my puzzled face and revealed Scottie’s was attended by nearly 300 people. It was a wonderful scheme. He had gotten my car cleaned and waxed, and then gathering representing the many facets of Scottie’s life. entered it into the accompanying concours d’elegance—and Scottie’s first priority in life was family—his wife Shaun it won!! It really revitalized my outlook on the trip. and son Matthew gave him the most joy. In addition to his Scottie always made the time to make people happy, dedication to his family, he was an accomplished sailor and whether it was through his eternal optimism or by skier, an active vintage racer, and an avid car and motorcycle making them laugh. He was a remarkable guy—one collector. You could always find Scottie racing at Monterey. of the most kind, sharing, considerate, humorous, and You could truly call him a bon vivant with a tremendous talented people I have ever known. My friend will truly appetite for life; he was a person who made everyone around be missed.—Bruce Nesbit him happier for knowing him. Scottie was also a GGC driving instructor for nearly twenty years, and had many significant BMWs among his Dear, Tammi [Hull], Bill [Arnold], and the Golden collection. I remember back in 1987, eight of us arranged for Gate Chapter. our Formula Junior race cars to be hauled to Road America Thank you for your gorgeous gift of flowers at in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, for the 30th anniversary of Scott’s Celebration of Life ceremony last Saturday. The Formula Junior. We arrived on a Thursday afternoon to find arrangement was beautiful and we were all honored by that our truck was late. Since that day was the designated your thoughtfulness. day for unloading and getting your pit arranged for the start of practice on Friday, we were all climbing the walls, BMWs, the BMW driving schools, and race events wondering when our cars would arrive. Then someone have always been a passion and highlight of Scott’s noticed that Scottie was missing. Since he and I were shar- life. For me, they bring back some hilarious fun and ing a two-bedroom suite, I looked there to see how he was great memories. dealing with the stress of the delay. I found him there, sitting Thank you for sending your support in this on his bed with a big goofy grin—he was spelling out the special way. words “Elkhart Lake” on his bedspread using the dead flies that had accumulated on the windowsill! Very truly yours, Well, the truck did eventually arrive and unloaded later Shaun Halverson that night, so all was well. The practice sessions were going (Scott’s wife, past and future BMW driving partici- well until the final session, when my car’s engine blew up; pant—beginning in 2018, when Matthew is old enough my weekend was done, so I went back to the hotel bar to to drive Scott’s 1972 3.0CSL, my M3, or another BMW.)

12 Die Flüsternde Bombe March 2012 LEIF ANDERBERG 1940-2012

orn in Stockholm in 1940, Leif Anderberg International Council meetings, and newsletter editor. soon emigrated to the United States, For many, many years, he and Fia were the chapter’s where he met and married Fia, also a driving-school organizers, as well as helping to organize SwedishB expatriate. Eventually they moved to Southern hundreds of other events—autocrosses, picnics, tours, California, where Leif worked for a well-known global barbecues, Christmas parties, beer tastings, hillclimb marketing and advertising research company. drives, beach parties, tech sessions, and camping trips. In September 1969, Leif and Fia purchased a brand- In 1995, BMW established the Friend Of The Marque new BMW 2002. That same year, Leif found an ad award, recognizing “enthusiasts whose personal com- for a BMW Car Club of Boston and promptly became mitment to their passion extends far beyond the normal.” Member #154. Shortly thereafter, in April 1970, the As that was the exact definition of the love Leif and Fia Anderbergs joined about three dozen other Los Ange- had for all things BMW, they were among the first to be les BMW fans to form the BMW Automobile Club of named Friends Of The Marque. America (BMW ACA). Anderberg succumbed to an apparent heart attack Anderberg was elected the first president of the in January 2012. He was preceded in death by his BMW ACA. Leif and Fia were fiercely loyal to both clubs wife, Fia, in 1997. I’m sure his wings have Motorsport until they merged in the late 1990s, with the ACA’s LA stripes—and his halo is a roundel.—Delight Lucas, contingent becoming LA Chapter of the BMW Car Club LA Chapter president of America. Through the years, Anderberg served several terms as LA Chapter president, as well as chairman of the board, membership chair, secretary, observer at the

March 2012 Die Flüsternde Bombe 13 BMW ON DEMAND Rent A Modern BMW

BMW Group Press MW On Demand lets you experience your 2. Booking: Collect your BMW of choice from our favorite BMW model right now—even for exclusive on-demand facilities at BMW Welt. just an hour! Would you like to take the 3. Gas and go: Bring your passport, driving license, newB BMW 1 Series for a short shopping trip? How about and credit card; then it’s just gas and go—and experience a whistle-stop tour in the BMW M3 coupe? BMW On pure driving pleasure any place, any time. All costs* will Demand allows you to rent and drive a large number be charged when returning the car. of the latest BMW models at BMW Welt—you can event You can make your family and friends a special pres- rent by the hour. Just drop in and get going—prices ent with our BMW On Demand vouchers. The vouchers start from €16. are sold exclusively in the BMW Shop within the BMW Whether arriving for lunch in style, or exploring Welt. Please get more information about our vouchers via Bavaria, on road or off road, open top or xDrive, BMW On Demand allows you to rent the perfect BMW whatever the occasion. Mobility On Demand from BMW You can make your family and friends a special present: Just donate an individual driving experience now. You can get the vouchers exclusively in the BMW Shop of BMW World. Reserve your driving experience—you pay only four hours for a day (9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.) and two hours for a night (6:00 p.m. – 9:00 a.m.). 1. Registration: Your BMW of choice is just a click away via “reserve now.” Alternatively, you can show up in person and rent via the counter staff at BMW Welt.

14 Die Flüsternde Bombe March 2012 +49 (0) 89/3184-3430. Our BMW On Demand employees will support you anytime by phone or individually at the counter in the BMW Welt. *Includes sales tax, includes insurances (Third Party Liability/Comprehensive Cover/Part Insurance Cover) and in each case €750 deductible, 150 km per paid hour free, series-related additional costs per km can be found on the price sheet, excluding fuel. Prices (as of 02/18/2012): 135i Coupé €25/Hour* Click on “BMW on Demand” for more information at www.-welt.com/web_rb/bmw-welt/en/ 118d €16/Hour* 335i Coupé €30/Hour* 335d Coupè €35/Hour* 525d Limousine €23/Hour* 550i xDrive GT €45/Hour* 535dA Touring €30/Hour* 640d Coupé €40/Hour* 760i Limousine €50/Hour* 740d Limousine €40/Hour* X6 xDrive40d €40/Hour* X5 xDrive40d €35/Hour* M3 Coupé €40/Hour*

March 2012 Die Flüsternde Bombe 15 BMW ON DEMAND more efficient BMW NATIONAL BOARD MEETING 300 was incorporated into JANUARY 2012 Rent A Classic BMW the program as the new top model. BMW LS Luxus In 1959 BMW launched the BMW 700, a dynamic four-seater vehicle. In 1962, the BMW 700 was replaced by the saloon car BMW LS. BMW 3.0CSi Succeeding the BMW 2800CS, the new top model 3.0CSi was created in 1971. Its road performance and luxury features left noth- ing to be desired. More then 8,000 buyers treated themselves to the exclusive BMW Group Press BMW model. rive a classic BMW yourself! Let our BMW 1802 classic BMWs take you back in time to In 1971, five years after the launch of the BMW 02 Series, different eras of automotive history. the 1802, with a 90-horsepower short-stroke engine, was BMWD On Demand offers currently the full range of introduced. BMW ceased production in 1975 after selling BMW models—and in the near future, you can also try 83,000 units. our electric vehicles! With BMW Classic, you can also BMW Z1 rent models from our successful product history. A wide In 1986, after taking a break from roadsters, BMW range of young classics and vintage cars is available. You surprisingly presented the prototype of the BMW Z1. This can choose from a selection of original vehicles, ranging aroused so much interest that BMW produced a from the iconic BMW Isetta to the high-tech roadster batch in the middle of 1988. BMW Z1, to classic BMW motorcycles. BMW R51/3 Experience the unadulterated feeling and the sheer The motorcycling press praised this motorcycle, driving pleasure of a classic BMW. With BMW On Demand particularly the smoothness of the engines and the bike’s you can experience the current BMW M3 Coupe overnight, excellent handling. and drive an Isetta during the day!. Please get further information on the BMW Clas- Rental terms and conditions and prices. sic website, phone +49 (0) 89/382-27021, or email Rental period: Single days, weekends, or weeks. [email protected]. Insurance: Included, fully comprehensive coverage with €1,000 deductible. An additional charge for transportation and transpor- tation insurance applies when renting classics in other European cities.

The following vehicles are available to rent (prices on application): BMW Isetta 300 In 1955, BMW started to build the Isetta under license. This “motocoupé” with a motorcycle engine soon became a favorite amongst the public. At the end of 1955, the

16 Die Flüsternde Bombe March 2012 NATIONAL BOARD MEETING JANUARY 2012

By Don Louv

f you’re reading this, then chances are quite good that you’re a member of the BMW Car Club of America—unless, of course, the irre- sistibleI charm of our articles and photos led you down a path of petty larceny and you stole this magazine. No worries, I won’t report you—we’ll just recruit you! Do you ever wonder what happens behind the scenes of our Club at a national level? I do. One part of the inner workings is our national Board of Directors; they meet on a regular basis to discuss Car Things. Because 2012’s January board meeting happened to be held in nearby Monterey, Louis Goldsman (treasurer) listens intently to Bruce Hazard’s (president) board report. I attended the meeting as an observer. I wasn’t really sure in today requires the Club to have insurance coverage for what to expect, but it is my Club, too, so I went. Stevens all of these events, so at this meeting the Board listened to Creek BMW generously loaned me their ActiveE demo car proposals from insurance companies competing for our for the silent drive down. business. What goes on in the lofty heights of a National Board Most Club events are organized by the local chapters, meeting? What do these people (whom most of us only but the support of the national office is often required to know from their pictures in the back of Roundel) do to keep assist and allow some of the larger events to be organized the Club running? Is it all business talk and negotiations, and coordinated. The big annual event, our BMW CCA or is it dance parties and drag racing? Oktoberfest, is mainly organized by the national office, but Well, let’s reverse a little and talk about why people of course it requires lots of hard work and effort by local join the BMW Car Club in the first place. While I am sure chapter members, too. The Board discussed the planning of that there are twice as many reasons to join as there are O’Fest 2012, but the big secret discussion was the 2013 event, members, I would hazard a guess that it breaks down into which is very likely to happen at and around Laguna Seca. just a handful of general categories: people, events, and (Shhhhhh—it’s still a secret. Don’t let anyone else know information. The Board’s goals are to make all of those that I wrote that. I only tell you this so that you can start connections go more smoothly. arranging your vacation time now. Tell your boss you’ll be Club members are often social creatures. We join the gone for a couple of weeks in August 2013.) Club, participate in events, meet like-minded people, In other areas of national importance, Roundel magazine and forge lasting friendships. Continued participation came up for discussion. Roundel and the chapter newsletters in events year after year brings us together to strengthen are seen by many Club members as the most important rea- those friendships. The Board spends a significant amount son for continuing their membership. It is their connection of time making sure that each of the six national regions to the Club, to the other members, to technical information, can organize events for the members. The world we live and to Club news. We live in the age of information; even

With rapt attention, Gary Davis (Club Racing chairman), Keith Wollenberg Ryan Staub (Liberty Mutual Insurance rep and KC chapter member) and (past RVP and VP), and Paul Dunlevy (South Atlantic RVP) hang on every Neill Maller (DEC National Chairman) keep an eye on the group, while Mike word of the meeting. Lingenfelter (North Central RVP) tries to revive himself with some coffee.

March 2012 Die Flüsternde Bombe 17 our dearest paper Roundel has specify desired gender of bikini a digital version these days. model when submitting your vote. The Board discussed a couple Thanks. of motions regarding Roundel, The Board also discussed a and to no one’s surprise, Satch current plan to help attract new had strong opinions and mature Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) buyers guidance for the Board. to join the Club. A deep and contro- Local chapters are expected versial ongoing issue for the board to publish a newsletter, and is that of recruitment and retention while this is never easy, it is of members; the big debate seems slightly more feasible for large to be who is ultimately responsible chapters such as Golden Gate for attracting new members. Is it a than for some of the tiny and Darcy Yench (secretary) listens to Mike Mills (past challenge left to the local chapters, secretary and Club Racing chairman) while he raises a more remote chapters; small few interesting points. or does the burden lie with the chapters, such as the proposed national board? Similarly, who Guam Chapter, might have a little more of a resource chal- makes sure that those members are happy and well-served? lenge in getting something printed each month—or even Perhaps it is an individual responsibility if each of us wants every quarter. There was some discussion of swapping the Club to continue to be valuable and interesting…. the “required” and “optional” tags on the printed-versus- Debate ensued. online newsletters. The Board is there to try to balance the A few other items came up for the discussion. These had needs of all the chapters, big and small. to do with several membership benefits the Club has negoti- The Board also listened to a request and proposal from ated for us. We get discounts on purchases of new BMWs, a representative from the International Council of BMW discounts at high-end-clothing retailers, discounts at the Clubs—the umbrella organization for all BMW clubs BMW Performance Driving School, and even various types worldwide. This part of the meeting interested me deeply, of extra insurance coverage. Members have been quite vocal because the International Council seems to be the solitary in the past that these benefits are very important to them. link between the disparate worlds of roundel-wearing four- What is a car-club board meeting really like? Well, it’s a wheelers versus two-wheelers. Both of these groups are lot like any other board meeting I’ve attended, be it a group near and dear to my heart, but rarely do I see any admission of volunteers for a tiny neighborhood water company or of a connection between the two. If you happen to see a a major international corporation. There’s an agenda, pre- solitary BMW motorcycle at a BMW Car Club event, there’s sentations, discussions, and lots of voting. Some items are a good chance it’s me, just being contrary. controversial, while others are easy and unanimous. In the Speaking of connections, there seems to be a softening end, it’s all a lot of work done by people whose responsibil- of the hard corporate line about the BMW CCA being more ity it is to represent your best interests—and make being in involved in the Mini side of the family of brands. You might the Club fun and worthwhile. see more Roundel Mini coverage in coming years. However, Change is good. Only ten percent of Club members are a Mini bikini shoot for the Roundel cover probably won’t considered “active” and regularly participate in events; happen—unless demanded by the membership. Please there was quite a bit of discussion about how to increase that percentage. BMW Club member- ship is seeing a change in demographics as new, younger owners rely more on communication and Kelly Kirkland Kelly interaction via new social-network channels. The future of the Club might not be what the Club looks like today. But that’s really up to you and me. Go to your local chapter meetings. Go to the national meeting, if it comes to a town near you. Voice your opinions. Oh, I forgot to mention: There was neither drag racing nor dancing. But if you attend, maybe we can change that for next time. You’re welcome. Don Louv is a writer and photographer for both Die Flüsternde Bombe and for Roundel. Look for his upcoming series of Roundel reports on his adventures as an ActiveE Electronaut—and find out how much he hates that label. The ActiveE pitted for fuel overnight among some lesser competition at the hotel/golf resort. Kirkland Kelly

18 Die Flüsternde Bombe March 2012 ANATOMY OF A TRACK CAR Here’s Olivia at Thunderhill in 2012. With over 40 track days and countless autocross events By Hal Dorton, MServiceGarage under her belt, she’s been through a lot. Dito Milian, gotbluemilk.com Dito Milian,

y wife, Diane, and I were introduced to Overall, she was in pretty good shape, but the Arizona sun autocrossing back in 2005 by Gordon hadn’t done her any favors; the leather needed recondition- White of Edge Motorworks. Diane was ing or replacing. Our goal has always been to drive the car alreadyM driving a 1998 BMW Z3 2.8, so we even had a to all our events, so a comfortable interior with working air very capable car at the time. It didn’t take long before conditioning was a must. we wanted to participate in some high-performance Mechanically, she was solid, with no rust, leaks, smells, driving events (HPDE), but our roadster was not eligible or bad sounds, and the engine accelerated very smoothly. As due to the Club requirement for cars to have a hard an added bonus, a new clutch had recently been installed, top or proper roll bar and arm restraints. Not willing and the catalytic converters were only 5,000 miles old. to modify the lines of the roadster with a roll bar, we began the search for another BMW that could be tracked The first order of business was to replace any worn-out successfully and competitively. components to make her roadworthy. Our priority was the mechanicals: No one cares how fast the car is when it can’t My criteria involved purchase price, maintenance, and make it to an event. We chose the new Vorshlag mounts resale value. The E30 or E36 3 Series are great choices; both for the engine and trans- platforms are very economical, stylish, and competitive. A mission because of their nice E36 325is would versatile, since it would also be accept- streetability ($255.) able for autocross in the SCCA. It could be competitive in either the STX or DSP class. The cooling system is a simple one-shot proj- But we were looking for more power in our next car, ect with a new radiator, something out of the ordinary. An odd color combination water pump, shroud, or a limited-edition color would be nice. expansion tank, cap, and The car that seemed to fill all our requirements turned hoses for $600. We also out to be the E36/4S M3 . This four-door was manufac- modified the system, tured in limited numbers in 1997 and 1998. The added doors using a different ther- would make it easier to throw stuff like our track wheels, mostat and sending unit gear, and tools in the back. It has the same wheelbase, to activate the a/c’s fan weight, and driveline as the coupe, so parts are plentiful. when the coolant tem- We saw pictures and liked the style immediately, but perature exceeds 190°F. couldn’t find one to drive locally. Several weeks later, we Another worthwhile found Olivia, a Boston Green example in Tucson, Arizona, modification was an oil for $9,000. She only had 113,000 miles, with service records; cooler; this is a two- in fact, she was owned by a BMW NA technical writer. driver car at driving

March 2012 Die Flüsternde Bombe 19 events, so Olivia never gets a chance to cool down. With Chassis reinforcement is worth mentioning, because the oil temps reaching 250°F during the summer months, we body of a street car is built for more flexibility than the race decided to install the oil cooler for a little insurance. The parts provide. We ended up cracking the strut mount and a parts were less than $400 and required an Ireland Engi- tearing a bolt hole at the rear trailing-arm bushing. Lesson neering oil cap, a Hayden 18”-by-11” oil-cooler kit, and two learned: We completely reinforced the chassis, including brass fittings. the rear sway bar. It’s a worthwhile modification that will Olivia came with stock manual seats, which only weigh save you money in the long run. Having a rear trailing arm 50 pounds. Since race seats with new adjustable mounts tear out at speed will ruin your whole day. would still weigh about 35 or 40 pounds, we decided to just The control arms ($370) and bushings ($200) were reupholster the original front seats in the same color, but replaced with new rubber; the rear trailing-arm bushing in vinyl for greater durability. You have to look closely to got Delrin (acetal resin) see the difference between the vinyl and leather, and the limiters ($40) to reduce seats will hold up well at a cost of $800 for the front seats the unwanted excessive and $500 for the rear bench. movement. We really Under the nose of the car, we installed the Motion like to use rubber bush- Motorsports aluminum underpanel ($116) because it was ings, since they allow more robust and costs far less to replace than the plastic some flex and won’t tear OEM pieces that inevitably break on the E36. the mount away from the body, resulting in expensive repairs. The use of adjustable lower control arms ($220) enables us to choose camber, without sacrificing ride height. After we completed the suspension installation, the car was driven about 100 miles before corner-balancing to check our chassis setup. This process sets the weight balance correctly for the car, driver, and track conditions. That’s where the Longacre electronic scale with cables come in; the unit was less than $1,000, but we use it so often at the shop that it has paid for itself ten times over. (Like most other qualified shops, at MServiceGarage we charge $300 to corner balance and align a car.) Next we focused on the suspension, choosing various tried-and-true aftermarket components. We purchased a Once the corner-balance was done, we aligned the new TC Kline single adjustable coil-over setup ($1,700), wheels using the Hunter alignment system with WinAlign. but found the spring rates were far too soft for our heavy Our typical settings are -3.5 degrees front and -2.5 degrees sedan; the coils would bind or ride the bump stops. The rear, with zero toe-in for the front and 1/8-inch of toe for next year we found and installed a used TC Kline double the rear. This allows us to track and autocross without adjustable coil-over setup with stiffer springs. We had making changes. If Olivia just autocrossed, we would set already installed UUC 30-mm front and 24-mm rear sway front toe-out about 1/8 inch for better turn-in. bars, but later replaced the front bar with a smaller 27-mm Since she was built for Street Touring Ultimate (STU) for unit for better turn-in. The front shocks were rebuilt and SCCA, Olivia had several modifications that were required in the rears revalved to accommodate stiffer rear springs. It’s order to be competitive. Weight is the enemy, so we bought essential to use the strut-tower reinforcement plates ($18), the lightest wheels we could find that would hold the widest or you run the risk of damaging the strut towers with the tire. We chose 255/40-17 rubber—a 27-pound tire—mounted added compression forces generated by higher spring rates. on a 17”x9” 40-mm-offset TR Motorsports wheels ($1,420). Since they weigh 16.3-pounds each, that’s 47 pounds per cor- ner; the original OEM package weighed close to 60 pounds. Unsprung weight will slow you and the suspension down; every pound of unsprung weight removed from the suspension is like removing ten pounds from the body. We even found a used a lightweight 24-pound cat-back exhaust ($100) to replace the 65-pound stock unit, and a cold-air intake ($300) to replace the original airbox. After the Conforti chip was installed ($369), the 117,000-mile engine

20 Die Flüsternde Bombe March 2012 pumped itself to Direzza Z-1 Star Specs. The Dunlops are more expensive, 228 horsepower but heat up faster—giving you a good first run—while the at the rear wheels. Hankook RS3s take a while to heat up, making your first run We identified a throw-away. Bridgestone Potenza RE-11s and Toyo Proxes a problem with R1Rs also work well, depending on vehicle weight. the differential: On the track, Dunlop Star Specs are our tire of choice These 25%-lockup for a rainy day. In our opinion, the grip levels in the wet units only last far surpass other brands. 100,000 miles, Track and competition rated R-compound rubber comes and ours was no in all flavors, too. For autocross, the Hoosier A6 is probably exception. This is the best, the Kumho Ecsta V710 follows a close second, and probably the most even Hankook makes for a tire with high-grip levels: the overlooked and misunderstood piece of the drivetrain; Ventus Z214 C71. When on track, the Hoosier R6 is a great nine out of ten people will tell you they have a limited-slip tire, but expensive. Olivia runs on Hankook Ventus Z214 differential (LSD) in their car, but after 100,000 miles, the C51 or BF Goodrich g-Force R1s for dry track days. clutches have worn, and it’s become an open differential like non-LSD equipped cars. After we replaced our worn- Over the last three years, we’ve put 29,000 miles on out unit ($1,400) and took her through a careful break-in Olivia, and can say that the E36 M3 is still very reliable procedure, Olivia now puts the power down out of corners. and very easy to drive fast. Remember to stop for downed It’s not a cheap replacement, but it’s worth every penny. cones and watch for flags! Is your LSD worn out, too? Here’s how to check: Use a jack to lift one rear tire slightly off the ground, leaving the other on the ground. Take the parking brake off and HANDLING ADJUSTMENT CHART put the transmission in neutral. It should require nearly 20 MSERVICEGARAGE.COM foot-pounds of force to turn the lifted wheel; if it’s much Parameter Increase Understeer Increase Oversteer less, then your differential clutches are worn out. Front Tire Pressure Lower Higher Brakes were very important, and we found the stock Rear Tire Pressure Higher Lower brake system to be very competent—though the brake bits Front Tire Width Smaller Larger out on the axle did get some updating. Initially, we ran Rear Tire Width Larger Smaller Zimmerman cross-drilled rotors, but they cracked and Front Wheel Camber More Positive More Negative basically acted like a cheese grater on the pads. Then we Rear Wheel Camber More Negative More Positive tried Brembo blank rotors, which seem to do a great job and Front Springs Stiffer Softer last an entire season without warping. We did rebuild the Rear Springs Softer Stiffer calipers and add stainless-steel lines as well. As for brake pads, for autocross we run Hawk HP+ pads, but for the Front Anti-sway Bar Stiffer Softer track we run Hawk HT-10s and fresh high-temperature Rear Anti-sway Bar Softer Stiffer Dot3 brake fluid. Observed condition We’ve had several years to dial Olivia in for track and Oversteer corner entry autocross. After finding the right alignment, spring combina- +front compression -rear rebound tions, and sway-bar settings, we make small adjustments to the Understeer corner entry shock settings at different venues. We use tire temperatures to -front compression +rear rebound make sure the car is working properly; if the front tires are too Oversteer with increased steering inputs hot, then the car is pushing. If the rear tires are too hot, then +front compression & rebound -rear compression & rebound you’re too loose. It’s wise to monitor the tire temperatures as Understeer with increased steering inputs well the pressure. Our typical tire pressure coming off track is -front compression & rebound +rear compression & rebound 40 psi, and the temperature is fairly level, usually a ten-degree Oversteer with decreased steering inputs spread from the inside to the outside of the tire, front or rear. -front compression & rebound +rear compression & rebound This handling chart included here is a handy tool to Understeer with decreased steering inputs keep with you while on grid. +front compression & rebound -rear compression & rebound Tires are an important item of consideration. There are Oversteer corner exit significant differences among street, autocross, and track -front rebound +rear compression tires. R-compound tires will be on your autocross- and track- Understeer corner exit needs list soon, if they’re not already. For a treaded autocross +front rebound -rear compression tire, we like the Hankook Ventus R-S3 and the Dunlop

March 2012 Die Flüsternde Bombe 21 MINUTES Golden Gate Chapter, BMW CCA Board Meeting Minutes

January 19, 2012 be July 14. We’ll move the autocross from By Jared Petrie that date to July 29 so as not to conflict. Meeting conducted via conference call Tech-sessions report: Board members in attendance: • No tech sessions are planned yet. We need to find someone to take Donna Seeley, President; Kelly Collins, Vice on the coordinator position. President; Canyon Chan, Member-at-Large and car-control-clinic co-coordinator • Pelassini indicates that he’ll step up Board members not in attendance: Tamara Hull, to spearhead a tech session. Seeley to Treasurer; Ian Dunn, Membership Chair; Rodger Ball, introduce him to Kadukin (past tech- Member-at-Large and car-control-clinic co-coordinator session coordinator) via email.

Guests: Jeff Roberts (autocross co-coordinator), • What is needed for a tech session: Hernan Pelassini, Jared Petrie, Jim Duggan ◊ Get commitment from tech-session Meeting called to order at 7:00 p.m. host far in advance in order to get The minutes from the December 2011 meeting have notification into the Bombe and time for not yet been received from Aleksey Kadukin. people to sign up at MotorsportReg.

Driving-events report: ◊ Kadukin has a file with High-performance driving school: potential locales for sessions. • Our upcoming Laguna Seca school has ◊ Tech-session coordinator had a low number of signups—less than needs to be at the locale to introduce 50 people. The D group is close to full. and get waivers signed. Car-control clinics: Chapter business: Discussed lessons learned over the last year. There’s a BMW CCA National board meeting • Price for 2012 clinics will increase to in Monterey this weekend (January 21-22). $120 to cover site-rental increase. Getting details soon from Seeley. Collins to add details to the GGC webpage • Chan hopes to hold next instructor meeting maybe in late January, but will probably be in The BMW CCA is holding a Chapter Congress April, due to multiple schedule conflicts. in Dallas, Texas February 24-26. BMW CCA will Autocross: cover expenses for up to four members of each Discussed lessons learned from last season. chapter to attend the conference. Chapters may send additional members at their own expense. • Identify staff/volunteers at event— Authorized attendees we’re considering include: possibly with bright-orange vests? • Donna Seeley (president)

• Might need to replace radios. • Kelly Collins (vice president)

• Using wireless barcode scanners for • Ian Dunn (membership chair) timed runs allows for better organization • Rodger Ball (autocross co-coordinator) • Thinking of doing a test-and- • Jeff Roberts (autocross co-coordinator) tune event for next event. • Canyon Chan (car-control- Driving-tours report: (Tours coordinator Mike Zampiceni not present) clinic co-coordinator) • Maybe: Mark McGee (car- • Sacramento museum tour and drive cancelled due to lack of signups and late announcement. control-clinic co-coordinator) Open chapter secretary position: • There will be a driving tour and steam-train ride June 10 in Fremont. • Petrie and Pelassini gave verbal candidate statements for the 2012 secretary position. Social-events report: • McGee has offered to make a pitch to The annual chapter summer picnic BBQ will garner interest in secretary position.

22 Die Flüsternde Bombe March 2012 • The board will announce their decision To-do list: on choice of secretary at a later time. • Seeley: Truck and trailer: ◊ Introduce Pelassini to Kadukin for tech sessions. • Roberts is getting the truck and trailer sorted out: the truck has new tires and ◊ Contact Kadukin for fluids changed, the trailer hitch has been December minutes. upgraded, a backup camera has been ◊ Ask McGee for secretary pitch. added, as well as tire-pressure monitors. • Collins: get Monterey national board meeting on calendar. • Trailer in to get repairs for brakes, bearings, lights/lenses, LED marker lights • Forms and reports due to National and tail lights, hitch system, load leveling office by end of January. and sway correction hitch. It should • Dallas trip for Chapter Congress be set for the Laguna Seca school. for new secretary. Date for next meeting is February 16. • Truck and trailer-operations manual needs (Right after Collins’ birthday!) refreshing. Roberts is putting together a new one and will bring it to next month’s meeting. Meeting adjourned at 7:52 p.m..

March 2012 Die Flüsternde Bombe 23 elcome! NEWW MEMBERS Last First City Refered By Last First City Refered By Ray Allen Walnut Creek Rob Siegel John Mastrorilli San Jose Rodrick Ang Cupertino Vikram Veerapaneni Martin Menne San Jose Paul Antony San Jose Erfan Modir San Jose Michael Arechiga Oakland Dan Moen Sunnyvale Curtis Batson Santa Maria Soumendra Mohanty San Jose Bernz Bayabo Walnut Creek Ronan O’Mahony San Francisco Jeff Roberts Peter Bergstrom Mountain View Sam Pearson Los Gatos David Neil Black San Francisco Anand Prakash Sunnyvale Tyler Carrington Walnut Creek Angelo Rago Walnut Creek Wes Castles Cupertino Marc Richman El Granada Robert Cohen San Carlos Steve Johnson John Simone San Francisco Kurt DePalma Santa Maria Robert Strunk Bradley Aatif Din Mountain View Hing Tong Saratoga Steve Faller Moraga Simon Vallee San Francisco Robert Fan San Jose Quenton Smith Simon Vogt Walnut Creek Edward Pintacsi William Ferullo Belmont Simon Weaver San Jose Tony Stilling Will Gotshall-Maxon San Rafael Vincent Wong Pleasanton Dan Greiner San Jose Jeff Wright San Francisco Lance KuyKendall Andrew Holston Monterey Robert Huber Greenbrae Jared Petrie Aly Ibrahim San Francisco Ferdinand Jimenez Salinas Walter P. Irish Steve Johansen Walnut Creek Joshua Kimball Morro Bay David Kirjassoff San Mateo Kwan Kong Burlingame John Kozlowski San Mateo Terry Kvochak Oakland Ilya Lashkou Emeryville Daniel Lilley Santa Cruz Sonia Lopez San Mateo Luis Martinez Bryant Loung Lompoc George Mak Daly City Brandon Marble Newark

24 Die Flüsternde Bombe March 2012 March 2012 Die Flüsternde Bombe 25 26 Die Flüsternde Bombe March 2012 MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE WRENCH...

ar shopping is either a joy or a chore, own six-speed. A one-owner car out of Iowa, it wore a clean depending on your automotive disposi- record and looked like an honest ride. It was buried in the tion. Regardless, it’s always better to shop middle of several other cars, so we didn’t drive it. whenC you don’t actually need to spend the money. I could tell Dale wasn’t into it. Like me, Dale’s a do- Casually browsing, whether surfing eBay or wandering it-yourself kind of guy. His automotive penchants leer around Burt’s Used BMW Emporium and Sushi Bodega, at BMW Bavarias and Mercedes-Benz Pontons. When not is less stressful if you know you can just keep driving banging away on computers during the week, Dale can your current heap. wire your barn or make your tractor purr. Does he change My friend Dale Olson has a long commute, travelling the oil on his Chevy 2500 pickup? No, but he could. With daily from his home in River Falls, Wisconsin, to Eagan, the aforementioned lack of dipstick and spare tire, the E90 Minnesota—something near 100 miles round-trip. His 2002 is too new for people like us. Subaru Impreza 2.5 wagon, purchased new, has recently Luckily, at our next stop, we found another E46 325xi, sailed past 152,000 miles. Having the body thoroughly which, despite being transmission- rust-proofed when new, Dale says, has helped it immensely. challenged, wore both desirable That said, it was getting to be an old car. A nasty rattle packages. It was a two-owner local had developed from deep in its bowels, the check-engine car and drove beautifully. It badly light was on, and because Dale’s commute is largely rel- needed a valve-cover gasket, and at egated to either farm roads or highways, the clutch was 61,000 miles, it was moments away ominously original. from needing a cooling-system overhaul. Still, these are only an Dale’s bout of new-car lust started when he received a afternoon’s worth of projects, even if recall notice for his trusty Subie. Apparently, in places like you’re drinking. Minnesota and Wisconsin, the front lower control arms can rust away, causing all sorts of mayhem, ranging from Probably ten dealerships later, we “Why is my car listing to starboard?” to “Sorry I killed had seen only a few E46s. E90s are now your entire family.” the used-car lineup darlings. At every location, when approached by a sales- While making an appointment for the recall, Dale human, this conversation ensued: noticed a 2008 Montego Blue E90 328xi proudly displayed By Jonathan Bush on the dealer’s website. Sure, it was an automatic, and these “I’m looking for all-wheel drive, four doors, manual new-fangled BMWs have neither spare tires nor dipsticks. transmission, and something that doesn’t say Audi or Nevertheless, Dale started dangerous thinking: How long Volkswagen on it. What do you have?” could the Subaru last? When will the first really expensive repair [Politely wait for a moment or two.] emerge? Am I simply tired of this little green wagon? “Thank you for your time.” Dale called me and asked if I wanted to go cruise car dealers. We had only a vague trajectory, and no real plan We stopped shopping for E90s, though we did eventu- to buy anything. “Let’s go looking, and then have dinner,” ally get around to visiting the Montego Blue 328xi at the he said. Sounds like my kind of Saturday. Subie dealer. It was... nice. Like almost all of them, it sported a not-very-sporty automatic transmission and premium We decided Dale should be looking at late E46 and early package. It was probably a lease return, flushed to the E90 3 Series cars. They offer that illusive combination of wholesale market because there are just too many of them manual transmission and all-wheel drive. Dale wanted the for any enthusiast to care. cold-weather package, and I was pushing him toward the sport package. I cautioned against the premium package, Ultimately, after the visit to Subaru, Dale decided to if possible: just more stuff to break. keep the Impreza. The dealer fixed an exhaust-heat-shield rattle and replaced the front lower control arms, and the Our first stop offered up a very generic E46 325xi auto- check-engine light was vanquished through the application matic with no sport or premium packages. Parked three cars of an oxygen sensor and something called an air-diverter down was a 2006 Mazdaspeed 6. Admittedly, I had kind of valve. He tells me it’s like a completely different car, quiet forgotten that this model of Mazda existed. However, with and with improved fuel economy. Honestly, the way he uses its 274-horsepower turbocharged four-banger, six-speed the car, the clutch could last eternally. How many miles is manual, and all-wheel drive, it could be a contender. Online too many? Dale thinks 152,000 is still safe. reviews peg it as less refined than its rivals, but remember, Dale is coming out of an old Subaru Impreza. I have no doubt, however, that if the perfect E46 325xi came along, Dale could be convinced otherwise. Our next stop was a Nissan dealer who had an E90 328xi with the sport and cold-weather packages and a row-your-

March 2012 Die Flüsternde Bombe 27 28 FACTORY AUTHORIZED BMW DEALERS Die Flüsternde Bombe Flüsternde Die WEATHERFORD MOTORS STEVENS CREEKBMW SONNEN BMW PRESTIGE BMW PETER PAN BMW EAST BAY BMW COAST BMW BMW OFSANTA MARIA BMW OFSANFRANCISCO BMW OFMOUNTAIN VIEW BMW OFMONTEREY BMW OFHUMBOLDTBAY BMW OFFREMONT BMW CONCORD 510 654‑8280 Berkeley, 94710 CA 735 AshbyAvenue 408 249‑9070 Santa Clara, 95050 CA 3737 StevensCreek 415 482‑2000 San Rafael, 94901 CA 1599 E.FranciscoBlvd 707 545‑6602 Santa Rosa, 95407 CA 2800 CorbyAvenue 650 349‑9077 San Mateo, 94403 CA 2695 S.ElCaminoReal 800 505-4801 Pleasanton, 94566 CA 4350 RosewoodDrive 805 543-4423 San LuisObispo, 93405 CA 1484 AutoParkWay 805 614-0306 Santa Maria, 93455 CA 2150 SouthCollegeDrive 415 863-9000 San Francisco, 94103 CA 1675 Howard St 650 943‑1000 Mountain View, 94040 CA 150 E.EICaminoReal 831 899‑5555 Seaside, 93955 CA One GearyPlaza 707 839-4BMW(4269) McKinleyville, 95519 CA 1795 CentralAve. 510 360-5900 Fremont, 94538 CA 5720 CushingParkway 925 682‑3577 Concord, 94520 CA 1945 MarketStreet

March 2012March BMW CCA DISCOUNTS by the business owner directly. Updates should be directed to: [email protected]. to: directed be should Updates directly. owner requested are business program) the by discount in participating (no longer deletions or changes, additions, We ask that business. of out being acompany to due list the to deletions any with us contact Please discount. the receive to order in card membership CCA current to you your show require often businesses that note Please adiscount. members area our our in offer who businesses the find can you Below dealers. and services participating ous vari at discount members-only is a CCA BMW of benefits member many the of One Schulba BMW Service BMW Schulba Auto German SAS Service &Auto Tire Rossi’s RennWerks Performance Garage Valley Portola Technic,Performance Inc. Art Performance Phaedrus Patelco Union Credit Milt’s Service Garage M Service Auto Optimal Smith’s Nate John Automotive Gardiner Jam Engineering Heynneman European Imports Prestige Hansel Tuning GS Auto German PerformanceExtreme evosport Edge Motorworks Salvage 02 Double Dinan Engineering Dinan Engineering Dinan Engineering Diablo Motors Auto Works Corporate Conversion Techniques Euro-Asian Classic Garage Street Catalpa Motorwerks BTM School Driving Performance BMW Bimmers BMW Service MotorBerkeley Works Bavarian Tuning ProfessionalsBavarian Bavarian Motorsport Bavarian Enterprises Auto Concierge Auto Analysts Alekshop Haus 2002 & Supply Discounts Service Independent Stevens Creek BMW Creek Stevens Sonnen BMW Roseville BMW Parts/Svc BMW Pan Peter BMW Bay East Francisco San of BMW View Mountain of BMW Monterey of BMW Bay Humboldt of BMW Fremont of BMW BMW/Mini Concord DiscountsDealership West Bay Bavarian Motors Vanguard Valley Motorwerks Track Star Racing Sound Innovations Weatherford BMW Hayward Hill Morgan View Mountain Campbell Ramon San View Mountain Oakland Oroville Cruz Santa Campbell SC Spartanburg, San Carlos Albany Rosa Santa Berkeley Milpitas Sunnyvale Fremont Valley Castro Fremont Obispo Luis San Santa Clara Santa San Rafael Roseville Burlingame Rd. 1625 Adrian Pleasanton San Francisco View Mountain Seaside McKinleyville Fremont Concord San Rafael San Francisco Rancho Cordova View Mountain Hayward Belmont Pleasanton Salinas Campbell ValleyPortola Pleasanton Gilroy San Francisco www.Patelco.org Vallejo Walnut Creek Cruz Santa San Francisco Monterey San Rafael Rosa Santa Rosa Santa Santa Maria Jose San www.evosport.com Dublin Berkeley 510 782-2002 510 779-8584 408 962-9401 650 408 866-0606 830-4269 925 691-9477 650 911 0 639- 510 534-6887 530 464-2269 831 369-1911 8 0 4 BMWusa.com 591-2474 650 528-1214 510 575-3757 707 510 524-6000 956-1662 408 737-6100 408 852-1962 925 510 582-0201 609-4559 925 541-2002 805 408 249-9070 408 415 482-2000 782-9434 916 204-7600 650 800 505-4801 415 863-9000 943-1000 650 831 899-5555 707 839-4269 360-5900 510 704-9479 866 415 457-0820 255-8450 415 636-9526 916 650 961-2350 510 471-9062 592-7352650 846-4886 925 011 0 - 424 831 370-7480 408 851-7442 650 426-1361 925 848-6325 408 415 567-8000 442-6200 415 707 643-7548 932-8744 925 476-1332 831 415 777-2697 372-1787 831 415 499-1234 707 545-6602 707 284-2680 922-1262 805 408 923-6404 888 520-9971 479-0797 925 510 654-8280 10% Used Parts Used 10% Labor 10% Labor 10% Labor 10% 10% Parts/Labor 10% Parts/Labor Various Parts 10% Parts 10% 5% Parts/Labor programs 15% driving off Various Labor 10% 10% Parts/Labor Labor 10% Parts 10% Various Parts detail full quoted off 10% Labor 10% Tech Insp Labor/Free 10% Parts 5% 10% Parts &Labor Parts 10% Parts 10% Parts 10% Parts 10% Parts 10% Parts 10% Parts 10% Parts 10% Parts 10% &Labor Parts 10% Accessories Parts/15% 10% 10% work Parts/Labor/Dinan Labor 10% 10% Parts/Labor 10% Parts/Labor Parts 10% orders Parts 10% Parts 10% Various Parts Labor/5% 10% Labor 10% Parts 10-15% 10% Service/Labor Parts 10% Special Offer 10% Parts/Labor 10% Parts/Labor Parts 10% Labor 10% Various Parts Service off $50 Parts 10% 10% Sales/Service Parts 10% 10% Parts/Labor dyno $1000svc=free Parts, 10% Labor 10% Various - Trust...V1 earns it one Bogey Counter Tells how many: Radar hiding within a false alarm? Two radars working the same road? ambush at a time Reads instantly.

Radar Locator Tracks one or more radars at the same time; points to each. Radar Strength More LEDs glow as radar strengthens. Ahead Beside Behind

Hey Mike:

I gotta tell you about the Blue-Light Special that V1 found Hello Mr. Valentine: for me. It was Saturday morning and I was in my grins car heading to her house to pick up Danny boy for the day. Here’s how much I trust my V1. Two beeps and I go Heck yes, I took the ridge route. Condition Red. This road was all fun back before the rock slide. Now it’s I was on 98 through Florida’s panhandle. Only a two laner interrupted by a 25-mph construction zone and a “your but the swath it cuts through Tyndall AFB is wide enough for speed is” trailer. a freeway, a broad ribbon of grass without interruption for a dozen miles, fl at as the nearby Gulf of Mexico. A car No workers today, of course, but the trailer still woke V1 pulled off the pavement is visible for miles, heh, heh, up. As I braked, a string of crotch rockets zoomed large which means the speed nazis have no place to hide. So in my rearview, fi ve of them, right on my butt as I passed they adapt. the trailer.

V1 gave me two beeps, weak ones, arrow pointing ahead. “De-deet,” said V1. Then “de-deet” again. And another Then silence. “de-deet.” The Counter showed four signals where I normally see one. One arrow pointed behind to the trailer A few more beeps, arrow ahead, a singleton on the Bogey as usual, but that leaves three in the wild. The fl ashing Counter. Then nothing. Traffi c was light, only two cars in arrow points ahead. sight, one a half-mile ahead, another just a red speck in the distance. And a semi oncoming just my side of the speck. We’d barely cleared the zone when the rockets blew by me, exhausts shrieking, the bikes laid over for the uphill left More beeps, getting stronger, arrow still forward. The hander. They vanished over the crest. Me, I just moseyed, car ahead looked about even with the semi. A two-beep eyes out for three jokers. Just over the hill—Bingo!—a warning, by itself, isn’t much to go on, but V1 tells me sheriff SUV hidden in the bushes. That’s joker no. 1. Two more—one Bogey ahead, strengthening as I go, says more somewhere. “lone ranger coming at me.” So I locked the cruise on a legal 60 and waited. At that point the view opens as the road sweeps right over Just as I met the 18-wheeler, “Beeeeeeeeeeeeeep!” the valley. And maybe a half-mile ahead, light bars strobing And there he was, a Florida black-and-tan tucked in tight blue, jokers no. 2 and 3 angled across the road, blocking behind the semi trailer where oncoming cars couldn’t see fi ve bikers still astride their motionless sickles. him, holding his instant-on till I was too close to defend. It’s a wicked trap, but V1 had him every time he zapped V1 really works, except for those who don’t have one yet. the cars ahead. Cal R. (identity protected) All I had to do is trust V1. How State College, PA can you not trust a detector that points to the trap? It turns down the volume on unthreatening alerts automatically. Mick D. (identity protected) IT’S NEW! Easy installation. valentine1.com/savvy Tallahassee, FL IT’S SAVVY. www.valentine1.com Call toll-free 1-800-331-3030 { Valentine One Radar Locator with Laser Detection - $399 { Carrying Case - $29 { Concealed Display - $39 Valentine Research, Inc. Ph 513-984-8900 Plus Shipping / Ohio residents add sales tax Department No. XV32 Fx 513-984-8976 Mike Valentine 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee 10280 Alliance Road Radar Fanatic Cincinnati, Ohio 45242 Valentine One is a registered trademark of Valentine Research, Inc. © 2012 VRI

1025857 • Die Füsternde Bombe 3/12 • 8.375 x 10.875 Interested in joining the Club? Scan this QR code with your smartphone, or call 800 878-9292, or go to bmwcca.org and sign up for only $48!

Golden Gate Chapter, BMW CCA Presort Standard 68 Mitchell Blvd, Suite 250 US Postage San Rafael, CA 94903 PAID ggcbmwcca.org Sacramento, CA Permit 185

HAVE YOU MOVED? Please send address changes directly to the BMW CCA National Office at: [email protected], or sign in to your account and update your membership record at bmwcca.org.