[VIDEO] Tim Hardy’s E30 3 Series At The Pikes Peak

The 2022 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb featured a few exhilarating drives and unique BMWs. One of them was Tim Hardy’s E30 BMW 3 Series. Tom Hardy purchased his E30 BMW 3 Series on craigslist around eight years ago with the intention of converting it into a Pikes Peak racer. Watch Hardy’s Pikes Peak run in this video.

Tim Hardy’s E30 3 Series still carries an M50 inline-six engine. But there were modifications to the engine. For example, it was turbocharged to produce more power to be a racer. Hardy also removed the old ZF five-speed manual for this year’s Pikes Peak. He previously ripped out three of these. 

Hardy replaced this with an E92 M3 seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Because of the gearing, the car may shift gears more quickly. It also allowed more forceful acceleration. Additionally, it can handle more power which the racer needs.

Moreover, he relocated the engine back nine inches. This cuts the existing firewall open and fully refabricates a new firewall to fit. Due to this, the front of the engine is now approximately at the centerline of the front axle. All these mods made an almost front-mid-engine vehicle.

You can hear the great sounds of the racer in this video of Hardy’s race up the mountain. The unfiltered inline-six sounds amazing. Simply listening to it reverberate off the hill was so much fun.

What’s also remarkable is just how sharp and capable the 3 Series looks in the video. With Hardy behind the wheel, it darts back and forth. It was like hunting down apexes like prey in these hills. It looks like absolute entertainment to drive on a mountain pass like Pikes Peak.

Check out the video of Tim Hardy taking his modified E30 3 Series at the 2022 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.