Wys's BMW E46
Photography & Words By Wynn
2000 BMW 323i
When it comes to the car culture, there are two main categories for cars; the show car and the track car. The show car in many cases is the car that is taken care of like a baby, constantly cleaned and in many cases stored away from the harsh weather (e.g. light rain). The track car, on the other hand is a very different story. This is a car that goes through hell in many cases. Many use the term "no fucks given" when it comes to their track car.
The reason for this term is there is a lack of worries when it comes to the day to day use of this car. Today, a big part of the car culture is filled with scraping frame rails and worries about the next pothole to appear and try its luck with your attention. Therefore the show cars are usually rarely taken out and when they are, you can believe they are driven oh so slowly.
It's usually the complete opposite when it comes to the track car. There really is no fucks given while driving a car like this. In many cases these are by no means as low as the show showstopper and this means you can drive faster on the streets. Much faster! In fact you may find yourself racing everywhere you go, just to hear the sound of the straight pipe that is definitely louder then most pedestrians would like.
This is the case when it comes to Wys's E46. Owning a show ready E30 that would make you cringe if he were to drive it in the snow season. Wys decided to pick up a second car. Being a part time BMW technician while in school, the obvious choice was another BMW. So he decided on the E46 coupe chassis so he could play around with it when track season came.
So the search began to find the cleanest manual coupe within his budget. A few weeks later a potential coupe was discovered two hours north of the GTA. The previous owner was an older lady that was very humble in person and had kept the car in decent shape, so a deal was made and the car was soon on it's way back home.
Wys immediately got to work and got the car up to snuff and running to usual standards again. He then acquired a set of Megan Racing coilovers with adjustable camber plates up front and adjustable rear control arms to add a more aggressive track stance. Next to come was a Milltek sports exhaust to get the E46 a little more throaty.
He then decided to throw a set of Ronal wheels he had laying around, which turns heads but still keeps the car subtle.
The E46 is by no means a rare car on the streets, but when you see one that has been subtly transformed from it's stock origins, you have to give it and it's owner a little nod of respect. Wys has done a great job with this car in the time he has had with it. With many more plans intended for it's future, it's unfortunate that Wys is currently (at the time of this feature) selling it due to schooling needs. The good news is that whomever is lucky enough to attain this car, will definitely have a good time with it and hopefully that time will be spent on the track.
