Ollies E36 | Midnight Potato

Vehicle Feature

As long as I've been into drifting. I've been plagued with the UK's obsession with the BMW E36 3 series. A car I absolutely loathe.

It has always brought me great displeasure to see a battered old beemer smashing its way around the streets, without care of bending something or hurting their precious little car. Because they are exactly the opposite of precious, they're cheap, reliable, readily available rear-wheel-drive cars that any man and his dog can pick up and drift.

Don't get me wrong, it's cool to see someone drive like a complete and utter lunatic and on the 69th (nice) try, succeed and hit that corner perfectly. But there has never been anything less satisfying than someone who doesn't care if they nail it, and care even less so about how they look whilst doing it.

I met Ollie in probably late 2017/early 2018, I can't remember the exacts. What I can remember is going for an absolutely hilarious streeto session.

At the time my 'drift car' was a little white Volvo, that had no carburettor on it. So I took my classic mini out for streeto, sufficed to say I did no drifting. But I met Ollie, far from his home in Gloucester, down in Southampton to see a girl. I thought "this guy gets it".

It was the first E36 I'd seen in drifting to not have stupid forward rake, and actually pay attention to stance/style. The car was rougher than the bird he was seeing, but he knew where his priorities lay.

Make it sit right, make it drive right, make it look right. In that order. That is exactly what Ollie set out to do over the next few years. So aggressively so, that if I hadn't told you, you probably would have assumed the 3 cars above were completely different BMW's.

Back when we first met, his car had very very recently undergone a rear end swap, due to a coming together with the wall at Birmingham wheels. Overfenders were added to hide the dodgy patchwork panels and make it look somewhat straight, to also allow for bigger wheel specs and more dish.

I didn't see Ollie for quite some time after this. We kept in contact for a while but didn't often talk until I bumped into him at a Rockingham infield day, without his car. I vaguely remember being told 'something cool is coming' before crashing my S14 with him in the passenger seat.

What followed was certainly a shock. The car affectionately known as bluebell, was actually blue! the tatty red, black and white bodywork was replaced with a gleaming teal/blue colour that actually took my breath away. It was worlds away from how I knew this battered shell of an E36, and was only the first step to his car becoming easily one of my favourites in the UK.

Next came the livery, a bright pink vinyl up the side in stark contrast to the blue paintwork, making the car bolder and more aggressive-looking, and cementing it into the UK's E36 hall of fame, for the few BMW's that actually look cool.

Although the car had a wild new look, it was still a 2.5litre BMW engine under the bonnet. This propelled bluebell well, staying competitive and providing enough torque to keep those big 17x10 rear wheels spinning.

Ollie kept driving the car for the coming months, its condition worsening with his harsh driving over bumpy old UK tracks.

Again the car disappeared from the public eye for a few months, before an Instagram post by Ollie outlining he was now part of Team Bustin' Loose and the car was black!

This is how the car lay at present visually, however the BMW engine is no longer. During the UK's Lockdown period, Ollie has obtained himself a 1G-GTE engine from a mk3 Supra. A 6cylinder turbo engine to replace the old tired heart, and propel his driving to new levels!

The swap is well underway at present, and I for one couldn't be more excited. Ollies panache for style, and a power plant finally worthy of his bonkers driving are due to make quite the combination when we are allowed back into the real world.

New wheels, a custom Huxley Motorsport BDC spec cage, new power, new look. This absolute labour of love is going to be hot stuff!

Spec List

Engine
M50B25TU
On about 300,000 miles
Soon to be built 1ggte
TD05
550CC injectors
1jz inlet and exhaust.
N/A cams.
Aiming for 300hp

Suspension

HSD front coilovers
3" custom rear spring
E30 Rear shocks.
Adjustable camber arms.
Modified toe brackets.
Poly-bushed frame.

Interior.

Full BDC spec Huxley Motorsport cage.
Driftworks harness.
Sparco buckets.
NRG wheel and quick release.
Custom rear cabin panel and door cars. Shout out to Tj Beaton.
As much interior left in as possible.

Blackflag Labs Gun Girl Floor mats.
All the neons!!
Full sound system.

Exterior

Full HMSPORTS aero.
Front lip 1of1
Skirts.
E46 rear lip.
Canards.
Roof spoiler.

Painted ford panther black
With a custom purple roof and canards.
With added glitter for the sauce.

R33 GTR wheels upfront.
17x10 rondell 0058 for the rear
Oz Ceres as skid wheels.

It's wild seeing a car come this far, whilst in regular use, in such little time.

The internet, and people like Adam LZ, make us feel like a build takes a week and is complete. But in reality, a car can never be finished. This old, patchwork E36 is a testament to that. Over the 3 years I've known Ollie, and the nearly 5 he's owned the car, Bluebell has come on leaps and bounds. It is definitely one of the coolest cars in UK drifting at the moment.

I'm excited to see what Ollie does when the swap is finished! This car was born to be driven, and boy will it be driven. I look forward to getting on his door, and him on mine.

With the latest government guidelines: Stay alert, stay safe, stay saucy.

The original potato, Tom

Ollie Jordan's 'Germanese' E36

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