Custom Cages BMW E30 and E36 Roll Cages
Custom Cages, BMW E30 and E36
The E30 and E36 are two of the most caged cars in British club motorsport, and Custom Cages build 22 kits across the pair. Cameron has been through every listing on this page. The range runs from a £450.30 weld-in rear half DIY kit for track day use up to full International T45 weld-in kits built for stage rally and national circuit racing.
This guide covers the E30 and E36 only. The E46, the modern 1 and 3 Series and the classic 2002 and CSL each have their own kits in the range and will get their own guide as the programme reaches them.
- 22 kits across the E30 and E36: 14 in the E36, 8 in the E30
- E36 starts at a £450.30 weld-in rear half DIY kit, E30 starts at £1,818.30
- Both bolt-in and weld-in are available on the E36, the E30 range is weld-in only
- The E30 historic kits use 25CRMO4 chromoly, a third tube spec alongside CDS and T45
- Every kit is UK made by Custom Cages
What is on this page
Bolt-in or weld-in
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Bolt-in CDS
The E36’s Starter, Race & Rally and Ultimate kits. The tubes bolt together and the cage bolts to its own feet and spreader plates, but the footplates still get welded to the shell by a competent welder. It is the way into a cage for track day and club use without a full weld-in build. The rear half DIY kit is a weld-in kit.
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Weld-in T45
The International and Multipoint kits on both chassis. These need a fabricator to fit properly and they are the ones to look at once you are racing above club level.
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Weld-in 25CRMO4
The E30’s historic kits, a chromoly tube spec, not T45’s carbon manganese. Tell us the historic class you are building for and we will check which steel it actually wants before you order.
The E36 range
Fourteen kits across the 2 door, 4 door, M3 and Compact bodyshells, and the widest steel and fixing choice of the two chassis.
| Kit family | Fixing | Steel | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter, Race & Rally, Ultimate | Bolt-in | CDS | £1,362.30 to £1,989.30 |
| Rear half Track & Show, DIY | Weld-in | CDS | £450.30 |
| M3 National Spec, 6 point | Weld-in | CDS | £889.20 |
| International (2dr, 4dr, M3, Compact) | Weld-in | T45 | £1,818.30 |
| Step 2 International Multipoint (2dr, 4dr) | Weld-in | T45 | £1,818.30 |
Prices include VAT. This is the range condensed to families, every individual kit and its exact price is in the product cards below.
Bolt-in and National Spec kits
M3, National Spec and International kits
Compact and Multipoint, T45
The E30 range
Eight kits, weld-in only, and a different character to the E36 range. Six of them use 25CRMO4 chromoly, not CDS or T45, the tube spec Custom Cages build for the historic E30 M3 market. The other two are T45: an International Multipoint and a Factory Style Historic. Garreth’s view is that the historic kits are worth the extra over a generic weld-in cage if the car is staying in period trim, since the fit is built for the shell instead of adapted onto it.
| Kit family | Fixing | Steel | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| M3 Factory Style, Historic | Weld-in | T45 | £1,818.30 |
| M3 ’87 Factory Style, OFS, ’91 Spec | Weld-in | 25CRMO4 chromoly | £2,274.30 |
| M3 and International Multipoint, 25CRMO4 Multipoint | Weld-in | T45 or 25CRMO4 chromoly | £1,818.30 |
Prices include VAT. If you are building for a historic class, tell Cameron the championship name and he will confirm whether it asks for 25CRMO4 specifically before you order.
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Not sure which fitsTell us the chassis and the class
E30 and E36 cover club track days through to national rally and circuit racing, and the right kit depends on which class you are building for as much as which chassis you have. Send Cameron the car and the championship and we will confirm the exact kit and steel before you order.
Common questions about the E30 and E36 range
Should I buy CDS or T45 for a BMW cage?
For most club rally, sprint and track day E30s and E36s, CDS built to the published specification is a legal, well proven cage. T45 earns its place once you are chasing weight on a homologated design or the kit you want only comes in it. Our T45 vs CDS guide goes through the full decision.
What is the difference between bolt-in and weld-in?
Bolt-in means the tubes bolt together and the cage bolts to its own feet and spreader plates, as on the E36’s Starter and Ultimate kits. The footplates still get welded to the shell by a competent welder. Weld-in needs a fabricator to fit the tubes as well and is the route for the International and Multipoint kits on both chassis.
What does "National Spec" or "International" mean on the kit name?
Custom Cages’ own naming for the level of bracing the kit is built to, National for UK national events and International for events run to the fuller specification. Neither name is a Motorsport UK or FIA term on its own, so check your championship’s own regulations for what it actually requires instead of going on the kit name alone.
What is 25CRMO4 and why does the E30 range use it?
A chromoly tube spec, distinct from both CDS and T45, which Custom Cages build the E30’s historic M3 kits in. If your car runs in a historic class, tell us the championship and we will confirm what it actually asks for before you order.
Does this guide cover the E46 or the modern 3 Series?
Not this page. Custom Cages build kits for those chassis too and they get their own guide as the programme reaches them. Ring 0115 647 8650 in the meantime and we will tell you what is available now.
Where this leads
For the steel decision on its own, our T45 vs CDS roll cage steel guide covers what the FIA and Motorsport UK rulebooks actually require. If your car is a different Renault, Ford or another make entirely, our Custom Cages Renault roll cages guide is live too, and the full Custom Cages range covers everything else we hold.
If your E30 or E36 needs checking against a specific championship, ring 0115 647 8650 and we will go through it with you.
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Bolt-in or weld-in roll cage for a BMW E30 or E36, which is right?
For the E36, a bolt-in cage (Starter, Race & Rally or Ultimate) has its tubes bolted together and bolts to its own feet and spreader plates, with the footplates welded to the shell by a competent welder, which makes it the practical choice for track day and club use. Weld-in kits (International and Multipoint) need a fabricator to fit but give more structural integration, and are worth the extra hassle once you are racing above club level.
The E30 only comes as a weld-in cage, in T45, or 25CRMO4 chromoly on the historic kits, so there is no bolt-in shortcut on that chassis whatever level you are racing at.
