Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
Danger

M73 V12 into an E36...

Recommended Posts

I've been told its far too hard but looking at this German build thread it appears an m73 will fit in the hole without further cutting.

http://www.bmw-syndikat.de/bmwsyndikatfotos/topic40640_E36_350i_V12_3er_BMW_-_E36.html

Is anyone able to shed any light on this? From the pics it looks like he has a custom front subframe, but that's not a huge obstacle.

My reason for asking is I can get a tidy 328i coupe with a crook trans very cheaply and there is a cheap M73 on trademe with trans, wiring, ecu's etc at present.

Would make for a very unique road car

Edited by Danger

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Im waiting for my V10 to turn up for a E36

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Have you researched that conversion? Any idea how much (if any) cutting is involved?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Done some from a friend in Finland, not hard to do and done worse the motor price is tad more than a common v12

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've done conversions before but never had a BMW. Pretty sure I could get it all in and plumbed up but beyond that I have no idea about BMW ECUs etc

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Find a donor car and retain the stock ecu, i personally would go after market the fly by wire deal is rubbish

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'll mull it over for a few days and see whether I'm still keen. Any info anyone could share so I'm as informed as possible would be highly appreciated.

I'd say a V12 E36 coupe with half decent brakes and suspension would be awesome to drive. Even as an automatic.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm not concerned with creating a perfectly balanced track car. More of a hotrod

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have an m70 and auto trans I'll let go cheap if you're interested.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

LS1 would be a better swap candidate in my books.

V8 340 hp / 350 ft/lb vs. V12 320hp, 360 ft/lb. Being an iron block I'd imagine the V12 to be far heavier over the nose than the LS, plus the V8 requires minimal mods to the subframe. From memory the LS is about the same weight as an iron M50. Better power to weight ratio, massive amount of aftermarket go faster bits for the LS as opposed to none for the M72, far easier conversion as you'll actually have a bit of room around the V8 and the LS is physically a tiny wee engine given capacity and output. Probably fewer if any suspension changes with the LS too, I hate to think what you'd need to counter the M73 with. Brakes will need changing with both conversions.

On the other hand, the M73 would have the wow factor for the purists. Cheaper initial costs but i reckon long term the V8 would be more cost effective.

Just my ten cents

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Pretty sure the M73 is all alloy and the weight difference is actually negligible. I'm only considering it because there is a cheap M73 on offer.

Actually looking at some info online tells me its only 10kg heavier than the M52B28... By the time You've moved the battery to the boot it'd be virtually the same.

Edited by Danger

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ls conversion is pretty popular plus you can buy pretty much everything needed for a drop, not a bad thing

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

M70 is all alloy as well...

Well I'll be damned, always thought the 70 was iron. Learn summit' noo every day!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yeah an LS conversion would be ideal but for an LS1+T56 alone I'd be paying twice what it could potentially cost me to build the v12 car

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Have at it I say. V12 is front sump though right? Will hit the cross member/rack so that'll need sorting. Electronics is going to depend on what year the donor is.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Didn't Hartge do the earlier v12 in the e36 chassis mid 90s ?. Something like an H50 from memory

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

M70 / 73's have been jammed into E36 and even compacts since they (V12's) came out, nothing new in fitting one into an E36 shell.

But at the end of the day it is just a big lump of a 2 valve motor producing average power for a very large displacement.

Also be aware of weights quoted for motors:

A bare M52 is about 140 kg , but dressed it is a respectable 170kg

An M73 is a respectable 160kg bare but dress it is a very lardy 266kg

That makes the front rear bias about 55% front 45% rear assuming you add equal weights for suspension / diff

DO something new and adventurous chuck a V10 in it

blah blah blah. Don't see you doing anything.

He said he wanted to do it cheap, a V10 is not cheap.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Nor is a cheap V12 conversion off Tardme into an E36 to find out when it's started.... it's poked

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Nor is a cheap V12 conversion off Tardme into an E36 to find out when it's started.... it's poked

No conversion is cheap if you use a rooted engine..

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Actually. Please do this so you can buy my Aston Martin muffler that will sound good with a V12 exhaust note.

Here it was fitted to my E36. Just delete the rear tyre well and bingo!

332970716.jpg

Edited by Michael.
  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The V10 is far from cheap the ones ive looked are around the 12-16knz plus getting them here plus a box behind it, LS or V12 would be by far cheaper.

I know its been done before but M60 is pretty cheap someone on here has one going for 1k i think

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...