Ahmedsinc

Looks like a 3.45 large case open dude. Bad luck!

Actually for sale or teasing??

Lol, will be worth the extra effort to make it fit then AFAIK it can be done with OEM parts, but the trick is finding the ruddy things - eBay will certainly make it easier. More details on the M62 please - I heard a rumour a little while back one was being built in the 07 but never really had it confirmed

In that case its worth the effort. 700hp would suggest torque of at least 550 ft/lb, large case would certainly be better suited - probably a smart idea to get some beefier half shafts & driveshaft made too What engine has your friend tweaked to get to that sort of oomph? Edit: the medium case might hold up to the abuse, but I wouldn't like to guess for how long - depends on the application too, a drift / drag application would be a bit harder on the diff than a circuit car

Really enjoy seeing Kaynes work, so consistently good! How much is he selling the Syntrax for these days? Mine is due for a fluid change, not really so keen on this redline stuff Edit: Feckin autocorrect

Need the large case carrier from an M3 at the minimum, can't remember if the rear cover bushing centres are the same distance apart with the medium & large case. If the 210 has different spacings you'll need the whole damn subframe. Pretty sure you need the matching driveshaft too, the input flange sits a little further toward the trans (I think) with the large case. Add the extra power loss from parasitic drag c/o the extra mass of the 210mm & it becomes a pointless swap unless you've done some monster work under the hood. Large case LSDs are rated to handle on average an extra 50% more torque than the medium case ones, so unless you've got an engine making a hell of a lot more oomph than stock there's really no gain in going to the 210mm. Easier, less work and probably cheaper to find a medium case E36 diff or have an aftermarket LS centre fitted to your existing diff.

Closest I can see to meeting your checklist are these two http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/bmw/auction-1051042293.htm http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/bmw/auction-1030192167.htm You'll pick up something nice with a slushbox for that sort of money, I'll be blown away if you find a manual though! The more looking around at manuals in that price bracket, the more obvious it is just how well priced Martins M5 really is. Don't understand how it hasn't already sold

Think its the same as the M54 - non-return fuel lines on the feed rail, hence the FPR & return line on the fuel filter

Glad I'm not the only one that spotted that!

Yup, can be done. Remapping / aftermarket ecu really is essential, the stock MAF & fuel maps run horribly lean at WoT. One of the race series guys here did this with his M52, another adapted an M54, another chap in HB did the M50 stroker thang, I'm sure if you asked nicely enough they'd give you a breakdown of parts & costs. Can go for Schricks and push the output higher but the curve sits too far right for my liking as a streeter. Having said that, the M50 is a stout little engine, turbocharging does give some pretty good results, especially if you can DIY things like ECU, manifolds & exhaust. An Eaton M90 would go quite well too, the SC14 kits being sold on trademe are pretty sketchy, however. Or you could go all out and ram an LS into it. Or an M72B54. Really it comes down to what sort of figures / curves you're wanting vs how many moneys are in your wallet.

B30 crank, need M52B28 rods & pistons to maintain a good compression ratio. B30 pistons drop the CR to high 8s, B25 pistons will go crashing into the valves. All three engines have different relative deck & wrist pin heights. B30 cam will fit the M50 head but you need to carry the tray & bearings & lifters across - the face of the cam also requires some machining to suit the M50 type vanos unit. You will still need either a full retune of the stock DME or an aftermarket solution - merely raising the pressure in the fuel rail still leads to lean running at anything above 70% throttle. Unfortunately there's no easy hack to get good power from the M50s, but plenty of options if you're not afraid of a little hard work and thinking

For similar money as the M52 you can go to the M54B30. Does require a bit more time / $ / planning but the results are worth the effort. Just need an aftermarket ecu capable of supporting dual vanos & DISA and youre away laughing

If it is the HG you'll need to get the block deck surface checked for straightness and probably have the head bolt threads helicoiled. The ali blocks tend to have the bolts pulled out of them when they overheat, if it has moved I'd be scrapping it and replacing with an engine known not to have baked itself - the overhaul costs aren't cheap mate

Seats – modification or replacement or installation of a seat anchorage after 1 March 1999  The seat is either an unmodified OE seat from another vehicle, or of a known and reputable aftermarket brand; and  the seat is unmodified, and fitted to unmodified OE seat anchorages, and  the seatbelt anchorage or operation is not affected; and  the seat components (including brackets, runners and rails) are compatible with each other, ie they are either OE components from a production vehicle or of a known and reputable aftermarket brand, and are not fitted together by welding, and  the relationship between seat, seat occupant, and location of the seatbelt anchorages is not affected. Note: LVV certification is not required where the only modification is the removal of seats and/or seatbelts; however a class change and a new load rating may be required in some cases. Copied from the LVVTA website. Seems to be if the seat is locally approved, and the rails require no modification to install then you're fine. As always though, best to speak to a certifier to confirm 100% what you can and cannot do with regards to specific aftermarket parts

Yeah, enough to make the 530i a nicer car to drive. your M54B25 is good for 141kW & 245Nm torque, the M54B30 delivers 170kW & 300Nm - in old money the 3 litre has an extra 30hp & 40 ft/lb over the 2.5. I have a 530i estate as a daily for the wife & kids, and while it's no 1/4 mile monster it gets up to 100km/hr nice and effortlessly, overtaking is a breeze & compared to my E36 325i (which, incidentally, delivers nearly identical power figures to the M54B25) I rarely have it at WoT to pass someone, where the poor old E36 gets wound right up to overtake. The V8 is a lovely engine with higher output, but I feel the older design steering and extra weight of the bigger donk make the 3 litre a nicer car to live with on a day to day basis. You should be able to step up to a 530i with very little extra cost once you sell your 525i, they really are extremely cheap these days. You should still get around 6k for your 2.5, excellent examples of the 530iM are around 8-9k. If you can find one, the 3l diesels are great engines too - but they're practically unobtanium here in NZ. Short of aftermarket cosmetics (which will make the car harder to sell) there isn't much you can do to the appearance of the E39, and door-doof ain't gonna make it go faster! I understand the E60 is a nice car too, but to get a newer equivalent to the 530i M-sport you'll have to shell out more like 16-18k, guess it depends on how much you want to spend on a car really.

I know I'm to the only one thinking it....who's gonna be the first to say it? Tough break Nathan, as much as I think you're insanely optimistic going to all that effort to save a horrible little N46 I always root for the underdog! Bad luck dude

Up the budget and look for a higher spec E46 330i. If you go for an E9x 323/325i you'll wind up with a similar performance & handling level in a much smaller (and significantly more boring, IMO) car. Or if waiting isn't really your thing look for an E39 530i or a 540i, M if you can find a nice one. Far more responsive suspension setup and a power & torque curve much better suited to the weight & handling characteristics of the E39. Will have some change from your 9k budget too

A bloody sight more than they sell for now! In my eyes an unmolested CSL is the only true successor to the E30 EVO - all the good stuff with none of the junk you don't really need.

Fark, so unless someone stumps up with 120 large we lose another piece of motoring history to overseas interests. So, how about a syndicate purchase??

And with any luck they'll be cremated as offerings to the gods of speed in a 'controlled' environment far away from the three huggers In all seriousness though, well done - I assumed you'd be struggling to give those things away! Are you in sales, perchance?

Olaf, do the rest of the country a favour and have these bloody things shredded. Hell, I'll even pass the hat around so you get your $125 bucks back

If you got one from a '93 you'll have bought a MKIII by mistake. MKII was discontinued in '92, production started in '83. Anecdotally I have heard of better results from the E32 booster than the Golf unit (As David points out above), but having never driven them back to back I can't offer any direct observations sorry

Lol, sounds like my E30!

We're lucky now as their grandparents have a couple acres which are suitable for young louts to swing a car about with only the danger of a few old fenceposts, as opposed to telegraph poles & oncoming semis. Assuming of course they don't try to go for a bash in the swamp My old man took me through the industrial areas around Takanini on Sundays when it was mostly quiet - plenty of places that are wide enough for your kid to work out the relationship between her feet & left hand Good on ya for digging in and making her learn the right way first

Learning to drive in an auto only teaches you awareness of your surroundings, you don't get the chance to learn how to control the car at all. Besides, what if she's the only person available to drive in an emergency & the only car available is manual? I've been in that situation before, not life threatening but it had the potential to go that way had we not been extremely fortunate. If you sit your licence in a slushy you cannot legally drive stick unless you prove competency by resitting in a manual. I learned in a '52 split-screen Morris Minor, with all its 30hp of fury. Live rear end coupled with leaf sprung front suspension & 4 speed manual gearbox taught me a massive amount about getting into & out of trouble long before it became relevant on a daily basis. Only thing my parents had to be patient with was hill starts - and they never took too long to get the hang of. Taking the soft way out will do Miss M no favours. Old fashioned they might be, but I can guarantee you my kids will learn how to drive a proper car and skid it in the paddock long before they go for lessons on the open road. And when (not if) they get themselves in the sh*t they'll stand a chance of being able to correct the situation, not having to go along for the ride.