conrod

Just had another look at my spares, the 325 definitely uses the larger (108mm) CV as opposed to the 97mm one on the smaller engined cars.

From memory the engine management system in the M3 adjusts to whatever fuel you are using, via the knock sensor. Using leaded fuel continously in your car will contaminate the lambda sensor, I think you will get about 5 or 6 hours running from a Bosch sensor before they are knackered,but entirely likely you will feel an improvement.

Bear in mind it has taken over 10 years of development and much money spent to get here, but yes, it really does make those sort of numbers.

2.5 is the conversion for not a lot of money, go the turbo if you want unlimited grunt-is gonna cost you though! A friend of mine has a 2.? M10 turbo in a 2002 racecar, putting out around 500hp and over 400lbs.ft of torque(no bull!)

Hmmm, interesting.........Agree with the M Coupe being the same as the E36 M3, (easy, because I have them both here!) although I make them at 108 dia and 94mm PCD. The E30's all used the 97 diameter inner CV except the 325 (not sure about 323i) which had the larger diff, with 6 bolt bearing retaining plates (instead of four) and this used the bigger CV joint.

Listened to it again a few times, I think you are right about it being a V8, although as the GTR(V8) was an E46 I am guessing someone has done a transplant

Check out this link on this E36 racecar doing a hillclimb- must be the best sounding racecar I have ever heard! I'm guessing a V10 or V12, def. not a 6, and doesn't sound like an 8 either, takes a while to download on dial-up, but worth the wait, I promise! http://www.berg-zeitnahme.de/plasa_videos/...slowenien04.mpg

Yeah, the headers came up nice didn't they? But you should have seen the mess it made in my garage from the polishing though! Amazingly, with the suspension bent/torn off/damaged on three corners, and both front tyres and one rear pulled off the rims, only damage was a small hole through one front tyre, and a bit of rash on the rims,(which came up mint with a repaint) No bent rims! I guess you have to win some of the time!.......

Yes, he took to the rear firewall with the plasma cutter and blew it out, I was a bit annoyed I let him do that, as obviously there is a HUGE hole to cover up.I had to make a panel to cover it up. It is entirely possible to leave it in there, but requires a bit more time to cut the holes in the correct places for the tubes to run through, and a few smallish pieces need to be cut out, to enable access to weld the tubes to the shock towers, and these can be stitched back in afterward...... I'll do my next one this way. Yep, had coilovers in the ones I have built. Just missed out yesterday on an E30 M3 with frontal damage in Japan, but am looking hard!

Thanks PT, my memory was a bit hazy on this but I was pretty sure it wasn't a proper one. Incidentally, the M1's were all built to compete under group 4 rules, but (Lamborghini) took too long to build, and they were basically obsolete by the time they were finished. Still BMW's only supercar to date, and certainly very sought after...

BMW certainly made a few more than three of those, and I had heard of one in NZ-I saw this ad a few weeks ago, and the way I read it, it sounded like a replica?

Cardwells racing supplies are the NZ agent for eibach, they are world class springs, and are used by many of the top WRC and race teams in the world including BMW Motorsport ( I could get a job selling them!)- I don't know about them sagging though. H&R make their own springs, and are very good quality too, as you would expect from the krauts. I know someone who imports H&R products, which incidentally use Bilstein shocks in their suspension kits ( I have a kit in one of my cars) and the price is pretty reasonable, but not cheap by any stretch, it cost me about $2500 for a set of front struts with adjustable platforms and 60mm race springs, and a pair of rear shocks and rear springs (non adjustable.This is a semi-race kit, road car kits are a fair bit less, without the platforms, around $1500 or so from memory, and quality is superb.

I'm pretty sure the exhaust manifold bolt pattern is the same on the M52/S52 engine as the Euro S50 engine, so this sounds like the way to go!

Hello again Brendon,The 318 did require lower compression forged pistons, but from memory still used the standard crank and rods etc. I will assume by the type of questions you are asking, that you will be buying a kit or getting someone to make the bits for you. Bear in mind that if you decide to get the parts made locally, that a suitable aftermarket computer such as a Motec (which is the only one that will run a dual vanos that I can think of) will cost between $8 to $10K fitted and tuned, throw in the cost of a custom exhaust manifold, turbo, intercooler, fabrication, pipework, fuel system etc. etc. and $20K will be gone in the blink of an eye, and then some! To clarify what I meant about the power delivery, the mid range torque of an M3 IS quite nice, compared to say a 320. Compared to a turbo car, or large capacity engine, it feels pretty average. It is, after all, only 260ft.lbs for the 3.2 engine, less for the 3.0 litre, which means in a 1500kg car you have to pretty much rev the snot out of it to get it to GO! ( I have driven a few by way) A centrifugal supercharger has a non linear boost delivery curve, which in short means that if it is setup for say 9 pounds boost at 8000 rpm it will deliver only 3 pounds at 4000 rpm, you will hardly notice the difference in the mid range! A turbo however, can be set for 12 pounds at 4000 rpm and trimmed back to 8 pounds at 8000 rpm, this will be a much more powerful, faster and fun car to drive, although the hp figures will be the same, get it? Anyway, if you are seriously interested in doing something like this, don't take the advice of some anonymous punters on a website (meaning me) go to Tech Books, buy a copy of "Maximum Boost" and a copy of "Supercharged" both by Corky Bell, read them both and understand the differences,all of the answers are in these books.Only then should you decide which route to take, this will be the most important $200 you will spend on the project. cheers Conrad

Hmmm, makes one want to go out and buy oneself a Sunbeam!!............

We first ran the car on 6 pounds of boost, and it was probably making about 190hp, and it felt little quicker than say, a good 325i. After sorting various bits and pieces over the next few months, he cranked it up to 20 pounds- and that made it boogie! I would say 300- 320hp. It has since had an engine rebuild, with a slightly different spec. and although I haven't been in it since, I am told it is better. But as you know, there is no such thing as a GOOD $5000 turbo conversion!! Meanwhile, here are some mad Turks who do a few turbo conversions, the hp claims are slightly exaggerated ( I would make the E36 M3 at about 800hp on 30 lbs, not 1000) and the installation isn't that nice in my opinion (IMO to all you geeks) but there would be some humour in driving them! http://www.da-motorsport.com/

I have also looked into this. The big problem is that most of the kits are made for the US market, which throws up two problems. Firstly, as you correctly pointed out, they are made for left hand drive, which means it is very unlikely they will fit a RHD car without extensive mods (if at all) Secondly, the US market cars had the S52 engine, which was essentially a bored and stroked M52 (328i) engine with a single throttle body, not the "proper" Euro spec. S50 engine, so again no go. If you are still keen to do a conversion, be prepared to spend a lot of money, this is not a car you would try to do a budget job on, be prepared to spend $20-$30K on it, I have a friend who turbocharged an E30 318is, and spent in excess of $20 turbocharging it,( what I consider a proper job) and suggest that you would need to do the same, if you want a successful job. Wouldn't go supercharged, easier and cheaper, but power delivery is all at the upper end (for a centrifugal blower) which makes for impressive HP numbers,but delivers very little low-mid range boost, which is really where you need it in one of these cars.

okay done.

The E36 M3 I dismantled has the same sized CV's inner and outer as the M Coupe, but the shafts are about 10mm longer. So will be using the M Coupe ones, which are same length as 325. Meanwhile, when the factory gives you a set of stainless headers, I figured it is only right to give 'em a bit of a shine up........ (check out the bend in the rack on the right)

Not according to my vernier!

I just had a call from a friend of mine offering a car for sale,I don't want it so thought someone else in "Bimmersport" land might want to have a look at it. It is an E21 323i, 2 door 5 speed.Silver, with primer on rear quarter.Body sounds like it is in reasonable condition- not a minter though. Has had a 2.5 engine fitted at some stage, and recent head work as well.It also has a set of Bilstein shocks. It is deregistered and will require doing again, or a good source of spares. Price is negotiable, but between $500 and $1000 should own it I am told. Register your interest here, with a mobile number, and I will txt you contact details.This sounds like a very good deal for someone, so don't piss around, it will go quickly! :thumb:

Hello Cain, how are you? Much more fun building cars than renovating houses, however, one of these can make you money, and the other just burns it up, and there are no prizes for guessing which!

No worries, all I have at the moment is the bits I have put pics of on this forum, as well as a plan! But the ball is rolling, next thing is to find a suitable shell, a mint, white 2 door with a blown engine for $1500 would be nice, but try finding that when you are in a hurry!

Warren is my friend who has the "other" engine on the stand(there were two of these built- but thats another story), he has 3x twin choke throttle bodies going on to it, 300hp is a bit optimisitic I think, probably be around 250 with good torque spread- should be cranking for an M20! There were two of these engines built at the same time by another friend of mine, the other is running carbs in an E21, not far away from being fired up I believe. The standard intake is probably fine for a mild state of tune, intake runners are long, so will be good for torque, may benefit from a larger throttle body, and throw the AFM as far as you can, you do not want that piece of junk blocking the intake!

S38 conversion, if you can find the bits!