Lucan 196 Report post Posted October 21, 2011 (edited) Mean. Get some nice pictures of this beats when shes all done! Edited October 21, 2011 by Blackie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hybrid 1039 Report post Posted October 21, 2011 Good to see someone post up there budget. And congratulations on finishing your project! you must be very proud! Lots of people fall into the trap of time + workshop space + budget. Doing a car is very expensive. This is why I did mine over 5 years. (that and I had a second project car at the time and band album) I personally spent what you did again on suspension and brakes / running gear etc things start to look north of 50k and then your realise youre still going on the details as these things are never finished (I've stopped counting for sanity reasons). I totally understand why people take the shortcut way and I totally understand why people giveup half way through a project as it is a huge commitment. It also requires a lot of help from a lot of people. Me personally, I wouldnt have been able to do it and probably would of given up if I didnt have the help of HellBM workshop space / hoist and the ability to test parts out in realtime. Also the help of Brendon fulltime afterhours with me working on it most nights and weekends up in Silverdale. Also Ray giving up parts of his weekends to let me work in his workshop. You also touched on something that I dont think people give consideration to and that is socail and family time. My wife has been very understanding and realised it was one of my life goals to do a car project and while it did put pressure on our relationship she cut me a break on more than one occasion. At the end of it all though, you can smile as walk past your garage every night at what you have acheived. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2312 Report post Posted October 29, 2011 Totally agree Josh. Some good points you had made there. I had actually written a lengthily response to your post above the other day but by browser crashed and I lost what I had written! On another note, this evening I worked out the exact cost I invested into the engine conversion parts only, came up with $9,000 which is pretty good really - At the begging I had estimated $10,000. So for that price a stock E36 Coupe could be changed to run the setup I currently have for $9000 - of course this excludes all the cosmetic sides of things inside and outside the car (bumpers, seats, door cars, roof lining etc) and the other necessary upgrades to get the most out of the setup, like gearbox upgrades, full extractors & exhaust, reinforcements, chassis braces, suspension/wheel/tire/brake upgrades & replacements - that is where the other cost blows things out. It's all very well upgrading the engine - but the rest of the car also needs to be upgraded! That is something I think is easily forgotten when conversions are done. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30-323ti 66 Report post Posted October 30, 2011 Only issue is essentially I am back to square one now with a V8 E36 than needs upgrades! Time to dump a second lot of cash into it! (Oh well) A good starting point never the less! All in all I'm very happy as it is right now, it runs so smooth and effortlessly. Fixed a few issues - but all is well now. I've just got to focus on sorting out the small things (RPM tach signal for example) That sound a bit like dejavu....... I've lost count of how many time my E30 has been off the road for preventive upgrades.... Also stopped keeping track of $$ spent, it was getting too depressing. But I do know it was $7750 the first time I got it on the road, all legal etc.. and stayed that way for a good couple of years not a bad hp/$ ratio Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2312 Report post Posted October 30, 2011 1JZ-GTE heck that must go in an E30, my car would be a good few 100kgs more and only push out 200rwhp at best in its current state! I pondered the 1JZ VVTi route, but I just have a thing for the 1UZ & V8s so went that route. Hows your drive shaft holding up? Do any upgrades to it or just run the stock one? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30-323ti 66 Report post Posted October 30, 2011 1JZ-GTE heck that must go in an E30, my car would be a good few 100kgs more and only push out 200rwhp at best in its current state! I pondered the 1JZ VVTi route, but I just have a thing for the 1UZ & V8s so went that route. Hows your drive shaft holding up? Do any upgrades to it or just run the stock one? Certainly does GO when it's in one piece It was weighing in at 1100kg with complete interior, this has since been removed and the engine moved back ~400mm, might get it finished, again, one day. 1JZ's look at home in the E36 bay... (But so does the 1UZ I must say) I've been through a few driveshaft combo's, when last running I was using a modified 2pc from a JZA70 supra. Originally it had a front flanged 1pc 3" steel, but it started to get some strange harmonic's at ~6000rpm (or ~200kph down the straight at manfield) which put the shits up ya. I'll prob. try a 1pc shaft again now that it will be ~400mm shorter Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2312 Report post Posted October 31, 2011 Moved back 400mm?! I imagine you have cut into the firewall right? Heh, a one tonne car with a 1JZ. Now that sounds like a whole lot of fun! Hmmmm that is an interesting idea... using stock Toyota ones. I could quite easily use a stock LS400 or Toyota Soarer V8 one, it would just mean a bit of custom work with the hanger & a custom rear tail flange. So far my stock lengthened E36 325i shaft seems to be holding up ok.. but time will tell once it gets a bit of abuse. At best I am aiming to put out 300hp/400nm, it may be strong enough as it is but I suppose I will have to look at upgrading it eventually... I mean how can a shaft designed for a 200hp/250nm inline 6 handle nearly twice the torque and 50% more power.... Hmm! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30-323ti 66 Report post Posted October 31, 2011 Well my original one piece still had the original 180k mile E30 rear universal, which showed no signs of distress when removed. The outer CV's however where, ummmm, rooted. And that was with 100% more power & torque & big sticky 17's with 245's You can still thrash it & enjoy it, whilst having some mechanical sympathy, and things do last surprisingly well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2312 Report post Posted October 31, 2011 (edited) That's fairly impressive. In that case I'd say Ill be ok for the meantime. This week I redesign my engine mount brackets. This time I will run thicker steel plate, 4mm to 8mm... Although I am probably over engineering them... I've also changed the design so it will allow the engine sit 10mm lower to the subframe, giving a bit more clearance up top. Original and current plates, 4mm thick..... fairly basic. This is the new design with the 8mm plate, I've also angled the sides of the vertical brackets to help spread the load... Id imagine these should be pretty impossible to break even with hard track use. Then again my stock 4mm ones are probably strong enough, they seem to be holding up well so far - but Id rather them be that much sturdier, just in case. As before I'll get these laser cut for welding up and fitting next week. Edited October 31, 2011 by V8E36 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30-323ti 66 Report post Posted October 31, 2011 V.pretty Do they angle down to the stock mount location on the subframe? I used a similar setup, but have the cylindrical mount on the outside of the arm. ie. further away from the heat of the engine block. This also allowed for a longitudinal gusset to be used down the tubular mounting arm. What type of bushes are use using?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2312 Report post Posted November 4, 2011 Yeah they angle down to the subframe, welded to some plates I made up to fit the contours the subframe, of which those plates are welded to the subframe. The LCA ball joint bolt also goes through part of the mount plate Yeah, I probably should have done it the reverse for header space and heat reasons. Theres a similar conversion like mine around Auckland, they did it that way. To compensate for the heat, I have heat wrap on the exhaust headers (which is slowly cooking my factory stainless manifolds to death I believe...) so they heat is pretty minimal from them. Around the mount points I've put an alloy heat shield to block the radiant heat, these are also covered in this special heat reflective DEI tape which seems to work very well when I did some tests with it. I've actually used some red Nolathane bushes that suit the rear control arms of a Toyota AE86! They are pretty hard, something like 90 shore... who knows how long the will last before they go brittle from the heat, I've been inspecting them and they seem fine so far. I could also use Toyota AE86 TRD rubber bushes, but I will see how these go first. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2312 Report post Posted December 24, 2011 Here's a quick clip of how to runs under a bit of throttle on the motorway.. not too shabby, although the automatic ratios/change speed need addressing and there are plans for a proper true dual exhaust next year to sharpen up the sound... it can only get better! Youtube Clip Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30-323ti 66 Report post Posted March 23, 2012 Dang, them be some big cans to stick under the backend! I gather you'll be utilising the vacuum actuated outlets etc... ? Was the mod'd valve body better value from the states the MV Autos in Adelaide? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2312 Report post Posted May 4, 2012 Dang, them be some big cans to stick under the backend! I gather you'll be utilising the vacuum actuated outlets etc... ? Was the mod'd valve body better value from the states the MV Autos in Adelaide? Yeah, they are from an RS4, great quality, and yes I've got a E46 vac tank and solenoid setup ready to utilize the actuators. The valve mod worked out to be the same, I usually buy through USA anyway as the exchange is better and service is usually faster! I took a clip of the car with its stock exhaust, a 328i system, it does its best to cut out most of the notes so it produces that lovely rushing sound, haha. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2312 Report post Posted January 25, 2013 Update on original post Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thorburn 120 Report post Posted January 26, 2013 Where'd you get the audi exhaust valves from? the look like a very neat compact unit. You wouldn't know of any stainless items like it? Also where did you source those brake rotors. I was considering using some for a cheapish brake setup but found I could get 2 piece gear for cheaper. I really like how standard it looks. You've done a great job to hide it all away Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2312 Report post Posted January 26, 2013 (edited) Cheers James. The audi valves are part of the mufflers, similar to those used on the 328i or 330i exhaust rear mufflers, accept slightly bigger, (2.25") I once looked for such parts but it's like they don't exist off the shelf! In the end I cut one from a spare muffler I had to use for the middle balancer - only problem is the exhaust pulses are too strong for the vacuum pressure to keep it closed so I'd have to bolt the actuator arm in a closed position for it to seal, the rear valves are fine though. The original BMW brakes were soured from Milland Parts in Dunedin, $310 or where abouts each, but they are original and look a damn site better than the solid steel vented disks other stores offer, I'd come so far with the car so it made no sense to cut corners with those parts, same with the LCA's they were over 300 each too - pricey but still way cheaper than importing these heavy parts from USA etc - it was going to cost 100s more I did that! Edited January 26, 2013 by Michael. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
