Danger 31 Report post Posted July 4, 2015 (edited) 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 July 4, 2015 by Danger Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
No name user 379 Report post Posted July 4, 2015 Im waiting for my V10 to turn up for a E36 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Danger 31 Report post Posted July 4, 2015 Have you researched that conversion? Any idea how much (if any) cutting is involved? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
No name user 379 Report post Posted July 4, 2015 Done some from a friend in Finland, not hard to do and done worse the motor price is tad more than a common v12 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Danger 31 Report post Posted July 4, 2015 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
No name user 379 Report post Posted July 4, 2015 Find a donor car and retain the stock ecu, i personally would go after market the fly by wire deal is rubbish Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Danger 31 Report post Posted July 4, 2015 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. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
No name user 379 Report post Posted July 4, 2015 Try youtube very handy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2313 Report post Posted July 4, 2015 What of the weight increase vs Iron / Alloy M5X? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Danger 31 Report post Posted July 4, 2015 I'm not concerned with creating a perfectly balanced track car. More of a hotrod Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
polley 916 Report post Posted July 4, 2015 I have an m70 and auto trans I'll let go cheap if you're interested. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ahmedsinc 414 Report post Posted July 4, 2015 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 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Danger 31 Report post Posted July 4, 2015 (edited) 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 July 4, 2015 by Danger Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
No name user 379 Report post Posted July 4, 2015 Ls conversion is pretty popular plus you can buy pretty much everything needed for a drop, not a bad thing 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
polley 916 Report post Posted July 4, 2015 M70 is all alloy as well... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ahmedsinc 414 Report post Posted July 4, 2015 M70 is all alloy as well... Well I'll be damned, always thought the 70 was iron. Learn summit' noo every day! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Danger 31 Report post Posted July 5, 2015 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
westy 614 Report post Posted July 5, 2015 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. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
polley 916 Report post Posted July 5, 2015 . V12 is front sump though right Yep. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Neal 544 Report post Posted July 5, 2015 Didn't Hartge do the earlier v12 in the e36 chassis mid 90s ?. Something like an H50 from memory 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
polley 916 Report post Posted July 6, 2015 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. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
B.M.W Ltd 950 Report post Posted July 6, 2015 Nor is a cheap V12 conversion off Tardme into an E36 to find out when it's started.... it's poked Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
polley 916 Report post Posted July 6, 2015 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.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2313 Report post Posted July 6, 2015 (edited) 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! Edited July 6, 2015 by Michael. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
No name user 379 Report post Posted July 6, 2015 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 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
