SOLD SOLD SOLD
Hello all,
My wife has informed me that baby #2 is on the way. While I'm ecstatic about the news, it means I need to sell my favorite toy and start finding an E90, E60 or maybe E39 (or something else?). I'm a serious E30 nut and I've thought long and hard about just keeping it and getting a bigger car for a daily driver. Then I could turn it into a hardcore track machine. Thing is, with two young kids I'd be kidding myself that I'm going to have any free time for a few years. I can't bear to let it sit - these cars are best driven. So, I'll have to let it go and pursue another E30 some years in the future, if they haven't gotten too expensive by then.
Ok, on to the car itself. What you're about to see is the culmination of my intent to drive an E30 indefinitely. The goal was a fast, tight daily-driver with modern drivetrain and reliability, but the clean lines of the classic BMW 3-series. I spent over 1.5 years looking for the right E30, either 24V-swapped or to swap myself, before finding this one with the swap already completed by Matt Harper (M4TT) and Chuck (chuck90m3) in Atlanta. When I first contacted Matt, the car was not for sale. I bothered him for months to sell me the car, and finally convinced him and struck a deal in early 2008. Once I bought it, I picked up where Matt left off, and have installed a number of upgrades since then.
Synopsis
1991 BMW 318i 4-door (~156Kmiles) with low-mile 1999 M52B28 (~57K miles) and brand-new 2006 E46 M3 6-speed (~6K miles since install). Georgia car, never any rust (this is its first year in Michigan - always garaged of course). OBD1 converted, S52 cams, Conforti CF intake with ITG Filter & 3.5” MAF, custom tune from Chuck Stickley. Fresh high-quality repaint in stock color. Very clean interior. The perfect daily-driver E30 (even has r134a-converted AC!), restored and upgraded by detail-oriented BMW enthusiasts. Complete, right down to the toolkit and owners manuals.
Full Details
Chassis
1991 BMW 318i 4-door
VIN # WBAAJ9310MEJ05704
Color: Diamantschwarz (Diamond Black) Metallic
Manufactured by BMW GmbH Munich; in-service date 18 Oct. 1991
Engine & Related Swap Parts
Transmission
Gear Ratios / Speeds at RPM (Mechanical Only / No Air Drag Correction)
Drivetrain
Suspension
Brakes
Exhaust
Continued in next post...
Hello all,
My wife has informed me that baby #2 is on the way. While I'm ecstatic about the news, it means I need to sell my favorite toy and start finding an E90, E60 or maybe E39 (or something else?). I'm a serious E30 nut and I've thought long and hard about just keeping it and getting a bigger car for a daily driver. Then I could turn it into a hardcore track machine. Thing is, with two young kids I'd be kidding myself that I'm going to have any free time for a few years. I can't bear to let it sit - these cars are best driven. So, I'll have to let it go and pursue another E30 some years in the future, if they haven't gotten too expensive by then.
Ok, on to the car itself. What you're about to see is the culmination of my intent to drive an E30 indefinitely. The goal was a fast, tight daily-driver with modern drivetrain and reliability, but the clean lines of the classic BMW 3-series. I spent over 1.5 years looking for the right E30, either 24V-swapped or to swap myself, before finding this one with the swap already completed by Matt Harper (M4TT) and Chuck (chuck90m3) in Atlanta. When I first contacted Matt, the car was not for sale. I bothered him for months to sell me the car, and finally convinced him and struck a deal in early 2008. Once I bought it, I picked up where Matt left off, and have installed a number of upgrades since then.
Synopsis
1991 BMW 318i 4-door (~156Kmiles) with low-mile 1999 M52B28 (~57K miles) and brand-new 2006 E46 M3 6-speed (~6K miles since install). Georgia car, never any rust (this is its first year in Michigan - always garaged of course). OBD1 converted, S52 cams, Conforti CF intake with ITG Filter & 3.5” MAF, custom tune from Chuck Stickley. Fresh high-quality repaint in stock color. Very clean interior. The perfect daily-driver E30 (even has r134a-converted AC!), restored and upgraded by detail-oriented BMW enthusiasts. Complete, right down to the toolkit and owners manuals.
Full Details
Chassis
1991 BMW 318i 4-door
VIN # WBAAJ9310MEJ05704
Color: Diamantschwarz (Diamond Black) Metallic
Manufactured by BMW GmbH Munich; in-service date 18 Oct. 1991
Engine & Related Swap Parts
- 1999 M52B28 (2.8L 2793cc)
- S52 Cams (E36 M3)
- 21.5 lb injectors
- M50 computer (red-label 413 ECU) - used 318 harness box connected to 325 wires, with OEM BMW connectors. NO EWS.
- OBD1 converted: M50 manifold, OBDI throttle body, OBD1 wiring harness/ecu/sensors
- S52 valve cover
- 3.5" 540i AFM (1994-1996 540, 740, 840 - BMW part # 1362-1747156)
- Conforti carbon fiber intake with ITG filter and Samco 3.5” to 3” intake elbow from Bimmerworld (yes, the expensive one!)
- Chuck Stickley (CSS Motorsports) custom tune for M52 w/ S52 cams, 21.5 lb injectors, 3.5” HFM and stock E36 exhaust. Arguably better than Jim C chips for 24V applications and makes more power. Rev limit is 7200 RPM
- New NGK plugs
- 7-Series brake reservoir - sits above intake instead of under like 320i – provides better maintenance access (and to fuel lines too)
- Brake reservoir adapters from an E21
- 325ix brake booster
- E28 M5 engine mounts
- M5 master cylinder
- All new gaskets where parts for the swap were changed (i.e. the oil pan gasket and oil sump gasket for the e34 oil pan and sump)
- Fully converted R134a A/C (ice cold), using AC compressor from M50; stock lines with redone ends
- Always frequent oil changes, and always with conventional 5W30 oil from BMW: the VANOS units on the M52 were designed to use the conventional oil slight pastiness/buildup as lubricant (thus a full synthetic is not advised for this application). Talk to Dr. Vanos about this!
- New power steering lines, fresh power steering fluid and brake fluid
- E30 M3 wiring loom cover
- Sparco rep strut tower bar
- High and low-speed cooling fan switch (automatic) – car runs in low to center of temp gauge even in traffic on 100-degree days
- Power estimate: Here is an example dyno graph of an E30 with the exact same engine and mods as mine. READ: NOT MINE, so don't get bent out of shape. I have not had time to dyno mine yet. Note that peak power in this example is actually greater than a stock S52, but mid-range torque is obviously way down without the additional displacement.
Transmission
- New 2006 E46 M3 6-speed (S6S 420G)
- This would cost over $3000 just by itself.
- Connected with UUC fluid lines.
- New stock E46 M3 clutch
Notes
Differential - The internals of this transmission are the same used in the 6-speed mkIV Supra - so it’s basically indestructible.
- This Getrag trans is the upgraded version of the e36 6-speed (as found in Euro cars). The syncro problems of the e36 were fixed to solve the miss-shift problems and early wear.
- Also, the 330i 6spd is a ZF. It’s a good tranny for the e46, with a little different gearing. They do not hold up to power very well, however. The M tranny is bullet proof but a little noisy. If you are installing the 6-speed in an e46, then both are ok under 300hp. Anything over 300hp and you’ll want to stay with the Getrag. If you go into any other car (e30, e36) the Getrag is also more desirable, because you can install it with all OEM parts. The ZF requires parts to be modified to make it work in E30/36 applications. Why care? Because this car is ready for forced induction!
- 3.25 LSD, inside cover from 325is (318i chassis had small case diffs).
- Fresh redline fluid in both transmission and diff.
- This is an excellent gearing for the street. It pulls strong when you want to have fun, or you can put it in 6th gear on the highway and turn 2700RPM @ 70mph and see nearly 30MPG. Take that, sneering hybrid owners!
Gear Ratios / Speeds at RPM (Mechanical Only / No Air Drag Correction)
Drivetrain
- Front half: professionally shortened M3 driveshaft
- Back half: 325 driveshaft
- New centershaft, new guibo, new (2) U-joints.
Suspension
- Bilstein Sport shocks
- E30 M3 springs with 66K miles as of install with odo reading 136,901
- Stock sways
- New front control arms, tie rod ends - car feels tight and doesn't make funny noises!
Brakes
- Bought a whole kit from Jordan Sarette last fall, and just installed it with new front and rear OEM brake sensors and full fluid flush.
- Calipers were completely disassembled, bead blasted, and powder coated. Bores and pistons were honed/polished and the calipers rebuilt with all new seals and guide bushings. Better than stock performance (fade free!) with much better looks and durability to boot.
(2) UUC Front slotted rotors
(2) UUC Rear slotted rotors
(4) Rebuilt powder coated calipers
(4) Pair Hawk pads
(2) UUC Rear slotted rotors
(4) Rebuilt powder coated calipers
(4) Pair Hawk pads
- Stock brakes are available if desired - original calipers still in great shape, with 80% pad life remaining and still-functional sensors. The old rotors are within spec to be resurfaced, but I don't think they are worth their cost to ship.
Exhaust
- Stock E36, including OBDII exhaust manifolds, factory cats & resonators through a Bosal aftermarket muffler with dual 2.5” tips.
- Quality install – uses all factory mount points, heat shields in place, etc. - looks like it came on this car.
- Sounds just like a stock S52 E36 M3 at full throttle ;)
Continued in next post...
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