Need help; possibly buying swapped e30

[adam325i]

So I'm thinking about buying a swapped e30 and found this one locally.

1991 318is with "e36 m3 engine and tranny swap".















Couple of things that I'm not too sure about:

1) What bumper is that? Why is it sitting 1/4" lower than it should all around? The PO says it's an easy fix.

2) Unsure about tranny/rear diff. Based on the picture that's a Getrag 226 right (from an e36 m3)? Mated to a 4.10 small case? Also is that diff "bleeding"? Also, what are the specs on the 226 transmission? What did it come from? Any good?

3) There is pretty loud ticking (my guess is valve ticking). The guy says it will go away with an oil change but I'm skeptical. How bad is that?

4) PO said he is using the AC fan hooked up to a temp controlled switch to cool the rad. Is that possible/ok/good?

Thanks!

[328ijunkie]

1: Stock. Shocks are prob broken or its just not bolted up
2: looks somewhat like a ZF320/10 based off the torx bolts. And yes thats a small case diff. And yes its bleeding hardcore.
3:Lifter tick prob. And no most of the time an oil change wont fix it unless its out of oil
4:fine.

[FredK]

I don't think the front bumper is installed properly. It appears there is no front sheetmetal valance behind the MTech2 bumper cover. It might be an easy fix, where a valance is re-fitted to the car. A new valance is around $300.

[adam325i]

Any quick way to tell if it is indeed a S50 and not a M50 with a cover on it?

[beedeezy]

Tell him to change the oil. The problems can be fixed fairly easy.... Besides the ticking. Price he's asking is the deciding factor.

[adam325i]

He's asking $7500CDN

[beedeezy]

Tbh no thanks unless more understanding of the motor.

[trackjunkie21]

Small case? why? Mine blew fairly soon behind my m50nv.