Great question..
Thought about this question a lot over the years...and over several chassis...
First, Welcome to E30 ownership. Few cars can give you the driving pleasure this car can give-at any price-and I'm sure you will come to appreciate how fun this car is.
Second..
Power is not necessarily what makes this car exceptional. Simplicity, the balance of a nimble, light, rear driven chassis, and classic lines makes this car a great starting point no matter what the condition. Sounds like you got one with a great running motor. I, too, love the way an inline 6 sings. If your motor runs well, burns no oil, and makes no funny noises, than you also got a motor that should last for many more miles. The M20 motor is robust, and can take quite a bit of abuse, and without knowing how many miles you have...the only immediate piece of info would be when its timing belt was last changed, as a break would cause $$$$ and unhappiness. Timing belts themselves are not expensive, but the labor is, but not as expensive as a new motor. If you are planning to keep the car as is, I would at least consider changig the belt and go enjoy driving your new car....
Now the fun stuff...
If you were planning to change/rebuild the motor anyway..may I suggest a more immediately rewarding way to drop your hard-earned grip. For less than the price of an s10, m/s50, m20 rebuild you could make a great car exemplary. Refreshing/upgrading suspension on a tired E30 will put this chassis on par with the greats. Cleaning up a sloppy shifter will add the enjoyment of rowing thru the 5 speed. Fresh set of summer tires and maybe a set of wheels will keep the tuned suspension planted to the tarmac. All this for a fraction of what you would spend to rebuild a motor that sounds like it might have lots of life left in it.
Now power...
The final key in making this car ridiculously fun is more power... An m20 rebuild ain't gonna make it. Maybe 20 HP if your engine is REALLY tired...Once you get the ability to get what hp you have to the ground, and appreciate the dynamics of the chassis, you'll want to load up on this final element.... No sense in adding more if a tired drivetrain can't deliver what you already have. Your swap choice list is a good one. Each has it's advantages and disadvantages...It's up to you to research a bit to see which animal fits your ultimate goal. Then you can add forced induction for the cherry on top! YouTube is a great resource to view examples of each flavor, and maybe buy some time to hone some mechanical skills, and save you money in labor costs down the road. I've found that there a lots of E30 appreciators lurking in most cities that would be willing to help and give advice on these awesome cars (PM me if you are in the Kansas City area!)
Welcome the the forum, to E30's, and to a lifetime addiction....
Thought about this question a lot over the years...and over several chassis...
First, Welcome to E30 ownership. Few cars can give you the driving pleasure this car can give-at any price-and I'm sure you will come to appreciate how fun this car is.
Second..
Power is not necessarily what makes this car exceptional. Simplicity, the balance of a nimble, light, rear driven chassis, and classic lines makes this car a great starting point no matter what the condition. Sounds like you got one with a great running motor. I, too, love the way an inline 6 sings. If your motor runs well, burns no oil, and makes no funny noises, than you also got a motor that should last for many more miles. The M20 motor is robust, and can take quite a bit of abuse, and without knowing how many miles you have...the only immediate piece of info would be when its timing belt was last changed, as a break would cause $$$$ and unhappiness. Timing belts themselves are not expensive, but the labor is, but not as expensive as a new motor. If you are planning to keep the car as is, I would at least consider changig the belt and go enjoy driving your new car....
Now the fun stuff...
If you were planning to change/rebuild the motor anyway..may I suggest a more immediately rewarding way to drop your hard-earned grip. For less than the price of an s10, m/s50, m20 rebuild you could make a great car exemplary. Refreshing/upgrading suspension on a tired E30 will put this chassis on par with the greats. Cleaning up a sloppy shifter will add the enjoyment of rowing thru the 5 speed. Fresh set of summer tires and maybe a set of wheels will keep the tuned suspension planted to the tarmac. All this for a fraction of what you would spend to rebuild a motor that sounds like it might have lots of life left in it.
Now power...
The final key in making this car ridiculously fun is more power... An m20 rebuild ain't gonna make it. Maybe 20 HP if your engine is REALLY tired...Once you get the ability to get what hp you have to the ground, and appreciate the dynamics of the chassis, you'll want to load up on this final element.... No sense in adding more if a tired drivetrain can't deliver what you already have. Your swap choice list is a good one. Each has it's advantages and disadvantages...It's up to you to research a bit to see which animal fits your ultimate goal. Then you can add forced induction for the cherry on top! YouTube is a great resource to view examples of each flavor, and maybe buy some time to hone some mechanical skills, and save you money in labor costs down the road. I've found that there a lots of E30 appreciators lurking in most cities that would be willing to help and give advice on these awesome cars (PM me if you are in the Kansas City area!)
Welcome the the forum, to E30's, and to a lifetime addiction....
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