crazy swaps - general question

[LowR3V'in]

Either way getting it turbocharged just for the sake of making 1psi
is going to be much much more expensive then a m50/m30.

A turbo manifold costs about the same as the motor or more.
is 666 the only guy who sells m42 manifolds? They cost more then the car.

Stock clutch to save on money? They were at least $300 last I looked
I think you are leaving out allot of things in your calculations.

you won't just drop it in without freshening it up, right?

You won't just drop it in without freshening it up, right? :o

My first setup cost about $1,500. Ultra cheap, everything ebayed,
welding and bead rolling at home, stock clutch, fmu. 5psi was the limit. (180hp?)

[JoeyBones]

not that i've looked into EVERY detail of an m50/m52/s50/52 swap, but can you not use the tranny from that car too? I bet you could bargain a yard into including the ECU/harness and possibly lowering price to combine with the transmission... at least when i bought it all from one guy with my honda he was happy to negotiate to get the full sale.

[weaksauce]

Bare bones low power turbo setup will be at least $1,500 us.
A mix of china and lucky ebay/craigslist finds.

I can do a junkyard m50/m30 and more with that kind of money.

theres the rub. YOU can, but from the sounds of the oiginal post, this guy might want to stick with bolting on parts for his first endevor.

The motor mounts alone ar $300 to buy. then you have a M30 or M50 from a wrecking yard. Another $250
you won't just drop it in without freshening it up, right? So spend another $300 on gaskets etc
so you're at $850 before you buy a driveshaft or a transmission, oh wait, you want software for that thing too? Theres another $150. motor mount bushings? $40, radiator $75

see where i'm going? I cheap swap is still not cheap unless you buy a donor car and sell the shell when you're done.

[Jean]

Hell yeah! Throw an American boat anchor at it! Or you could sell your e30 and pick up a Camaro.

Dumbass.

[george graves]

Those cheap turbo kits are very reliable once you replace all the parts?

[Wh33lhop]

Did you seriously just call a cheap turbo kit reliable?

[LowR3V'in]

Bare bones low power turbo setup will be at least $1,500 us.
A mix of china and lucky ebay/craigslist finds.

I can do a junkyard m50/m30 and more with that kind of money.

[weaksauce]

a turbo kit, tuned and running will be miles cheaper than the cheapest swap to get it just as reliable.

that being said, i am about to start up a project to swap a ls1 into a e36.....

i was going to do an e30, but the e36 shell fell into my lap....

[JoeyBones]

well it's not my first engine swap...i've swapped a JDM b-series into my civic when I had it. (it was an OBD2 SOHC went to OBD1 DOHC)...but those swaps are even more well documented and straight forward seeming than even a 24v swap for these cars.

Don't get me wrong, i'm extremely likely to just go S52/M52, but just couldn't get over what is seemingly an incredible wiring nightmare to keep every last little thing working if the car won't be an absolute daily driver...

Turbo the m42 is very tempting, but i'd likely be in over the cost of a swap by the time i was all said and done/tuned on the road. Not to mention if i didnt do any rebuild it may just blow up! haha

[StereoInstaller1]

Turbo the 4 banger with MS or VEMS: learn.

Swap basic 24V motor in, then boost that.

[87e30]

I still REALLY want an f22c e30. Or f22c anything.

[ethree]

Hell yeah! Throw an American boat anchor at it! Or you could sell your e30 and pick up a Camaro.

The ls1 weighs the same amount as the m20 and has three times the horsepower potential. If you want a fast car a camaro isn't a bad way to go. This coming from a guy that thinks %99.9999 of american cars built in the last 45 years are garbage.

[george graves]

supercharger

[Ryann]

Hell yeah! Throw an American boat anchor at it! Or you could sell your e30 and pick up a Camaro.

[Be30mer]

I vote ls1
More work, but it will be more fun.
theres a guy on here that sells instructional dvds for how to do the ls1-e30 swap.
also, with an ls1 you have the possibility of getting 600+hp with a supercharger.