V8 swap thread

[Iain]

The first week of February should see some more pics of another LSx E30.

I should have the engine mounts tacked up and ready for proper welding :)

I'm going a slightly different (probably more difficult) route with the brakes to try to keep them all on the right-hand side of the car. There'll be a remote VH44 booster mounted under the dash, with the master cylinder living where the battery tray is on 4cyl models. This is the one thing that REALLY shits me off about the E30 - why they didn't fit a booster on the RH-side for RHD markets!!!

[Ray Smoodiver]

The first week of February should see some more pics of another LSx E30.

I should have the engine mounts tacked up and ready for proper welding :)

I'm going a slightly different (probably more difficult) route with the brakes to try to keep them all on the right-hand side of the car. There'll be a remote VH44 booster mounted under the dash, with the master cylinder living where the battery tray is on 4cyl models. This is the one thing that REALLY shits me off about the E30 - why they didn't fit a booster on the RH-side for RHD markets!!!

Has that spangle-monkey from Perth finally finished his swap?

Tell me more about your RHD booster swap, this is a massive bug bear for me as well.

[Iain]

Nah, Firestorm has had a few things come up I believe. My swap ain't going quickly, either. Comes with being the head of Pork Hunt Motorsport.

RHD booster swap will be pretty intense, in terms of fiddly little jobs. It's made easier for me 'cause I've completely stripped all the wiring and shit out of my shell. I'm going to use a VH44 (or VH40) remote-mount booster like what a lot of Japanese vans run, with new hardlines bent up to suit. I bought a double-flair tool to do the lines with, I just need to get the booster location sorted, then I can get started routing lines in the most efficient, shortest route possible.

I'm also going to mount the master cylinders for clutch and brakes where the battery tray is, like on this car (although he's using a booster-less Tilton set-up, which is not road-legal in Australia).




I'm going to cut the tray out in the next couple of weekends (once I've sorted the engine mounts).

[Ray Smoodiver]

About to attack the tray as well, did you see the E46 to E30 swap going on here, Tony swapped in the E46 booster and pedal setup on the right hand side, I'm wondering if we could get some LHD E30 pedals and whack the whole assembly in on the RH side?

Why are booster less set ups illegal?

Why not run a hydraulic booster from an E23 or similar, and run it off the power steering?

[Iain]

No, got a link to E46 swap?

Booster-less set-ups are illegal out here 'cause we have retarded fucking road rules. Cages are also illegal. You can only half bolt-in half cages if they comply with 11ty regulations. Fucking retards run our goddamn road departments. Corrupt retards.

I thought of running a hydraulic set-up (like what Jonsku or Garretvs have done) but I'd prefer to keep it all as light as possible and keep the weight behind the strut towers as much as possible.

[Ray Smoodiver]

http://www.bimmersport.co.nz/forums/index.php?showtopic=23929

Westy gets a bit serious when he throws in the E46 rear subframe :D

[Iain]

Thanks for the link.

I've been trying to get an answer from our road authorities as to whether I can legally fit the rear-end from a later BMW (E36-46-90-60 whatever). I'd really like a custom, wide aluminium cradle and I might go that way as I'll be fitting a plated Nissan R200 diff and shafts to my car.

I think the hopped-up 6.0L will snap standard BMW diffs like twigs and I have no love for the E30's antiquated trailling arm rear-end.

[Jonsku]

Keep the pictures coming, it's always nice to see pictures of the more exotic engine swaps :)

I'm going a slightly different (probably more difficult) route with the brakes to try to keep them all on the right-hand side of the car. There'll be a remote VH44 booster mounted under the dash, with the master cylinder living where the battery tray is on 4cyl models. This is the one thing that REALLY shits me off about the E30 - why they didn't fit a booster on the RH-side for RHD markets!!!

If i've understood correctly, E21 has remote located booster on RHD cars, though they might not be available in big numbers..

I thought of running a hydraulic set-up (like what Jonsku or Garretvs have done) but I'd prefer to keep it all as light as possible and keep the weight behind the strut towers as much as possible.

Actually i've normal vacuum-booster from E34 540..

[Iain]

Yeah E21 parts are hard to find out here 'cause nobody is keeping E21s on the road or salvaging parts any more. You used to see them all the time 10 years ago, now... :(

I think a van booster under the dash with a Tilton master cylinder above the battery tray will work best for my application. I've butchered the heater box to rip out air con a lot of wiring I don't need, plus I'm moving the loom, fuses/relays and ECU to where the back seat/floor was to give me more space in the engine bay and more space under the dash. Also shifts a bit of weight :)

[E30SPDFRK]

Now that we have a sane discussion going on in here, does anyone know how low an m60 pan is when mounted in an e30? I know you need to space the subframe so its probably pretty low.

Edit: Better yet would be the measurements from the ground to the pan and the distance from the center of the wheels to the fender lip.

[Jonsku]

Now that we have a sane discussion going on in here, does anyone know how low an m60 pan is when mounted in an e30? I know you need to space the subframe so its probably pretty low.

Edit: Better yet would be the measurements from the ground to the pan and the distance from the center of the wheels to the fender lip.

The lower part is about even with the front subframe when there's about 3mm clearance between subframe and oilpan.

You don't necessarily have to put spacers to the subframe, but then the engine-gearbox package will be quite tilted and covering plastics are very close to the hood.

The oilpan is much "shorter" than in M30 or M50 anyways, here's a pic from my engine / subframe:



As you see the oilpan doesn't stick out:

[weaksauce]

nice.
what the hell is all that sheet metal that looks like someone built it out of HVAC duct work?

[E30SPDFRK]

The lower part is about even with the front subframe when there's about 3mm clearance between subframe and oilpan.

You don't necessarily have to put spacers to the subframe, but then the engine-gearbox package will be quite tilted and covering plastics are very close to the hood.

The oilpan is much "shorter" than in M30 or M50 anyways, here's a pic from my engine / subframe:

As you see the oilpan doesn't stick out:

Nice, but that makes it about an inch lower than mine is now, as mine is slightly higher than the subframe without a spacer.

Do you know if its possible to space the transmission up so that the angle of the drivetrain without a subframe spacer isn't so great? This sounds like a good route for me, as I need all the space I can get.

nice.
what the hell is all that sheet metal that looks like someone built it out of HVAC duct work?

Looks like downpipe heat shielding to me.

[E30SPDFRK]

And from one m30 owner to another, what do you think of the V8? I'm never quite satisfied driving my m30 car; It's quick, but never really fast. Hell, I got beat by a Hemi Jeep Cherokee once lol.

Are you satisfied with the m60?

[weaksauce]

Looks like downpipe heat shielding to me.

facepalm. i feel stupid now......