E30 M3 S62 Build - Loads of queries about 4x4 drivtrains

[DER E30]

Just looked, an SSR has a 3.73 rear end... Holy smokes I didn't think one weighed in the neighborhood of 4500lbs. My 'vette rear is a 3.42... I'd love a 3.92 or better, in my truck there's NO reason to go over 100. lol

[The Dark Side of Will]

It works fine with the right rear end gears, and helps the Vette get 30 mpg. What rear ratio did Chevy use in the SSR?

That 6th ratio is one reason I went with the TR6060 instead of the 420G... 3.64 diff ratios are common enough here in the US, but the 2.56's I'd want are not. Because of the torque the S62 makes, I wanted a very tall top gear for the best highway mileage I could get.

[DER E30]

Nice pickup.

Of course the same basic transmission was used in Camarobirds, GTO's, Caddy CTS-V's, Chevy SSR's, and basically every GM performance V8 application for the last 20 years.
Although the C4 (84-96) Corvette 6 speed is a ZF unit; stay far away from that one...

Thanks.
Yeah, it could be converted to work in a more "conventional" manner. All I meant was it would be easier and faster to just use one from another app, that was already ready for bolting to the engine.

The ratios on T56 are dumb as well, 5th is a nice ratio, but then 6th is 1 to 2, which is about 1100revs at 55... I call that one "ultradrive," the one after overdrive... I never use 6th in the truck for that reason.

[The Dark Side of Will]

I wouldn't use a C5 Corvette T56, it looks like this and I don't know where the t case would go... And the engine would still require a custom made bellhousing to connect. It would be easier to use some sort of truck or Camaro/GTO parts.

Unless you plan to do what I did and run a rear trans...

IMG_4521 by Der E30, on Flickr

Nice pickup.

Of course the same basic transmission was used in Camarobirds, GTO's, Caddy CTS-V's, Chevy SSR's, and basically every GM performance V8 application for the last 20 years.
Although the C4 (84-96) Corvette 6 speed is a ZF unit; stay far away from that one...

[DER E30]

I was googeling around and found specs on the C5 T56 transmission. Why on earth did you not use that transmission? Cheap in the states, 6speed and nearly bulletproof. It's a good looking transmission as well. I'm actually considering one because they are not THAT expensive here.
The plan would be to discard the t-case input shaft.
Machine a fitting gear that would fit the t56 splines.
Adapterplate would be a nobrainer.
M60/M70 bell should not be hard to fit to the tranny...
Alltho', It's a bit wrong to have an american transmission in an Übergerman car like your e30...

I wouldn't use a C5 Corvette T56, it looks like this and I don't know where the t case would go... And the engine would still require a custom made bellhousing to connect. It would be easier to use some sort of truck or Camaro/GTO parts.

Unless you plan to do what I did and run a rear trans...

IMG_4521 by Der E30, on Flickr

[turbotarzan]

Aaaand there you went and destroyd my plans of using bmw parts...

[The Dark Side of Will]

OP is not using it because he's in England.

*I* am. http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showpos...&postcount=340

I have a TR6060 from a 2010 Camaro. I'll be using:
- Bellhousing from a '98 540i automatic
- Custom adapter plate and HTOB mount
- Transmission front plate from a C6 ('05-'13) Corvette
- Main case and guts from aforementioned Camaro
- Custom length output shaft
- Rear housing from a C5 ('97-'04) Corvette
- Custom adapter plate
- Borg Warner 4472 T-case from a Syclone/Typhoon/Bravada/Astrovan, etc.

[turbotarzan]

I was googeling around and found specs on the C5 T56 transmission. Why on earth did you not use that transmission? Cheap in the states, 6speed and nearly bulletproof. It's a good looking transmission as well. I'm actually considering one because they are not THAT expensive here.
The plan would be to discard the t-case input shaft.
Machine a fitting gear that would fit the t56 splines.
Adapterplate would be a nobrainer.
M60/M70 bell should not be hard to fit to the tranny...
Alltho', It's a bit wrong to have an american transmission in an Übergerman car like your e30...

[The Dark Side of Will]

Congrats

[turbotarzan]

I'll let you know if I weigh one. Just found a 750 in Stockholm for a few hundred euros:)

[The Dark Side of Will]

I don't see how the weights in that list could possibly include cylinder heads

[turbotarzan]

As I have understood its with heads etc. but without alternators and ac pumps etc. I could be wrong because I never weighd one but I did lift one by hand with a mate and it was not heavy:) Felt like a cast iron inline 4 Volvo engine... And those I have lifted by hand alone.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Are you going by the commonly published list of BMW engine weights? I think they've reproduced it on bimmerforums from a guy in England.

Anyway, those weights sound like SHORT block (IE, without heads) weights to me. I think it lists the S52 at 250 lbs, but I've weighed one fully dressed at 394 lbs.

[turbotarzan]

Here in the US the Mercedes engine is only a little more expensive, but it's 6 litres, DOHC, 4V and 400 HP as far back as '92. The heads flow much better, so it'll make more power on 5 psi than the BMW would on 12. There's also a much bigger aftermarket for the Merc engine, as Merc tuners like Brabus have built ridiculous cars like the SL740 (Yes, 7.4 liters) over the years.

I agree, the merc is an awesome engine, but in Scandiland the 400bhp merc 600 i shitty mechanical shape is about six times the price of a 750, expensive spares and because of that no good info/buildthreads etc. There was this one guy in Sweden who supercharged it(merc 600) and threw it in a AC Cobra. Fantastic! But that is serious money. He also has a Gt40 and a De Tomaso... Nuff said...
Then again, a Norwegian dude got something like 1020bhp from a m70 without ever opening the engine, most likely for 1/4 of the price of the merc... Now a days he has about 1600bhp( if i remember this right) in it but with vast mods.
And the weight of the m70 is mindblowing. 155kilos(300pounds?) Dry longblock. The block is 22kilos!!! The E34 transfer case is 32kilos! I know because i just got it shipped to me hehe;)

[The Dark Side of Will]

Here in the US the Mercedes engine is only a little more expensive, but it's 6 litres, DOHC, 4V and 400 HP as far back as '92. The heads flow much better, so it'll make more power on 5 psi than the BMW would on 12. There's also a much bigger aftermarket for the Merc engine, as Merc tuners like Brabus have built ridiculous cars like the SL740 (Yes, 7.4 liters) over the years.