Muncie 4-speed?

[Exodus_2pt0]

Anyone used one of these in their E30 swap? A friend of mine has offered one for next to nothing. I have a bunch of SBC parts laying around so I am seriously considering doing a carb'd SBC/Muncie 4-speed swap.

If you have done this before, let me know. If not, I guess I'll know if it works in a few months. I just have to locate an 86+ 350 block, heads, and carb. I have a big LT1 cam, Edelbrock intake, and the trans with clutch/flywheel.

IF this happens it may just turn out to be the cheapest v-8 swap to date. :mrgreen:

[Garageaholic]

No offense, but I dislike.

99% of the v8 swappers into the e30 chassis keep the BMW heritage by swapping m60, m62, s62...etc. and while I like the ls1 swap, I can't see for the life of me why someone would swap a carbed heavy american v8. Its not even a BMW to me anymore.

I wish you luck, but I imagine you'd be hard pressed to get too much support on this forum. We like to keep BMW parts into the BMWs.

[Exodus_2pt0]

I wish you luck, but I imagine you'd be hard pressed to get too much support on this forum. We like to keep BMW parts into the BMWs.

Good thing its my car. ;) Oh and the lsx 5.3 is certainly in the running here.

[JGood]

There's two local guys to me that have done carb'd American V8 swaps. Both are e36's, one has a 400+hp 350 and the other is a mildly built 305. Can't beat it for hp/$. Those engines are TINY, you won't have half the issues us m60 swap guys do. And it's hard to beat the noise they make!

I'm sure you'll have some more challenges to overcome in an e30 chassis then in an e36 chassis, but if you want any help, let me know and I can put you in contact with one of those guys. But I can tell you that there's really nothing to it... fab the engine and trans mounts, bolt the engine in, run a few wires, get a driveshaft made, and go drive it. You won't know what to do with all the extra engine bay space!

But def look into the 5.3 fuel injected engines. A bit more expensive and a little more work, but for a daily driver I think it's worth it.

[Exodus_2pt0]

There's two local guys to me that have done carb'd American V8 swaps. Both are e36's, one has a 400+hp 350 and the other is a mildly built 305. Can't beat it for hp/$. Those engines are TINY, you won't have half the issues us m60 swap guys do. And it's hard to beat the noise they make!

I'm sure you'll have some more challenges to overcome in an e30 chassis then in an e36 chassis, but if you want any help, let me know and I can put you in contact with one of those guys. But I can tell you that there's really nothing to it... fab the engine and trans mounts, bolt the engine in, run a few wires, get a driveshaft made, and go drive it. You won't know what to do with all the extra engine bay space!

But def look into the 5.3 fuel injected engines. A bit more expensive and a little more work, but for a daily driver I think it's worth it.

That's what I like to hear man. I actually went and looked at an 86 5.0 with a carb today for dirt cheap. If all goes well I should be able to buy the whole car, yank out the drivetrain, and sell it for 200 less than I paid.

I didn't want to go ford, but the distributor being in the front should make things easier, and I really don't want more than 400hp so a 5.0 with a good set of heads/cam should do that. From my understanding though the 86 has flat top pistons, so I may have to swap those out as well.

[JGood]

There's a bunch of guys that have done 5.0's in e30's. One of them did a turbo 700hp build, it was on bf.c years ago. I think you'll still need the remote booster setup due to the intake manifold, but you have a LOT more room to play with then with the m60.

That's a great engine, if I were to do an American V8 swap that is def what it would be. I am not into American cars enough to have a Chevy/Ford preference, but after owning a 5.0 Explorer, I kinda got attached to it.

While were talking about American crap, can I express me severe desire to build a foxbody with a boosted Coyote engine and full Griggs GR40 susp kit? I'd give both the left and the right testicles for that.

[Toadleg]

Ive been looking for a good 5.0 to pick up also but FI is a must for me and an aluminium block. Goodluck E30v8.com has info on the swap.

[The Humjet]

I'm all for this. A sbc will make more power than an m60 any day of the week. To me the m60 is far too tame and hasn't got the aftermarket support like an old American v8.
Just wack in a nice cam, sick set of headers and a Holley denominator carbie and away you go.
However that tranny if its anything like the old rock crusher gearboxes I've driven then I say don't do it. It's far too aggressive and unpleasant to drive. I'd a 6 speed t56 manual or if you dont mind autos a turbo 400 with a stall convertor.

[JGood]

I'm all for this. A sbc will make more power than an m60 any day of the week. To me the m60 is far too tame and hasn't got the aftermarket support like an old American v8.

Depends. A stock sbc can make as little as 150whp, depending on what it's from. And an m60 can make upwards of 600hp, depending on how it's built.

Different strokes for different folks

[eurotrash]

Its a buddys car. 400whp 355 w/ 4 speed muncie

http://www.northwestnissans.com/board/threads/132321-hittin-it-escalante-style!-355-the-new-666?

Also just got my carbed 302/t-5 swap running.

[JasonC]

I caught flack when i wanted to put a 305TPI in my first e30. But i didnt care what others thought, cause most people on here turn their noses up at domestic iron. Eventhough a 305 isnt really a power house in the first place lol. But as for the 4 speed. Will the shifter clear in the tunnel? Along with the shift rods? Cause all of it is mounted to the side of the trans.

And being that the shifter is off center, hows that going to be for clearance? And where will it pop up in the car?


But if it is close, a console shifter handle may work. To put it centered in the car.

[The Dark Side of Will]

But def look into the 5.3 fuel injected engines. A bit more expensive and a little more work, but for a daily driver I think it's worth it.

Absolutely... 5.3's can be had for $500 and are even easier get power from than traditional Chevies.
My dad is putting a 5.3 with Saginaw 4 speed into a '74 Datsun 260Z.

Just wack in a nice cam, sick set of headers and a Holley denominator carbie and away you go.

A set of headers for a Chevy installed in an E30 won't exactly be easy to come by... probably custom built from scratch.

I caught flack when i wanted to put a 305TPI in my first e30. But i didnt care what others thought, cause most people on here turn their noses up at domestic iron. Eventhough a 305 isnt really a power house in the first place lol. But as for the 4 speed. Will the shifter clear in the tunnel? Along with the shift rods? Cause all of it is mounted to the side of the trans.

And being that the shifter is off center, hows that going to be for clearance? And where will it pop up in the car?
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/RS/SR/Product/4407535_L.jpg

But if it is close, a console shifter handle may work. To put it centered in the car.
http://i1.ebayimg.com/03/i/001/1d/11/cbdb_35.JPG

The beauty of the external shift linkage is that you can shorten or lengthen the rods to put the shifter wherever the hell you damn well please.
But that would be my only guess about a serious issue with using the Muncie in the E30 body... transmission tunnel clearance.
As has been shown elsewhere, the engine ends up sitting a bit forward of the firewall because the bellhousing is too big to go all the way into the trans tunnel.

You'll certainly want the tallest rear end you can get... 2.79 is a good start. GM used overdrive transmissions with 2.73 gears in much heavier cars and worked fine.

A 305 can be built for 350 HP pretty easily, and for less money than an M60 will do it...

[Exodus_2pt0]

Well, if someone else wants to try it... Go for it!

I ended up buying a low mileage 5.3 locally, and I have acquired a T56 trans to go with it.

Just waiting to track down a GTO oil pan, ECM, harness, and I'll be on my way.

I'm glad I went lsx/t56, that 6th gear should allow me to get good mileage with the 4.10 rear.

[The Humjet]

So your getting rid of the small block chev in favour of a 5.3 truck motor. How similar are those blocks to an aluminum ls1 block?
We have an LQ9 6.0 block at work that we just started machining. The things gonna be a monster. The owner is aiming for 700-800hp with the help of a turbo.
I really like the gm LS motor family. An ls3 for example cam make 450whp+ easily just from a cam, headers and some port work. If you add a Maf less tune, better inlet manifold, larger TB and ram style CAI and you will have a to stock up on tyres because you'll be going through a set every few weeks.

[iamsam]

And an m60 can make upwards of 600hp, depending on how it's built.

please shed light on this. I assume you are thinking forced induction?