Now that the honeymoon is over...

[senorcarey]

Well, my car is going under the knife this weekend. I have a possible buyer lined up for the M20 and am cleaning the garage from the last project car.

Any last words, or am I going to enjoy the hell out of this thing?

Still trying to decide if I am going:

1. To build my mounts or buy them. If anyone cares to make an extra set for payment, please PM me.

2. Boosterless, Remote or Hydro (already have a remote set-up)

3. Removable core support

[JGood]

1. To build my mounts or buy them. If anyone cares to make an extra set for payment, please PM me.

For the price you can buy mounts for, I see no reason to build your own, unless you are THAT good with fabbing stuff, in which case you probably wouldn't be asking this question. I did all kinds of welding on my car, making brackets and making the e34 booster setup work. I'm still glad I didn't mess with trying to make the mounts.

2. Boosterless, Remote or Hydro (already have a remote set-up)

I went with the e34 remote setup, and although I'm VERY happy with the fact that I have all OEM parts on my brake setup and everything works perfect, I do like the simplicity of the Wilwood/Tilton setup and the cleaned up engine bay.

3. Removable core support

Shouldn't even be a question.

am I going to enjoy the hell out of this thing?

Shouldn't even be a question.

[senorcarey]

Good stuff. Thanks for the reply.

Yes, the last two were mostly rhetorical. ;)

[The Dark Side of Will]

3. Removable core support

Shouldn't even be a question.

Is there a how-to thread for the removable core support mod somewhere conventient?

[iamsam]

Ok, noob question, what is a core support?

Also, to stay on topic of this thread, anyone get their M60B44 hybrid build done yet and have real life data and experience?

[dirty30]

3. Removable core support

YES.

Or else you'll get stuck here:

[iamsam]

^^ aaah i see now...

[Jonsku]

It goes in from above but needs a bit more tilting than in the pic.

Alternatively, you could lift it from beneath (about 1cm total clearance between frame rails and heads).


Removable radiator support / front frame makes life much easier, though.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Is there more to it than "drill all spot welds, replace with riv-nuts"?

Is there a pictorial or how-to somewhere?

[JGood]

Is there more to it than "drill all spot welds, replace with riv-nuts"?

Is there a pictorial or how-to somewhere?

That's really all there is to it. I welded captive nuts to the back side of the frame rails and the inner fenders, welded some plates to the core support, and ran bolts through them. Basically just copied Garey's work.



This is the inner fender, the bottom side of the core support upper 'arms' that reach out to the inner fenders.








This is the frame rail (ignore the welds, they were re-done):

[slammin.e28]

Oh la la! Just what I was looking for the other day!

Thanks Justin!

[senorcarey]

Just curious, is everyone still pretty happy with their swap?

[delamaize]

Just curious, is everyone still pretty happy with their swap?

Yes. I love mine, the torque is awesome, and it's a well balanced overall. when it hooks, it pulls like a train. One of the best things I have ever done to a BMW.

[36brua]

Just curious, is everyone still pretty happy with their swap?

We have a m60b44 e30 and a s52 e30. Both of the cars have a 3.25 lsds in them. the m60 has been on the road for 2 years is now a 6 speed. The s52 has been on the road for 5 years now and is a 5 speed.

In complete honestly, I am very happy with the m60!! the m60 car is way more fun and way faster. It pulls like no one's business in 3rd.

The s52 car, however, is a lot more balanced and I feel I can trust it more. It kinda starts dropping off after you are going faster than highway speed. While when you are pulling while the m60 just keeps going and going.

If we had to do it all over... And we weren't in CA... I would have definitely looked into the LS swap more... Just saying

They are both really fun but feel completely different.