newbie and need some questions answered.

[Race]

Ok, i read a little through the site, looking for engine swaps etc. I couldnt find anything explaining what engines are which, what cars they came from or what kind of power each engine has, mods, etc.

to be honest, I dont know really anything about bmws. I was browsing the sight and a e30 two door seems like a nice car. I am planning on buying a car in the near future, and was woundering about different engine swaps, and mods such as turbos etc for each engine. i do have mechanical abilities, lots of time, and a good set of tools so a swap isnt out of the question (though the costs might be).

first of all, wtf is the m50. i know its an inline 6 engine and it seems to be very common. did this engine come out of the early m3s? thats what ive come up with on that. also, how much power is this engine, and can you turbo it? also, ive seen the ITBs deal with one of the i6 engines too and it seems good but expensive.

what im looking for in these cars, is simply a budget track/street car. very low budget, over a longer period of time. was woundering what are the best engine swaps etc. the reason i posted in generic not engine swaps is because frankly im not sure which engine im looking for...and also, im not just worried about the engine swap, but mods to go with it. seems the i6 engines from the m3s swapped into a e30 chassis would be the best? i have no clue on prices for anythign either.

thankyou for your time, if this thread is worthless, delete it by all means, just trying to get it strait.

[kansas-ix]

m50 = regular 325 engine from the 93-98 3-series,
s50= m3 engine from same era.

Here's a tip buy an e30 drive it for awhile and then down the road after you get tired of the power of the regular engine before you do a swap.

[Race]

sorry, the point of this thread, if i get bashed or dont get bashed, doesnt matter, but the point is, im looking for the aftermarket and the potential these cars have and for what price. im not going to go buy a car and know nothing about it. ive searched and read a little, but ive been doing this crap all day and all day yesterday with other stuff. im just getting tired of searching, and just wish someone would tell me.

[kansas-ix]

there is another freakin section on this site called engine swaps is there not why not search in there.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/phpBB2/index.php?f=36

[Race]

i did.

[A_325i]

the m50 is out of the later model 325's it makes nearly 200 hp i beleive and ofcourse you can bolt a turbo up to it...you can bolt a turbo upto nearly anything, but if your looking for an extremely low budget race car then dont get an e30 get a civic or an american car they have bolt on mods that actually add horsepower ...e30 bolt on mods arent really worth the money you spend on them unless your an e30 enthusiast so maybe you should look elsewhere

[permit]

http://www.koalamotorsport.com/tech-1.asp

There, that'll explain everything, ever.

[Stu]

The M50 is the next-generation inline 6 after the M20's (which came in E30's). M50's came in E36's and 5-series (E34). They are a common swap because the dimensions are similar and the motor mounts use stock location. Only a few changes are needed, minimal fabrication, and wiring work. It's an awesome swap because the M50 is better than the M20 in every way. The achilles heel of the M20 is the timing belt, and the M50 uses a chain-drive system, twin-cams, 24v, hydraulic valvetrain. The available factory parts from later M engines (S50, S52) allow for big stroker kits and motors that can make 250+whp using entirely factory internals. Said motors make E30's really fast.

[cahomey]

I smell a r3v candidate.

edit: I just realized that this forum needs a "super newb" section.

[lucky7]

what part of michigan are you from?? wanna buy a B16 swapped civic and/or Rb powered 240sx in about 6 months/? ;)

[silverblades181]

You know the M20B25 (325i, 325is) and the M42B18 (318is) are pretty capable engines on their own. Espacialy the M20 with 170 hp. Maybe you should start with that...then get an M50 or S50 because that's a lot of power...

[Race]

ive been thinking about a great number of different cars i could buy for about 2 grand. obviously, 2 grand would get pretty much just the car itself. thats why i was researching the aftermarkets for the different models ive been thinking about. which ever has the best and what ever car suits me best, will be what i buy because i plan to have the car for along time. i was just looking at the e30s because someone told me aobut them on a porsche 944 forum. i was simply looking at what engine swaps were out there for a person with a super low budget. obviously you could throw in a new m3 i6 engine (From what ive seen?) but that would cost alot of money. simply put, i think im not going to get a e30 because the price for things is too much, along with the porsche 944. the reason id get either of these cars is because of the style and class these cars have to them. there is a sort of quality that is these cars, and hence why i was woundering. plus, i like the sounds of tuned european engines, vs 4 cyl american engines or w/e. in conclusion, i dont think ill get an e30, because of the cost to maintain them, and to make them go fast. im looking for a track car that i can use as a daily driver car ,and this wont suit me imo. thankyou for you advice and opinions and for your time.

[Race]

btw, the main reason i was looking at the e30 was the thought of an inline 6 BMW engine in such a good looking, small and light weight car. i just remmeber the teckademics m3 and how that sounded and that was the idea behind getting an e30. big power in a small car, while haveing great engine sounds and good looks.