E46 M3 suspension in E30, doable with minimal fabrication?

[nrubenstein]

I see. Very very valid points. I appreciate you guys chiming in. I know this isn't the section but thoughts on trying to retrofit the gas tank from e46 M3? Got that too. Hehe mainly for the in-tank fuel pumps but he didn't want to take it all apart, worked for me.

How are you with the plastic welding? I can't imagine that it will fit. I'd love to have a plastic fuel tank, though. These metal ones suck ass.

[nebulous123]

How are you with the plastic welding? I can't imagine that it will fit. I'd love to have a plastic fuel tank, though. These metal ones suck ass.

I don't have any experience with plastic welding but there are some metal reinforcements for bolting to the body. I will see what I can do.

[XvillainousX]

Are you planning on doing the same thing that this guy did and cut out the rear section to accommodate the suspension and suspension load? Good luck with that..

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=163048

I actually put some thought into this a while back..
I think the better/cheaper/faster way would be to use e9x rear hubs. Make custom tubular arms and mounting points to your chassis and existing subframe. This way you can keep your existing subframe/fuel tank/ differential. Only thing you will lose will be the spare tire well. Since e9x run the spring further rear, your tubular arms can be made to work with coilover system in the rear. This also opens any diff that will work with the e30 speed sensor on the diff. Also since your arms are custom, you can run any track you want. Either same track as e46/e9x or stock e30. Of course custom half shafts.

[butters]

^ why?

seems to me that this sort of insane fabrication for the purpose of swapping suspension is only worth it if the outcome provides vastly improved suspension dynamics.

retaining the E30 subframe defeats that purpose, confining you to a trailing-arm geometry, which is likely half of what such fabricators are trying to get away from (aside from the glory and kudos of completing the job).

[XvillainousX]

You will not be using the existing e30 trailing arm mounting points. The e9x hub will be tethered to the e30 subframe. Unless you can get the stock arms to work. The are the arms next to the yellow subframe bushing.



The upper arms to the rear hub will be tubular arms similar to this.



If you were planning on cutting up an e46 and graphing it to work in an e30 I think it takes a longer time than you think. Fuel feed, return, refueling will have to be addressed. Where are you getting a signal for the speedo? I dont think the e46 fuel level sender works with motronic 1.1 or 1.3.

[nebulous123]

Are you planning on doing the same thing that this guy did and cut out the rear section to accommodate the suspension and suspension load? Good luck with that..

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=163048

I actually put some thought into this a while back..
I think the better/cheaper/faster way would be to use e9x rear hubs. Make custom tubular arms and mounting points to your chassis and existing subframe. This way you can keep your existing subframe/fuel tank/ differential. Only thing you will lose will be the spare tire well. Since e9x run the spring further rear, your tubular arms can be made to work with coilover system in the rear. This also opens any diff that will work with the e30 speed sensor on the diff. Also since your arms are custom, you can run any track you want. Either same track as e46/e9x or stock e30. Of course custom half shafts.

So I haven't thought that far into yet which is why I made this thread...to see if other people had done it before and if they had thoughts on it.

While I agree e90 setup is more contained and less parts to mount, I already have the e46 suspension and got it for a killer deal. Ditching it and trying to get an e90 setup doesn't seem worth it to me unless I got a killer deal again.

I wouldn't mind making some sort of tube frame in the trunk for supporting the m3 suspension but I would like to stay away from starting to customize the suspension pieces if possible. Does that make sense?

[nrubenstein]

So I haven't thought that far into yet which is why I made this thread...to see if other people had done it before and if they had thoughts on it.

While I agree e90 setup is more contained and less parts to mount, I already have the e46 suspension and got it for a killer deal. Ditching it and trying to get an e90 setup doesn't seem worth it to me unless I got a killer deal again.

I wouldn't mind making some sort of tube frame in the trunk for supporting the m3 suspension but I would like to stay away from starting to customize the suspension pieces if possible. Does that make sense?

Well, I think that he is primarily referring to making a custom subframe. If you can figure out a way to make it work with the trailing arms (this might not be possible with the E46 suspension), you could make a subframe that attaches using the stock front mounts and the rear crossmember (you'd need to reinforce it, but that is a lot easier than wholesale alteration).

And as a bonus, you'd be able to do 90% of the fabrication on a bench, not under the car.

[MattAvino]

Bump......

[Farbin Kaiber]

Shit, why not just put an MCoupe rear in and be done with it? late e36 m3 front everything, Flares and 11's and call it a day.

[Ray Smoodiver]

Anything is possible. There was also an E30 with a C4 corvette rear end, as well as the V10 E30 M3, which iirc has an E60 rear.

Was an E90 rear end.