few 318ti questions....

[VAPORBLADE]

I found one rotting in a junk yard - it is a 98 with the trailing arms and springs still in it. What exact parts will I need to take from it to bolt it up to my E30? How much should I expect to pay the yard for them? (so I do not get screwed...in a bad way.

I am running an '89 325is....Then I need to find an e30 M3 front end. :(

[VAPORBLADE]

Anyone know if there is a place that sells front ends for the M3? Also does the M3 and 318ti have the same bolt pattern? That will come in handy when I need to get new wheels...

[nefarious7907]

take the whole trailing arm, brake caliper included. you dont need the spring.

all E36's have the same pattern

have fun trying to find m3 parts at any place other than a dealership, but it wont exactly be a deal

[VAPORBLADE]

lol - I am starting to see that about the e30 M strut housings...jeeze. I may have to go new...

Does the E30 M have the same bolt pattern as the 318ti?

[nefarious7907]

yes they are the same

[E30-323ti]

FFS...

You don't need E30 M3 front end, the E36 stuff works, and these days the extra $$$ for camber plates would still make it cheaper than the E30 M3 stuff!!

Besides if you use E30 M3 front and E36 318ti rear you will need different offset wheels front & back, or big spacers up front and run E36 offset wheels all round.

[VAPORBLADE]

That was my next question - thank you. Most people do the e36 front end? I thought there was fitment issues with the front end of the e36 in the e30.

[Charlie]

That was my next question - thank you. Most people do the e36 front end? I thought there was fitment issues with the front end of the e36 in the e30.

Horrible castor and positive camber are what you end up with on the e36 parts. Not ideal for a "performance" swap. Some people do a hackjob with camber plates to get it back to neutral camber, but even that is less than ideal since you really need some negative camber in the e30 if you want it to do anything other than plow straight through a turn.

-Charlie