S50 Swapped 1990 E30 325i

[Yes50]

Hey everyone,

I’m about to pick up this E30 and wanted to introduce myself and the car I’ll be wrenching on soon. Been lurking for a while and finally pulling the trigger.

The car:

1990 BMW 325i Coupe
S50 motor (regasketed, no leaks)
Getrag 260 trans w/ Sachs clutch
3.73 LSD
E36 Mishimoto radiator + 16" Spal fan
2.5" straight pipe from headers back
New OEM front suspension
All electronics functional
Heat works, no A/C

Needs:

• Paint
• New dash
• Driver's rear quarter has a dent
• Driver's seat is rough, rest of interior is decent
• carpet replacement
• A/C
• Etc.

Does anyone else have a S50 swap?
Any dos and donts?

Overall, it’s a solid starting point for what I want raw, but with some upgrades done to it. Planning to clean it up cosmetically, keep it streetable, and maybe see a few (more than a few) track days.

Any tips, known quirks with this setup, or threads I HAVE to read? Drop them below I’m all ears.

Looking forward to learning from you all.

[82eye]

nice pick up. there is an entire 24v sub forum covering s50 and related swaps you should have a look at.

[Yes50]

nice pick up. there is an entire 24v sub forum covering s50 and related swaps you should have a look at.

How do I navigate to it? I looked for 24v and S50 and nothing came up.

[82eye]

How do I navigate to it? I looked for 24v and S50 and nothing came up.

on the main page, scroll down, about halfway there is the 24v subsection. 24V Engine Swaps - R3VLimited Forums

[Northern]

I'd probably look at a couple swap threads to see different options and piece together what yours has in case you need to order parts. Then you'll know if you have options.

I'd tidy/tuck the wiring in a bit, a set of 318/m3 firewall covers would help give you somewhere to tuck the stuff.

Check how many turns lock-to-lock the steering is and if it's a stock rack, add a quicker one to the list. Even an e36 one is fine and makes a huge difference.

Otherwise I'd look into options for suspension/bushings depending on how street friendly you want it.