What a day...what to do...

[kingston]

So, on the way back from taking my wife to the ER (she's fine, BTW), I stop to help a nice young couple with their S-Type Jag at the side of the road. It turns out to just be a piece of plastic hanging down under the car causing a scraping noise. Nice car, otherwise...

...In fact it's almost the same car that my boss just traded in on his `08 Merc AMG C63... (his Jag was an S-Type 'R' in BRG...)

On the way back from that, I get CARVED THE F*CK UP by a dude driving an E46 M3 (with plates that say "BMW M3." Creative, dude, real creative...).

Then a Maserati Quatroporte blasts by me. When I catch up, it's being driven by what looks like a teenage girl.

In short, I'm tired of being in my POS, and getting dusted. I'd already planned to do a bunch of stuff to my car (starting with the Black Leather Heated Sports Seats I'm getting on Tuesday!), 5-Lug suspension (`96-`99 E36 M3 spec) but not much engine-wise. I am swapping an 'i' model top end to my 'SETA' block, but, clearly, that ain't much power still...

So, what to do, what to do?

S50/52? Supercharger on the Sxx engine? Turbo the M20? I don't need to be the fastest thing on the road, but, f*ck me, man, I'm getting the feeling that a 3 Cylinder Geo Metro could hang with my car...

So, this post is half venting and half asking for opinions on making more power. I know doing so isn't cheap, but I'm also not independently wealthy...

Thanks guys!

[KirkerBezerker]

How much money you got?

[kingston]

I'll get my big check in early April (a nice chunk of our net profits in one chunk. About $8K after taxes on that check. I get to put some of each paycheck towards the car as well... So, I've got some time to plan and research what I want to do, and I can acquire less expensive parts on the way...

You thinking anything in particular?

[KirkerBezerker]

Well what I meant is that whatever you do to your car it has to be in your price range. And are you going to be doing the work yourself or pay a shop?

[kingston]

I'd be doing most of it myself.

From my perspective, there's very little satisfaction from simply paying somebody else for a fast car. There are specialist things I'll be paying for, but most of the wrenching will be done by me. Thanks for the responses, btw!

[KenC]

LS6 swap

/thread

[kingston]

Is that really what you'd do? I really like the idea of staying with a BMW engine. I love the character of the M50 that I had in my last Bimmer, even though it wasn't much more powerful than what I have now. I don't think I'm going to go the Chevy route, but thank you for the response KenC!!

[Andy348]

Depends on your mechanical abilities.

I'd go with an S50/S52, a bit of weight reduction, and be done with it. 240hp at around 2550-2600lbs would probably keep up with that E46 (atleast I think so?).

If you want to be beating that Quattroporte, you better be looking at M/S50/52 turbo.

[KenC]

There's a few guys on the board with LS1 swaps. Check them out. They're fairly inexpensive, and have a plethora of aftermarket bolt on mods. Parts are cheap. NA isn't a stretch.

There's a swap kit for sale on here somewhere too.

[kingston]

My mechanical abilities are pretty solid, although I despise electrical stuff. I have ZERO experience with forced induction.

The S52 route is the one I keep leaning towards, as prices are up there, but not out of reach, and there's plenty of info on swaps online. Plus, there are several different bolt-on superchargers for the Sxx engines, which would definitely put me in touch with the E46 M3. After seeing the way that thing took off, I don't believe that 240 hp would even begin to keep up with it, but at least the car wouldn't feel so d*mn asthmatic anymore!

[Andy348]

Check these out:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=184319

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=391985

I agree with 240hp wouldn't keep up with it, but with some $$$ in bolt ons, you could be right up there.

[kingston]

Andy348,

Hoooo boy! Thanks for posting those links. I see 2 different S50 engines + transmissions for sale on R3V for $3K. I clearly have some reading up on engine swaps ahead of me. As I mentioned, i have a lot planned for the car, and my big check is a few months away, so I have some time to assemble auxiliary parts and make plans!

Thanks for posting everybody!

[Andy348]

Andy348,

Hoooo boy! Thanks for posting those links. I see 2 different S50 engines + transmissions for sale on R3V for $3K. I clearly have some reading up on engine swaps ahead of me. As I mentioned, i have a lot planned for the car, and my big check is a few months away, so I have some time to assemble auxiliary parts and make plans!

Thanks for posting everybody!

Haha no problem!

No matter what your choice, be sure to keep us updated (preferably with pictures!)

[kingston]

Andy348,

You bet! I'm tempted to start a build thread now, but mostly that would be pics of the sorry state of my car now, and pics of some of the parts I've bought for her.

I'm taking a vacation in early May, so i can do most of the work in one fell swoop. Look for a very detailed thread around that time! So far I've found the seats I wanted, picked up some of the 5 Lug swap parts, and had assembled almost all of the 'e' to 'i' engine parts for that swap. Guess I'll be selling those now!!

[Andy348]

Andy348,

You bet! I'm tempted to start a build thread now, but mostly that would be pics of the sorry state of my car now, and pics of some of the parts I've bought for her.

I'm taking a vacation in early May, so i can do most of the work in one fell swoop. Look for a very detailed thread around that time! So far I've found the seats I wanted, picked up some of the 5 Lug swap parts, and had assembled almost all of the 'e' to 'i' engine parts for that swap. Guess I'll be selling those now!!

I'll keep my eye out :) good luck with the parts collection! Post the 327i parts in the for sale section... even I may be interested!