My friend found an e30 m3 in someone's backyard

[be34st]

I love how people go on and on about how awesome the car is, its history, then in the same breath talk about swapping the engine. The engine is one of the main points of the car that made it legendary, has a rich history of competition wins, and has a great story to tell.

Exactly.

[zxert]

Just to let you know if you find any black widows while you're changing the timing chain, make sure you pock the black widow with a coat hanger. Also, leave the coathanger in the engine bay and post photos on r3v.

[phreshkid]

Anything for you, zxert.

And if I throw in a 24v, I will rebuild the s14 and will be swapping it back it. I wouldn't rebuild it unless I was planning on putting it back into it's rightful chassis. I might be a kid but I'm not that ignorant.

Just to let you know if you find any black widows while you're changing the timing chain, make sure you pock the black widow with a coat hanger. Also, leave the coathanger in the engine bay and post photos on r3v.

[fronton]

See if he'll sell you the spark plug tool (if its there) for $10. Resell the tool for $250 and use that cash to bargain with him for the car. Once you have it, sell the s14/265 for $1,500 (assuming poor condition) and address the nasty panel and any rust. Sell the roller to sonnyQ for $5k. Use what's left of the $6,500 to make your 318is a sleeper and know you saved yourself $15k and 2 years of headache restoring a car that still has too rough of a past to have been worth it.

[mohamadr89]

Anything for you, zxert.

And if I throw in a 24v, I will rebuild the s14 and will be swapping it back it. I wouldn't rebuild it unless I was planning on putting it back into it's rightful chassis. I might be a kid but I'm not that ignorant.

good luck with whatever you decide to do. i think the s50 will be a good motor to temorarily swap in while you build the s14. im really just hoping you get the car and your friend doesnt find out its value and decide to keep it. lol

[priapism]

I love how people go on and on about how awesome the car is, its history, then in the same breath talk about swapping the engine. The engine is one of the main points of the car that made it legendary, has a rich history of competition wins, and has a great story to tell as opposed to the absolutely run-of-the-mill and common and almost not worthy of the "S" designation US S50 or even lesser M50 and provided it with the wherewithal to do the other awesome thing it did .....mainly handle and well, gave it its peaky character, and neutral weight balance.

Bingo. The S14 is the heart of it. Stuffing an inline 6 in there turns it into another generic E30 and ruins the uniqueness that is the M3 in the first place. If that's what you want, do it to a 318, not an M3.

[freeride53]

That's quite the find. Mad props to your friend.

[freeride53]

S14's are amazing powerplants btw, no reason to trade one off for a 24v.

[M-technik-3]

How is the cowl panel? If windscreen was ever replaced they do tend to rust in this area.

[phreshkid]

I'm not even in town anymore so I'm not sure. I'll be back next weekend and I'll do more assessments. Where is the spark plug tool located anyways? Just curious.

[Bimmerista]

Where is the spark plug tool located anyways? Just curious.

:dot:

[Butler]

Whoa! I'm so jealous I can hardly stand it. I would have bought that car in a heart beat.

[Alpina]

Congratulation,,, this is amazing

well but it looks like the world is still full of surprices

[phreshkid]

:dot:

Just curious!

I want to see if it still has it next time I check it out.

[fronton]

I'm not even in town anymore so I'm not sure. I'll be back next weekend and I'll do more assessments. Where is the spark plug tool located anyways? Just curious.

Not to be a douche, but if you don't know where a tool kit on an e30 is, you may not be the best candidate for restoring this car. Here's a hint, same place your m42's spark plug tool is.