Swap worthiness

[Fusion]

Sorry the answer to this thread may seem too obvious to some, but how would you explain it to someone outside the e30 community?
Why is the e30 probably the most engine swapped car in the world?
I mean you can find everything from electric, almost all the S engines, US, Jap, from 4 cyl to 12 cyl, diesel to hundreds of WHP.
I came from the Merc community, where swaps are scarce and even frowned upon. I can't think of many other cars that can claim so many various swaps.
I don't think money is a factor, since some swaps/upgrades can amount to a very nice, powerful, modern car.
So why the e30?

[Jafxod]

Because its easy, especially for e36 motors.

[Sagaris]

Because the E36 brought great shame to the famry

[psyber_0ptix]

I don't really know if e30 is the most swapped platform in the world. I think Honda's have that variety covered. People also swap Subaru's all the time as well...because everything bolts up no mod (other than wiring) between 1993-2007, and still has some part compatabilities 2008+.

Though e30 chassis are fairly inexpensive, and the engine bay offers space for non-standard swaps.

[Sagaris]

I would argue that the e30 is the most diversely modified car in the world. People build them for drift, drag, rally, baja, mud bogging, and every kind of tarmac racing.

[325ix]

People do that with Subarus also though. Muscle cars have tons of swaps to, more modification sometimes, but it is common to cram whatever big v8 you can get your hands on in the engine bay.

[Sagaris]

It would be great to only need to worry about routing the fuel line, throttle linkage, and a couple of wires for the starter and alternator.

[psyber_0ptix]

I would argue that the e30 is the most diversely modified car in the world. People build them for drift, drag, rally, baja, mud bogging, and every kind of tarmac racing.

I would argue that while you are correct in some aspects, i find it difficult to say that the e30 is difinitively THE MOST diversely modified car....

Many of the things you listed can simply fall under normal Rally/wrc...i.e. Drift, Rally, Mud, Tarmac and so on. You can dig as deep as you want in any community and find the same everywhere.

Drift


Drag (8.99 @160mph)


Rally


Baja


ok fine...that doesn't count, but theres the Dakar Forester


mud


tarmac





That being said, e30's are hell of a lot cheaper than subaru's to have the same amount of fun...but i wouldn't say it's the most common car or niche.

[slammin.e28]

E30 just looks so damn good, but has that fucking M20. This is why swaps are performed.

[Fusion]

Yeah, but LS1 Subaru? V12 subaru?
I mean not just one crazy project, there's lots of V12 e30s, probably even more V8.
Its the diversity of engines and number of finished projects within that diversity that is amazing. And the fact that if a more complicated swap gets done, others often follow. So there's not just one LS1 e30 for example.
The electric one is unique.

[nando]

E30 just looks so damn good, but has that fucking M20. This is why swaps are performed.

haters gonna hate..

[slammin.e28]

haters gonna hate..

:rofl::rofl:

[nando]

:)

[sticksdaman]

e30s are cheap, lightweight, have a decent sized engine bay and come RWD/AWD. Theres something in there for every motorsport enthusiast.

Also, e30s are readily available (for now)

[agile30]

Drag (8.99 @160mph)


Was there when they ran that pass. Hopefully next weekend they run faster.

Fun fact: guy in the backround has stub legs and a stub arm but flies around the pit area on an atv.