Swap worthiness

[psyber_0ptix]

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.

LSx's have been done in subaru impreza's, legacy's and SVX's many times as in Mazda RX7's. SR20's as well. V12 not so much. has there ever been an H6 twin turbo e30? But with enough time and money, Anyone can do anything to any car. Hell, just look at newmans.

explaining what motors fit into what cars and who has done it is moot and a completely different argument as putting the e30 up on a pedestal as 'the most popular to modify' car. It's just the cheapest alternative for poor bastards like me.

edit: i'm not trying to shit all over the idea that the e30 is a great car....just trying to offer some food for thought for fanboi's who haven't seen any other side (I come from a mainly subaru and honda background so i've experienced many forms of drive and motor configurations to offer my 2 cents)

[WillisE30]

The OP needs to get out more. People do engine swaps in all kinds of cars for all kinds of reasons. I highly doubt the E30 is anywhere near the most modified car or close to it.

They're a riot but certainly not the be all end all, most of us just happen to like their flavor better.

[nando]

I'd think the most modified car would go to something that was mass produced in much higher numbers, for a much longer time.. like say, a VW Bug.

Honestly, I love E30s, but I doubt it's even on the radar screen.

[Fusion]

The OP needs to get out more. People do engine swaps in all kinds of cars for all kinds of reasons.

Not over here. Swaps are pretty much illegal, a bit easier to legalize in Germany though. And a lot less people willing to do/invest in them.
Competition cars tend to either keep spec engines (historic category) or spec+mods so they stay in engine category. An E30 S54 is considered highly modified and therefor even in amateur or amateur/pro combo competitions, you'd have to run against highly modified E46 M3 GTRs, formula cars and the likes.

But yes, the Subaru scene is something I know little about and the non-BMW Euro cars don't offer very good platforms.

[psyber_0ptix]

Not over here. Swaps are pretty much illegal, a bit easier to legalize in Germany though. And a lot less people willing to do/invest in them.
Competition cars tend to either keep spec engines or spec+turbo so they stay in category. An E30 S54 is considered highly modified and therefor even in amateur or amateur/pro combo competitions, you'd have to run against highly modified E46 M3 GTRs and the likes.

But yes, the Subaru scene is something I know little about and the non-BMW Euro cars don't offer very good platforms.

Where are you exactly? If i do grad studies in Germany; i'm thinking about importing my car (because it was that cheap to build, and would cost 3 times as much to replicate here). TÜV scares me a bit, but people say its possible....just wondering what would happen if i roll a 318i in with an overglorified 3liter M50....er S50us

[StereoInstaller1]

Most swapped car? Hell, as Nando said, not even on the radar.

Especially if you look at cross-marque swaps, 99% of all BMW swaps keep BMW motors in them.

At the very least, give props to all the hot rodders back in the San Fernando valley back in the 40's and 50's, those guys didn't keep a stock "mill" in a car ever!

I bet more swaps have been done on T buckets than any other car, and I bet that stays truth forever.

[nando]

heh, yeah, they made more of those in a couple years than the entire production run of E30s.

[Fusion]

Where are you exactly? If i do grad studies in Germany; i'm thinking about importing my car (because it was that cheap to build, and would cost 3 times as much to replicate here). TÜV scares me a bit, but people say its possible....just wondering what would happen if i roll a 318i in with an overglorified 3liter M50....er S50us

Czech rep. Will you need the TÜV approval to register it in the US? Or do you plan on driving it in Germany? It's like 350€, which is a price that can be respected but they do require good enough brakes, suspension etc.
There's some info here http://wp1016621.wp027.webpack.hoste.../f00120/04.htm

[DrJosh]

Germany allows you to swap motors to meet certain emissions requirements. You can always just pretend you wanted to keep the environment cleaner.

[Bimmerman325i]

diggin the Subaru love.

[nrubenstein]

The E30 is cheap, front engine and rear drive, electrically simple, drives well and reasonably durable. It's also plentiful. Oh yeah, and it has a large engine bay.

Mercs, for example, aren't all that simple. They also tended to be automatic.

[Fusion]

Germany allows you to swap motors to meet certain emissions requirements. You can always just pretend you wanted to keep the environment cleaner.

Source? Seems unlikely to me, but interesting if true.
I know you can have cats legally installed on cars that didn't have them, to meet a higher Euro emissions standard.

[Wh33lhop]

While they are not the most swapped car out there, these days a 24V swap is one of the first things done to these cars--an M50 swap is like a rite of passage for a noob.

[Mlarsen]

Muscle cars have tons of swaps

This. Or maybe Nissan 240sx. Yeah, I'd say 240sx over e30.

[The Dough]

no... subframe bushings are right of passage for a noob... engine swap is 2nd in line... as fa as rite of passage into e30-dom..

So many e30 swaps because its so goddamn fly... its like a fly ass retro throwback yuppie icon.

When my M20 blows up on the track (probably will never happen) Im swapping an S2000 Honda motor in my sh1t.. or a new 4cyl turbo (N20) BMW just released (240 hps and even more torques.. aww yeee)...

But one thing is for sure.. Im keeping this puppy forever.

What are some of the nuttiest (far from what you might have imagined) swaps you've seen in an e30??