total newb, BUT, ix awd drivetrain in e30 m3? crazy?

[spidy512]

heya bmw peeps,

sooooo, i have been lusting after e30 m3's for years. In a perfect world, i would have one for a summer/weekend driver, but due to my location (snow, sleet, and lots o rain) i am very limited in my daily driver selection. i come from a HEAVY tuned Subaru background, but I am very bored with the lack of character both from what Subaru and Mitsu have to offer (yes, an Evo MR is sick, fast but UGLY). I really don't like the 335xi either, as a the lack of "feel" and character is, well, lacking. Soooooooo

I had a thought of getting a 325xi coupe and then transfer as much as possible into one of the many e30 M3 rollers i have seen around the intraweb. I have searched but can't seem to find a clear answer on the chassis difference between the e30 xi vs e30 M3. I understand the motor/tranny will never work in the m3, but is the e30 M3 chassis THAT different from the standard e30 ix chassis?

thanks for any direction. i am sure the purest will be mortified, but what would the world be like without a few paradigm shifts every now and then?

cheers!

josh

ps, i am aso thinking of taking an e30 xi and morphing it regardless of body diff's. adding m3 wide fenders etc. has this been done? i have good access to fabrication and welding. thanks again!

[flyboyx]

welcome to the community. the solution to this question is likely beyond your capabilities and resources but....

well, first, it is e30 ix. xi is the piece o' shit e46 that used open diffs and the abs to lock up spinning wheels.

can you do it? why yes, you can! it just takes time and money. here is the problem: it would be a serious digression to put an m20 in a car that came from the factory with an s14. not that s14's can be compared to anything other than a high strung miniature poodle by todays standards. an m20 is in comparison a 12 year old basset hound. there are plenty of threads about subjects like this in the ix section of e30 tech.

i own an m3, 3 ix's, a couple convertibles, etc and i have similar aspirations as do you. to make an m3 an ix(simply from the aspect of the body shell) you need to change the frame rails, the inner fenders, and the area around the transmission tunnel so there is clearance for the transfer case to send the front drive shaft forward. the pedals are all different.

i think the correct engine choice would need to be an s52 or s54 to make this project worth the trouble. putting that motor in the car will have to be accomplished by one of two methods: the frankenpan is the easiest. you cut an e30 ix pan in half and mate it up to an e36 pan. the engine will sit at the wrong angle and you will have a huge problem trying to figure out how to make the brake booster and master cylinder work. the second method would be to buy an e34 ix pan from europe along with several other parts to make the 24v engine sit at the correct angle so it doesn't look like a retarded hillbilly blasted diarrhea under your hood.

while you are at it, you will need to make the front suspension of the ix 5 lug. also a thread on the other forum.

search e30 tech. this really is the wrong place for this post.

[Vtec?lol]

The easiest way to do this (no such thing as an easy way to do this) is to buy an iX coupe and start adding M3 shit to it.

[BlueIX]

Pretty sure that putting the ix drivetrain in any e30 besides the ix itself is close to if not completely impossible considering the front strut towers are positioned differently and the transmission tunnel is very different as well.

Now grafting m3 body parts onto an ix is much less difficult but still super hard (check out any of a number of Vlad's builds).

Good luck

[Massimo]

Yeh it would be eaiser to get and ix and put m3 panels on it.

Vlad and whats his name with the steel body work conversions would be the people to hit up about this. I believe the hardest part is actually sorcing the back window peace.

[acolella76]

Yeah it seems like the hardest part would be finding/fabricating the C pillar. But go for it, awd M3 would be awesome!!!

[Robotin]

the 324TDX was more badass than m3x (m3 AWD) ...

just my opinion...

[nrubenstein]

It's been done. How much can you afford to spend?

As was stated, you basically have to cut off and replace the entire front clip as well as the trans tunnel. The issue is not that the M3 is different. The issue is that the iX is different. In addition, E30s are rather prone to rusting, so you will really need to get the chassis dipped and e-coated if you want it to survive more than a few years of that use.

So yes, an M3 body on an iX chassis would be easier. But, not all the metalwork is available.

Basically, the question you have to ask yourself is "can I afford to spend $30-40k, or do I have the skill to do this myself and spend maybe $15-20k?" Everything is doable, but this kind of work is very expensive.

[Kershaw]

buy an m3. hack it apart. weld the pieces to the ix. build custom oil pan, swap s14 into the ix.

ta-dah!

rubenstein is right thought, a swap like this is going to cost you. a lot. $15k minimum. and once you get into that range, a used sti/evo is more viable. you can drive it from day one and the power only goes up.

or just buy an ix and turbocharge it.

[spidy512]

love the passion already....

to say i dont have the money or resources is kinda AssU-ME-ing who i am. but warranted, because most idiots dont care to follow through with hacking the crap outta cars. They follow the current, not swim against it....

i am not trying to mate a s14 to an ix chassis. more the opposite. but not knowing ish about the difference between the chassis, that is why I asked the question(subarus from 95 to now share almost all the same mounting points, or at least a mismash of what has already been used). it appears somewhat of a pipe dream unless u are willing to take on a serious chassis abortion. honestly, id rather add the M3 body parts to an ix chassis. i have seen plenty of m3 dups out there, and it certainly seems make more sense. so possibly the rolling chassis body aborted to the ix chassis is a better route.

cool. thanks for the replies. it has certainly gave some direction.

last question. besides the UNDERSIDE of the chassis, the ix and M3 share the same body lines, right? front fenders, doors, NOT the B pillar back? interiors i know are the same or similar?

so it wont be a REAL M3, but maybe a sweet looking, wide body ix? with more power?

thanks in advance....

josh

[spidy512]

fwiw, i have followed vlads builds. part of my research.

@flyboyx, sounds like you have run into some serious issues. and at the same time have come up with some SERIOUS research clues. thanks a ton! but fabrication is the best part of this potential project. using OEM stuff is cool. but why not think outta the box? relocate, adapt, and overcome.

i am just tired of wrx/sti/evo clones out there. this is going to take years...

josh

PS admins, please move if i am way off on the right forum. sorry bout that....

[Massimo]

Read this thread it will answer all you body questions.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=196500

[spidy512]

thanks Massimo!

good read. def answers me questions...

josh

[Holland]

Well it has been done at one point in time.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=170100&highlight=m3+ix

[Julien]

well, first, it is e30 ix. xi is the piece o' shit e46 that used open diffs and the abs to lock up spinning wheels.

take that back :(