Would you sacrifice an E34 M5 for an S38 powered E30?

[Massimo]

Don't kill the M5. It would probably be smarter financially to sell the M5 and just buy an S38.

This

Don't be a cock.

[Court M3]

Keep the e34 or sell it to fund an e30 s5x swap.

[N2MYE30]

I have little love for an e34, even an M5. It would be hard to part a car that was hand built though. It may be my dream engine.

[BlackbirdM3]

My guess is that the E30 will be worth less than if it were correct down the road, and the M5 will be worth very little without the motor. I'm also going to guess that doing the swap will be rather expensive, so I'd say sell the M5 and put the $ into building the motor that you have.

Just my $0.02

Will

[rares]

My guess is that the E30 will be worth less than if it were correct down the road, and the M5 will be worth very little without the motor. I'm also going to guess that doing the swap will be rather expensive, so I'd say sell the M5 and put the $ into building the motor that you have.

Just my $0.02

Will

hey will, that's actually a pretty legit way of thinking about it.. props buddy

[5Toes]

S38 isnt that great of an engine for the price. Im no expert, but if one is willing to go non-BMW engine than there are much better alternatives

[rares]

S38 isnt that great of an engine for the price. Im no expert, but if one is willing to go non-BMW engine than there are much better alternatives

they are a strong engine though.. i have a friend that runs a boosted euro s38 making close to 800 RWHP in an e30... but i get what your saying about the price

[5Toes]

Friend and I are arguing right now S38 vs Vq37 (for isntance)

Vq is about a $2500 engine, and has so much aftermarkter support

S38 is about $6000 with tranny and not as much aftermarket for it

Both are going to require custom engine mounts, etc.

[xwill112x]

I want to see a coyote 5.0L swap.

[LuckyHenriksen]

I want to see a coyote 5.0L swap.

This. I have been a die hard LSx nutswinger forever, but the new Coyotes are pretty fucking rad

[BlackbirdM3]

hey will, that's actually a pretty legit way of thinking about it.. props buddy

I have to be honest, I hate seeing the wrong motor in a car. It stems from the fact that I have semi rare cars with said rare motors. With the Datsuns its horrible, many people swap modern motors in without giving a 2nd thought about building a hot stock motor and keeping the car whole. I got into it with a guy a few years back over the ability for the stock motor in my car to make the same hp that a stock Nissan SR20 could make. Guess what, both cars were tested on the same dyno (at different times mind you). On the first pull my engine made more hp than the stock SR20 did, 3 pulls later (carb jet changes every time) I was up 30 wheel hp. I'm now up more than that. (190+ hp out of a 44 year old 8 valve SOHC 2 liter is pretty impressive, and its done on stock internals. I've seen 7800 rpm on track with it and it keeps going.) Moral of the story is, get creative. You can get a lot of power out of the stock motor and unless its a real POS motor (as in bad design from top to bottom) it can be done reliably. Start with porting the head and adding a cam. That right there will go miles for hp gains (in my case I found about 50 hp when it was all said and done). I'd also guess it will cost less to go this route than it will to swap another different motor in after you factor in making wiring harnesses compatible with each other, modifying the body/crossmembers ect, and adding a new ECU and all the little things that you need.

I'd guess that $3000 will go a LONG way to making some good hp, and when you are ready to sell it, the car will likely be worth more this way than with another engine.

Yes, I'm a purest in some ways, but I'll be honest, I like hot motors, so mod your correct motor to the moon. That is far more interesting than just another swapper car to me.

Will

[Roysneon]

What the fuck. I'm pretty sure there's a special place in Hell for those who part out salvageable handbuilt M5s.

[mr2peak]

The women around you later in life will appreciate an M5 more than a swapped E30 most of the time, if long term ownership is your plan.

With the Datsuns its horrible, many people swap modern motors in without giving a 2nd thought about building a hot stock motor and keeping the car whole.

Will

I saw a very very nice 510 wagon with a fully built L18 and individual throttle bodies the other night. Way more unique than all the swaps that car has seen. That said, I still appreciate a swap car, it's the route I've chosen more than once.

[Stephen]

Keep it. If you dont like e34 m5s, sell it. Get an s38 from something un-salvageable

[TurboJake]

I have to be honest, I hate seeing the wrong motor in a car. It stems from the fact that I have semi rare cars with said rare motors. With the Datsuns its horrible, many people swap modern motors in without giving a 2nd thought about building a hot stock motor and keeping the car whole. I got into it with a guy a few years back over the ability for the stock motor in my car to make the same hp that a stock Nissan SR20 could make. Guess what, both cars were tested on the same dyno (at different times mind you). On the first pull my engine made more hp than the stock SR20 did, 3 pulls later (carb jet changes every time) I was up 30 wheel hp. I'm now up more than that. (190+ hp out of a 44 year old 8 valve SOHC 2 liter is pretty impressive, and its done on stock internals. I've seen 7800 rpm on track with it and it keeps going.) Moral of the story is, get creative. You can get a lot of power out of the stock motor and unless its a real POS motor (as in bad design from top to bottom) it can be done reliably. Start with porting the head and adding a cam. That right there will go miles for hp gains (in my case I found about 50 hp when it was all said and done). I'd also guess it will cost less to go this route than it will to swap another different motor in after you factor in making wiring harnesses compatible with each other, modifying the body/crossmembers ect, and adding a new ECU and all the little things that you need.

I'd guess that $3000 will go a LONG way to making some good hp, and when you are ready to sell it, the car will likely be worth more this way than with another engine.

Yes, I'm a purest in some ways, but I'll be honest, I like hot motors, so mod your correct motor to the moon. That is far more interesting than just another swapper car to me.

Will

I won't disagree with you EXCEPT on one datsun point.

The CA20E.....

Definitely one of those "as in bad design from top to bottom" Engines...