M20 into a 318i, best of both worlds?

[ali123]

You're still missing the point. Your 318 is not light because it's a lighter car, it's light because it has no options and has a small engine. It doesn't matter what shell you start out with, it's going to end up weighing the same in the end.

Options don't really matter to me roll up windows are fine... I'm trying to start as light as possible. I understand that the engine is small but it doesn't add up to the big weight diff. 260 pounds between the early 318i and the later ones. I'm pretty sure lots of that has to do wit options, soundproofing, etc. I'm looking for a full out fun car. I just read a thread where a user mentioned that there's only a 23lb difference between a M10 and M42 with both transmissions included. I'm guessing the other 240lbs came from somewhere else then. And according to the user above brakes add 5kg. I'm planning on building this car but making it streetable as well.

Thank you

[decay]

just weight-reduce the car you have.

light battery (westco for miata, or look harder/spend more if you want to lose more weight). corbeau seats. those are the 2 easiest things. past that you're starting to look at stuff that will eventually bother you if you daily it (such as deleting PS/AC, for starters).

if you're really serious about having a lightweight car, read the grassroots motorsports & motoiq project car blogs, and look at what they do to lose weight. but be advised; they mostly work on more modern cars that have much more weight to lose. be further advised, you're going to need to put weight back into it with bracing if you want it to handle like a modern car of comparable weight (s2000, fr-s).

[JinormusJ]

The later cars also had 50lbs. of trunk ballast.

Only verts did
Unless you are referring to the trunk tar

[nrubenstein]

The later cars also had 50lbs. of trunk ballast.

[Liquidity]

You're still missing the point. Your 318 is not light because it's a lighter car, it's light because it has no options and has a small engine. It doesn't matter what shell you start out with, it's going to end up weighing the same in the end.

[ali123]

My 84 318 weighed 2400lbs with a full tank AND it had a 2.7i in it. Do it! Theres a lot of other little things that are different. No power options definitely cuts down on weight. My 86 eta weighed 2750lbs with a full tank. It was fully optioned ES, VS a bare bones 318 car. There is a difference. Both cars had full interior

Oh man that's sick. I'm not sure if I want to swap a M20 or an S50. I know both will make the car front heavy but basically I'd just do a bunch of lightweight mods (carbon hood, front bumper, fenders, roll bar in the rear etc) to get the car as close to 50:50 as possible. Basically my dream goal is that beautiful NA sound with as close to go kart handling as possible. That 300 pounds diff sounds like alot. How does it feel?

Thank you

[petrolhead]

My 84 318i lacks power window & sunroof motors. I also think the rear drums weigh about as much as a rotor but the wheel cylinde is lighter than a caliper. I haven't looked in ages but I also think the ebrake activates the brake shoes so no extra hardware there.

Changing over to dics in the rear and bigger front ones adds 5 kg to the car.

Then there's the style 42 battery that's a good 12 lbs less than what's in an m20 car.

The engine swap doesn't just add weight but it puts most of it in front the of the axle which magnified the impact on handling.

Do the math

Lightest E30 model was the very early 316. With 75kg driver & half a tank it's 54:46 nose heavy.

So it's about a 300 pounds diff then if you added a m20? is this because of interior or were the frame of the later models more stiff?

thanks

Weight differences between early and late model shells are very small. Four door is a little bit heavier but noticeably stiffer also.

[JinormusJ]

318 + m20 = 325. Just start there.

I think you're missing the point of this threaf

[NoM54me]

318 + m20 = 325. Just start there.

[Red46]

My 84 318 weighed 2400lbs with a full tank AND it had a 2.7i in it. Do it! Theres a lot of other little things that are different. No power options definitely cuts down on weight. My 86 eta weighed 2750lbs with a full tank. It was fully optioned ES, VS a bare bones 318 car. There is a difference. Both cars had full interior

This!

[econti]

Just turbo the M10
Or M42 it
Or turbo the M42

[HennaE30]

M60 it or go home.

S85 it or go home.


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[jeffnhiscars]

My 84 318i lacks power window & sunroof motors. I also think the rear drums weigh about as much as a rotor but the wheel cylinde is lighter than a caliper. I haven't looked in ages but I also think the ebrake activates the brake shoes so no extra hardware there.

Then there's the style 42 battery that's a good 12 lbs less than what's in an m20 car.

The engine swap doesn't just add weight but it puts most of it in front the of the axle which magnified the impact on handling.

Do the math

[anabolice30]

Well the light weight of the early 318 drive train is certainly beneficial to handling and braking, and from what we've seen with certain individuals here the stock M10 can take enough boost to propel a 318 down the strip faster than a new M3. If you got 250whp out of the stock drivetrain with a mild build and worked on the handling and braking you could make an "undesirable" early 318i into a seriously fast car without even needing to do a swap.

Idk all about beating a new m3 down a quarter mile.. But yea the m10 can handle boost like a mother.

[slammin.e28]

boom



with bottlecaps and stock suspension

Wouldn't do it any other way.