OMG! I brought the new conversion home last night!
Quick history: I have owned my 89 325i since new. She had 150k on her and then the engine started giving some issues. In the meantime, my wife and I decided to move back to Dallas and I would need a better daily driver. After reading a lot on the boards, I convinced her that the money would be better spent on a S52 conversion than on a Chevy Cobalt. Anyway, I found Terry Sayther in Austin (great shop) and they have performed the conversion along with koni/ie spring, 5 speed swap, diff, sways, and about every hose, belt, etc that was on the car (along with the Mtech II trim, and Euro Aero sides). The project takes a little while longer to complete, but it was worth it whe I got to Austin yesterday.
Now to the review:
It's like brent said down at Terry Sayther. The S52 is the engine that should have been in the E30. It looks factory under the hood. All wiring hidden behind the cover, etc. They even are running the stock clutch fan. I cannot beleive the difference between the before and after. Now, there is immediate response when you hit the gas. At 90 on the way back up the interstate, you can still hit the gas and she will push you back in the seat. On top of that, the gas milleage is better than I was expecting. On 2 stops (decided to fill up to check fuel MPG, drink break), I got 23.9 on first fill (hard driving out of Austin), and 26.8 on the last on in Frisco with more consistant driving on I35 (This was at 70-85 mph).
Anyway, for anyone outthere that is thinking about doing this, just do it! It makes the car new again and is like driving a new car in my favorite BMW body style. Also it was fun to see the heads turn on the freeway when a mustang, etc would try to overtake/pass and you deny them passage :)
Now the only thing is some tire's wheels. I want to take her on Texas Motor Speedway driving experience sometime and take her around the track.
Now back to work and less slacking (actually out to lunch with the new car now ).
Now to the review:
It's like brent said down at Terry Sayther. The S52 is the engine that should have been in the E30. It looks factory under the hood. All wiring hidden behind the cover, etc. They even are running the stock clutch fan. I cannot beleive the difference between the before and after. Now, there is immediate response when you hit the gas. At 90 on the way back up the interstate, you can still hit the gas and she will push you back in the seat. On top of that, the gas milleage is better than I was expecting. On 2 stops (decided to fill up to check fuel MPG, drink break), I got 23.9 on first fill (hard driving out of Austin), and 26.8 on the last on in Frisco with more consistant driving on I35 (This was at 70-85 mph).
Anyway, for anyone outthere that is thinking about doing this, just do it! It makes the car new again and is like driving a new car in my favorite BMW body style. Also it was fun to see the heads turn on the freeway when a mustang, etc would try to overtake/pass and you deny them passage :)
Now the only thing is some tire's wheels. I want to take her on Texas Motor Speedway driving experience sometime and take her around the track.
Now back to work and less slacking (actually out to lunch with the new car now ).
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