454 Hemi in an e30?

[bimmer8604]

My friend and I just had a thought recently on what to do with my totaled car:

One of our good friends owns a body shop, with a frame straightener. We allready talked to him, and said he would hook us up and straighten my frame for really cheap, i guess thats the easy part. My friends dad just happens to have an old Hemi 454 laying around that isn't being used. His grandfather has a few old muscle cars with tranny's and rearends laying around. Do you think its slightly at all possible to do this swap? I mean, the electronics wouldn't be that hard, as there really isn't anything to wire to a computer. And i belive all the brake/clutch cylinders are still laying around the garage somewhere.

Good idea? Yes or no?

Kyle

[LowR3V'in]

If it isn't ever your head, do it.

[TimmyBigHands]

:roll: That's on my top ten most retarded thing I've ever heard.

Why wedge an "american powerhouse" into a fine German-built machine? Then let's look how close a fit it is to install the M50 into an E30... Now imagine trying to shoe-horn a big block 454 into the front end of an early BMW - it would be like trying to fit a 350lb woman into size "S" biking shorts.

Lets' say that you actually fit the motor in there, try to get a radiator (all custom, and must be large enough to cool such a beast) and all your accessory belts run too - it would be impossible. Then let's thing about the set of springs/spring rates you would need to support a motor that heavy. My brain HURTS just starting to think of a project this hopeless...

[boom-monkey]

At the local dragstrip there was an 86 eta with a 427 and big blower sticking out of the hood, and the back of the chassis was tubbed. I don't think it's what the Germans originally engineered but it sure turned a lot of heads.

Like bighands said, it won't be easy, but don't let his negative attitude scare you off. Good luck with the project.

[nando]

why not do an M30 swap and turbo it, you can get around 500hp without all the extra weight. the power to weight ratio of the old american pushrod V8s is pretty sad. That thing probably weighs an easy 450-500lbs, which is going to be all over the front wheels.

I guess if it's "cheap", but swapping another manufacturers motor into your car won't be cheap, nor easy.

think about this, that ~7 liter V8 probably put out slightly over 400hp when it was NEW. BMW makes a 5 liter V10 that puts out over 500hp, and it probably gets better gas mileage at the same time. not that you'll ever cram that into your E30.. but there are better options for ~400hp than old heavy pushrod V8s.

[bmwannabe]

sorry you are retarded because

A.) Putting a big engine in such a small car will kill the front to rear weight ratio
B.) American muscle + german engineering dont mix
C.) Hemi was a 426, not 454, which was a Chevrolet casting.

so you pretty much lose on all fronts. sorry.

[Rob]

B.) American muscle + german engineering dont mix

thats pretty retarded reasoning right there

[mspiegle]

seriously, if you do it - you know you'll be the only one (probably).

I say, if you think you're capable, do it. There will be tons of fabrication involved.

Sure, you'll screw up your weight distribution. Just don't plan on running the car in any auto-Xs or tracks meets.

There's tons of people who will talk shit about a swap like that, but i'm all for being unique. Why waste your time doing something that someone else has already done?

[KenC]

B.) American muscle + german engineering dont mix

thats pretty retarded reasoning right there

"Don't put it in, it's not euro!"

You guys all act like German engineering is so sacred... it's a fucking e30 bmw, not a 911..

Kyle,
If you already have access to an engine, I say go for it... it'd be badass.

[Rob]

real torque in an e30, I dont mean waffleswaffleswaffleswaffleswaffles ass m50 torque, would fucking rock

[e9nine]

Its been done by some, I dunno what exact domestic motors they have put in various e30 chassis but it has been done before. s2000 and Eclipse turbo motors have also been put in e30 chassis.

If he's doing it for fun, no need to tube it up etc unless he want's to stay alive while trying to rip some bad 1/4 mi times. All he will have to do is take turns "differently" ;)

I dunno why the "German" heritage of the bimmer is so sacred that its not to be mixed with anything else... It's just a car, a nice old chassis that he wants to play with. He's using his own car and he has a motor that someone can help him with if it develops probs. Just like the m50, m30 and turbo suggestions.....its another option to put a big block in the car.

What if he put an LS1 in it :twisted: ?

THough I would not do this to an e30. If I were to play with a domestic motor in another chassis, it would have to be an LS1 in a Datsun 240z :twisted:

[nando]

I was actually going to mention the LS1, but I decided my post was already too long so I erased it :P

[Mystikal]

think about this, that ~7 liter V8 probably put out slightly over 400hp when it was NEW. BMW makes a 5 liter V10 that puts out over 500hp, and it probably gets better gas mileage at the same time. not that you'll ever cram that into your E30.. but there are better options for ~400hp than old heavy pushrod V8s.

PERFECT!

So what do those V10's go for, $40k? :P

[UNHCLL]

crate motor v8's fuckin own in e30s.

Do it, then when you've got a motor that will trounce 90% of the people who are anti-american muscle in e30... they'll shut up, or choke on your exhaust.

But be prepared for constant haggling about it not being "euro". That seems to be the term people with limited mods and ability to mod fall back on... ;)

[BimmerKris]

C.) Hemi was a 426, not 454, which was a Chevrolet casting.

i was wondering if anyone was gonna catch that, i took four posts, you should all be ashamed of yourselves

if you want to do something like that, at least keep it in the family. a 4.4 out of an M5 would own anything on the street