My E30: an LS3 Powered 1991 318iS

[OldDrunkenSailor]

Welp, some people know this, but the LS3 E30 got killed by an idiot in a rental Mazda 3 back in November. He ran a red light and hit us hard enough that it looked like we were trying to go left to begin with. Myself, girlfriend, and father were in the car and are all fine. The car was totaled but mechanically speaking it was only a flesh wound.

I bought the car back for ~$150 (so glad that they didn't lift the hood for insurance photos. Even the steering wheel is worth more than that) and found a great looking 1988 320i Touring fresh off of a boat and the swap is finally wrapping up. I'll make an new thread when I have good photos of it. For now, here's some photos of the dead OG LS3 E30 (known to my friends as the Death Machine) and a video of the new car under its own power.

Somehow the wheel at the impact area came out unscathed, so that's what she's rolling on now.












First video of the new car:


I'll make a new thread when I've got some more to report.

[OldDrunkenSailor]

Ok, linked on the front page to the imgur album with every photo that I had of the build.

Now I just want the Death Machine 2.0 to get finished that much quicker. I miss having such a rocket ship....That I get to drive about 4 times per year....

[OldDrunkenSailor]

Oops, I'll fix it when I get back home.

You should have a bigger sad because the damn thing was totaled.

[e30austin]

Trying to show someone this while I'm at work and your original pics no longer work :( i haz a sad

[MattAvino]

BRB, going to get an LS3

[OldDrunkenSailor]

A normal T56 and T56 Magnum should have the shifter in the same position. This is the link to the one that I bought: http://www.hurst-drivelines.com/?page_id=155

[iansane]

Use the Fbody T56. The shifter is right in the center of the tunnel hole.

This one isn't fbody, is it?



I thought the fbody shifter was the farthest forward t56 shifter? If that's fbody then if the GTO version could fit vertically it seems like the optimal choice.

[garretvs]

What shifter assembly did you use and where is it located relative to the center console? Aka, does it need the setback of the GTO remote-ish shifter?

Use the Fbody T56. The shifter is right in the center of the tunnel hole.

[OldDrunkenSailor]

Ah, mine looks almost exactly like the ls1 one. The problem is that it really can't be any taller so the GTO one won't work.

[iansane]

4thgen F-body shifter sticks straight up from the tail shaft housing while the GTO shfiter mounts to the tail shaft but sticks up a bit further back.



Looks like it's about a 3-3.5" setback compared to an fbody assembly. The 5thgen camaro uses a setup like the CTSv but not quite as far back as that. IIRC, it was directly over the driveshaft flange pretty close to the LS1 camaro setup.

[OldDrunkenSailor]

I actually haven't seen what you're talking about, I'm curious. It's a few inches farther forward than an e30 one so the console had to be cut into a smidge. I was at SEMA this year and saw some interesting bits that might set it back, but it's such a tight squeeze, that it will probably take some trial/error to figure something out.

[iansane]

What shifter assembly did you use and where is it located relative to the center console? Aka, does it need the setback of the GTO remote-ish shifter?

[OldDrunkenSailor]

Hmmm Well shoot me a line next feb and we'll see what's going on in May :)

[markseven]

Oh wow, I wouldn't have expected it to be that cheap. Also good to know about the suspension. If/when I ever need to replace the Touring I'll look into it.

When is Bimmerfest? That's the one in CA somewhere, right? I wouldn't mind going but I'd want to close out most-all of my current projects first.

Yep. Calipers, rotors, hats, pads, and SS brake lines.

Bimmerfest will be in early May of 2013, most probably at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. You should bring it.

[OldDrunkenSailor]

Oh wow, I wouldn't have expected it to be that cheap. Also good to know about the suspension. If/when I ever need to replace the Touring I'll look into it.

When is Bimmerfest? That's the one in CA somewhere, right? I wouldn't mind going but I'd want to close out most-all of my current projects first.