My car partly done 91 E30 S52 swap

[Sweet6series]

Hello everyone Im fairly new here and don't post much.

Just like everyone else here I'm a huge fan of all BMW's all years and almost all models.

I had an E36 M3 and got rid of it and missed it sooo much. I ended up with a 91 325i auto coupe that I drove around for a long time till I did a S52 swap and this thing moves!!!!

I built this car thinking I'll drive it for a bit then sell it but I really don't know cause it's so much fun. And plus I don't know what a clean swapped car is really worth.

Well so far what I got on it:

Engine:
S52 with a OBDI manifold
3.5 MAF
Turner chip
E34 M5 lightened flywheel
Turner Headers
Borla muffler
Track pipe (professionally done)
Intake with heat shield
M coupe shifter
Treehouse adapter
2.93 lsd (great for daily use) - royal purple fluid
E46 M3 motor mounts
320i trans mounts



Suspension:
M3 control arms
Billies
H&R street spring
Ireland camber plates (not the adjustable ones)
Ireland stg2 or 3 sways
Ireland front and rear strut bars
treehouse control arm bushings (not installed)

Lights:
OEM Euro smileys with DDM xenons.

Wheels:
Apex wheels

Looking for:
Black rear seats
Black rear speaker cover
heater core- mine was leaking so I disconnected it for the moment.


What's left:

Paint and the IS rear spoiler
Maybe coil overs and brakes.

Here are some pics










Thanks and happy to be a part of the community!!!!

[Jhonno]

I hate the use of wiring 'adapters' when it is so easy to do it properly.

Like the car though, despite my pet hate being present.

[Vivek]

So which is more fun, your e36 m3, or this? I like the volvo lip btw, for some reason I think it looks good on the more raw-power cars like a 24v swap.

[Trptguy]

So which is more fun, your e36 m3, or this? I like the volvo lip btw, for some reason I think it looks good on the more raw-power cars like a 24v swap.

because you can tell it has a swap just from looking at the outside???:p

[Vivek]

because you can tell it has a swap just from looking at the outside???:p

Well...it's the overall look the owner's going for. This obviously isn't gonna be a show car.

[Philo]

Our cars looked very very similar up until yesterday. Even S52'd

[VinniE30]

Well...it's the overall look the owner's going for. This obviously isn't gonna be a show car.

What?
I don't see anything wrong with the rest of the car. Looks clean from what I can tell.
The volvo lip ruins an otherwise nice looking car, once again.
It boggles my mind why someone spending thousands on their car can't manage to spend just $100 or less on an OEM iS lip.

[Jszy25]

What trans do you have behind the s52??

I swapped an m52/ZF trans into my 318is and still have the 4.10 diff. Needless to say the gearing is WAY too short (but fun). I'm considering the 2.93 LSD and would love to hear some feedback.

What revs at about 70mph in 5th? 80mph?

[ScHpAnKy]

What?
I don't see anything wrong with the rest of the car. Looks clean from what I can tell.
The volvo lip ruins an otherwise nice looking car, once again.
It boggles my mind why someone spending thousands on their car can't manage to spend just $100 or less on an OEM iS lip.

shut the fuck up with this shit already.

some people just chose to spend time and money on parts that matter.

OP, ignore this clown, your car is awesome.

[ScHpAnKy]

What trans do you have behind the s52??

I swapped an m52/ZF trans into my 318is and still have the 4.10 diff. Needless to say the gearing is WAY too short (but fun). I'm considering the 2.93 LSD and would love to hear some feedback.

What revs at about 70mph in 5th? 80mph?

you want a 3.15

[Philo]

What trans do you have behind the s52??

I swapped an m52/ZF trans into my 318is and still have the 4.10 diff. Needless to say the gearing is WAY too short (but fun). I'm considering the 2.93 LSD and would love to hear some feedback.

What revs at about 70mph in 5th? 80mph?

I'm running a ZF. If you do 50/50 highway/city, the 2.93 is super perfect. I'm running a 3.23 torsen from an Mcoupe. It is excellent around town and very liveable on the highway. I will say, however, when I take road trips I really wish it was a 2.93. Anything over a 3.25 is useless and annoying to me.

And I want to say I'm doing about 3500 rpm at 77mph on the cluster (73mph actual).

[Jszy25]

^ thanks guys. I'll look into the 3.15 also.

[CoreyZ]

What?
I don't see anything wrong with the rest of the car. Looks clean from what I can tell.
The volvo lip ruins an otherwise nice looking car, once again.
It boggles my mind why someone spending thousands on their car can't manage to spend just $100 or less on an OEM iS lip.

I can't speak for the op, but if I had an iS lip on my car it would get destroyed in short order. Some of the roads around Knoxville suck. If I could get an iS lip in ABS I'd be all over it.

The lip on his car is properly trimmed and pulled in too.

[HR2L]

Awesome build OP! Hope to be in the same boat here real soon with an s52 swap into my 4 door.

Did you have your swap BAR'd? Looks clean under the hood. If you do plan to sell it in the future, LMK! :)

[N2MYE30]

That car looks fun to drive! :up: