New name and and new engine for Mina: an e30 for the GF

[Ether-D]

Dude, lemme see if I can get one of those from Donnie. If I can, I'll send it back w/Swanny. If not, I bet I could ask Lonny or Johnny…

I'll be picking your brain on your suspension setup soon.

And, I just love this build. Love it!

[Andy.B]

Dude, lemme see if I can get one of those from Donnie. If I can, I'll send it back w/Swanny. If not, I bet I could ask Lonny or Johnny…

I'll be picking your brain on your suspension setup soon.

And, I just love this build. Love it!

I will gladly pay for shipping to get one here asap, if you can get a lead on one.

I am incredibly anxious to get the car rolling, and this is the last piece I need to make it move.

[Ether-D]

Hell, I'll gladly pay the shipping. I owe you bro.

[Ether-D]

He thinks he's got a few. I'll put my hands on one tomorrow and ship it out to you. PM me your address.

[Andy.B]

I've been stuck at this point for too long to keep waiting around. I'm going to bite the bullet, give up on alternatives, and just buy a shortened driveshaft. At least it comes with the peace of mind of thousands of worry free miles.


Someone out there needs to try an m10/auto driveshaft, as I still suspect it might work.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

I've been stuck at this point for too long to keep waiting around. I'm going to bite the bullet, give up on alternatives, and just buy a shortened driveshaft. At least it comes with the peace of mind of thousands of worry free miles.


Someone out there needs to try an m10/auto driveshaft, as I still suspect it might work.

Just a get a 87 325 e drive shaft. Mine had to be shortened about 2 inches. Cost me 80 to get it shortened balanced and painted.

[Andy.B]

None of the shops near me will touch a bmw drive shaft for some reason.

I have a stack of driveshafts at home I could have shortened, I just can't find a shop to do it.

Driveshaft Specialists wants $500 for a shortened, rebuilt driveshaft, shipped, which isn't bad, considering.

If I get one of mine shortened, I'll have to send it somewhere, which means paying for shipping, and taking a gamble on u-joints with unknown mileage.

It honestly isn't ideal, but until this car is done, I'm driving a miata, and after dealing with 20 inches of snow THIS WEEK, I've had enough of that.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

None of the shops near me will touch a bmw drive shaft for some reason.

I have a stack of driveshafts at home I could have shortened, I just can't find a shop to do it.

Driveshaft Specialists wants $500 for a shortened, rebuilt driveshaft, shipped, which isn't bad, considering.

If I get one of mine shortened, I'll have to send it somewhere, which means paying for shipping, and taking a gamble on u-joints with unknown mileage.

It honestly isn't ideal, but until this car is done, I'm driving a miata, and after dealing with 20 inches of snow THIS WEEK, I've had enough of that.

I'd have no problem getting a drive shaft shortened for you. Just pay for shipping both ways and the 80 for shortening. My time is free no worries.

[Andy.B]

I ended up buying a shortened result driveshaft from driveshaftspecialist.com.

While it put me over my initial budget for the swap, I am glad to have it done and sorted out.

That said, the shaft arrived Tuesday, for bolted in Wednesday, and the exhaust was welded up yesterday and today...



And while it's not pretty, it works, is solid, and didn't cost me anything. I cut apart the stock m20 down pipe and the m30 down pipe, and just pieced it together until it meet the m20 cat assembly.

[Andy.B]

With the exhaust bolted in. There was only one thing left to do...

Man, an m30 powered e30 pulls so nice. All the headache and frustration paid off. My ultra budget suspension works fantastically. It supports the extra weight, while still being comfortable enough for daily driving.

There are still some small issues to sort out. While the electric fan tested OK, and the wiring seemed to work, it didn't come on automatically. The coolant level sensor still needs to be re wired. The front lip needs to be reinstalled.

But Mina is finally back on the road!

[pandaboo911]

Picture of grin while driving needed

[Ether-D]

Holy fuckin shit! So like really, how is it? More sentences about how it pulls and stuff…

And, you beat me. :(

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Holy fuckin shit! So like really, how is it? More sentences about how it pulls and stuff…

And, you beat me. :(

second this....

[Swanny]

Its a celebration bitches

[Andy.B]

I made it about two blocks before mumbling out to my gf, "great... Now I need to find an m30 for mine too".

It isn't mind boggling power, to be fair. It's still a 'clean' m30 b34, and considering it's age and mileage, is certainly under 200hp.

But the power is there... All the time. No need to wind it out like my 2.7i, no need to make sure you're in the sweet spot of the power band... Just push down on the go pedal, and it moves.

And the fact that it does it seemingly so effortlessly... All that torque, just ready and waiting.