E30-LS1 Swap KITS now available!!

[garretvs]

Yes. 5 of the ten kits are sold, and we are welding and assembling them. S/B ready to ship this week.

[kristov]

Any news here?

[10Toes]

the sanderson link doesn't appear to be correct....

Have you heard of this website Google?

I used it to find this, took 5 seconds.

http://www.sandersonheaders.com/

[JoeyBones]

the sanderson link doesn't appear to be correct....

[garretvs]

Our CD has a complete "Master Parts List", which details everything needed to complete the swap; with sources, quantities, hardware, etc. The parts list was complied for a DIY-type, who is doing the swap without our kit. Our kit parts and hardware are noted on the MPL.

Also note for those of you in California, which requires a visual inspection in order to obtain license plates, that our Sanderson headers may not pass. Check with your local inspection.

See:

http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Chevrolet_S-10_V-8_Smog.html

[craiggroves91]

Along with our kit, you need to get:

LS1 and T56
Radiator from www.usradiator.com
Intermediate steering shaft from Vorshlag
Modify a Camaro drive shaft
Differential flange from www.jagsthatrun.com
headers from www.sanderson.com
Hydroboost and mastercylinder from 97+ Mustang GT
etc

You're making the 3-series BMW should have made!

I'm trying to make a parts list with estimated costs. I want it to cost around 8500 or so including an e30.

[garretvs]

Anyone use one of these kits?

What else is needed on top of the kit, LS1, tranny?

Along with our kit, you need to get:

LS1 and T56
Radiator from www.usradiator.com
Intermediate steering shaft from Vorshlag
Modify a Camaro drive shaft
Differential flange from www.jagsthatrun.com
headers from www.sanderson.com
Hydroboost and mastercylinder from 97+ Mustang GT
etc

You're making the 3-series BMW should have made!

[garretvs]

I agree with those welds not being up to par, you really shouldn’t be MIG welding something that needs to be very precise and have good penetration. Ideally you should TIG everything, and then post weld heat treat so your stress testing/finite analysis can be correct. As of right now, it’s not really being true to the actual product being produced I don’t mean to shit on your product, but if those welds were to fail someone could possibly loose there life. This isn’t something that you should be doing if you aren’t a certified welder, and I would know since I am preparing to take my certification test.

Good on you to become certified.

The prototype brackets for the 2nd diff mount were welded by us and are in our own car. 22,000 miles later, no problems. The brackets are welded on both sides.

We now laser-cut most of our parts, and bend them in a press brake -- the diff brackets are not welded, but formed.

Cheers

Garret & Steve

[Gnarles]

Great idea for the second diff mount! I would add some return flanges between the fastener locations and the diff bushing to provide a better load path and further strengthen your second diff mount. It looks like it will not carry much load in your current configuration compared to the stock mount just based on relative stiffness.

[trackjunkie21]

I agree with those welds not being up to par, you really shouldn’t be MIG welding something that needs to be very precise and have good penetration. Ideally you should TIG everything, and then post weld heat treat so your stress testing/finite analysis can be correct. As of right now, it’s not really being true to the actual product being produced I don’t mean to shit on your product, but if those welds were to fail someone could possibly loose there life. This isn’t something that you should be doing if you aren’t a certified welder, and I would know since I am preparing to take my certification test.

Read two posts above.

[craiggroves91]

Anyone use one of these kits?

What else is needed on top of the kit, LS1, tranny?

[pantelones]

I agree with those welds not being up to par, you really shouldn’t be MIG welding something that needs to be very precise and have good penetration. Ideally you should TIG everything, and then post weld heat treat so your stress testing/finite analysis can be correct. As of right now, it’s not really being true to the actual product being produced I don’t mean to shit on your product, but if those welds were to fail someone could possibly loose there life. This isn’t something that you should be doing if you aren’t a certified welder, and I would know since I am preparing to take my certification test.

[alfie]

hey would these mounts work with an lt1 ?

[garretvs]

Firstly, my compliments on designing this conversion kit. It's guys like you, enthusiasts who bring interesting stuff to market for the e30,who I like to see succeed. Best of luck selling your kits.

I do have to ask though if you are doing the welding, how much experience do you have? Do you have whatever the certification in your area would be?

The reason I ask is because the weld on the left in particular while it does look pretty good, could infact be prone to failure. Its hard to tell especially from just looking at pictures and I really don't like to analyze peoples welds online but it doesn't look completely fused. It doesn't look like the edges of the weld have fused to the base metal. It is a really common problem with MIG often called "cold lap". Basically the wire just melts on top of the plate rather than melting into the plate.

Also good on you for posting close-ups of your welds. I don't post my welds online hardly at all because no matter what they look like there is always an armchair welder at home waiting to try and pick them apart. I hate to be that guy, but if that is infact cold lap it can be a very serious weld fault. Again best of luck with your kits.

The parts above are for the prototype. Production parts will be laser-cut and formed, with no welds. We used a minimum of weld on those parts in order to keep shrinkage down.

[maniacmatt]

If you're referring to the left hand weld on that transmission mount pic I just put up, I forgot to spray anti spatter on that section haha, look at the others I think you'll see they're pretty solid.

ie.



-Garret

Firstly, my compliments on designing this conversion kit. It's guys like you, enthusiasts who bring interesting stuff to market for the e30,who I like to see succeed. Best of luck selling your kits.

I do have to ask though if you are doing the welding, how much experience do you have? Do you have whatever the certification in your area would be?

The reason I ask is because the weld on the left in particular while it does look pretty good, could infact be prone to failure. Its hard to tell especially from just looking at pictures and I really don't like to analyze peoples welds online but it doesn't look completely fused. It doesn't look like the edges of the weld have fused to the base metal. It is a really common problem with MIG often called "cold lap". Basically the wire just melts on top of the plate rather than melting into the plate.

Also good on you for posting close-ups of your welds. I don't post my welds online hardly at all because no matter what they look like there is always an armchair welder at home waiting to try and pick them apart. I hate to be that guy, but if that is infact cold lap it can be a very serious weld fault. Again best of luck with your kits.