E30 M3 Steel Bodywork Conversion

[delatlanta1281]

Amazing. I love that YOU are doing this. Not paying anyone to do it, just mapping it out, and executing it step by step. I do alot of little stuff, but this inspires me to take on more than just a motor swap. I am taking a welding class asap.
Keep it up!
Rich

[bmwmech1]

wow. first glance at this and i am just in aw..nice work man! ive been wondering how possible it was to do this the thought has certainly danlgled in my head a few times..v8 e30..myess

Thanks man... and to think this project started out as JUST a V8 swap, lol! Wow has it snowballed, haha! It'll take the winter to get it finished up and on the road, but it should really be a one-of-a-kind car when it's done. And the fact that everything is new or refurbished to new specs, it'll be like a zero mile, thirty year old car... should be cool!;)

Garey

[bmwmech1]

Amazing. I love that YOU are doing this. Not paying anyone to do it, just mapping it out, and executing it step by step. I do alot of little stuff, but this inspires me to take on more than just a motor swap. I am taking a welding class asap.
Keep it up!
Rich

Thanks Rich... save the money from the welding class and buy a welder instead and a start welding! It's not very difficult and you can be MIG welding in an afternoon! TIG is a little more finesse oriented, but there is no replacement for hands on! There is plenty of info on the web and it's not like you'll break something MIG welding. I know the purists will say to take a class first, but if you have the means to pick up a welder, desire to learn can't be taught. I hope this car inspires a lot of projects... that's half the reason for sharing it! Thanks again for watching,

Garey

[vlad]

Thanks man... and to think this project started out as JUST a V8 swap, lol! Wow has it snowballed, haha! It'll take the winter to get it finished up and on the road, but it should really be a one-of-a-kind car when it's done. And the fact that everything is new or refurbished to new specs, it'll be like a zero mile, thirty year old car... should be cool!;)

Garey

:up:

[bmwmech1]

:up:

Thank you sir! I need to PM you and pick your brain about something...

Garey

[nebulous123]

this is sooooooo badass. Garey you are an E30god among men

[CarsSuck]

Are there any advantages to using the B44 block or would the results be the same with the m62's crank/rods/pistons?

[bmwmech1]

this is sooooooo badass. Garey you are an E30god among men

Haha... just doin my thing, lol! Thanks man...:D

Garey

[bmwmech1]

Are there any advantages to using the B44 block or would the results be the same with the m62's crank/rods/pistons?

Well, considering the bore is the difference, you'd have a hard time squeezing the M62B44 piston into a M60B40 block, lol! The "newer" B44 block is essentially the same as the "older" B40, except you have no cylinder wall wear issues, as in Nikasil vs. Alusil and the bore difference. That's pretty much it...

Garey

[Jean]

That's awesome!!! :) Another plus is no crappy center timing guide as used on the m62+ and no WATER COOLED ALT!

. So no issues with head gaskets, just the front part for the timing covers eh?

Well, I spent some time tonight working on the M60/62 hybrid and the news is....

It works! Well, statically anyway. I'm not sure how uncharted these waters are, but from the research I've done concerning this specific combination, I don't think it's been done. There's been a lot of talk about it and even a thread on Bfc about it, but everyone has stopped short of swapping the timing gear and heads from the B40 over to the B44, so this may be the first actual completed swap over. It was all a straight bolt together affair, except for the oil separator drain tube and the upper to lower timing cover gaskets. The drain tube has to have a bend put in it to clear the late model oil pump and the B40 head gaskets have the timing cover gasket integral to it, so those will have to be made. Other than that, it was pretty simple, really. Pics...

The heart of the hybrid motor... Timing chain crankshaft gear-double row M60 on left, single row M62 on right


The upside of the architecture of the 2 motors being the same, remove the single row and relace with the double row gear


All of the timing components literally bolt on to the M62 block the same way they do on the M60


M62 block with M60 heads and M60 timing gear


No B.S. B44 casting on the block, lol!


This takes advantage of the best of both motors... larger displacement, double row TC, double valve springs, etc...

Garey

[bmwmech1]

That's awesome!!! :) Another plus is no crappy center timing guide as used on the m62+ and no WATER COOLED ALT! So no issues with head gaskets, just the front part for the timing covers eh?

Yup! the only 2 things that need attention... the oil separator tube and the front, upper timing chain case gaskets. Pretty much it! I'm excited to fire it up and drive it, but that'll have to wait til spring...

Garey

[bmwmech1]

Since some of us didn't go to H20i, I thought I'd put up a few new pics. I've been slammed busy at the shop, which is a good thing, but it really slows down my progress on the project.:( The upside is, I can still shop for parts and they keep showing up, haha. I picked up the driveshaft, the rack and a set of tails(thanks Matt) and an OEM M3 front bumper. The bumper was hand delivered by an s14 member who happened to be making a run down to Maryland and dropped it on his way down yesterday(thanks Mike). I went over to the shop tonight and hit it with a quick coat of primer and slide it on the front of the car and snapped a couple of pics...





I have to pick up a second pair of OE skirts from Levent at Guten Parts this week and I'm also putting the motor together, when time permits.
So, all said, there is progress, just a little slower than I'd like, but being busy pays the bills...

Garey

[neighborhood]

pictures no workie

[bmwmech1]

pictures no workie

Hmmm, I can see them and the link is good from Photobucket. Don't know...

Garey

[drutt23]

I see the pics. Looks good! LOL