E30 M3 Steel Bodywork Conversion

[Jean]

Garey - how many hours do you have in your day? Looks like way more than rest of us!

P.S. going to work on the other side of the mount this week! Thanks for your patience!

[bmwmech1]

Garey - how many hours do you have in your day? Looks like way more than rest of us!

P.S. going to work on the other side of the mount this week! Thanks for your patience!

The secret is to never concede the end of one day and the beginning of the next... they all just run together for me, Lol!

Garey

P.S. And never look at the clock, Lol!

[element6]

Damn. I take a new job, buy a cabrio because I always wanted one, move to Miami, and everytime I look on here I see people in Central PA chipping away at E30 masterpieces.

Almost makes me want to give up the sunshine and move back to make some friends.

sub'd

[sweet6e30]

keep the pics coming

[BeirBrennerE30]

Subscribed. I am very interested to see how the integrated cage comes out. I have contemplated this myslef after seeing the piper car. Really looks like the best compromise between cage stiffness and road car sensibility. Very nice work too.

[bmwmech1]

Subscribed. I am very interested to see how the integrated cage comes out. I have contemplated this myslef after seeing the piper car. Really looks like the best compromise between cage stiffness and road car sensibility. Very nice work too.

Thanks... that was my exact train of thought. I don't need to have the cage visible for everyone to oooh and aaah over, but I do need it for the rigidity it will add to the structure. The more I can "hide it" behind the interior, the less likely I am to bang my head on it, Lol!

Garey

[bmwmech1]

No pictures today, as I was in a hurry to leave before the snow started, but my fuel cell came in and I picked up a new gasket set for the diff. I got the E36 dual ear cover clearanced for the reluctor ring of the E30 diff, tore the diff apart to clean it and paint it and then I'll reassemble it with all new seals and gaskets. I should have it done tomorrow, provided the weather cooperates. I need to pick up a set of bushings for the subframe and then I'll sandblast it and paint it. Then I can mock-up the diff/subframe to finalize the new crossmember and diff mounts and finish the sheetmetal work in the trunk. Then I'll mock up the fuel cell, so I can fab the mounts for it and the pump and the lines...

Pics tomorrow...

Garey

[bmwmech1]

So here are some pics of the newly finished diff and the fuel cell, as promised. I cleaned the front subframe and ordered a bunch of steel reinforcements for the front subframe from AKG today and the poly rear subframe bushings, also. I have to mill the front subframe spacers and the speed sensor spacer from some 6061 aluminum stock I have this week and I'll probably slot the lolipops at the same time, since I'll be milling stuff already...





Garey

[CorvallisBMW]

This thread gives me a chubby.

[bmwmech1]

This thread gives me a chubby.

Glad I can provide that for you... I think...

Thanks man

Garey

[Frog]

Is that a large case going into an E30?

[bmwmech1]

Is that a large case going into an E30?

Nope, it's the 2.93LSD that came in the car. I just modified an E36 dual ear cover to work on the E30 case, so I would have the stronger dual setup for the added torque of the V8. That and I completely disassembled the diff, cleaned it and reassembled it with all new seals and gaskets and paint...

Garey

[BeirBrennerE30]

Nope, it's the 2.93LSD that came in the car. I just modified an E36 dual ear cover to work on the E30 case, so I would have the stronger dual setup for the added torque of the V8. That and I completely disassembled the diff, cleaned it and reassembled it with all new seals and gaskets and paint...

Garey

What did you have to do to the cover to get it to fit?

[2002maniac]

This is a helluva project! Keep it up.

[bmwmech1]

What did you have to do to the cover to get it to fit?

2 things... the cover has to be relieved from the inside to clear the reluctor ring, which is bigger in diameter on the E30 ring gear than the E36 ring gear and then a spacer has to be machined to raise the speed sensor .300", so it clears the ring, as well. Other than that, it's a bolt-on affair...

Garey