3SGE BEAMS converted 89 E30///Stock as a rock 88 E30 325i Touring///

[Ant_e30]

Fair point on the overall balance. To be honest my suspension experience generally only includes coilovers and strut braces/bushes, but i agree that bump steer is quite a nasty feeling. From what i read it is quite a rigmerole to go through to try and adjust it on a Non M E30 though so i will be interested to see what you come up with in that regard.

[kameleon]

Cal:- what do you require? We are using a Caldina "speed cut defebder" which telks the ecu it is doing less than 180KPH. It just intercepts the speed signal.

Ant:- You're not wrong! Felt great to just be out wasting petrol in the thing tbh. I like my cars to go, stop and brake and bump steer just feels crap to me. I have alot of suspension work done to all 3 of my cars to varying degrees. My MR2 is pretty much rose jointed throughout yet still feels great on the road.

Fixing the roll centres should make the car handle great at this height.

[Ant_e30]

Some interesting insights there on your driving experience. A lot of that sounds like it will apply to my car when i get it back on the road with the SR20 in terms of 4.1 BMW diff, BC coilovers / sway bars and the ride height with bump steer issues..

Must be good to get out and really stretch its legs now!

[Cal]

I also had the problem of cutting out in 3rd gear which i thought was more related to speed than anything else. Well.... had some time on the freeway and found out that it would not accelerate over 110KPH.

Factory Japanese cars are speed limited to 180KPH. So with the BMW putting out more speed pulses than the Toyota would suddenly 110KPH was the new 180KPH, FAIL!

So we fitted a speed cut defender box

Can you please provide me with some more info on this?

[kameleon]

20V and Beams are really common here into old corollas etc.

I used BMW floor mat clips from a E90 or similar with the clip section removed and covered the face with some 3m vinyl (would have been just as happy plain black) and made a cap fir the inside with velcro to attach it to. Gives the wheel a much nicer look imho.

[DREWHALL]

What did you end up using for the center caps? I have the same wheels and I've been running no caps. I wouldn't mind a turbo 4 banger in my car, but the S50 isn't bad either.

[MazterDizazter]

Nice work! You are giving me bad ideas... I can make more power and better fuel economy if I put a 20v blacktop or a BEAMS engine in the E30... but I think one swapped car is probably enough. Besides, there's too little support for those engines in the U.S. I've got an idle/bogging issue that everyone seems to have but no one seems to know the solution to.

[kameleon]

It's been a while....

Finished the flush wheel centre caps.



I purchased a 6 speed E36 M3 gearknob (same shift pattern as the Altezza) and lathed down the factory portion of the BMW shifter (so i could mount the gearknob correctly), i drilled out the centre of this and glued onto the Toyota shaft. I like that it looks factory.






Sits perfectly to hand for me so i am very happy it worked out in the end.

I also had the problem of cutting out in 3rd gear which i thought was more related to speed than anything else. Well.... had some time on the freeway and found out that it would not accelerate over 110KPH.

Factory Japanese cars are speed limited to 180KPH. So with the BMW putting out more speed pulses than the Toyota would suddenly 110KPH was the new 180KPH, FAIL!

So we fitted a speed cut defender box and gave the car a wheel alignment and spent the past saturday blasting through the Dandenongs (The hills of Melbourne)



Didn't get any pics in the hills as i was having too much fun.

Few things i have realised:-

* Although the factory BMW diff is 4.1 (the same as the Altezza), this makes the car way way too short in first gear. I am at 3,000rpm when i have only moved say 10 meters. At highway cruising i am at 3,200rpm @ 100KPH which is good. But the car will receive a 3.9 LSD as an upgrade. It needs the LSD BAD.

* It can be driven at the height it is, however the front control arms and rack ends are now facing above horizontal at this height and will need to have RCA correction to stop the bump steer.

* Stock E30 steering wheels are fine for trucks but....

* The car rides great on the BC racing coilovers but it requires a sway bar stat. there is no factory rear sway bar on my car either so that will be required as well.

* E30's have the best all round vision with no blind spots in any car i have driven.

* Everyone loves a hard revving N/A car.




So washer bottle and few bits and pieces to go and then the car will be rego'd, just need the money to do so.

[kameleon]

The only pictures i have are in this thread im affraid.

[Cal]

Looks like I have found a motor and box. Now about those engine mounts. Did you photograph them by any chance before you installed the motor?

[kameleon]

Cams and exhaust would be done as well as aftermarket management so the trd set would be easy/more suited than silver top throttles.

[OniKyan]

I have access to those items too just wanted the actual TRD ones. PM'd anyway.

Unless you're chasing huge power, AE101/AE111 4AGE throttle bodies would work fine. The TRD ITB's would be overkill on an otherwise stock engine.

[Cal]

I've bought another Merc as a daily until I can find a 3SGE.

Still enjoying it?

[kameleon]

I have access to those items too just wanted the actual TRD ones. PM'd anyway.

[Cal]

Send me a PM, I can get quads off a 20V and the manifold for a good price.