E36 M3 - LS3/TR6060 Swap

[jakeb]

New bushings in the rear subframe just about ready to go in


Coilovers


Front of the diff reinforcement


Got the rubber trans mount so the plan was to make the trans mount. Looking like I need to figure out the shifter situation before that can happen tho. This is a tr6060 so the shifter uses a linkage unlike on the t56. Trans has to be a little lower to give room for the linkage...



Thinking of using the camaro shifter holder and modifying it a bit.

BMW compared to the camaro shifter


The shaft diameter is just about the same so I am thinking a BMW knob will fit.


Camaro shifter pulled apart


What I am thinking is cut the arms that go to the trans off (where the ratchet is in the pic below). Then mount the camaro rear carrier to the bottom of the e36. Then weld the mounting location from the front (cut off) back a bit further to mount to the trans. Finally shortened the shifter linkage.



By lowering the back of the trans the space between the brake booster and valve cover it REALLLLLY tight. I will probally change the engine mounts so it sits a little lower and gives more clearance at the brake booster. I have about 3/4" between the pan and the subframe right now so there is some room to go a bit lower.

[GreasyE30]

Nice brotha! Crazy comparison...

[jakeb]

A little more progress on a shifter option. I am looking at a couple different options but right now I am planning on making a new carrier that would mount directly to the trans. It would use the camaro shifter or an aftermarket short shifter.

Drew up a test in Alibre (3d Cad) and printed out a test in ABS Plastic.

On the printer.


You can see there is a little ledge down in there.




The camaro shifter uses a plastic bushing similar to how BMW does.
[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-d5lyTptKMI8/UVoWNJuvxOI/AAAAAAAAF-4/8LBdC1UGFZM/s640/IMAGE_51426B44-E276-4DFA-9539-69E9393043E2.JPGp/img]

It uses a little locking plate to hold it in.


Up in the car...


The idea right now is to make the piece I made out of plastic out of metal. Then make some supports from the carrier ring down to the mounts on the trans.
Then also make a new selector rod that will go between the shifter and trans.

[iflytii]

Nice work!

A nice addition to that notcher is the "super shaft" from SWAG (no affiliation with them).

http://www.swagoffroad.com/Swag-Super-Shaft-_p_48.html

[jakeb]

Nice work!

A nice addition to that notcher is the "super shaft" from SWAG (no affiliation with them).

http://www.swagoffroad.com/Swag-Super-Shaft-_p_48.html

I've been eyeing the super shaft and also the reach around from Swag. Down the road I will pick up both I expect.

[jakeb]

Then made out of metal.... The stock camaro carrier has the shifter coming from the bottom up. This design has it from the top down. That way if the shifter ever needed to be replaced it would be MUCH easier. It also will make getting the entire assembly in and out of the car a lot easier.



There will be a plate thin plate on the top to hole it all together.


You can just see the small lip down in there


The circle might get squared off on two of the sides to make welding a bracket to go to the trans easier.

[jakeb]

Broke apart the rear axles. They will get cleaned...painted...new grease and boots.



old grease




First clean...everything will get cleaned again before going back together


New boots
outer


inner

[giantkeeper]

Keep up the great work!!

[jakeb]

Wheels showed up today! Tires will be 265/30/18 in the front and a 285/30/18 in the rear. To fit a tire that wide it with get e46 fender flares grafted in.

Just pics of one of the rears and specs on front and back.






Will run a 15mm spacer in the front.

[einstein57]

Your printing abs on a non heated bed? I can barely get it to stick to kapton tape or glass on anything less then 90 degrees Celsius.

[jakeb]

Yeah non heated.... it sticks like mad. Sometimes it's hard to get the piece off after the print is done. I have had some warping troubles with thick bases or certain shapes...mostly ones with a sharp corner.

I was using PLA and I liked the way that printed a little better but the spool I had got really brittle and I was having issues with the filament snapping when getting pulled into the extruder.

[Big Willy]

Yeah non heated.... it sticks like mad. Sometimes it's hard to get the piece off after the print is done. I have had some warping troubles with thick bases or certain shapes...mostly ones with a sharp corner.

I was using PLA and I liked the way that printed a little better but the spool I had got really brittle and I was having issues with the filament snapping when getting pulled into the extruder.

Have you tried using hairspray? I've heard that that helps the print stick really well to the bed.

[GreasyE30]

Them wheels are niiiice! Gonna look good under some fender flares!

[MR 325]

Wheels look awesome! Can't wait to see those meats on them.

[einstein57]

I made some ABS juice but it was lifting cause the bed would not stay hot enough. I insulated my PCB with header wrap and can now maintain 108 bed temp with my little 12v power supply (hacked Dell laptop charger).