Frank's E30 M60 V8 Swap Build Thread

[slammin.e28]

Awesome! I love the way you document everything. Def looking forward to this thread!

[dude8383]

Awesome! I love the way you document everything. Def looking forward to this thread!

Exactly. I'm going to be looking back on this in a year or so :D

[robiniscool]

nice i cant wait to start on my sedan m60b44 swap

[Jonsku]

Lots of documentation and pictures in the beginning, lets see how it looks in two months.. GL - HF! :)

Cooling – E34 540i Radiator with a SPAL 16” fan. Push/Pull & P/N to be determined

Have you test-fitted the 16" fan, does it actually fit in there? :) I'd imagine there won't be room for puller..

[Jean]

Frank - I am well aware of the e28 535i radiator :) I was talking about the much much thicker radiators that don't require cutting anything to fit :)

[Garageaholic]

Oh yeah, They are much more expensive and since I have the E34 radiator, I figured I'd make due with what I have.

[Garageaholic]

My specifications to "Driveline Shop of Atlanta", who specializes in BMW driveshaft shortening/balancing/rebuilding.



1 GOAL

I am doing an engine swap to add the BMW M60 V8 engine (5-series) to the BMW E30 Chassis (3-series). This requires significant modifications to the driveshaft. You should receive both the M60 Driveshaft (to be shortened) and mating it to the provided rear U-joint of the E30 Driveshaft (cut the rear E30 U-joint & weld to M60 rear). Please see Figure 1. This to be a fully rebuilt Driveshaft. Note that I had to cut off the M60 rear because of seized bolts on the differential.

Figure 1 Picture of M60 & E30 Driveshafts You Received

2 REQUIREMENTS

2.1 REBUILDING

The driveshaft shall be rebuilt using new U-joints, center bearing, center bushing, spline seal, and piloting surfaces of yokes to ensure proper mating to the BMW flanges.

2.1.1 Center Bearing
The Center Bearing shall be sourced from a 1995 BMW 540i. This is the same part that is currently installed on the M60 driveshaft that was shipped to you.

2.2 BALANCING

The driveshaft shall be balanced to factory standards after having been shortened.

2.3 SHORTENING

2.3.1 Front Half Dimensions

The BMW M60 Front Half overall dimension needs to be 552.45mm (21 ¾ in). This is measured as per Figure 2. From (Outside Guibo) mating face of transmission output to the location of the center bearing holes on the E30 chassis.

2.3.2 Rear Half Dimensions

The BMW M60 Rear half is currently cut. It needs to mate to the E30 Rear (4 17mm U-joint connection). The diameters are identical, so it should mate. Measure from the center of the slotted holes of the center bearing to the mating face of the differential input flange. The overall dimension needs to be 831.85mm (32 ¾ in) and is shown as Figure 2.

Figure 2 Final Driveshaft with Overall Final Dimensions

2.4 SHIPPING

Please ship the rebuilt driveshaft to the following Address:

Frank Macaluso
450 Chrysler Rd
Endwell, NY 13760

Please provide tracking information sent to email f.macaluso82@gmail.com once it has been shipped.

2.5 CORE CREDIT

Both the M60 & E30 original driveshafts were provided as core.

2.6 QUESTIONS/PAYMENT

Please call my cell phone at 631-291-5910 for any questions or comments. I can pay via credit or paypal, whichever is easier.

I plan to ship the driveshafts out on Friday. Should receive them back in 1 week, shortened & rebuilt.

[Garageaholic]

I was going to do the following tonight, but ran out of welding gas (argon/CO2)

• Shorten both the shifter & carrier, weld.
• Build the Transmission mount.

This is as far as I got without welding.





Shifter not yet shortened:


View into the guibo:


The space you see between the top of the mount and E30 chassis will be filled in with the slabs that will be welded and then mounted to the frame via the slotted screws.


The best part of this aspect of the swap is that there is no need to line up the holes lengthwise (of course, make sure that the transmission is centered in the tunnel by virtue of the original transmission mount hole locations). You can always move the slotted screws to where the holes are. Just make sure that the holes line up in the longitudinal direction. I plan to utilize 2 slotted screws per side and will post updates when I'm there.

[iamsam]

^^^ nice!! How much will the driveshaft work run you?

[Garageaholic]

600 for a rebuilt and shortened at both ends.

[iamsam]

600 for a rebuilt and shortened at both ends.

holy balls well I have the 5-speed ZF so maybe I can find a combination of stock driveshafts that will work.

[JGood]

Looks like you're off to a nice start. Can't wait to have a couple e30 M60's in the area this summer. Looks like we're all doing things pretty differently too, for some nice variety!

holy balls well I have the 5-speed ZF so maybe I can find a combination of stock driveshafts that will work.

The ZF 5 speed bolts right in. You use a stock, large guibo driveshaft (late 325e, e30 M3, or e36 328/M3 with 4 bolt rear). I just verified this on my m60/zf combo, with a 328 shaft. Fits perfect.

[Garageaholic]

A 5 spd is definitely cheaper, no argument there. But in my Mind there's something about having a 6 spd. I already had it. I might as well.

Justin, you think you can make it to bimmerfest east with that hog? I agree. We have some nice diversity.

[JGood]

Oh, I completely agree, I just wanted to make sure he knew the 5 spd didn't require expensive driveshaft work.

I sure hope so man. If all I had to do was finish up the engine swap, I'd say I could be done by the end of March. Unfortunately that's only about 1/3 of what I have to do yet until the car is on the road. It's a bare, unpainted shell on jackstands right now...

[iamsam]

That makes me happy that the 5-speed needs no custom shaft. I got the trans for $150, and being a cheap ass, I would rather that than buy a 6-speed for however much they go for these days and then make a custom shaft.

Also, I can get my 6-speed fix in my wife's E39 540i/6 if need be.