Hello all.
I'm Jasper - I'm from North Vancouver up in Western Canada. I am about to swap an M42 into a 1985 318i.
I bought the e30 about two years ago as a project to tinker with. The car was run hard without coolant by the young woman that owned it and we figure it has a cracked head. Ran rough as hell but I drove it home. A house reno got in the way (g*dammit) and now here I am.
The plan was to build the m10 with carbs, pistons and a cam and I actually collected quite a few of those parts already, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized an M42 would allow me to daily drive this thing without smelling like fuel all the time. My wife might even tolerate it...
So - just this week I bought an m42 engine, gearbox, wiring loom, and ecu. 200,000 km showing on the donor car odo. I pick it up tomorrow.
I've read as much as I can on similar swaps, in particular I have read and re-read the relevant pages from the Irish44j rally-cross build thread. Lot's of good stuff there - but lots isn't there either. Not complaining - guys like him deserve hella praise for documenting their work.
The little things are keeping me awake at the moment. - like how to mount the coil packs (thinking of going COP just to avoid this) and how to mount the wiring loom on the firewall. I am also wondering how to make the old gauges and fusebox work with the new wiring loom - but I'm probably more freaked out by the unknown than I am about the job itself.
I hope to keep everyone posted here on my progress and any new things I learn along the way but at this point I am looking for a hands up from anyone who has done this swap and would be willing/able to answer specific question I come up with.
So - just introducing myself for now. I will try to get some photos up soon since I know people like that. I know I do.
PS -
Car is metallic brown with brown/beige interior. Some of you may not like brown, but it's actually one of the things that sold me on the car.
I have installed Vogtland springs with KYB gas shocks (rears anyway - fronts will be done soon). I'm looking for a firm but compliant ride, not too low. I don't need this to be a boy racer. I'm 53 years old and have a Porsche 996 for going as fast as I want already. Would like to be able to use this ar for occasional business work.
Euro bumpers -got 'em - rear is installed and the front is going on this week.
Rear decklid iS lip - black plastidipped and installed.
Rear subframe sandblasted and painted. Ireland engineering subframe and trailing arm bushings installed.
4.10 LSD installed.
I installed a really nice set of black leather sport seats - they look ok with the interior.
I bought an e46 ZHP steering rack. The stock rack was leaking really badly. The man I bought it from said it was plug and play......geez I hope he is right.
OK guys - stay tuned.
jasper
I'm Jasper - I'm from North Vancouver up in Western Canada. I am about to swap an M42 into a 1985 318i.
I bought the e30 about two years ago as a project to tinker with. The car was run hard without coolant by the young woman that owned it and we figure it has a cracked head. Ran rough as hell but I drove it home. A house reno got in the way (g*dammit) and now here I am.
The plan was to build the m10 with carbs, pistons and a cam and I actually collected quite a few of those parts already, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized an M42 would allow me to daily drive this thing without smelling like fuel all the time. My wife might even tolerate it...
So - just this week I bought an m42 engine, gearbox, wiring loom, and ecu. 200,000 km showing on the donor car odo. I pick it up tomorrow.
I've read as much as I can on similar swaps, in particular I have read and re-read the relevant pages from the Irish44j rally-cross build thread. Lot's of good stuff there - but lots isn't there either. Not complaining - guys like him deserve hella praise for documenting their work.
The little things are keeping me awake at the moment. - like how to mount the coil packs (thinking of going COP just to avoid this) and how to mount the wiring loom on the firewall. I am also wondering how to make the old gauges and fusebox work with the new wiring loom - but I'm probably more freaked out by the unknown than I am about the job itself.
I hope to keep everyone posted here on my progress and any new things I learn along the way but at this point I am looking for a hands up from anyone who has done this swap and would be willing/able to answer specific question I come up with.
So - just introducing myself for now. I will try to get some photos up soon since I know people like that. I know I do.
PS -
Car is metallic brown with brown/beige interior. Some of you may not like brown, but it's actually one of the things that sold me on the car.
I have installed Vogtland springs with KYB gas shocks (rears anyway - fronts will be done soon). I'm looking for a firm but compliant ride, not too low. I don't need this to be a boy racer. I'm 53 years old and have a Porsche 996 for going as fast as I want already. Would like to be able to use this ar for occasional business work.
Euro bumpers -got 'em - rear is installed and the front is going on this week.
Rear decklid iS lip - black plastidipped and installed.
Rear subframe sandblasted and painted. Ireland engineering subframe and trailing arm bushings installed.
4.10 LSD installed.
I installed a really nice set of black leather sport seats - they look ok with the interior.
I bought an e46 ZHP steering rack. The stock rack was leaking really badly. The man I bought it from said it was plug and play......geez I hope he is right.
OK guys - stay tuned.
jasper
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