The Journey of Linda and Friends - the M20b31 Lives

[AWDBOB]

My wife had one for several years and it was a tank. How'd you get it in? Don't see the engine hoist clearing

The Fozz is a tank! It always leaks coolant from somewhere, but it alway starts!

We had a very, very tight chain on the motor and used a hoist. It's going to be a blast to get out of there.


After much consideration, I ended up getting eBay headers. $1100 + s/h for supersprints vs $92 shipped is INSANE. I've always been one for quality parts, but the difference in price is astronomical, with very little middle ground in the market.

Ended up going with through the seller speed_daddy, as I saw a few others have used them with decent luck in the past. Even if I have to spend $$ modifying them, I will still be better off. Good headers would've cost more than everything else I have in this build thus far!

I think I'm going to buy an E30 catback, too, and just have a midpipe made with a proper collector merge. Still debating on whether to use a resonator or not.

[AWDBOB]

Adding more stuff to my "parts not on car" pile, garagistic style.

[AWDBOB]

Driveline is very close to being sorted, which was one of my main concerns. I want to have the everything sorted so I can assemble this in the car post-engine build and then slowly purchase and tie together the rest of the small pieces I need to complete the swap. My m54b30 rotating assembly will be here on tuesday and I can start tackling the engine build.

Drivetrain:

-g260
-RHD 7lb Flywheel (228mm m20 clutch fitment)
-UNDECIDED ON CLUTCH
-stock "i" driveshaft
-3.73LSD diff
-stock axles until they break

[Staszek]

The Fozz is a tank! It always leaks coolant from somewhere, but it alway starts!

We had a very, very tight chain on the motor and used a hoist. It's going to be a blast to get out of there.


After much consideration, I ended up getting eBay headers. $1100 + s/h for supersprints vs $92 shipped is INSANE. I've always been one for quality parts, but the difference in price is astronomical, with very little middle ground in the market.

Ended up going with through the seller speed_daddy, as I saw a few others have used them with decent luck in the past. Even if I have to spend $$ modifying them, I will still be better off. Good headers would've cost more than everything else I have in this build thus far!

I think I'm going to buy an E30 catback, too, and just have a midpipe made with a proper collector merge. Still debating on whether to use a resonator or not.

I hear you, choice of headers sucks. I ended up getting Status Gruppe on a group buy for $670. There was no way I was spending $1200 on the headers for my S54. If I wasnt able to get the group buy I would have gone Ebay headers all the way.

[AWDBOB]

I hear you, choice of headers sucks. I ended up getting Status Gruppe on a group buy for $670. There was no way I was spending $1200 on the headers for my S54. If I wasnt able to get the group buy I would have gone Ebay headers all the way.

That is perfect- if there were a high quality set of swap headers in that price range I definitely would've jumped on it. The only thing I'm potentially worried about based on cheap header usage in the past is thin walled stainless causing a bit of rasp, but I'm sure I'll be able to dial that out in the resonator department.

[AWDBOB]

Pro tip: After closing on your first home, make sure you move into your garage before the house.

[MCreally?]

thats a nice garage. much more conducive to get you into the mood to get your hands dirty.

[gdrumm93]

Sub'd, I'm planning on building a junkyard s52 out of an m52 for my e30 as well.

[Shftr8]

I hear you, choice of headers sucks. I ended up getting Status Gruppe on a group buy for $670. There was no way I was spending $1200 on the headers for my S54. If I wasnt able to get the group buy I would have gone Ebay headers all the way.

Good thing you didn't go with the ebay headers. I bought some for my S54 swap and two of the pipes were almost a half inch off. I threw then in trash and modified my stock headers

[AWDBOB]

thats a nice garage. much more conducive to get you into the mood to get your hands dirty.

Thanks, man! It definitely is. Having my own breathable, workable garage space is a HUGE motivator to get stuff done.

Now that I have the garage I can bring the M3 and the iX back out to Indiana with me (in storage in PA) and start moving on all three projects :)

Sub'd, I'm planning on building a junkyard s52 out of an m52 for my e30 as well.

I'm very excited to see how it all unfolds!! With long tubes, a good exhaust, s52 cams, and normal bolt ons, I'm very interested to see what it makes and how it feels in an E30 compared to an S52 (what I assume will be a negligible difference).




On a sad note, in moving out of my old garage I discovered that in the time I was out of town, someone broke in via the back door (from inside the apartment it's attached to) and stole my S3.73 I was saving from this build along with most of my power tools. Thankfully I lock my box. I found the hide-a-key box (that I don't leave a key in) disassembled and tossed aside.

Had I not locked my box, someone would've gotten away with all of my hand tools.

The worst part is, I guarantee whoever took the diff got $5 for it at the scrap yard :(

[AWDBOB]

Finally got the car to the new place!

Now that it's here, I am heavily debating on what to tackle first. I'm leaning towards tackling the chassis first and knocking out all of the suspension/reinforcement/etc, and then moving onto the motor/swap once that is completed.

[stonea]

Man, I'm super jealous of that garage

[Staszek]

Good thing you didn't go with the ebay headers. I bought some for my S54 swap and two of the pipes were almost a half inch off. I threw then in trash and modified my stock headers

Yea that's what I kept hearing it was a crap shoot. I am excited about these headers.

As for losing some tools that sucks!!! I keep thinking of renting another garage that is larger to work in but I am always worried about security.

[AWDBOB]

Man, I'm super jealous of that garage

I am extremely thankful for this workspace. I feel like I am finally able to pursue different avenues of tooling that I previously wasn't able to due to space or other constraints.

BUT now that I have everything at the new place I am realizing how much crap I have that I need to get rid of to avoid turning into an E30 hoarder.

As for losing some tools that sucks!!! I keep thinking of renting another garage that is larger to work in but I am always worried about security.

Yep, you're exactly right. It took a long time to find the right home, but it was certainly worth the wait!

[TheWipprSnappr]

Pro tip: After closing on your first home, make sure you move into your garage before the house.

Noted! My fiancé and I closed today and we move in Saturday and I think she's underestimating the amount of space my parts/tools are going to take :D. Im digging the setup you've got going there.