Anybody done a V-8 conversion?

[Guest]

I know it's blasphemy, but the thought of 400hp with an easy 450 obtainable sure sounds like fun.....
For the cost of an upgraded b35 rebuild or installing a b36/b38 you could get an LS6 all aluminum crate motor. Supposedly it weighs less and has a lower CG than the b35, haven't verified that though.

http://www.popularhotrodding.com/engine ... 503em_ls6/

-Sheldon
138k on the original timing rails, tick, tick, tick

[Shawn D.]

Sorry, but you cannot get an LS6 crate motor for the cost of a B35 -- the M engine comparison is valid, though. It's certainly doable, but just as I say EVERY TIME someone throws this question out: there is much more to consider!

You'll need to work out the crossmember/oil pan and/or steering linkage clearance, use a different tranny and driveshaft (and figure out the shifter), new radiator, adapted wiring, acquire an ECU, figure out all the accessory drives and/or get new accessories and new pressure hoses for the PS and A/C, figure out the exhaust, and upgrade the fuel system. A weight difference could require a spring change.

Did you consider any of that?

[Guest]

Ahhh, minor details I say. Yeah, I realize it would be more than the motor, for sure a 6-sp corvette tranny and custom driveshaft. The rest of the stuff I'm sure I could figure out and fab at work.

The B38 isn't exactly a smoothe drop in either is it? New tranny, crossmember, exhaust, wiring harness, etc.....

[Matt]

The vette uses a transaxle, iirc. Good luck fitting that up to the E28

I'm sure you -could- do this with enough cutting.. but why? What's the point of having an M5 if it doesn't have the M5 motor ? You've got a big E28 barge with faster steering, more leather, better street-car brakes, and better street-car bars/springs... but none of those aspects are all that special.. IMO, you have to like the M5 for what it is in order for it to be worth owning.

[Velocewest]

[QUOTE="Matt"]The vette uses a transaxle, iirc. Good luck fitting that up to the E28 [/QUOTE]

I don't think I'd do it to an M5, but Peter Mooney on First Fives has just completed an LS1 implant in an e12. He used an Audi transaxle in a modded rear cross member.

Tony

[Ed]

IIRC, a small block Ford is slightly smaller than an equivalent small block Chevy. I remember Brett Anderson telling me once that he saw several SB Chevy converted E28s back in Austrailia. A stroked 5.0 based (302) small block with modern aluminum heada, intake, and an EEC-IV engine management system (87 to 93) will easily make 400 on 91 octane. A T-5 will definitely fit but you will have to convert it to a hydraulic throwout bearing. The driver side exhaust will be a bit of work thanks to the steering box. To keep the diff together, you should probably run a large M5 diff rather than the medium 535 diff.

[stuartinmn]

I'm not too familiar with the LS1/LS6 engines, but do they have a rear sump oil pan like the old small block Chevys? A small block Ford (generally) has a front sump pan, which may be easier to fit in an e28 chassis.

Edited to add: I just looked at the Sallee Chevrolet web page, and they're selling the LS6 crate motor for $6,375. Not bad for 405 hp out of the box.
If you're going to swap engines, why not go for the gusto and get a 502 big block...they have one rated at 625hp for $7395.

[Edit by stuart in mn on [TIME]1123871253[/TIME]]

[Shawn D.]

Ahhh, minor details I say. Yeah, I realize it would be more than the motor, for sure a 6-sp corvette tranny and custom driveshaft. The rest of the stuff I'm sure I could figure out and fab at work.

So, what is it that you do for a living?

The B38 isn't exactly a smoothe drop in either is it? New tranny, crossmember, exhaust, wiring harness, etc...

What's the point of your comment "The B38 isn't exactly a smoothe drop in either is it?" Installing a different BMW inline-6 is hardly of the same magnitude of an LS6 swap! %) Anyhow, what makes you think you need a new crossmember? BTW, the engine is called an S38 B38, not just a "B38."

[Edit by Shawn D. on [TIME]1123877459[/TIME]]

[Steve Haygood]

A few years ago, one of the 6 Series Register guys in Shreveport put on a 350 Chevy in a 6er, shouldn't be any more work than that.

[Rich in Richmond]

Here's something I bookmarked that ya'll may find interesting...

http://britishv8.org/swaps/bmw2002.htm

[Kyle in NO]

Personally, I think a LS1/LS6 or a 5.0 Ford conversion into a nice 528e would be really slick!!!!

I may just take this project on one day

Kyle in NO

[rodpaine]

[QUOTE="Kyle in NO"]Personally, I think a LS1/LS6 or a 5.0 Ford conversion into a nice 528e would be really slick!!!![/QUOTE]
This was a 325e, now with a blown small block Chevy running in the low 10's, somewhere in Florida. My friend who sent me this picture last year had no details on the drive train config., other than it was running a 4-speed auto trans with a high stall speed. I wonder how it handles in the corners?
-Rod

[stuartinmn]

I came across this over on the Grassroots Motorsports web board - a company building kits to drop a Chevy LS1/six speed transmission into an E36 M3.

http://www.v3auto.com/

[kendogg1]

[QUOTE="Shawn D."]Sorry, but you cannot get an LS6 crate motor for the cost of a B35 -- the M engine comparison is valid, though. It's certainly doable, but just as I say EVERY TIME someone throws this question out: there is much more to consider!

You'll need to work out the crossmember/oil pan and/or steering linkage clearance, use a different tranny and driveshaft (and figure out the shifter), new radiator, adapted wiring, acquire an ECU, figure out all the accessory drives and/or get new accessories and new pressure hoses for the PS and A/C, figure out the exhaust, and upgrade the fuel system. A weight difference could require a spring change.

Did you consider any of that?[/QUOTE]

Ya, the only car this is really a viable option for is the E36. Shifter lines right up, engine almost drops in.

[BDK]

Actually the BMW M5 V8-S62 is not a bad transplant, the oil pan is no concern, it fits between the strut towers and does not take alot of fab work to complete, the S62 is all aluminium and is lighter than the M30, you can pick one up with 6 speed for not that much if you are looking at an LS6 and 6speed....

Plus it keeps the car all BMW.....

4.9L, 400 hp and TQ....

[Rick_R]

[QUOTE="stuart in mn"]I'm not too familiar with the LS1/LS6 engines, but do they have a rear sump oil pan like the old small block Chevys? A small block Ford (generally) has a front sump pan, which may be easier to fit in an e28 chassis.

Edited to add: I just looked at the Sallee Chevrolet web page, and they're selling the LS6 crate motor for $6,375. Not bad for 405 hp out of the box.
If you're going to swap engines, why not go for the gusto and get a 502 big block...they have one rated at 625hp for $7395.

[Edit by stuart in mn on [TIME]1123871253[/TIME]][/QUOTE]

The new GTO has a front sump pan, that will clear the cross member in a 6 series easily. A certain guy I know in Palo Alto is doing this complete with a 450+ hp all aluminum setup and getting the headers CARB sertified. He is mating a T56 6 speed from a Viper and custom driveshaft. I see a future 628 or 630 conversion using his parts somewhere in my future.

Go Ed!

http://www.mwrench.com

[Joe in FL]

If this catches on, I'll start a home for unwanted S38s.

[Soren]

[QUOTE="stuart in mn"]I came across this over on the Grassroots Motorsports web board - a company building kits to drop a Chevy LS1/six speed transmission into an E36 M3.

http://www.v3auto.com/ [/QUOTE]

This is actually a calgary run business I believe. I had a chance to see their project M3 with the swap done. It was the big head turner of bimmerfest 05 up here, and boy did it sound MEAN

here are some pics I snagged:


more here:
http://www.streetxposure.com/showcase/t ... 17&page=11

[Soren]

[JeffNJm3]

Heres a v8 into an BMW swap, even into an Mcar, M3 though. GTO motor.

http://www.s14.net/forums/showthread.ph ... genumber=1