BMW help? drive train : Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Nov. 17, 2010 2:49 p.m. IWELDIT New Reader

I am looking at the posibillity of putting a BMW drive train in a small light car of British decent. As for BMW bought the rights to the name in 2000. But I know nothing about them.

The car has room for a V8,I would like a 5 speed, the car is rear wheel drive. I need the drive train to be challenge budget friendly. I would like the possibility of turbo or suppercharger. I need to be able to make as much HP as possible with small mods. Cutting and welding,custom fab work is all pretty easy for me. Don't have access to machine shop, and is not in buget.
Nov. 17, 2010 2:52 p.m. Ian F Dork

Which BMW drive train and which LBC are you thinking of?

There already has been a TR6/S52 conversion.

http://www.britishv8.org/ should give you plenty of idea material...
Nov. 17, 2010 3:01 p.m. WilberM3 Reader

for a v8 donor car e34 530i or 540i are around and cheap enough if you look, or theres the 740i/iL cars but they werent manual anymore by the time the v8 came.

i would say your best bet is a 325i plus turbo for pretty good power and availability. but a TTv8 would be thoroughly badass.
Nov. 17, 2010 6:16 p.m. IWELDIT New Reader

I know not a thing about BMW. I was just looking for a bit of info on BMW drive trains and what cars I should look for. I have a lot of skill when it come to building cars. I have built turbos and SC cars and trucks. I thought I would pick your guys brains on the BMW Drive trains.

I have no paticiular cars in mind , but I do have a HP # I would like to achieve, Of at least 200. Thanks for the help
Nov. 17, 2010 6:55 p.m. 02Pilot Reader

200hp is easy: M54B30 (3.0 I6 2001+) or M62 (V8, any variety) out of the box (or any M-division I6, obviously), pretty much anything else with turbo or supercharger. The I6 engines are more robust than the V8s; timing chain guides self-destruct on the V8s, and all of them eat cooling systems and CCV systems. All things being equal, the older engines are more durable than the newer ones. Personally, I'd go the I6 route; maybe an old-school M30B34 with a turbo.
Nov. 17, 2010 7:17 p.m. grimmelshanks HalfDork

if what you want is a cheap v8, why are you looking at bimmers? it really seems like a sbc would be alot easier and cheaper. heavier i imagine, but i know theyve been done before with autox success
Nov. 17, 2010 7:30 p.m. Marty! Dork

My guess is your looking to put a BMW in to a newer Mini, am I right? And you want a BMW drive train to keep it "in the family" am I right again?

I know nothing about BMW's so I can't help you there. But some of us need it spelled out to be of real help.

I hope I'm right, a V8 Mini would be soooooo money.
Nov. 17, 2010 7:49 p.m. stuart in mn SuperDork

The M20 'baby six' engine from a 1987-1991 325i or 325is is plentiful and cheap, and it was rated at about 170hp stock so 200hp isn't hard to achieve. The engine management system is fairly simply by today's standards as well, which would be a plus. They can be turbocharged easily enough, too.
Nov. 17, 2010 8:21 p.m. 02Pilot Reader

Only downside to an M20 is that it requires timing belt changes; all other BMW engines are equipped with chains. Could be a factor if space is at a premium.
Nov. 17, 2010 9:06 p.m. Ian F Dork

Marty! wrote:

My guess is your looking to put a BMW in to a newer Mini, am I right? And you want a BMW drive train to keep it "in the family" am I right again?

I think this has sort of been done. I have vague memories of a Euro-nut grafting an M3 drivetrain into a MINI sometime back in 2003.
Nov. 17, 2010 10:05 p.m. oldopelguy Dork

So I have a similar project in mind, screaming for an inline-6 with modern 5-speed. Were there any carb options for the M20 engines, or are they all EFI?
Nov. 17, 2010 10:31 p.m. 02Pilot Reader

oldopelguy wrote:

So I have a similar project in mind, screaming for an inline-6 with modern 5-speed. Were there any carb options for the M20 engines, or are they all EFI?

All EFI from the factory, but three Weber 40DCOEs fit nicely.
Nov. 18, 2010 11:22 a.m. IWELDIT New Reader

Ok not mini.. As BMW did buy the name they also bought all the rights to Rover and Triumph,when they bought the mini brand name.

So in fact all the new Triumph bikes are BMW products. So does this help in the quest. Has loads of room for a V8, rear wheel drive and is not a mini. Inline six might be tight and I really don't want to alter the fire wall.