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  • jakeb

    Jan. 5, 2012 8:57 p.m. jakeb Reader

    Yes that actually would work...I have a c6 vette passenger manifold that fits the drivers side and would loop around but the vette flange is really close to the frame rail. And I don't think I would be able to run much more than 2.25" pipe looped around and it would have to be really close to the back of the alternator.

    I am planning on keeping the battery up front. This will be a DD...I need the trunk room for a stroller and kid stuff...9 weeks until my wife is due.

  • jakeb

    Jan. 7, 2012 8:42 p.m. jakeb Reader

    Swapped the stock e28 booster back in and look at that...it fits. I had to spin it around so the vacuum port is closer to the outside of the car but running a stock booster is a plus. The one downside is to replace the booster I have to just about pull the engine.

    Once I knew the booster would work the engine came out of the car. Dropped the subframe and welded in the steering box reinforcement (no picture). So that is ready to go off to the coater.

    Cleaned up the engine bay a little bit. I am still up in the air if I am going to rip all the sound insulation off the firewall and replace it with something new. yes or no?

    before...

    after...

    There is a little bit of surface rust in the battery tray...so that needs to get cleaned up and painted with some POR and painted over with some color to match.

    Cleaned the mounts up a bit and fully welded the trans mount. Also made some jigs...anyone want a set of e28 ls1/t56 mounts? send me a PM

  • Greg Voth

    Jan. 7, 2012 8:50 p.m. Greg Voth HalfDork

    Looks good. I am in the beginning stages of an LS1 swap into a 84 RX-7.

    What did you use to clean the engine bay?

  • jakeb

    Jan. 7, 2012 9:05 p.m. jakeb Reader

    some spray bottle degreaser and then 409 household cleaner. Nothing to fancy...brush and some rags.

  • Taiden

    Jan. 7, 2012 9:34 p.m. Taiden SuperDork

    How much are you planning on selling them for?

  • jakeb

    Jan. 7, 2012 9:40 p.m. jakeb Reader

    $400 for a set... I might see about bending the trans mount out of one piece of metal in the future.

  • stuart in mn

    Jan. 7, 2012 9:48 p.m. stuart in mn SuperDork

    I'd take out the insulation and replace it if it were my car - for one thing, with a V8 you'll want some heat protection on the driver's side as well as the passenger side.

    The OEM stuff is no longer available from BMW, but I'd think one of the foil faced insulation products like Dynamat would work.

  • driver109x

    Jan. 7, 2012 9:57 p.m. driver109x HalfDork

    jakeb wrote:

    $400 for a set... I might see about bending the trans mount out of one piece of metal in the future.

    Cool! Now I know who to call if i decide to do a swap.

  • jakeb

    Jan. 8, 2012 7:05 p.m. jakeb Reader

    cleaned the insulation off the firewall...looks better already.

  • jakeb

    Jan. 20, 2012 7:17 p.m. jakeb Reader

    It's coooooollllldddd here in Michigan but got a little done today.

    Dropped the trans off to be checked over as I knew it had a problem with the reverse syncro. I also wanted to upgrade a few things in it. Well when the shop got it apart there was a bit more wrong than I was expecting. 5/6 gear was bad, reverse gear is bad, needs syncros throughout, getting brass shift pads, steel 3-4 shift fork. It should be a bit more stout and handle up to 600hp. Pretty big chunk of change but it will be good to go now.

    Lots of parts have been rolling in. thanks blunttech control arms, wheel bearings, brakes, etc etc etc Jags that run diff flange and brake rotors <img src="http://theguestroom.net/e28/IMG_3221%20%28Small%29.JPG[/img rebuilt CV axles http://theguestroom.net/e28/IMG_3222%20%28Small%29.JPG" alt="" />

    Got one of the bigger batches of coated parts.

    Reinforced front sway bar mount location

    One of the things to work out was the gauge temp sensor. THE GM head is m12x1.5 and the e28 sensor is m14x1.5. So I had a buddy turn it down on his lathe and re-thread it. I really didn't want to drill out the head...sensor is $6 no big deal if it is messed up.

    Added the Ireland rear subframe adjusters, subframe can go to the coater now.

    Pulled the engine wiring harness off to start slimming it down for a standalone.

  • Taiden

    Jan. 20, 2012 7:26 p.m. Taiden SuperDork

    What does coating like that usually run?

  • jakeb

    Jan. 20, 2012 7:36 p.m. jakeb Reader

    It's actually not that terribly expensive. All of that (and a little bit more) was $300...that is to blast and coat. The guy I use will ship as well.

  • Taiden

    Jan. 20, 2012 7:44 p.m. Taiden SuperDork

    My god. I would do that in a heartbeat.

    I tried to get a quote last summer to blast and pc a bicycle frame. The guy wanted $250. Made no sense to me at all.

  • jakeb

    Jan. 20, 2012 7:57 p.m. jakeb Reader

    Sheesh that is crazy. The guy I use is great!! Good prices, excellent work, and quick. His website is a little out of date but I think he is busier coating and making stuff. He does machining work as well.

    I dropped a set of springs off to him on wednesday...got them back thursday afternoon.

    Here is his website http://custompowderkote.com/

    He did these for me as well,

  • Greg Voth

    Jan. 20, 2012 8:48 p.m. Greg Voth HalfDork

    Haven't you read? LS swaps are boring....

    http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/ls-swaps-are-boring/44455/page1/

    You should have put a turbo slant six in it or a turbo 4cyl out of a Renault. It would be way more interesting and therefore better.

  • Taiden

    Jan. 20, 2012 8:57 p.m. Taiden SuperDork

    I can talk E36 M3 about LS swaps all day long, but at the end of the day, I still get a massive hard on for them. Especially in old BMWs.

  • MG Bryan

    Jan. 20, 2012 9:01 p.m. MG Bryan HalfDork

    Greg Voth wrote:

    Haven't you read? LS swaps are boring....

    http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/ls-swaps-are-boring/44455/page1/

    You should have put a turbo slant six in it or a turbo 4cyl out of a Renault. It would be way more interesting and therefore better.

    I laughed audibly.

  • jakeb

    Jan. 20, 2012 9:15 p.m. jakeb Reader

    hahaha, damn!! I guess I better start over. What about a V4 from a saab sonnett? It should fit similar to the LS1, right?

  • jakeb

    Jan. 28, 2012 7:16 p.m. jakeb Reader

    Little bit of an update today. Got the firewall insulation on, brake booster repainted and on, replaced the clutch master, installed the lokar throttle cable, finished up the intake 255lph fuel pump, installed the fuel tank, installed the front subframe and steering box, made a couple strut bars....

    I think that is about it....

    On to some pictures

    The e28 pickup tube is 12mm and the TRE pump is 8mm. The TRE fuel line fit tightly inside some BMW 12mm line. I don't feel there will be any issues as it is more of just a spacer and then all tightened down with a clamp. Only about a 1/2" piece of the TRE line inside the BMW stuff.

    Ground line is crimped and soldered

    I did cut off about 3/8" off the stock pickup tube so the pump would sit at the right depth in the tank. Then crimped the hose down

    Pump in the tank, sitting just off the bottom

    Gas tank cleaned and painted...and installed

    Started with a layer of bytul type sound deadener

    Covered it with this alum backed fiber heat shield type stuff. The alum backing was pretty thick

    A picture from a bit back showing the entire bay

    Subframe/steering in

    Front struts are together, new wheel bearings, billy sports, right now some cut stock springs. Going to see how it sits before changing anything.

    I did the following a week or so ago, just never updated the thread

    There was a little rust under the battery, cleaned it up and POR'd it. I will probably spray some silver over top.

    Little rust starting under the brake lines...cleaned up

    Reinforced the rear sway bar mounts. There is a piece of angle iron up inside them and welded both to the body and the mount, then all PORd

  • jakeb

    Feb. 21, 2012 9:02 p.m. jakeb Reader

    Engine went back in yesterday...a few things to show pics of.

    I had to open up the trans tunnel just a little bit, this is on the passenger side just in front of the mount.

    Swapped to Ford backup light switch so I had a bit more room to plug the connector in.

    Ready to go in

    It's close but it clears everything.

    e28 535 hose cut a bit more fits...still needs to be pushed on further.

    I plan to move the heater valve over the the passenger side firewall to allow a better hose setup.

    PCM mounted...I will have to adjust the harness a bit but that was a plan anyway.

    It just looks like it belongs in there.....

  • tuna55

    Feb. 21, 2012 9:06 p.m. tuna55 SuperDork

    Wow...

  • Taiden

    March 1, 2012 1:11 p.m. Taiden SuperDork

    so good...

  • psteav

    March 1, 2012 1:45 p.m. psteav HalfDork

    Hawt.

  • Osterkraut

    March 1, 2012 3:17 p.m. Osterkraut SuperDork

    oldtin wrote:

    I loved my e28 - it just needed another 200 hp. Stupid auto ADD.

    There is no car in the world that doesn't need another 200hp!

  • xflowgolf

    March 1, 2012 3:38 p.m. xflowgolf New Reader

    excellence. I'd love to see this thing sometime. Not sure when I might make it to Bay City though...

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