Picked up an E30

Slicktop 318is for $450? That's cheap!!

I have a '91 318is as well that I am preparing to swap engines in. The m42 4 cylinder is great but there's nothing special about it. Mine has 280k on it and I was going to replace the timing chain and components (sprockets, guides, etc) and also reseal it (head gasket, profile gasket, timing case gaskets) but the parts alone will cost you at least $800. Not worth it in my opinion when you consider the rest of the engine will still have 280k worth of wear on it.

I don't know much about the 2.0L turbo engine but it will have a lot of electronics on it that will be difficult to adapt to the e30. I bought an m52 2.8L out of a Z3. It's a single vanos aluminum engine that was only used in the z3 for '97-98. M52s are very easy to swap into the e30. I expect around 200hp out of mine with tune and an m50 intake manifold. I could get more with s52 cams.

Also, check out Jordan Sarette's thread over on r3vlimited. He used an m54 3.0L which is also aluminum. These engines are a little more difficult to swap into an e30 but they are gaining popularity. He's done simple mods to his (tune and exhaust) and estimates around 250hp. http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=366843

If your m42 is still in running condition, the turbo kit mentioned in this thread would be really cool too.

Yes, this was too hard to resist. Sad thing is the guy asked for $500, and while I know that is a screaming deal, I still offered him $400 and we settled at $450. I guess old habits die hard.

I think I will determine what is actually wrong with the car and it an N20 would physically fit. Trying to move logically down the decision matrix ladder.

Just took a little more time to digest everyone's comments. Some real good ideas.

As for flipping and selling the car, I have let two E30 M3 get away (one of them twice) and another 318is and have always loved these cars. As they are now getting rare and pricey, and since I probably bought the last clean, unmolested, under $500, E30 on the planet I don't have much interest in just fixing it and flipping it. Plus, I already have a couple of full time jobs, without flipping cars for cash.

I did a comparison test of the E30 M3, 325is and 318is about ten years ago. We need to dig that story out and get it up on our website. The 318is came out quite well in that story then. That said, it is a bit under powered by modern standards with a barely sub 10 second 0-60 time.

The turbo idea is compelling, and yes, I have done the Downing M44 supercharger swap, so probably wouldn't go that route again, although it made for a great car.

Last time I started with a very worn out high mileage rat. This time I would be starting with a nicer car.

Mainly, I would like to keep this relatively simple, as I have a lot on my plate right now, but end up with a compelling story for our readers and a cool car when I am done. I wouldn't proceed without a good story for you guys. But, with that said, you could argue this from almost any angle. It could be a cool story on just how I find, buy and then refurbish a nearly 30 year old car, what it cost to do and what tricks I have learned in the over 40 years I have been doing this. Perhaps the process and the costs and the high and the lows of this might make for the best story. Then again, without modifying it or competing, you could argue that that a pure restoration story belongs in our Classic Motorsports magazine.

I sent a note to my buddy James Clay (Bimmer World) this a.m., who races the new N20 motors in his IMSA cars, to ask him what the dimensions and feasibility of a swap look like and if there are any extra engines laying around his place. Hey, you don't know until you ask!

Based on what he feels, and what shape the engine is really in, and your input, I will move forward.

There is an odd gray area here in that E30s are now perhaps passe, yet quickly becoming a true, timeless cult car that needs to be saved and written about.

Let's keep the discussion going and I will dig further into the car and its engine as we talk.

I was a long-time 318is nerd: my dad bought one new in 1991 and handed it down to me a few years later. That's the car I started my HPDE "career" in back in the late-'90s.

Personally, I would do the "poor-man's S42" build. If you check the M42 forums, you can find the formula. It's a mix-and-match of OEM parts to turn the anemic 1.8L M42 into a 2.1L with S14 power levels.

I don't remember the details, but you use the crank from a Euro E46 316 diesel, the pistons from one S50, the rods from a different S50, and the ITBs from a Euro S50. Then you buy cams from dbilas (or CatCams) and a chip from someone (MarkD?).

Anyway, that's probably what I'd do.

LanEvo, hadn't thought of that idea, but especially if the engine needs to be rebuilt, that might make sense.

I love my 318is, drove it to work today:

It's funny how positively dwarfed it is by the Suburban next to it. Sometimes a Leaf sits next to it, and it seems to have the same footprint but much smaller volume than even a Leaf.

I think a "stroker" M42 as above, or turbo would be an interesting build. If I understand correctly, the person producing M42 turbo kits is a member here:

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/classic-daily-1975-bmw-2002-m42-turbo-swap/117074/page1/

Tim Suddard wrote: LanEvo, hadn't thought of that idea, but especially if the engine needs to be rebuilt, that might make sense.

If you have a source for the parts in Europe (I've got a guy...) then it would be a cool build for short money. I'm pretty sure the old Metric Mechanic M42 stroker used the same formula. Should be good for some 210-220 hp, which isn't bad when you're starting with under 140 hp.

I'm miffed you found this in my state of residence for such a good price, when I've been unable to find one pretty much at all.

James Clay got back to me and says that the N20 swap would be very complex and expensive. Not sure I am up for that, but the turbo swap seems practical and won't ruin the car, as it looks very reversible.

I saw three E30's yesterday and all three looked like they were enthusiasts cars and two were convertibles.

I've never seen more than one in a month, now three in two hours.

Tim Suddard wrote: James Clay got back to me and says that the N20 swap would be very complex and expensive. Not sure I am up for that, but the turbo swap seems practical and won't ruin the car, as it looks very reversible.

Yeah, if you're looking for a story for the mag (obviously) something that would be more attainable to the avg enthusiast would likely be better.

Say, turbo the stock M42 and use MegaSquirt to do a flex fuel setup?

LHU ecotec with a Bad News Racing tune ala loose cannon, voila 375hp....ok maybe 325hp at 18-20psi.

DocV wrote: I love my 318is, drove it to work today: It's funny how positively dwarfed it is by the Kia next to it.

Ftfy

DocV wrote: I love my 318is, drove it to work today: It's funny how positively dwarfed it is by the Suburban next to it.

I drive an e30 325ix and an e28 M535i. For both cars, and in particular the e30, I often feel like I'm in the smallest car on the road. I know I have the smallest cars in the parking lot at work. I took this photo a few years back, it's titled, "One of these things is not like the others."

Okay, admittedly there are 5 and a half BMWs in my driveway, but I say stick with BMW for a drivetrain swap. You have a nice BMW/LS swap going already.

I have heard an M52 series fits pretty well? If that's true, there is a range of them out there. Around here, they are going for cheap on the hoof in used-up E36 cars, with functioning manual transmissions. That seems to make it GRM-friendly to me.

Yeah they are 425# or so, ouch. They aren't that powerful either, but there is a late-model E36/328 one that's supposedly about 190HP, which is plenty for an E30. Maybe do the M50 intake manifold swap, just for giggles and hahas, since there are always a bunch of them for sale at a good price? I've heard rumors you can add camshafts and tune the ECU to 250HP.

That upgrade path seems like the kind of thing a reader could actually do, one step at a time (with pro help on the tune).

Also there are turbo kits out there putting the engine at more like 400HP, but the poor thing has a small-case open differential, so I wouldn't go there myself.

^Yes the M/S5x swaps are very well documented. Have been for more than a decade now.

It's even a snap to put the 333hp S54 out of the E46 M3 in E30s.

I am a little less intrigued with an S52, S54 swap. It has been done to death and I have driven them. While fast, they do change the awesome, light feel of the M42 four cylinder E30. As well as the low dollar turbo swap went on our Miata ($1200 for nearly 100 hp with no penalty), I think I am leaning that way. I'll get into the engine next and see if it is worth saving.

Light rebuild + turbo + Flex fuel megasquirt = awesomesauce

Well, it would be nice to have a GRM-tested turbo formula published for the M42.

yup, awesomesauce, and since the car is so nice, probably all for less than $5000, including restoration and hop ups. Which I had kept those cool light BBS wheels from my last one.

I also need to figure out why, while this car seemingly has everything original, it does not have sport seats. It has a more plain grey cloth interior. It has all the other is features, though.

Hmm... I agree this might be an interesting project for the Classic Motorsports: The trials and tribulations of restoring a modern classic car. Maybe see if you an get Edd China to contribute.

Tim Suddard wrote: yup, awesomesauce, and since the car is so nice, probably all for less than $5000, including restoration and hop ups. Which I had kept those cool light BBS wheels from my last one. I also need to figure out why, while this car seemingly has everything original, it does not have sport seats. It has a more plain grey cloth interior. It has all the other is features, though.

My guess is the leather was hammered and so the regular seats got swapped in by an owner who couldn't afford to have them recovered or find a complete set near by.

All the way back in 2008 I had to drive to Baton Rouge from Tulsa to pick up a complete, excellent condition black leather sport interior. I'm sure it's basically impossible now and you just have to have the seats recovered.

z31maniac wrote:

Tim Suddard wrote: yup, awesomesauce, and since the car is so nice, probably all for less than $5000, including restoration and hop ups. Which I had kept those cool light BBS wheels from my last one. I also need to figure out why, while this car seemingly has everything original, it does not have sport seats. It has a more plain grey cloth interior. It has all the other is features, though.

My guess is the leather was hammered and so the regular seats got swapped in by an owner who couldn't afford to have them recovered or find a complete set near by. All the way back in 2008 I had to drive to Baton Rouge from Tulsa to pick up a complete, excellent condition black leather sport interior. I'm sure it's basically impossible now and you just have to have the seats recovered.

The 318is came with leatherette (vinyl) sport seats. After 25 years, they're toast. Before e30's went up in value it was just cheaper and made more sense to swap in good condition non sport seats.

Five years ago or so when I had my E30, I remember seeing decent interiors come up for sale. I almost bought a tan interior to convert my car from black. I would imagine there are enough rusty cars getting parted out that interior sets are out there, if in need of some love.

Put a $1,500 exhaust on it to make 7hp?

I dunno. Just spit-balling here.