Messages

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Swaps, Turbos, Buildups / m10 to m42 swap

« on: March 26, 2007, 11:44:12 PM »

I am doing a similar project. Going from a '91 318is to a M10-based 318i, '84. At this point I have gutted the '84 of everything interior (incl. hvac), removed the suspension, pulled the transmission out, and emptied the engine bay (including all wiring harnesses, and MBC+booster. I have pulled as much as possible from the parts car with the intention of transferring it to the '84. I've gone so far I've been thinking of only using the 318i on the track since I know that I didn't spare anything original. And although I've got the M42 + trans in the car, I'm sure I'm not even 25% of the way there. I was thinking, "the more I take out, the more I will have to figure out to be able to put it back". Oh well.

Although I have to say that I am far from done, all the things mentioned in the previous msg were right on; in addition, the engine mounts didn't fit. The M42 mounts are closer together, the older mounts sit further apart. I used the old mounts just so the engine would have something to sit on.  I may have read some threads here that go over which ones to use (e.g., 5-series?).




All in all, I am trying to use as much as possible from the parts car to the 318i. Not sure about the ABS just yet. It looks like new tubing will have to be used, some of it is too hard to remove without damaging it. I had to drill out the screw that holds the igintion, with that the steering shaft came out easily; i'd like to use the same door locks; I will be using the M42 radiator; hopefully the power windows and black trim too.









The 318i..........

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Member Profiles / deni durrell

« on: March 05, 2007, 07:39:20 PM »

regarding the tokicos: thanks for the heads up. i will keep that in mind. i'm looking at a lot of things (um, in other words, spending more $$) since i am basically putting it together from the ground up. Talk about a money pit! Start with a an empty early 318i, add motor (stroked, blown?), then transmission/clutch (325i, Turner pieces?), suspension (bilstein, IE bits 'n' bushings?) and it will start to get *real* expensive, especially when one says "maybe i should put x, y, and z on - while I'm there" - since it's already taken apart!

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Member Profiles / deni durrell

« on: March 01, 2007, 07:10:46 PM »

Thanks guys for the words of support. I haven't been kicked out of my own apt (yet) - i'd have to do something crazy for that to happen!

No, finding another place will be challenging, but Craigslist may come to the rescue, who knows!

Alpine003:  Autozone would be a great idea except I'm sure they wouldn't let me keep it there for a month or two on jackstands, right?!  Hehe...  besides, I like to get my parts online, like from those millions of WorldPac distributors that seem to be everywhere.

I'll try and document stuff, but at some point i will want to get that thing done and be able flog the shit out of it on the track. It will have some Tokicos and H&R springs. I've never driven an M42 before, just M10, M20 (2.5, 2.7) and the Porsches.  The first issue that I had was the engine mounts - the original mounts (from the 318is) didn't match the holes on the old car (318i)! I guess based on the 'mounts' thread that the E28s are the way to go. I hope they work!


All hail to the E30 enthusiasts!!

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Member Profiles / bimma_318iS

« on: February 28, 2007, 06:49:47 PM »

i had a similar issue with a 318i, right behind the passenger door, beneath the glass. Someone had kicked it (don't ask) and left a huge dent. I realised that i could push it back out from the inside carefully, if i removed the panels and seats to provide access. I wasn't perfect, but it gives the paintless dent removal guys a head start.

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Member Profiles / deni durrell

« on: February 28, 2007, 05:32:08 PM »

Yeah, that's me over @ http://www.baye30.net. No, the story is that while I'm the apt mgr where I live, I had rented some parking spaces from some schmuck (from another apt mgr) around the corner. One afternoon about 3-4 months ago he was doing his life's calling, picking up trash from the lot, and he saw me removing my dashboard, inside the car- of course, there was no jack stand action, no tires, no tools, it was just me inside my car (318is). He shook his finger and said "you're violating the lease rules" - and I said "Whatever! You said that I can work on the car if I can do it in an hour and not leave/make any mess. Well, in an hour I'll be done!" He stomped off and made a smart-ass remark, "take it to a mechanic" (to which I replied "if you pay the bill!"). Then a week or two ago I had to change my strut/hub/spring carrier and it lasted from 10p or so until 1:30a. So he comes out again saying "you're violating the lease rules" and I gave him the third degree and he comes back and threatens me with towing both cars if they were there the next morning- with that feable threat I told him to go fuck himself with his piece-of-shit broom. Then he comes back with the cops. The cops say "go to bed it's late, you can finish it in the morning". I say ok, no problem. Then I say to the mgr, in front of the cops - "You better hand over my deposit if you are going to tow my cars". He said that if I didn't work on my cars I could stay until the end of the month. Big fuckin deal, it's the end of the month and I haven't found another parking spot.  I'm damn hard core to do what I gotta do it since this is the 4th or 5th place I've had to go to wrench on my machines, although it's the first instance where I've actually been booted out. Parking and being abvle to work on one's car is *NOT* easy when you live Downtown.

I scored the M42-based E30 while I was trying to install a control arm bushing on my Eta (on the sidewalk, in front the same lot, at about 9pm, April of last year). A dude walks up and asked what I was doing. I told him I was trying to fix my suspension. He thought I was trying to straighten out a wheel (since I was using a wheel to brace the piece I was working on). He asked if it was for a bimmer - I said "of course!". He said that he had a 318is that he wrecked a month or two prior. He said that he called up Double 02 in Hayward  (a mile or two from his house) and they were only going to give 500 bones for it. He said that he'd rather sell it to an enthusiast since he couldn't give a crap about some guys breaking it down for $$$. So I bought it since I had a 318i (M10-based) E30 that needed a motor.

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Member Profiles / deni durrell

« on: February 28, 2007, 04:33:26 PM »

Hello... I'm doing a M42 engine to M10 car conversion and have been perusing your site for a some time now.  hopefully I will get everything going, at some point. I've emptied an '84 318i out and will be starting from "almost" scratch, with the 90% of the parts coming from a '91 318is coupe that was wrecked (and had a hole in the oil pan, 1x4 in). I also have an '87 Eta coupe & a coupla Porsche 944s ('83 & '86, NA).  Girlfriend rides an 87 325i cabrio.  Brother has an e46 m3 (after an e36 m3, and before that, an m coupe).

Cheers everyone!
Denis