The 2 bellhousing bolts are a real bitch, I was sure I would round them but at the last moment that came out. I soaked them with some PB a few times that seemed to help.
As for options...
A bigger motor WILL change the dynamics of the car. There is no way around this as the e30 was designed for a lightweight 4cyl engine. E36 was deigned for a 6, so it is better to go that route with those. After lots of research I still recommend the same 2 engines I did a while back for anyone doing a swap. Keep in mind, no swap is simple, but if you are going to do it, make it cheaper and one with readily available parts if you plan the car to be more of a driver than a show car. A BMW motor is all nice and good for prestige, but parts for the swap can cost a fortune and you are VERY limited as to what you can do with the motor and what to pick from. The two engines I recomend are the Ford Duratech from the Ranger and the GM Ecotech. The Duratech is almost the exact same weight as our motor and perfomance mods are abundant. You can use the Focus motor (better intake) but you will likely the Ranger trans/bellhousing, these parts may be available on other Ford vehicles. The Ecotech, you need the bellhousing from the Sky or Solstice, or an aftermarket one (about $500). An alternative is a few of the Mazda/Kia(?) motors, for ideas on this, see what they are doing with Miatas.
The think to remember is our motor weighs around 250 pounds and the front cylinder sits over the front axle, and we use somewhat slim tires and wheels. Weight up front, especially in front of the axle will effect how the car handles. How much and how important that is, is up to you. The motors I listed above will keep things almost identical and perfomance mods are cheap, plentiful and well documented. GM has a pdf on their site on how to get 1000hp from the Ecotech (not cheap!) but even still, as Febi's car has proven, 200+/- hp in an e30 chassis makes for a HELL of a car. That is not asking that much from any of the motors listed.
