rob0r
East of England
Posts: 2,743
Club RR Member Number: 104
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Sept 13, 2011 13:06:58 GMT
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Rewind back to February this year, I had sold my two E32 735i within a few weeks of each other and I fancied a dedicated drifter. I spotted a cheap 320i touring on one of the drift forums, it already had a 2.5 engine fitted, was lowered on bilstein shocks and had a locked diff. I agreed to buy it and booked a late night one way train ticket. I jumped on a train from Sudbury at 7pm Friday night and which started a crazy weekend. I arrived in Sheffield at 11:30pm, after buying the car I drove it back and finished up around 3:30am! This was approx 1:30am at a service station  The same morning was unfortunately up early since this was also the day I was selling the white 735i... Brennon who bought the black 735i off me returned to buy the white one! He and his friend drove up in the black 7 so I got to see them both go through the gates for the last time  . I regret selling both of these... especially the white one   With the white 7 gone my hectic day didn't end there, because on Sunday I was off to Norfolk Arena for a drift day! I gave the car a good check over a filled it with wheels.  The car was fantastic all day, but I didn't get as much seat time as I had hoped for.     Nothing really happened in the next few months and I just used it as a reliable daily. The next thing I did was taking it to a Santa Pod Drift What Ya Brung (DWYB) day in May. Unfortunately the rear driveshafts were missing a few bolts and after a few laps I managed to shear the remaining 4 bolts holding the driveshaft on! The driveshaft flew off and smashed into the diff casing, cracking the diff plate. The car was out of action for 2 hours whilst I sorted the car and Chunk from DB automotive very helpfully drilled out the remaining bolt studs in the diff flange and supplied me with new bolts. Chunk, if you read this, thank you very much! Then I got back on it... Epic fail  After everything was fixed the car was spot on again      Unfortunately since the diff back plate was now cracked, it was dropping oil constantly, not good. I filled the diff with diff oil I magically found in the rear storage pocket! I limped the car home, but suffered a blowout after one of the rear tyres was rubbing hard on the arches due to being filled with wheels! I stupidly decided to break the car after Pod, since I wanted a large amount of components for another E30 project. I dismantled a lot of the car, decided I didn't want to waste time on the other project, so I reassembled the touring again. It was done in time for RRG'11. I didn't take any photos, so I've borrowed other people's, apologies if I've stolen them from you and thanks for the photos ;D...    Whoops, I came in a bit hot and understeered... Luckily with the rears still on the track it was easy to get out  |
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Last Edit: Jan 6, 2012 14:31:08 GMT by rob0r
E30 320i 3.5 - E23 730 - E3 3.0si - E21 316 M42 - E32 750i
ETC
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rob0r
East of England
Posts: 2,743
Club RR Member Number: 104
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Sept 13, 2011 13:27:39 GMT
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Just before RRG'11 the engine developed a water leak from the water pump. I didn't have time to fix it and because the clutch was beginning to get worn I decided that I'd be fitting a new engine in the near future anyway. I topped the water up and bled the system each day, but it didn't stop it overheating and cracking the cylinder head a few days after RRG! With the engine declared dead I got stuck in and started the M30 3.5 engine conversion. I luckily had the engine ready to fit since I prepped it completely a few months previous when it was due to go into another E30. I had already fitted a new water pump, thermostat, sump gasket, oil filter and the E30zone engine mounts. I decided to use a smaller gearbox and single mass flywheel from an M10 4 cylinder engine, M10 boxes are common and cheap (unlike M30s) and the weight saving over the original dual mass flywheel will be very noticable. However the M10 clutch was designed to take 90bhp... not 210bhp, so I ordered a paddle clutch from CG Clutches.  Flywheel difference  All bolted up  Skipping forward to the end of August, I ripped the M20 2.5 out of the touring...   ...and fitted the M30 3.5    Rad clearance is tight!  Since cooling issues are my achilles heel, I've made sure I have sufficient cooling! There's barely any part of the rad that isn't covered by these fans.  One of the biggest issues with the swap is the front manifold clashes against the steering rack linkage, which is made worse with the physically bigger E36 rack I have fitted  I hacked the manifold up and patched it back up    Much better!  The engine is running and I'm currently tackling the various small jobs before it's completely finished |
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E30 320i 3.5 - E23 730 - E3 3.0si - E21 316 M42 - E32 750i
ETC
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Mark
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,818
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Sept 13, 2011 17:09:03 GMT
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Fine work Rob.
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BMW 320d (fridge on wheels)
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Sept 13, 2011 23:26:48 GMT
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335s are good things!
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Mark
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,097
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Sept 14, 2011 8:06:38 GMT
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Nice one mate! What's the weight difference between the 2.5 and the 3.5?
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Mr Vincent
Part of things
Hiding In The Shed ......
Posts: 605
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Sept 14, 2011 13:09:56 GMT
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Yee Haa!!!
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Rusty`s Motorcycles
OLD SKOOL RETRO CAR CLUB
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rob0r
East of England
Posts: 2,743
Club RR Member Number: 104
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Sept 14, 2011 14:10:43 GMT
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Nice one mate! What's the weight difference between the 2.5 and the 3.5? You know what, I have no idea! I'm incredibly short sighted, I have weighbridge sitting on my farm and I never think to do before and afters! People refer to the M30 as a "boat anchor", but I've also heard they are barely any heavier than an M50 and not that much more noticable than an M20. Tourings are supposed to be better for weight distribution since there's further weight at the back, so I guess that's also on my side with a heavier engine than compared to a saloon. At the end of the day I don't think it will make much difference. I expect I can further offset the weight if I do find it to be too front heavy by moving the battery in the boot, removing all the bracing on the bonnet and heavy hinge setup on the front panel or going for a fibreglass bonnet. I've had to lose the bonnet catch as I cut it out to fit the fans and I have bonnet pins to fit, so bonnet related activity may occur! I'm also running my PAS rack with no PAS, so the engine and bay is devoid of anything PAS related, so a few KGs saved there too. |
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E30 320i 3.5 - E23 730 - E3 3.0si - E21 316 M42 - E32 750i
ETC
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rob0r
East of England
Posts: 2,743
Club RR Member Number: 104
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Sept 14, 2011 14:22:58 GMT
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Also to address any further handling problems, I coilover converted some front struts ready to fit, then I can play with spring rates.  For the rears the E30s are pretty good, the 2.25" coilover springs are a direct swap for the original pig tailed springs.  Test fitted a few months back  |
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E30 320i 3.5 - E23 730 - E3 3.0si - E21 316 M42 - E32 750i
ETC
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Colonelk
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,740
Club RR Member Number: 83
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Sept 14, 2011 15:37:39 GMT
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335s are proper weapons. Whens the first bit of skid time with the new engine dude?
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rob0r
East of England
Posts: 2,743
Club RR Member Number: 104
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Sept 14, 2011 15:44:29 GMT
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There's a Pod day on Sat 22nd of October that I would love to attend, but finances are more than tight at the moment. I'd also love to hit Mallory again, perhaps in January, but a miracle in my bank account needs to happen first!
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E30 320i 3.5 - E23 730 - E3 3.0si - E21 316 M42 - E32 750i
ETC
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Colonelk
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,740
Club RR Member Number: 83
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Sept 14, 2011 15:56:26 GMT
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I hear you man! Need to get some coins in my coffer as well!
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Mark
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,818
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Sept 15, 2011 20:57:26 GMT
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How's the e23 progressing?
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BMW 320d (fridge on wheels)
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rob0r
East of England
Posts: 2,743
Club RR Member Number: 104
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Sept 16, 2011 12:30:20 GMT
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It hasn't since I dropped the front so low it's undrivable! I'll be back on it after this is done and I've had massive clearout of parts and cars on the farm.
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E30 320i 3.5 - E23 730 - E3 3.0si - E21 316 M42 - E32 750i
ETC
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Sept 16, 2011 21:27:20 GMT
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after I've had massive clearout of cars on the farm. I claim the v8! ;D |
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rob0r
East of England
Posts: 2,743
Club RR Member Number: 104
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Well it's finished and up and running back on the road... It's brutal!! The 3.5 is a fantastic swap and totally worth it, especially since I was told multiple times it won't be much better than the 2.5. I think the light flywheel makes all the difference. I have to say I think it's even quicker than my E21 M50 2.5... Before finishing it I had to modify the downpipe to match and meet the manifold I moved away from the E36 rack. More cuts and welds than I was expecting, but now there's bags of clearance.  Since the M30 is a heavier lump and I had to fit bonnet pins as I had to ditch the bonnet catch for room for the electric fans, I gutted the metal work on the underside of a black bonnet I had laying around. With the metal removed and the front hinge structure, I've gained back 5kg or so from the front off the car, every little helps! I can also prop it up at the front to check the fluids etc  I'm liking the black bonnet! This is the same bonnet that was fitted to my old beloved silver 318is back in the day...  I finished the swap 2 days ago and managed to get some photos in daylight  Note, a powerflow back box now fitted and a tow bar so I can jack both wheels at once  Rocking my new "bonnet support"    Not the tidiest, function over fashion  If I manage to bed the new clutch in and if funds allow, this should be skidding at Pod on the 22nd Oct. |
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E30 320i 3.5 - E23 730 - E3 3.0si - E21 316 M42 - E32 750i
ETC
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nofrills
Posted a lot
my wings are made of Steeeeeeeel!!!
Posts: 1,243
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that looks sweet mate, hat off to you dude looks like a propa weapon
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Loving your work mate, I'm definitly an M30 fan (for obvious reasons lol).
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Sierra - here we go again! He has an illness, it's not his fault.
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rob0r
East of England
Posts: 2,743
Club RR Member Number: 104
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Just an update. I finished the car, drove it around for a month and it was positively ballastic. I would say it's quicker than my E21 M50 2.5. At the end of November my motor trade policy ended and they actually chose not to re-insure me on the basis that my cars are too modified. No other company would give me a reasonable trade policy so I was forced back to normal civvie insurance and the long story short, no one would cover it for a price I was willing to pay, in fact only one company could give me a quote! Apparently the jump from 2L to 3.5L was too significant... Rather than keep an unuseable car I put it up for sale, and I've ended up agreeing a swap deal with Brennon for the black manual E32 735i I sold early on in 2011. Tomorrow I will be loading the 335i on a trailer and heading down to Surrey to pick the 735i back up again ;D. It's in bits but I like a bit of a challenge!  Keep an eye out on my old E32 thread... retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=readersrides&action=display&thread=71985&page=4 |
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E30 320i 3.5 - E23 730 - E3 3.0si - E21 316 M42 - E32 750i
ETC
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bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,893
Club RR Member Number: 71
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Back in a se7en again - should be good
Did you take the toiuring skidding at all?
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rob0r
East of England
Posts: 2,743
Club RR Member Number: 104
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Yeah can't wait, I've been regretting selling both of them for a while now. I took it to Norfolk Arena on the 2nd day I got it and did a Santa Pod DWYB day back in May, pics are in my first post  . The only other track activity I did with the touring in 2011 was Prescott. All those were done with the 2.5, the 3.5 would have been even more savage. |
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E30 320i 3.5 - E23 730 - E3 3.0si - E21 316 M42 - E32 750i
ETC
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. I regret selling both of these... especially the white one 
. The only other track activity I did with the touring in 2011 was Prescott. All those were done with the 2.5, the 3.5 would have been even more savage.