Chopper17's new project - 90' e30 Picked up the motor and transmission!

[Chopper17]

Alright so ive been wanting to start a new project and toyed around with the idea of building my truck but then realized that its a good DD and im still paying on it. Then I thought about a mustang but everyone has one and couldnt find a clean one to build. Then I thought about a dodge cummins but it weights in at too much to make a good pass.

So my coworker at my work bought a 2004 BMW 330ci 6spd and needed to sell his car fast. So he told me $1500 and it was mine and I couldnt pass it up. So today I bought the car.

Specs -
1990 BMW e30 325i coupe - Only two very very small rust spots on the sunroof cover and on the back by the tail lights otherwise clean!
6cyl 5spd
Short shifter
Battery in trunk
Folder filled with receipts of all the maintenance work done to it since he owned it
Compeletely stock and otherwise unmolested

Plans for the car -
Engine - 4.6l bored and stroked to 5.0!
Transmission - Built automatic with trans brake
Blower - Kenne bell 2.6l Blowzilla
ECU - Standalone of some sort ( Also ideas? )
Fuel - Full aeromotive fuel system and some big injectors with trunk mounted cell
Suspension - Full Bilstein system with some springs set up for drag racing. Full reinforcements on the rear.
Rear end - Diffsonline 4.10 diff with upgraded axles
Interior - Fully gutted and cage including trunk and possibly engine bay also going to try to get it to low 2000lbs ( stock weights in at 2811lbs ) Corbeau racing seats with 6 point harnesses, floors painted with bedliner coating and rest of the interior gloss black.
Exterior - Semi-Flat black with drag radials for the street and full slicks for the track. Carbon fiber trunk and hood and fiberglass fenders will also be made for the car.

This is just a basic run down of whats going in it. The car will be daily driven till April when emissions are due then after that I will swap everything in. My goal is 600whp area. Im hoping this is going to be a fun car to drive.

Plans after driving it for a few months at the level and learning how the car is going to be
Fully built LSx motor
Fully built T56 or Powerglide
Possible twin turbo's
Cobra 8.8 rear end
Some kind of traction system in the car so that it will hook
Goal - 900whp

This will be an on going project and like I said the start will be in april and should be driveable at the start of summer if everything goes right.

Please leave feedback but no negative comments unless its constructive criticism! Also I know this is a BMW and why am I doing it to this? Well its different and your not going to see one like this pull up next to you at the strip or car show. This is my money im spending on it and if you dont like it please pm me the comments!

Pictures -


The truck and the car -


Thanks for looking and I should be starting to buy stuff mid-winter so look for updates!

[jjm4life]

cool idea for a build. not the direction i would take it, but obviously you have some goals in mind. be sure to take lots of pics


if this were mine.. all metal widebody,boosted e36 motor. cage suspension ect.

[Chopper17]

Thanks. Ya I plan on documenting the whole build and Im going to be doing all the work minus cage install and cobra rear end myself.

I might go with widebody but I was thinking about making a M3 clone. The e36 motor was an idea but I want to be different in what I do because there are very very few e30 LS swaps out there.

[evomike]

There is alot more then you would think, people swap everything into e30's and good lucknwoth traction unless you cut up the entire rear end of the car.

[Chopper17]

Ya I havent seen much around me and very little on bimmerforums. Ive seen alot of sr and s50/2 swaps but not very many v8 swaps. Ya traction is going to be my biggest issue thats why Im most likely going to bring it to my friends shop to see what they can do with it.

[Teku18]

custom metal wide body fenders and then wide slicks and your good. their was a post on here about a fully built E30 with a V12. **** was insaine. yours should be amazing aswell.

[Chopper17]

Ya I remember seeing that and thats what gave me the idea for this car lol. A widebody will be in the works without a doubt to fit the slicks in there and Im going to have to figure out something for the rear end.

[evomike]

E30tech.com

[Chopper17]

I have to sign up there to see what I can get for info on what others have done for engines and different traction options.

[tcturbo91]

sweet build... id love to build an E30 someday

[PunkboySL2]

don't kill the white paint, i think it looks good. As far as standalone's maybe there's some plug and play LS stuff out there? (i dont know, never read into any of that) but I've heard lots of good from the Tec3 or TecGT from Electromotive. I'm going to be using a Tec2 in my turbo saturn personally.

[Chopper17]

The paint is in good shape but there are some dents on the hood, driver door and various other places I want to get fixed then I'm going to finally get it painted a metallic black with a flake in it. I don't plan on leaving it flat black for long.

[Chopper17]

Picked up my motor today from my friend. 4.6l 2v motor that he pulled out of his totaled TBird. $100 for the motor, transmission, wiring harness, and brand new B&M transmission cooler. Couldnt pass up on the deal and Im a ford guy so I decided to buy this and build it to a 5.0 stroker and slap a kenne bell on it. Plus he needed money to get a new car so it was win win.