Motor Swap Ideas?

[Washburn]

Looking for opinions:

I can get a *very* clean and straight 1987 325i Convertible for very cheap money. (Texas car now in Wisconsin) Needs a motor. I have an E-34 Touring, and know little about this chassis. Looking for opinions to decide whether or not I should consider picking this up and swapping something cool into it.


What do you guys think a viable / cool motor swap would be for this car?
What engines would fit? (I realize *anything* can be made to fit, but I'm interested in proven swaps with hardware/wiring stuf already figured out.)
Given the availability and cost of engines, do you think it would be worth going through this?
What is the upper ceiling you think should be spent without losing my shirt?
What's it worth when I'm done?

Any thoughts are appreciated, thanks!!

[Sensenmann]

Dear Pat,

You should take a look at this website: www.e30.de It is a German site with all kinds of E30's and engine swaps. Easiest is to take a M30 engine of an E34 - 535i like is done with my car. It is a nice, powerfull and torqy engine. There is a lot of info and some parts are in English too ! Some E30's even have the 5,0ltr V12 shoehorned in it. They sell engine mount brackets and other cool stuff.

Regards,
Otto
The Netherlands

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/9072/afb055il4.jpg
Shot at 2008-03-01

[Sensenmann]

http://www.e30.de/335i/00.htm is the english section of the 3,5ltr conversion

[DaveCN]

Many have swapped in an M50 from an e34/e36. There are a few sites out there with info - www.e30m50.com and www.r3vlimited.com are among them.

[talltorontoguy]

I'm doing an M30 conversion in my vert as we speak. Requires matching transmission, modified driveshaft, mounts from E30.de and radiator from E28 535.

http://www.jaredsquires.com/ndp/335i/m30/ is a great resource for this swap, and its all in english.

M50 is also popular, requires some changes to oil pan and mounts, but can use (I think) M20 transmission. Could be wrong. Ck out www.maxbimmer.com, several have done it.

Rod

[Dizzy]

I had an E30 and then bought an E34. No offense E30 owners ,but the E34 is better insulated quieter and much more refined. The E30 is lighter and more nimble. After extensive work on my E34 suspension, eibach's, bilstein touring's, 750i controle arm bushings with new upper and lower control arms, rear subframe bushngs and a few other misc. things, I think it feels nearly as nimble as the E30. I did however enjoy my old E30 for several years and thought it was a great car.