Made further progress, especially with the actual engine itself. People say the M50 is a heavy engine, well I've been making it a bit lighter. Power steering pump and AC have been binned. Below you can see the AC bracket on the left of the crank pulley. This needs to go, since the engine will sit on the anti roll bar if you don't! How do I know this? Well look further below!
Also in the lightness stakes is the flywheel. The M50 is equipped with a dual mass monster, and you can see a flywheel I had spare off an E21 323i. Size and weight difference is massive.
I'm using a 323i dogleg box, flywheel, clutch and pilot bearing at the end of the crank. This needs to be swapped since the M50 gearbox input shaft is much larger. I slide hammered out a 323i bearing, since I'm cheap.
Fitted the flywheel, bearing and clutch to the back of the M50
The I fitted the dogleg, it's much easier once you've aligned the clutch disc with a tool
As I know I'll have clearance issues from the start, the exhaust manifolds were removed and this was removed out of the engine bay and cabin. Main culprit the brake servo is out of shot.
Anyway, the money shots
OH YEAH!!
Can't believe how close they are to mounting to pre-made M42 mounts. You have to use E36 engine mounts BTW (not sure if I've posted this before)
I trial fitted the exhaust manifolds, the furthest back hits the steering knuckle, and the longer first manifold will have to be cut a shut, potentially with the manifolds going either side of steering link.