Mark's 316 M52/2.8 + Cat cams & Jenvey ITB's

[e21-Mark]

Sparkly!



11 days to go.

[e21-Mark]

Custom steering link for MIB in order to clear the OEM tubular manifold.



Mr Nas has been a busy beaver and the nice, new 2.8 is nestling in it's new resting place. All buttoned up with new paddle clutch, etc. All that's left to do is the wiring and a bit of an under bonnet tidy up before it goes off to have the manifold joined to the exhaust system. It should sound great as we are keeping the twin exit, 323 style system. I know a single silencer system would have been lighter but I just didn't want to lose the look of the twins. Anyway, the low loader is booked for Saturday.

Lovely bespoke rad in place.




9 days to go!

[DrGonzoPOW]

I might have to have a drive up and check this out!

[nige21]

This is all coming together pretty quick... well done guys, i can see lots more of these conversions happening.

[cobbler2u]

Yea i know of one which was done a couple of years ago.
He offerd to do mine but i have a baur. And also dont drive it much to justify cost.
Like you say these will overtake the 2.7 & 2.5

[GixxerBob99]

He'll yeah, I'm saving for next year ......good work nas

[murran]

Like you say these will overtake the 2.7 & 2.5

i dont think so,
the sheer simplicity and sub £400 cost of dropping in an e30 325i will always mean its the more popular choice. coupled with the fact of the weak rear driveshafts causing you ballache etc.
you could buy the best e30 engine you could find for what that shiny new radiator cost.

if mib has a standard rear axle, its guna blow up a cv joint the first hard launch on a grippy surface it does.

[rob0r]

I did my M50 conversion on the cheap...

Donor 525i £350 and after selling the interior + bits and scrapping the car the engine was £0
328i rad £30
New drive belt £10?
Exhaust £200 (could of used a 323i system if I wanted to be really cheap)
Total cost for my M50 conversion £240, could of been as cheap as £40
(I did change the waterpump/thermostat/thermostat housing but that should be done on any engine swap, £50)

I haven't had my sump done, but Nas can get them done for £100.

But what I do agree on is the ballache from the rear axle, BALLACHE. I can't drive my car how I want to in fear that the driveshafts will shit themselves. I've looked into the E30 axle swap but I don't like the fact you lose the tanks and it will be difficult to mount the axle at least as high as the E21 axle. I've bought my old E28 back so I can get the axle off and try that instead.

I also agree that there is more work than the M20 2.5 swap, but not much more.

[nas80]

Now at the point where its ready for the first start just needs oil and coolant and a battery putting in.

I've done many many hard launches, donuts etc touch wood no problem yet!! Must be something to do with welded diffs??

I've found a company that can make uprated driveshafts once i get time ill investigate costs.

Yea fair play m20 easier but 24v is more awesome any day of the week.

[e21-Mark]

One of the guys on the 02 forum has had an M50 in his 2002 for the past 18 months and has also used & abused it with lots of runs up the strip. I know an 02 is marginally lighter than an e21 but, even so, it's still coped with plenty of abuse. I'm not saying that the e21 diff & driveshafts aren't the weak point but I think they should cope with normal use OK. I don't do burn outs, donuts etc. I'm far too old. I do plan to uprate the rear end eventually though anyway.

[cobbler2u]

Mate the car will be awsome

[e21-Mark]

Well done Mr Nas!

[murran]

it probably is more to do with welded diffs when i think about it.
i mean in an open diff (and lsd to some extent) senario.... on a hard launch/doing a wheel spin just one tyre has to give up its grip to spin up when you drop the clutch, the other one doing not a great deal.
with a welded diff they both have to give up at the same time. its twice the forces.....

mr nas is ace btw!

[nas80]

Yea i just couldn't work out why it wouldn't start. checked my wiring again and again. turned out that the fuel lines were the wrong way round!! doh

its getting picked up tomorrow morning and getting sent to the exhaust place.

Just odds and ends to do now

[e21-Mark]

There's a bloke down the road from me with a go faster Focus. He's first on my list to get baited.