buying an e30 to convert to an m3
- Thread starter blacke30
- Start date
Please don't. E30 M3's are by far the hardest to replicate because they don't share almost any body panels. Not to mention 5-lug conversion will cost you an arm and a leg... E30's aren't like E36's where you buy a body kit and you're done. It will cost you just as much, if not more, to make a replica than it would to just buy a real one. Please don't just take a normal E30 and slap on an M badge, that is even worse, and super ricey. Think about this: anyone that knows what an M3 is will know it's fake, and anyone who doesn't know it's fake won't know what an M3 is. Basically, you're not fooling anyone but yourself. My suggestion would be to buy a normal E30, and tastefully mod it (without any M logos...), or wait until you can buy a real M3 (about $15,000... either you buy a beater for about $8k and put $7k into it, or you buy a clean one for around $15k).
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You should read these threads, and perhaps read all the threads posted by equate regarding this conversion. He seems to know what he is doing, and apparently got his butt kicked by the project. I'm not trying to talk you out of it, BUT you are forewarned!!
http://www.hotbimmer.net/forum/showthread.php?t=15917
http://www.hotbimmer.net/forum/showthread.php?t=18997
http://www.hotbimmer.net/forum/showthread.php?t=15917
http://www.hotbimmer.net/forum/showthread.php?t=18997
Kirby in all honesty, and with all due respect to equate, it's a fairly simple swap... I think equate probably has the skills, but nothing near the amount of patience to do the swap. He was going in to the project thinking it would be quick and easy, but it's very very long and "two out of three wrenches" in difficulty.
![[rolleyes]](/images/smilies/rolleyes.png "Roll Eyes (Sarcastic) [rolleyes]")
Consider the difference in an M3 vs a non-M3, springs, shocks, brakes, calipers, engine, some cases transmission, body parts (varies), dash guages, interiro trim..., it could be a big deal, ragardless it would be less expensive to just buy an M version of what it is you want.
With an e30 the big expense is going to be the engine, to rebuild one is $$$! I have seen a few nice e30 M3's for $10k or less lately.
With an e30 the big expense is going to be the engine, to rebuild one is $$$! I have seen a few nice e30 M3's for $10k or less lately.
An M50'd E30 will DEFINITELY be faster than an E30 M3, but will have the extra weight (handling not as good).
But I would definitely say the M30, M50, S50, M52, and S52 (both with OBD I swap of course) would be MUCH better than some stupid nissan conversion. E30 isn't THAT balanced that you should be out putting some other random engine in. (I'm not against different things, but I think there are better ways)
But I would definitely say the M30, M50, S50, M52, and S52 (both with OBD I swap of course) would be MUCH better than some stupid nissan conversion. E30 isn't THAT balanced that you should be out putting some other random engine in. (I'm not against different things, but I think there are better ways)
I'd like to have a fast BMW with bmw internals over a jap coversion, but I think my geographical location colours my ideas when it comes to the Nissan engines. rb25det's, sr20det's and even rb26det's are more or less dime a dozen over here in lil ol' nz due to relaxed jap import laws. s50's ans s52's however are for sale maybe one in the whole country a year if that, so cost a small fortune. The Nissan conv have been done in the past a fair bit over here so there are a host of people willing to help you do it. And trust me, they go hard!!!
Just my $0.02c
Chesty Bonds said:
Yeah my mate has a Datsun 1600 with the RB25DET engine. Oh my god does it go like stink! Great engine, and will run forever.
For sure, in NZ, and to a lesser extent in Aussie, the Nissan conversion would make sense. It's just that it's blasphemous![[hihi]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_hihi.gif "Hi Hi [hihi]")
For sure, in NZ, and to a lesser extent in Aussie, the Nissan conversion would make sense. It's just that it's blasphemous
![[rofl]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_rofl.gif "ROFL [rofl]"){kind=icon}