Project evil e30: Up and running!!

[TerryBPP]

I think the 92' is a m42. It has a belt and very prone to letting go.

[cowtown]

How is the transmission on these cars? Up to the power?

[TerryBPP]

From what I have seen there are guys put 300 hp to the wheels with the stock tranny. Upgrade the clucth to a 6 puck and a nice light flywheel and your golden.

I doubt if the big hp guys are doing too many 1/4 runs though.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Budget sleeper, I love it. Just make sure you leave the 318 badge on it when you're done. E30s are an absolute bargain for what you get, I dream of getting one and swapping an S50 or S52 into it. Terry's turbo kit is cheaper, but you could still do it for under $10k easily.

I know a guy in Houston that has an '89 325is he's selling, it's his track and toy car, but he can beat the E46 M3s that are in his class. In a car that he's selling for $6500! What a blast.

[TerryBPP]

You dont wanna know how little money I have in this thing so far. Imagine 190hp at the crank in a car that weighs 2200 lbs for under $3000 (including the price of the car!).

The biggest cost was the suspension. I did Ireland race springs w/ bilstiens, new aluminum a-arms, and all new urethane bushings. I wish I had gone with koni coil overs but thats before I decided I was building it for auto-x.

I started rerouting the intercooler to front mount last night. Gonna be alot more bends a much cleaner look and better air flow.

I also want to run multiple vaccum lines directly from the intake manifold so I can get a stronger, more accurate source. I would like to tap the top of the intake like this guy did. Anyone know where I can pick up those little taps and 90's?

[lendaddy]

Those are just air fittings, mcmaster.com

[TerryBPP]

Originally posted by lendaddy
Those are just air fittings, mcmaster.com

Perrrrrfect.

[lendaddy]

Originally posted by TerryBPP
Perrrrrfect.

Terry,

Those fittings are designed for pressure not vacuum, I'm not saying they won't hold a vacuum as I have no idea, I'm just saying that's not what they are for.

[LeRoux Strydom]

fittings that hold pressure will also hold vacuum - the pressure is just on the "other" side.

[MotoSook]

I don't want to hijack Terry's thread, but one more E30 is up and running! A part that costs less than $1.00 has caused the last two owners of my E30 to throw in the towel...so after more than a year (maybe even longer) my E30 is back to life! IT'S ALIVEEE!

Here is the thread on the fix...a $0.99 set screw (which I actually had in my fastener selection. So it was probably less than $0.99)

More electron Warfare! (Motronic ignition)

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Originally posted by TerryBPP
Got all the bends and piping here:

http://www.atpturbo.com/

I have been pondering the satin black.

Souk, actually the 2.7 e motor is a great start for a stroker. Just get a "i" head. It bolts right on. Been done a million times.

if i remember correctly, the e block and i heads reduces compression, more boost anyone? I've caught the turbo bug as well, bought a Saab 900 turbo, already ditched the stock wastegate, pressure controller and blow off valve. Amazig how fast it is for only a 2.0L 4 cylinder

Thats some impressive work there, Terry.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Originally posted by TerryBPP


[/B]

mother of god....

[dd74]

Right on, Terry. That's sweet! As for paint, I'd leave it Mad Max black as is, or go with Blue's suggestion of the 2002 Turbo livery.

Speaking of which - anyone have any info or stats on the 2002 Turbo?

Hmmm...E30s. How much $$ do they run these days?

[MotoSook]

David, if you are looking for a car to turn into a track car...you can get a running car for about $1000, add another $600-$1000 for suspension parts and you are set. In Cali there are probably too many to choose from...unlike the rusted selection we have in the Midwest

Edit: I don't know whose car this is but I see a familar name on it...and it looks pretty cool.

[lendaddy]

I just thought I would update on my brothers. It's a '91, so it is the M10 engine. We'll pull the head soon to see what happened, but it appears we did toss the untossable timing chain

[wludavid]

Souk: a trackworthy e30 for under $2000 is a tad optimistic. The $1000 cars out there have other things that will need to be fixed before being put on the track. Decent examples of i-powered cars are looking more like $2500, then at least $800 for new springs/dampers and freshened mounts and hardware. $3000 for a trackable e30 is about the lowest I would expect, and even then it wouldn't be fully sorted.

These cars are a bargain for the fun-ness, but they ain't that cheap!

lendaddy: 2-cam 4-cyls were the M42 ('91 '95 in this country) and 1-cam 4cyls were the m10 (late 60s - 1985 I think in this country). Your bro has the M42, which is a very cool motor. If he has a car with sport seats and an LSD, that car is highly sought after. Even with a bad head, it should command some decent money if he chooses to sell it.

Terry: I still say paint it pink!

[wludavid]

My beast:

[onewhippedpuppy]

I've seen decent daily driver quality E30 318s on bimmerforums for $2500, and similar 325s for $3000 and up. Pretty damn cheap, what else could you get for $3k that is that cool?

[MotoSook]

David, your are right...I tend to value things low LOL! And it's in the lowest 1/3 that I usually reference (e.g. I got my 325e for $100.00! I plan to put about 1500 into it before I'm done. Then it's off to the track! )

Even at the prices Matt stated, I think they are cheap...so yep the are cheap and cool. I could sell one of my 911 engines and finance a car and a whole season of Spec E30 racing LOL!

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

the M10 is a great engine but underpowered, very reliable (318i, 2002, 320i)

the M20B27 is again, very reliable but underpowered (325e)

the M20B25 (325i/is) is reliable and makes a nice amount of power just stock (170hp), add a set of headers, no cat, magnaflow, Conforti software, head work and a Shrick cam, and you will easily be pushing close to 220HP for around $2000 or so. I built one. Had no trouble keeping up with the SoCal canyon guys.

You can get either acceleration or top speed in less than an hour by swapping diffs. the 4.10 is nice, but you top out very quick. The low geared ones for the auto "e" cars are great for top end, but slow off the line. the "is" diffs 3.73 are pretty good for all around. You could also source a 320is diff 3.91, but I believe you have to modify the mounting ear.