S62 E30 AWD (Formerly: Fantastic V8 swap candidate)

[CincinnatiFiero]

M120 is also two M104 inline 6s glued together. So you can get junkyard M104 parts for them. A plug wire set is a fortune for the V12, but since they use a distributor per bank you can just get M104 wires, M104 distributors etc. I think even the injectors are M104. The earlier M120s actually make more power too and are worth less.

Someone on the mercedes forum was talking about using megasquirt and two reluctor wheels to run an M120. Sounded promising, I'll link you.

And yes, the M120 DOES fit in the W124 and W210 chassis, Renntech and Brabus confirm.

However I think the M120 bellhousing is different and the manual transes for the M10x motors and OM60x motors will not bolt up and their is no available bolt on manual.

[The Dark Side of Will]

I figured M120 -> Anything manual would take a custom bellhousing, but the same is true of the BMW M70 V12.

Thanks for the interchange info!

I have seen pictures of a setup on the BMW V12 using two GM DIS computers and ignition modules. It used two crank sensors offset 60 degrees from each other on a single 7x trigger wheel. Stoopid simple, dirt cheap, production reliable, fully tunable and powerful enough to run 15+ psi.

In terms of swap chassis, I was thinking of something more like a Datsun 280Z with side pipes.

[CincinnatiFiero]

I've seen OM603, OM605, and OM606s swapped into Datsuns, so you'd be good on length, unsure on width. The M120 is a better motor in my opinion, I see a lot of them with high miles running well.

[The Dark Side of Will]

The BMW M70 fits. The M120 is probably wider above the deck, being twin cam. The steering shaft will probably be ok, while the brake booster may have problems. Pushrod V8's fit just fine; the V12's have a narrower bank angle, despite the larger cylinder heads.

The Datsuns originally had inline 6's, so I figured length would not be an issue.

Another intriguing possibility that I remembered today is a FFR Daytona Coupe... A body of pure sculpted sex as only the 60's could produce, wrapped around modern suspension and running gear with the ability to take 315+ tires at all four corners.

[CincinnatiFiero]

Thats actually a much better idea IMO. Rather than try to update (and have to disassemble) an aging chassis, you could start from the ground up and build it the way you want to and you'd have all new components avoiding having to do silly things like the brake hard lines, or suspension bushings, or other silly things that seem to slow down restomodding cars.

[The Dark Side of Will]

I've owned Fieros since the late '90's (Holy fuck... am I that old?), and am VERY familiar with the frustrations of re-engineering a car to do things that were absolutely NOT in the minds of the original designers.

Of course with a kit car, the "luxury" side of "luxury sports" is not even an afterthought. The Factory Five website describes the Daytona Coupe's side windows as "sliding". I'd probably have to spend a small fortune with Vintage Air to put A/C in the thing, and it probably does not have heat.

[CincinnatiFiero]

I've driven a stock 260Z, if you want to imply that those cars are luxurious, I'll laugh hysterically.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Did the 260's have A/C or just the 280's?

I know those cars aren't luxurious. You'd mentioned lux/sport earlier in the thread with regard to the SL600. The point being that a Daytona Coupe would easily have performance on par with an SL600 (or significantly better depending on engine), but not have the heated seats to keep the ladies happy.

[CincinnatiFiero]

I know it wouldn't, if you want SL600 power and SL600 luxury, buy an SL600. I gather the whole point of "building" a car is to go faster, cheaper. So you've got to make some trade offs, fit and finish, and luxury are the first ones to go. I couldn't find a car that did what an SL does, so I bought an SL.

This guy used an entire wiring harness dropout from an R129 SL600 to swap into a R107.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/sho ... p?t=178997

MS on M120 talk
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/sho ... p?t=267257

[The Dark Side of Will]

Top shelf build thread showing VERY nice sexy-time internals for an S62 forced induction build: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh ... ?t=1660617

[Aaron]

Top shelf build thread showing VERY nice sexy-time internals for an S62 forced induction build: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh ... ?t=1660617

That is a sweet build, it's too bad he topped it with a Vortech. A turbocharger hanging off each bank would be much more fitting.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Concur... not doubt much more torque and area under the curve available from turbos, for about the same peak power.
However, it's his build and he has his reasons.

I'm still jealous of it, of course.

[Aaron]

I'm still jealous of it, of course.

Can't say I'm not!

[The Dark Side of Will]

I gather the whole point of "building" a car is to go faster, cheaper.

That's a huge discussion point...
If going faster, cheaper were my driving motivation, I'd have bought a F-body, Foxstang, DSM, etc...

I think it's some combination of:

"Nobody builds what I really want, so I'll build it myself"
&
"Built, not bought"
&
"Because I can"

Thanks for the links, BTW!

[CincinnatiFiero]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFaS3T0wiKg&NR=1


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdzN_IkZ ... re=related

[The Dark Side of Will]

Hehehehe....

[CincinnatiFiero]

iX?

[The Dark Side of Will]

The crossmember is from a 325iX. The oil pan is from an E53 X5 4.4i.

I'm trying to find someone who can verify that the E53 V8 and E46 front diffs use the same case or bolt pattern so I can use E46 ratios.

The ratio I want is only available in European diesel AWD cars, so I'll need to get a diff from Europe. The exchange rate and trans-atlantic shipping make that a more expensive experiment.

It looks like the best ratio for getting the assembly together would be 2.93. I can find a LSD rear diff in that ratio with the E30 case from a 325e.

I need gears that tall because the S5D-310Z ZF 5 speed I'll have to use has a 1:1 fifth gear.

[The Dark Side of Will]

In other news, the 3.07 E46 front diff I bought doesn't come close to fitting my E53 oil pan. I figured that the profile of the back of the case and the two lower mounting bolts would be the same, while only the upper mounting bolts differ, but that's not the way things are.

ZERO mounting bolts line up and the diff case interferes with the pan before the o-ring nipple that seals the case to the pan fully seats. Grrr...
I ordered an X5 4.4 front diff with 3.64 ratio. I'll have to swap the 3.07 guts into the 3.64 case. The consensus is that all the BMW front diffs use the same ring & pinion architecture. That's a WAG at the moment because http://www.realoem.com does not show parts break-downs for the differentials.

If that's not the case and I'm stuck using X5 diffs, then the T56 swap will definitely happen sooner rather than later.

[CincinnatiFiero]

So this a BMW thread, let's can the SBC talk and see some S54 porn.

Be careful or I'll start posting MB M113 stuff to get us back on track