BRAAP

…Not quite religiously, but I do watch mine, when its not hidden below 8 mpg...

Here are a couple shots from another members starting phase of his V-8 Z32. Note the hole he cut in the firewall. This car is currently up and running. You may not have to go to this extreme, though I feel after all my mocking up and measuring it will be close to this, at least the from the top of the tunnel to the top of the firewall. Pics courtesy of dtsZ My advice is to quit "speculating". We can speculate and hope for so long and with so many posts that we completely fill up the servers hard-drive. Go through my thread and glean what you can from my measurements and start mocking up your car with the engine AND trans you plan to use. That will help give you a starting point and hopefully you will find something that I missed, making the LSx Z32 a reality without having to cut the firewall or adversely affecting the front suspension geometry.

Sounds like you haven’t read my LSx Z-32 thread? LOTS of pictures of an LS1 and T-56 in a Z 32 with measurements, in different set back and elevation positions, etc. If it were just half an inch from fitting, my LSx would probably be in my car right now! (I very well may have missed something that you guys might find, so don't take my mock up at 100%) I'll link it again; http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=144469 From what I found in my mock ups, If you don’t want to cut/notch the firewall, then plan on moving the engine further forward and up, requiring cutting the hood AND the cutting the front radiator support, which in my opinion is going in the wrong direction. Again, I may have overlooked something and it may be doable...

Can it be done? If you've looked through various portions of this forum you may have seen all kinds of engine swaps in Z cars, from Rotaries to SR20DET's, Small block to big block V-8's, V-10 to V-12's. You are only limited by your imagination, budget, and skill set. This forum revolves around engine swaps in Z cars, but no one here is going to tell you step by step how to swap an engine in your Z car. This forum is more of an advanced course of sharing, picking each others brains over specifics. If you are genuinely concerned about your carbon footprint, Prius comes to mind... These links will help as well; http://forums.hybridz.org/announcement.php?f=135&a=2 http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=125970 Best of luck with your KA24 conversion.

Yeah, I paid less for my M3 than the LSx kits cost! I'm seriously contemplating DIY, using a mock up shell of course. Today I went down to 2 of the local U-pull-it yards and a German auto-recycler, looking for driver a side sun visor for my M3 and about acquiring an E36 shell for mocking up the LSx. One of the U-pull-its had only one E36 that was "thoroughly" picked through, body looks in overall good condition, (PERFECT for a mock up mule). There several E-30 and several 5 and 7 series cars there as well. U-Pull-it told I can have the bare sheet metal shell, NO parts on it whatsoever, for $160. The German yard has a couple E-36 cars, all but one were hit in the front real bad, to the point they are useless for a V-8 mock up! I didn't get a price on the shell that would work as he is still stripping it down and I’m not really ready for the shell yet any how. Might go back in a few weeks/month and pester him a little more. I’m also on the look out for E36 parts cars or crusher destined as well. RTz seems to have a strong interest in my M3 engine and trans for a possible Turbo charged 3.2L M-powered 260-Z project. May trade him the power-train for his help in fabbing up mounts, etc.

Hmmm.. I see them just fine, even in your quote.. Here are the direct links. Let me know if these work? http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/BRAAPZ/V-8%20Z-32/LSx/tunnelseaminside.jpg http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/BRAAPZ/Z-32/DSC_0274.jpg

Having now torn into various portions of my E-36, the dash to varying degrees, heater blower motor, rear seat removal, center console, trunk panels, etc, I am finding the E36 to be VERY maintenance friendly. The use of clips and tabs is common throughout the car on various trim and other plastic goodies, strategically used in an easy to utilize and maneuver fashion. This car was definitely engineered with maintenance in mind, unlike the Z32! With so many E-36’s out there, buy-in price on a good used unit is very attractive, parts prices for various non power-train related items are reasonable and affordable. If any of the power train becomes inop or overly expensive to repair, the LSx makes for a wonderful cost effective, easy to maintain alternative, making the E-36 a nice budget friendly, 4 seater capable of incredible street and track manners. A jack of all trades that performs all his duties with very little compromise… So far, my relationship with the E-36 has been...

Matt, Looking forward to seeing some pics of the E-30. $400 for a driving E30! SCORE!

Sorry I don't have a "preferred" fluids list, but I do have some dimensions for the LSx T-56 trans. Weights for these trans with bell housing hovers in the 125-135 lb range.

Just gave a 3 day suspension to someone who wasnt' paying attention! Post #35 in this thread is NOT a joke!

Okie Dokie...

The radiator fluid on a VW is under the 710 cap. Knowing that' date=' its doable.[/quote'] :lmao:

WOW! That's pretty close! I can hear the boost gauge: "Johnny5, neeeeed moooore input..."

Down side is that much of the factory climate controls systems will need to be deleted, reconfigured, or a whole new HVAC system designed, fabbed, and installed, of course depending on how much of a factory designed and operational “all-climate” interior you want. If the HVAC and some of the other vehicle sub systems such as Air Bags, etc are not desired and going to be deleted or simplified any how, that makes the decision to cut the firewall just that much easier and the LSx install is a no-brainer! Picture of the dash removed from a Z-32. Picture doesn’t do it justice. There is TONS of stuff under the dash, crammed all the way up to the firewall that are all tied into one another on many levels, electrically, structurally, ducting, plumbing, etc. This is the HVAC just above the trans tunnel where the tunnel entrance slope ends. Can’t really make out alt he crap in this region, but there is bit of stuff that will need to be removed;

Having extensively and exhaustively mocked up the LSx and T-56 in a Z 32 shell every which way I could conjure in an effort NOT to cut the firewall, I learned a few things. http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=144469 From my mock ups, the height of the case is not really the biggest issue. Yes the T-5 case is little shorter in height, but that in itself doesn’t come in to play until you conquer a few of the other more pressing and higher priority clearance issues, i.e. the bell housing and trans tunnel entrance. Once that addressed (cut the firewall), then either trans fits equally well. To be honest, the T-5 actually has more of an issue with clearance in the Z-32 vs the T-56 mainly because of its bulging bell housing. It crashes it he firewall. After cutting the firewall to clear the bell housing, then which trans to choose is more of a preference based on weight, power loading, availability, etc. not so much as to which will fit easier as the fitment and clearance issues of both transmission have been addressed by cutting the firewall/trans tunnel entrance. The main clearance issues with the trans in the Z-32 chassis is the bell housing to trans tunnel entrance. The trans tunnel entrance is very low and small diameter, and what makes things worse is the rack and pinion is so far rearward in the engine bay and its elevation in the engine bay make this conversion VERY difficult if not impossible to do without cutting the firewall, cutting the hood, relocating/altering rack/steering/suspension, or any combination of the those. Cutting the firewall/trans tunnel entrance eliminates all of those issues. This picture illustrates the T-5 outline overlaid on a F-bod T-56, w/the input/output shafts centerlines at the same elevation. BLUE line is the T5 bellhousing and trans case lay out overlaid on this F-body T-56, with the input/output shafts being the same elevation. GREEN represent the T-5 bell housing, (T-56 is two piece design that also fits in between the GREEN lines.) MAGENTA is the Z-32 firewall, tunnel slope and tunnel with the engine trans set in the car per my final mock up in the thread linked above, (crankshaft and trans output centerline approx the same elevation as the stock VG30DE). RED is the stock Z-32 shift lever location with the power train in the position mentioned above. THis picture shows the bell-housing tunnel entrance clearance issue with the LS1 and T-56 mocked up in the Z-32. The T-5 bell-housing bulges out considerably more in that region circled in GREEN.

Garrett, As already stated, the L-28 cranks are all the same, no difference between years, models, etc. Most likely his other 5 rods are the 9mm L24 rods and are still in good condition, i.e. no spun bearings, not bent, etc.

Coolio! Tell us more...

Wait a tic?!?! Sewerboo and MeantToBe... videos of really lousy drivers in the BMW thread? I was expecting to see a BMW on course...

Anders E30 M3 is a work of art. Everything he touches he takes to this level of quality and refinement. Forgot to add that I weighed my M3 while down in Eugene. Being a fully loaded 1997 4 door, 5 speed with power everything including heated power seats, dual zone climate control, full on OBC, just added a couple stereo amps and 12” sub in the trunk. Fuel tank ¾ full, no driver or passengers; Curb weight; 3340 lbs. Front; 1620 lbs. Rear; 1720 lbs. Front to rear weight distribution of 48.5% front, 51.5% rear! Hoo-hah…

Took the M3 down to Eugene fully loaded with family, (5 people in all), 2 and half hour drive one way. No real complaints from passengers during the trip. Spent the night at my parents, let my dad drive the M car. As soon as he pulled out on the main road he wouldn’t stop commenting on how nice it was, how nice it drove, how incredible the steering felt, on and on and on. Then on Greenhill road he came to complete stop and blasted through the gears to 100 MPH! He did this several times, smiling the whole way and at times he was giggling! Every corner was met with spirited enthusiasm and finished with WIDE eyes and then and ear to ear grin! I told him of my plans and he was almost yelling at me about how perfect the car already is and that I would just ruin it putting the LSx in it. Funny thing, when I had the L-28 powered BRAAP Z car, (was just as quick as this M3 is in the ¼ mile) he was saying the same thing when I told him I was going to V-8 the 280-Z. He drove and even auto crossed that V-8 Z and ate his previous words! (that V-8 Z car ran 12.3 @113, YEE HAA!!!) My plans for the LSx are mild, retain the cars current drivability and quietness, with just that much more torque on hand. I have heard similar things. A good friend of ours has an E-30 M3, mostly essentially stock, but at 2.5L, that he recently boosted and is insanely quick. RTz I’m sure will chime in with more… Not quite stock, but this boosted BMW, literally “stealing” the show at a track day event, ALL other cars eventually pit! WARNING! This video is a Gross display of stupid amounts of power…!

Happy Birthday Dan.

Sob story in an German thread...

Is the R-200 strong enough for my 350 HP V-8?

DOH! You probably should not post any pics of the M car in this thread linked below... Nah... probably shouldn't... Don't click ME and post ANY pics of cool FAST BMW's...