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  • BMW 318is. But wait, there's more...

    I'm supposed to be preparing a presentation on Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy for tomorrow. What better time to start a build thread?? My brother and I started this project to stay busy through the winter. We're swapping a 1993 5.0 Ford into a 1992 BMW 318is junker we bought for $800. The car still ran and drove perfectly, despite having 550,000+ km on it (340k miles) The e36 bmw's are light, stiff, cheap, and rwd. They're a bit of a pain in the ass to work on though. Shout out to Matt Wagner at e36v8.com, he makes the motor mounts, trans crossmember, and provides a ton of info on this swap! So I'm a bit late on starting this thread, but I'll try to fill it in from the beginning. I'll let the pictures do the talking. I welcome questions and feedback! Hope you guys like it!

  • #2
    Sweet!
    Stew K.

    2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer LS 4x4 4.2 L6 Stock DD
    1992 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser Adopt-A-Whale
    1988 Chevrolet R30 Custom Deluxe L05 3L80 C&C
    1974 Chevrolet Corvette 350/TH400 (Garage Art)

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    • #3
      dig it!
      If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

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      • #4
        Nice project!
        Robert



        Instagram @ mccartney_paint_and_custom


        MP&C Youtube Channel

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        • #5
          Welcome to the madness that is BangShift. We do allow Canadians though the admission is about twice as much (currency exchange, duties, VAT and such). The Beemer is a bit high class for the likes of us but I guess if you dilute it with some American bits it's probably OK. (I have an S-10 with a Mercedes Diesel in it! And they still allow me on here).

          I have a buddy with an early Volvo wagon (I think it's an '86) with a 5.0 Ford and it's really a great driver. Hope your project comes out as well.

          Dan

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          • #6
            I like it. Replace the "18" badge with a "5.0" BMW never made a 350? Should make a great driver, and 5.0 parts grow on trees so you can wake them up if need be. Lookin forward to your 35.0 build
            http://www.bangshift.com/forum/forum...-consolidation
            1.54, 7.31 @ 94.14, 11.43 @ 118.95

            PB 60' 1.49
            ​​​​​​

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            • #7
              Originally posted by DanStokes View Post
              Welcome to the madness that is BangShift. We do allow Canadians though the admission is about twice as much (currency exchange, duties, VAT and such). The Beemer is a bit high class for the likes of us but I guess if you dilute it with some American bits it's probably OK. (I have an S-10 with a Mercedes Diesel in it! And they still allow me on here).

              I have a buddy with an early Volvo wagon (I think it's an '86) with a 5.0 Ford and it's really a great driver. Hope your project comes out as well.

              Dan

              makes me wish .. no.. it doesn't, but it would have been cool to put an LS motor in the 325 wagon I had.
              Doing it all wrong since 1966

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Russell View Post
                I like it. Replace the "18" badge with a "5.0" BMW never made a 350? Should make a great driver, and 5.0 parts grow on trees so you can wake them up if need be. Lookin forward to your 35.0 build
                they made 850's... I think you could make it 302is pretty easy. I still look for a 318ti from time to time. They are light, a 302 should be very entertaining. There's a build thread on stanceworks that was pretty detailed on all the stuff the guy ran into with a SBF in a E36. I think the exhaust was the nightmare of it all. Good to see your ride here!

                How interchangeable are the rears? I'd figure a four cylinder rear end ratio would be great but a little buzzy on the highway with a 5.0 ?
                Last edited by Beagle; December 1, 2014, 07:38 AM.
                Flying south, with a flock of bird dogs.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Beagle View Post

                  they made 850's... I think you could make it 302is pretty easy. I still look for a 318ti from time to time. They are light, a 302 should be very entertaining. There's a build thread on stanceworks that was pretty detailed on all the stuff the guy ran into with a SBF in a E36. I think the exhaust was the nightmare of it all. Good to see your ride here!

                  How interchangeable are the rears? I'd figure a four cylinder rear end ratio would be great but a little buzzy on the highway with a 5.0 ?
                  I was totally thinking of doing something with the badges! Might just strip all the BMW badges and just put a 5.0 on the trunk and the front fenders, people around here probably wouldn't get the really subtle stuff. If it was an M3, it would be really cool to use the M stripes with a 5.0 badge.
                  I believe the rear ends aren't too bad to switch. This car has a LOT of miles on it, (definitely not too classy for these pages lol) and I'm expecting the diff to go first. We just need to focus on getting it driving for now, and we'll fix and upgrade as we break stuff.
                  I'm hoping that this will turn into a fun driver without too high of a build cost. These cars are very stiff and handle fairly well, and a warmed-up 302 with some aluminum goodies (I'm talking future dreams here) would be just the ticket. I appreciate the interest in the build! I'll keep you guys updated.

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                  • #10
                    Nice project!
                    Tom
                    Overdrive is overrated


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                    • #11
                      Thought I would give a little update! The engine has been in and out so many times I feel inclined to shake it all about. (I stole that joke from Project Binky! If you haven't watched it yet, DO IT!!) I'm happy with the fit, finally. I got a driveshaft made, the closest guy who would touch it was an hour away unfortunately, but that's all done!
                      There's also a bunch of parts on their way to get started with cooling. I bought a universal Jegs rad that should fit between the BMW rails with a Ford configuration.
                      I plan to use a mustang A/C bracket to mount the BMW power steering pump.
                      The plan for exhaust is to use two passenger side shorty headers, the driver's side will point forward, as there is no room to feed it back on the driver's side. That should be interesting! By the way: anyone have an extra set of 1 5/8" primary shorty headers for a 5.0 that they want to sell me?? :D
                      All right, let's see if I can work the pictures.....
                      Attached Files

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                      • #12
                        Woops, last time I did the pictures and it let me caption them, but not this time. First pic is the engine in the car from a few days ago.
                        The second one is the driver's side, showing the lack of header room. I'll have to relocate the ABS unit that's in the way, and dump the header out the front using a passenger-side header.
                        Third is a crap-quality pic of oilpan to rack clearance. Not much wiggle room there, I may have to shim the motor up another 1/16. I'm using race mounts made of poly, anyone have experience with these? Do they settle at all?
                        Fourth is shiny new driveshaft!!
                        Last pic is the fancy shifter relocator-thingy that my good friend made me. It's just a chunk of stainless with holes on 1.41" centers to allow me to move the shifter an inch back and an inch to the side. It also moves the shifter up a little. It's tapped for set screws, and we'll get it perfect and weld it.
                        Enjoy!

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                        • #13
                          yeah, the forum changes by itself just when you get used to it.







                          that shifter handle is excellent!




                          Last edited by Beagle; January 12, 2015, 06:14 AM.
                          Flying south, with a flock of bird dogs.

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                          • #14
                            I did the same thing with my driveshaft in the S-10. Should work fine (I hope!). Once I got the Jags That Run adaptor plate my local driveshaft guy was happy to build mine.

                            Send Russell a PM on that header - he has lots of 5.0 Mustang stuff and there's a good chance he'll have one. I'm not sure what it takes to ship it to Canada, though - he's outside of Raleigh, sort of near me.

                            The shifter relocater is excellent! Looks like something I'd make only not as well.

                            This is SUCH a great project. Please keep them updates comin'!

                            Dan

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                            • #15
                              Super cool project. Fits in there better than I expected. Will be cool to watch the build to completion. I have often thought of an american powered BMW.

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