FD RX7 vs M3 for LS Swap

[jparker7]

Yeah I plan to do the same.  Im fixing little odds and ends so it 100% and  gonna get some syle 5s for it then leave it alone until I get all my swap parts.  I want it to be down for less than a month Its a long shot but thats my goal.  Im gonna send the ls1 harness off ahead of time and have everything that is bolt on bought before I yank the M52 out

[digitalsolo]

The E36 M3 is a lot like the FD in that some decent wheels, a slight lowering and BAM! they look fantastic.   I still think about building an LS2 M3 sedan sometime as a daily.

[jim3]

Really can't go wrong with the M3 with a swap in mind.  I'm still driving mine going on two years wondering why I'm going to tear it apart.  I'm going a different route with a supercharger instead of the engine swap.  Same price but I've always wanted a supercharged engine.  It will not be as quick but I'm okay with that.

I know, I could have procharged my RX7 for less but then you get into the problems of going to fast for the safety equipment required, cages, etc.

As far as lowering goes, I think my car is stock and it sits quite a bit lower than my FC.  A real bitch to get it on jack stands.  The M does have some suspension advantages with the lsd and stuff but it all depends on the ultimate use of the car with want you want to do.

Check out Bimmerforums for things to look out for such as rear shock mounting issues, etc.

[Exidous]

As I am 6'3" I would probably go the M3 next time around. You really cannot appreciate a cup holder until you don't have one. Head room is nice too!

I love the RX but I guess I'm getting old early. I am demodding the RX back to bolt on with a VERY mild cam and MAYBE a smallish turbo later.

[Classy]

So I had a moment in the garage with my already dusty RX7, and I got to thinking.  I thought, am I really trying to make this a DD or a fun car to drive here and there.  I came to the conclusion that once it is done, I do plan to drive it often, but I will still have a dedicated DD to drive in other than sunny days and when I need to cart kids around.  Yes the budget to get this thing on the road is higher than I would like, but once the swap is complete, I have enough of the interior back in it and I feel safe about the suspension and brakes under it, it will be a bad bitch.  The tinkering will not be even close to being done by this point. The body needs much love, suspension upgrades, cleaning/fixing/replacing interior parts and then eventually revisiting the motor will keep me busy for years.  For now I am considering keeping the RX7 and waiting to have money to begin working on it again

I also got to thinking about my 350Z I used to have.  It had one crappy cup holder but it did it's job mostly but it didn't seem to matter, I think I over thought all of this, if I ever want to make a swapped daily I will likely build an E39 ls swapped car

[shakenbake]

For what it's worth I have quite a bit of experience with both cars. I've owned the M3 sedan more than twice as long as any of the 7 FD's. One day ill own both at the same time but for now the M3 is more versatile and way more comfortable to drive daily.

[Classy]

It is funny that this thread got brought back up, I am on the verge of posting it for sale, and well, I am having a hard time doing it... It is not a squeaky clean car to pull out a rotary and slap in an ls, but I bought it cheap and I can put the car back together again.  If I do sell it, I am going to spend about $2k on a welding set up for home and pay off some bills, but then again, I won't be able to buy a project car for quite some time...

Still undecided...

[jim3]

A swapped BMW doesn't necessarily have to be a "project" car.  Find the right one and enjoy it until it's time for the fun to begin.

The time for mine is now.  I was waiting until after X-Mas to see if any of my kids got me a Bentley manual.  No manual, but I'm ready to get started on the supercharger anyway.

[jparker7]

A swapped BMW doesn't necessarily have to be a "project" car.  Find the right one and enjoy it until it's time for the fun to begin.

The time for mine is now.  I was waiting until after X-Mas to see if any of my kids got me a Bentley manual.  No manual, but I'm ready to get started on the supercharger anyway.

I thought your car was supercharged.  Are you going LSX now

[jim3]

Not supercharged yet.  The blower is not dusty enough to install yet.  I wanted to get in a few time slips NA for a baseline.  The maf shot craps last time at the strip so I've been driving maf-less for a while trying to decide whether to do a head gasket or just say screw it and take my chances.

If the engine pops I'll see if you still have your m52 or if Mech-head sells me his LS1 I'll go that route.

[jparker7]

Im boosting the M52 so I will be using it.  Im driving to Atlanta Saturday to pic up my new  to me turbo kit

[MikeJTR]

We are pretty close to completing an engine mounting kit for the LSx into the BMW E36.

The front subframe is modified to accept mounting hardware.  The installation of the mounting kit is more involved and time consuming than other kits on the market, but we believe the extra work is worth the results.

Our mounting kit uses 1984-1988 Chevrolet Corvette rubber isolators which prevent vibrations from entering the car, which seems to be the biggest complaint about some other E36 mounting kits.
We believe  the engine mounting package will also work on the E46, with minor changes.

The engine mounting kit will probably be less than $400, which includes the Corvette rubber isolators.

The transmission mounting kit will probably be less than $200. You will have to provide your own rubber isolator (from a 2001 Camaro), or polyurethane mount.

The 1-3/4" headers will probably be $550 for plain steel (plus shipping), and ceramic coated headers will probably be $750, plus shipping. Please don't ask about 1-7/8" headers!!!

The aluminum parts in the photograph below are for aligning the steel plates onto the subframe.




Transmission mount assembly.



Long tube headers, ready for production.




For more information, please see this link:

http://jagsthatrun.com/BMW_Order.html

[jparker7]

Prices seem great to me. 

[jim3]

Looks good Mike.  I was impressed with your FC radiator stuff.  Overkill to my redneck way of doing things but I used most of the kit.

I was wondering if you were coming out with anything new for the E36.  For now I'm boosting along with Jesse so we'll see how that goes.

I'm looking for around 300 RWHP and JParker should see around 400 if not more.   Different torque and horsepower delivery between the turbo and the twin screw.   Fun stuff.

Thanks for the update.

Cordially yours.  Jim.

PS. Got to be PC correct these days on this forum.  So far those of us with old school sbc's in our 7's haven't been kicked out.  And , I might add, no one with an LSx has ever run better at a drag strip at a SNS event that I have attended for the last several years than my car has. 

There are quicker cars of course, I've seen Jon run 9's several times at different SNS's.  When I buckled my seat belt for a ride on a blacktop in Camby Indiana and when he said shoulder belts too I should have known what I was in for. 

[jparker7]

If I dont see 450 whp I will be disapointed.