e21 S50 Swap

It has the m10 subframe.

Volvo and 323 calipers back from power coating.

Moved over to the lift...

Top of the tunnel where the shift linkage was hitting. It will get clearanced here just a bit.

Where the marker is is where the oil pan was trimmed...I thought I took a picture after it was trimmed but I guess not.

Waiting on a set of e36 headers to see if they will clear without having to make anything.

I bought set of cheap ebay e36 headers to try out...these are what a lot of the e30 swap guys run.

Here are the headers.

Figuring out just where the engine will live...pictures are in no particular order.

Trans centered in the tunnel

End of the headers

The pan is right about the same height as the subframe. This car will not be super low so if someone were to go really low a skid plate might not be a bad idea. Still adjusting the engine placement tho so...

Headers will need a little adjustment or the heat shield will need some adjustment.

Clearance at the booster...it's close but more than what this picture shows. Ribs on the manifold will get smoothed down to give more room.

Engine is pushed pretty far back...

Will be running a 323 radiator or an aftermarket that will fit. You can see the 320 cover panel removed here. All the hoses will get welded up and smoothed

Originally mounts where going to be sitting on e28 535 rubber but I am thinking of going a different route and will make mounts like I did on the LS3 E36. Here was the first idea...As you can see the engine is lower than the metal on the mount. I think this will make the mounts not as strong.

So I am planning to put the rubber..well poly at the engine itself. Like I did with the LS3 E36..as shown here.

An idea of how they will fit/look on the e21.

The drivers side will get a similar mount..but here was the first idea, which would work but I want both sides to match.

First idea

How much does the E21 weigh? I remember driving around in mine back in the 80s and it was fun with the 5 speed my Dad swapped into it, but not particularly quick.

Which S50 is it btw? 3.0 or 3.2? Am I asking the right question or am I on crack? Or is the S52 the 3.2 and the S50 the 3.0? I can't wiki well enough.

This is an s52... 3.2L Thread is titled wrong

323 (6 cylinder) weighs around 2400-2500lbs. This engine should be a similar weight.

That's spectacular. 2400-2500lbs with 240+ hp.

yup :) should be fun...

power to weight is all it takes right?

and sticky, sticky tires

And a good suspension... but yes, power and low weight for sure!

Griffen Radiator

Beginning of the mounts, 1.5" ID DOM, poly bushing, water jet mounting ears

Drivers side will be either here.

or here

How the other piece of DOM will connect (this is a scrap piece)

Passenger side mount.

From above

More than likely I will put a little piece like this below the mount. Just to make sure it is all supported.

Drivers side

From below

Same thing I will put a little piece below...(similar to this)

Well I ended up having to remake the mounts (or adjust a bit). The ones above put it right where everything fit well but when I made the trans mount I found that the stock e36 shifter carrier was about 1/2" forward in the hole. So it was worth changing the mounts to center it and not have to make something else for the shifter.

Then after adjusting the mounts the intake wouldn't clear the booster. So I had to adjust them again...everything clears now.

The trans mount is just tacked together in these pics. Once it comes out it will be fully welded and then cleaned up before coating.

Shifter carrier

Pushed back even further than above.

The ribs on the intake had to be shaved down to clear. Booster is closer but it is more than it looks in this picture. Also the engine really doesn't move at all so no chance it could hit.

Some general pictures

I did forget that that the m5x/s5x has a 2nd rad hose and it needs to T into the return tank. The radiator shouldn't actually have a cap. So the radiator I bought is going to either get returned or the cap removed.

But also now that the engine is 1/2" further back a stock BMW radiator does fit. So....I am going to look for hoses that fit either the giffen rad or the BMW rad and will decide which one I will end up running.

This is an e30 M42 radiator.

Putting volvo brakes back together after power coating.

rear 323 brakes together

A little update.

Dropped the gas tank to have it blasted and coated. The drivers side tank is a little rusty around one of the seems but nothing is leaking. Also the fuel that came out of it was clean, no rust in it. So to save it blasting and powder coating will work out.

Strange how the e21 uses two connected tanks...

This area hasn't seen light in many years. Fuel and brake lines from the front to the rear will be replaced.

Figuring out radiator hoses can sometimes be a bit tricky. I just dig through the hoses at the local stores.

upper

lower (still looking for other options but this type will work with a little extension)

Out it comes...time to clean up the engine bay, engine, etc.

Progress happening but not much picture worthy stuff. Mounts all welded up and ready to go to powder coat. New wheels will be here tomorrow. Engine is out of the car and cleaning up the engine bay.
Cleaned up the engine today and painted the block.

pulling stuff from the bay to clean it up.

Cleaning up the block

Painted

Wheels came in....at the tire shop now getting rubber mounted up.

Pulled the valve cover to take to powder coat along with a bunch of other stuff (engine/trans mounts, etc etc) Clean under the valve cover

Jigged engine and trans mounts to be able to remake them in the future. ugly jig for the engine mounts...this also has E36 LSx mounts jigged

trans

Cleaning the engine bay... before

After

After

Still needs little more cleaning.

Firewall will get new sound deadening material. Fan cover is getting power coated.

Is the engine sitting right up against the firewall?

I haven't keep up on this thread but the build is moving ahead. Hoping to be running in the next couple weeks. Here is bring it up to date...

Engine coming together

ready to go in

In it's final home

Pushed back pretty far

Volvo big brake front upgrade

Rear 323 discs

Just some pics I dig...

Powder coated diff case and cover...this is getting a hybrid small case 3.45LSD from an e36 318.

VW MK2 recaros getting figured out

One of the reason things have been slow is I moved into a new shop...a pic or two..

And a new toy I picked up last week...

I've slacked on keeping this thread updated. The car is done and back to it's owner (who has decided to sell it, having a baby, etc etc)

Here is a BIG update showing the car done.

3.45 e36 LSD into the e21 small case

Single intake high pressure pump

e36/e30 m42 radiator mount using cut down hockey pucks.

Working on tucking the bumpers Rear

trimmed bellow

Front trimmed bellow tucked front bumper

Installing e30 projector headlights

Outside and powered on it's own for the first time in awhile

exhaust pics

Using modified OBD2 manifolds and downpipes

Starting to look like a real car again

Because we are using the m3 trans there is no speedo output. So....we swap to an electric speedo and tach installed in the original cluster.

Random engine bay pics

underside pics

Pictures of the entire car

Interior

Some video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S_LvyX1S_c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWB5LLnG1Pg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_mPtqGuRMI