E36 + 5.0L

Awesome can't wait to see it done.

Yeah, more like 2600 lbs...but hey that's pretty good too!

How much are 17x9.5 Corvette wheels and huge tires?! That alone is going to offset a good chunk of your weight removal.

Good lord, I think I'm in love!!!

Plus the Beemer is cheaper then a good clean Fox shell for the 302 I have engine stand.

Brian

well... look at it this way weight wise.. the 318ti.. weighs in at 2700 stock. Getting the not much bigger car to that weight (especially without the heavy hatch the Ti has) should be easy

mad_machine wrote: well... look at it this way weight wise.. the 318ti.. weighs in at 2700 stock. Getting the not much bigger car to that weight (especially without the heavy hatch the Ti has) should be easy

Well first of all I had no idea the ti was that light...is that true? The E30 weighs about that. Second of all the E36 M3 coupe weight about 3250lbs, 325/328 maybe a LITTLE less...Call it 3100 lbs. That's a lot of weight to drop! Granted BMW notoriously has some very heavy materials in their cars but still...500lbs is a lot to lose from a car without gutting stuff that you need.

Some of those weight estimates might be high, but there are more things he's not listing. The stock battery is 51 lb, so there's another 35+ to lose. The stock cat-back is around 75lb.

z31maniac wrote: Just ribbing you because I think some of your other weight estimates are off the mark like your sunroof guess.

Hehe . . .Yeah I was WAY off the mark on that one . . . I should've weight all the other crap I took out. These powered and heated sports are heavy as berkeley though . . .

miatame wrote: 500lbs is a lot to lose from a car without gutting stuff that you need.

I need motor, trans, suspension, wheels, seat, chassis and various fiddly bits.

Everything else is optional

The seriously low weight (~2100) E36s out there have the carbon fiber doors, hood, and trunk. That stuff equals $$$$

Do you know off hand how the 5.0 weights with and without aluminum aftermarket heads compare to the LSx weights with aluminum and cast iron blocks?

This might be a dumb question or a dumb place to ask it, so if that is the case I apologize and appreciate anyone steering me to another resource!

Weights online vary wildly . . .

I've seen this range:

Ford 302

1. Iron heads ~520lbs
2. Aluminum Heads ~460-470lbs

There are a few sites that indicate the Ford 302 clocks in at ~520 pounds (These weights include everything required for the engine to run except oil and water)

Chevy Aluminum GenIII V8s

1. 497lbs dressed for manual
2. 458lbs dressed for auto

The GenIII iron block are ~88lbs more

Here's a good link:

Engine/Trans weights, DEFINITIVE...

Transmissions:

1. T-5 ~75lbs
2. T-56 ~125lbs

Thanks! ! !

Strike_Zero wrote: Weights online vary wildly . . . I've seen this range: Ford 302 1. Iron heads ~520lbs 2. Aluminum Heads ~460-470lbs There are a few sites that indicate the Ford 302 clocks in at ~520 pounds (These weights include everything required for the engine to run except oil and water) Chevy Aluminum GenIII V8s 1. 497lbs dressed for manual 2. 458lbs dressed for auto The GenIII iron block are ~88lbs more Here's a good link: Engine/Trans weights, DEFINITIVE... Transmissions: 1. T-5 ~75lbs 2. T-56 ~125lbs

Seems high. My 302 with iron heads, but aluminum intake and light headers was only about 400-420 lbs. The finished FC RX7 with full stock interior and Autopower cage weighed 2720 lbs on the scale with the engine in it:

engine mounting

Considering an FC TII weighs 2800 lbs with a turbo rotary, but no roll cage, it seems all the weight lost was off the nose, so the engine couldn't weigh THAT much.

Interesting. . . .

That weight for the 302 "supposedly" includes all the accessories and brackets according to the site I got the info from. They did mention 420ish lbs for "fighting" weight (alternator only).

My 302 will have the 3G alt and BMW power steering pump. If it weights close to yours, this is going to work out GREAT!!

BTW . . .Nice FC!!

Waiting on the Canton Oil Pan to arrive to FINALLY button up the motor.

I'm almost done with the wiring harness. I still have to measure for the driveshaft, get the exhaust system fabbed, and get some spacers for the Vette wheels (Thanks Greg V!!)

I am very much looking forward to the completion of this. Hopefully the wheels will work out well.

How bad was the wiring. We are starting on the 5.0 Miata wiring soon. Not looking forward to it.

The wiring so far isn't that bad, but I'm a tech guy so take that with a grain of salt.

The manual Matt put together has taken 90% of the guess work out of doing swap. The other 10% is because I'm doing some things a little different.

I love this!! The ONE thing that has kept me from really pursuing a 318 has been the idea that the BMW drivetrain would crap out on me. This gives me the courage to look a little closer.

miatame wrote:

mad_machine wrote: well... look at it this way weight wise.. the 318ti.. weighs in at 2700 stock. Getting the not much bigger car to that weight (especially without the heavy hatch the Ti has) should be easy

Well first of all I had no idea the ti was that light...is that true? The E30 weighs about that.

Wiki lists the BMW Compact as weighting in at anywhere from 2590 to 2800 pounds.. depending on engine and options. the 318ti with a manual supposed weighs in at just under 2700. I imagine the stripped 316ti is the light one and the 318tds (diesel) is the really heavy

SupraWes wrote: I have had the sunroof out of an e36, the whole thing is nowhere near 120lbs, its mostly plastic i would be surprised if it was much over 20lbs.

Its 43lbs.

E36V8 Videos

I can't wait to fire mine up!!

Strike_Zero wrote: The weight of my E36 was ~3100. 270lbs of luxo equip (seats and sunroof), 60lbs of stereo, 30lbs of paneling, 60lbs of carpeting, 40lbs of wiring... 50lbs of tar mat (sound deadening crap).

I'm having a hard time believing some of these numbers. I'd be amazed if the entire chassis harness weighed 40 pounds, let alone the carpeting weighing 60 pounds. And 60 pounds of stereo? Not in any stock system I've ever seen.

[edit] It does sound like a cool project, though.

Why don't I just say . . . I'm removing a bunch of crap . . . . would that much more agreeable

Yeah, I went off too early and didn't realize I was retreading old ground. Sorry.

No problem Duke. . .

I have just discovered this forum , very interesting. Novice at this type of communication . I have been seeking out some information and ask if the following question is in order . I have an E36 325i Coupe with Chev 350 SBC and Chev 400 Auto. I am now looking to fit T5 Gearbox and not sure of the Clutch Master Cylinder Setup to use ( I have procured a Manual pedal box ) Is it possible you can offer a solution ?

Did you get the BMW clutch master with the pedals?

I'm using this:

• CNC 305-B
• LON 28050
• 1312
• Some welding skills for a bracket

If you are like me and lack that last piece, you can try Rosehill Performance Parts - T5 Hydraulic Clutch Bracket Kit and pick up LON 28050 for the clutch line.

There are some creative, cheaper solutions our there made from some angle iron and a Toyota 4-Runner slave cylinder.

Thank you for these suggestions which I will follow up. The setup I got with the pedals was a black plastic cylinder which I guessed was for a booster assist and I am not looking to use boost assist. I have a Toyota Hilux Surf Wagon so I will have a look at this solution.