Where does the M30 go...

[Jos]

Ok guys, been thinking about my 335i project.

At the moment I have a stripped shell 4 door saloon, '85 so pre facelift that I was going to put the 3.5 M30 I have into after I had rebuilt it. It really is a lot of work and I am really loving the touring, it's soo different. So I got to thinking about maybe putting the 3.5 in the Touring instead, it's in lovely condidtion, has electric everything (the saloon doesn't) PAS ( the saloon doesn't) and is different.

So the dilemma is do I continue with the other project, albeit very slowly due to lack of funds, or do I bin it and put the 3.5 in the Touring, which will be done sooner, cheaper to do so I can spend more on the engine (like an ITB and a 6 branch, and an Emerald) Also 1 car is cheaper than 2.

The other proviso to it going into the Touring is mpg, any ideas if there is an LPG conversion for the M30 and how much it would cost, and what the expected MPG would be.

Sorry for the loads of questions, just lots going through my mind at the moment, not really 100% sure on what to do, please HELP!!

Ta

[swindy]

Dont get carried away with the touring, I bought an estate and for ages thought way hey, but now a year later it is boring me, I wish I had stuck with the saloon, way hey I bought one!

Regards Mark

[Karan]

do the tourer

[Gwynleym10]

Yea and LPG M30 tourer would be cool!
How much work on the saloon have you done? Would you get much for it?
Do you need the tourer for work?, so would the conversion time mess you around?

[johnono]

tourer but im bias anyway

[6potWil6pot]

Quick Tourers are always cool! Besides its better specced out!

[Jimbob]

I'm sure there's someone on here who bought an M30 LPG off of ebay..

P.S go for touring, LPG conversion is about Ԛ£1300, sod MPG just go fast

[ZS]

Make the p1mp mobile into something quick. 115 horses in that thing is a crime to humanity.

Use the green meanie for parts if required, or if you can remember how to put it back together use it as the runaround.

[Jos]

The saloon is worthless in current condidtion it's really just a bodyshell, all the other stuff is off it, was only 200 quid anyway and I have a substantial collection of useable parts off it. No real money spent on it yet, just time spent working on it (approx 50 hours). Not that bothered about scrapping it if it comes to that. Hate to kill an e30 but....

yeah I do use the tourer for work, but I am self employed so work can be 'resheduled' :lol

What I figured was to get the engine running outside the car 1st using the tourers loom by disconnecting the plug near the fusebox and connecting the M30 loom to it. That way the engine will definately run when it is dropped in (yeah right) and that means the engine is only out of it for a short time while mounts are made (diy), propshaft cut and bulkhead 'adjusted'

[paulj]

tourer.. tourer.. tourer ..

[Andy335Touring]

Touring !

[TOURINGDADDY]

Tourer tourer tourer tourer tourer tourer tourer tourer tourer tourer tourer tourer tourer tourer tourer tourer tourer tourer tourer tourer

[Zayyan]

I was gonna say do the saloon due to the work you've done on it but quick tourers really are cool, much more of a surprise to people who dare play, though you could say the same about a quick 4-door really

I'd still say tourer though, with 316i badge on the back of course

[nav786]

tourer definate

[6potWil6pot]

Who voted 4 door?

Also Tourer=Better weight distribution!

[Toby_Unna]

my (very boring) 2 pence worth is it's probably not a good idea to put yourself in a situation where you're relying on your conversion.

no matter how well you do it and how much you spend you'll get teething problems after you think it's finished and it'll end up off the road for periods. it's heavy modification to the car and there's a lot of scope for malfunctions/bits to unscrew themselves! Andy and i have both been through one engine and I nearly broke my second too

but you can always buy a 205 to run around in while the tourer's broken though!

[6potWil6pot]

my (very boring) 2 pence worth is it's probably not a good idea to put yourself in a situation where you're relying on your conversion.

no matter how well you do it and how much you spend you'll get teething problems after you think it's finished and it'll end up off the road for periods. it's heavy modification to the car and there's a lot of scope for malfunctions/bits to unscrew themselves! Andy and i have both been through one engine and I nearly broke my second too

but you can always buy a 205 to run around in while the tourer's broken though!

Couldnt agree more, i dont think i know how good i had it when the keys to my old M50 car were on my desk

[Toby_Unna]

not as good as with them in the ignition

[320Touring]

Saloon man!!!!

you'd be going up against Davetouring and Andy335Touring, and thats stiff competition

Saloon is already stripped, and the touring will make a nice and (relatively) economic everyday car

Plus saloon is lighter and less balanced so moer tailhappiness

[Jos]

Competition is good! Andy335 has already done most of the stuff I want to do with the Emerald and the ITBs on the way, hopefully after I clear this wedding in Notts I will get a chance to meet him and his car:)

I know what you mean Toby about the reliability issue, that does concern me a little bit, but any engine can give up at a moments notice, regardless if it is a conversion or not. The money I will save on not restoring the body shell I can put into the engine renewing pumps, injectors, sensors cams etc. Which should make it less likley to break.

The bloke that lives 2 doors down is an awesome mechanic and knows the older BMWs like the back of his hand, infact he probably knows most cars that way lol.

The main putoff on the saloon at the moment is the unbelivable amount of work just to get the car to the point where it will be ready for the engine, it would be a better conversion in the long run as it will have been stripped to nothing and rebuilt with new parts but I don't know if I could be bothered anymore. The other thing is 2 cars is a lot more than 1 in terms of money, stupid road tax for instance, as you can't drive 2 cars at once why can you not have a tax disc that you can change between the 2.. same with insurance although weekend/2nd car is cheap enough anyway. Then you have the 2 MOTs to do, 2 sets of oil changes, brakes, suspension blah blah the list goes on.