ix conversion

[gareth]

i've been thinking today (dangerous stuff!!!) that i'm tempted to convert to awd on my tourer...

is the 325ix shell unique or can the bits be swapped over?

i know it's likely to be an excessive load of work but i reckon a supercharged 2.7 m20 4x4 touring sleeper would be amusing! keep the towball and go skyline hunting!


i've heard the drivetrain is not as strong... is this likely to be down the the extra grip allowing breakages easier? (the downfall of the nissan sunny gti-r)

[Toby_Unna]

on a slightly different note...

i've been wondering if the m50 2.5 from an e34 525iX would go in an e30

as the block is basically m20 i'm thinking maybe the front drivetrain would be the same

would make an unusual conversion!

as usual the problem started with a cheap iX on ebay that site should be banned

[E30BeemerLad]

I'm sure I read pacerpete is fiddling around with an ix at the moment

[Jhonno]

ix drivetrain is quite fragile iirc

[Ant]

ditto that fragility comment !

[dazleeds]

havent had an ix but would have to agree as ive killed 2 405 mi16 4x4s and i wasnt even trying Ԛ£1400 bill to fix gearbox and prop

came strate back to me e30

[Jon_Bmw]

Read something somewhere on the front driveshaft splines not being deep enough, so with normal power it would easily rip them to pieces let alone 2.7 supercharged m20. The driveshafts would have to be machined for a start, don't know about the rest.

My perception of e30 transfer boxes is their about as good as a calibra/cavalier transfer box....Sh!t.

[Brianmoooore]

AFAIK the 325iX shell is unique - front suspension turrets are different, but whether the iX front struts will fit the ordinary shell and give useable geometry, I don't know.

[gareth]

looks like it's time to file that idea along with chocolate teapots! i have a mate with a calibra and have heard horror stories about them!

daz, regarding the mi16x4 comment... that was another previous idea i had. having had a play with 205 gti's, i know it's possible the fit the 4x4 subframes into the 205. with a turbo the mi16 will make an easy 280bhp and with 4x4 in a 205, i reckon that would be a damn good laugh! i may still have to play with that idea one day! unfortunately it's all a lot wider so a T16 style bodykit would be needed which spoils the sleeper effect.

[Turbo-Brown]

How about using the BMW engine mated to a sierra 4x4 transmission? ;)

[e30_Turbo]

There is a swedish IX running 360bhp on a turbo M20, something along the name lines of Darth Vader or something.

That runs the IX 4x4 and was the fastest street legal car over the 1/8 mile in it's local region last year.

I have a some details in a mag at home, will try get some more info.

(Did anyone else see it? It had a huge air box bulge in the bonnet and lots of mesh up front?)

[m-dtech]

How about using the BMW engine mated to a sierra 4x4 transmission? ;)

why would you do that ??

you would be much better leaving the cosworth engine attached

[Turbo-Brown]

cos four-bangers suck!

[m-dtech]

in your opinion perhaps.

a well tuned cossie engine is more affordable and reliable than that of a well tuned m20

[E30BeemerLad]

How about using the BMW engine mated to a sierra 4x4 transmission? ;)

the Sierra 4x4 drivetrain must be pretty tough, although I do have some hazy recollection of it being chain driven and possible chain pobs?

Anyhow there's a bloke that goes to the drag strip here in York with a MK2 Cortina, with the 2.9 Cologne lump which is twin turbo, supercharged, nitrous and water/methanol injected and it is running the 4x4 transmission and I've not seen it give up in the drive train dept yet.

[Turbo-Brown]

in your opinion perhaps.

a well tuned cossie engine is more affordable and reliable than that of a well tuned m20

Yeah I know, I'm just a cylinder count snob

I just don't like the sound that inline 4 cyls engines make in general, and the more highly tuned they become, the more faaaaarty they seem to become

Just personal pref really.

[m-dtech]

ive seen 500 - 750 bhp cosworth engines....

Never seen an m20 come close.

[gareth]

How about using the BMW engine mated to a sierra 4x4 transmission? ;)

trust you to come up with a sensible comment like that!!!!

i 've seen the 4x4 cossie runnig gear in a mk2 escort so have always thought a mk1 with a 2.2 pinto and 4x4 would be cool.

regarding the noise, there's a lot to be said for a pinto on 48's. makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up!

[Andy335Touring]

How about using the BMW engine mated to a sierra 4x4 transmission? ;)

If i remember corectly doesn't one of the front drive shafts go throught the sump on those ? Would make things very interesting if you had to fabricate/mod a new sump.

I had one about 9 or 10 years back and the front prop went on it but luckily it had a bit of warranty on it as the prop was 180 plus VAT and labour

Big bucks at the time as i was in a shite paying job at that time, about 130 a week

[Turbo-Brown]

How about a Skyline tranny and engine. That way, you get to keep inline 6 goodness, and also gain 4wd.

You also gain much tunability

[e30_Turbo]

ive seen 500 - 750 bhp cosworth engines....

Never seen an m20 come close.

They do exist, Ticco's supposed to be kicking out the fat side of 500bhp now. (M20 with Hoslet turbo)

And there are some swedes pushing 600+, but I have to agree that there are more YB lumps pushing that power than M20's.

Def poss tho.

Mark.

[pacerpete]

Why reinvent the wheel? , come and buy my 325ix touring and mod that, diamond black, black heated leather, rare correct offset 15"bbs (most IXs seem to have nasty metrics) . It is a clean tidy car with no noises or big issues. Don't even think of converting a standard car everything on the front end is completely different to a standard e30, lots of expensive looking aluminium bits which explains why it weighs only 80 kg more than a standard 325 touring !. I had hoped to have it on display at donnington but a gaggle of 4 door 4 pot wrongness was considered more interesting !

[gareth]

hehe!!! that's tempting!

how much you after for it mate?