E30 Zone

My cars hiding in storage at the moment so i cant go and look at it. Just wondered if its possible to take the front off to remove the engine? Or does it involve cutting?

If its not an unbolt thing has anyone ever done it like this? Would save alot of faf when putting an engine in.

'Fraid not, there is a welded front section that would have to be cut and welded back again. With the bonnet off there is a fair amount of elbow room if you have an engine hoist.

Or you could drop the front subframe and the engine will fall out the bottom

Thanks, might do the latter. Wondering if i could turn that weld in panel to a bolt on one...

shaun_89 wrote:Thanks, might do the latter. Wondering if i could turn that weld in panel to a bolt on one...

I believe i read somewhere in the last couple of days on here that someone has done just that? Might want to get someone else to confirm though, my memory's not what you'd call "reliable"..

rancido64 wrote:

shaun_89 wrote:Thanks, might do the latter. Wondering if i could turn that weld in panel to a bolt on one...

I believe i read somewhere in the last couple of days on here that someone has done just that? Might want to get someone else to confirm though, my memory's not what you'd call "reliable"..

Yep, I saw that too, I'll see if I can find the link.

Hi,
We've done it on the E30 racer we're currently building.
Trying to upload images via Photobucket, but its running really slowly at the moment , so I'll try again later.
In a nutshell, we cut off the two main upright sections near the bottom (leaving enough metal to drill fixings in the remainder) and drilled out the spot welds where the slam panel fixes to the inner wings.
We then welded short lengths of box section into the uprights of the removeable section, which then 'plugs' back into the base, and is fixed with through bolts. The slam panel is fixed to the inner wings with screws into captive nuts welded on underneath the inner wing panel.
The pictures would show it pretty clearly, so I'll have another go in a bit.
Kim.

MartinPallot did it. Might be worth pm'ing him.

interesting...

this is the way bmw did it in the factory and there is loads of room to manouvre

jonny323i wrote:

this is the way bmw did it in the factory and there is loads of room to manouvre

Yep i second that, i done it like that once because i had no crane. just took a few of us to lift the car off the engine.

Or jack the back up nice and high, remove the rad + bonnet, then lift the engine+box out of the top.

Ive always removed/replaced engines out the top with no problems, load leveller helps though

Ive also found removing the PS pump gives a touch more clearance.

Finally managed to upload pictures of the mod described above.
Hopefully all self explanitary.
Kim

I dont understand why?

wouldnt that be an mot failure

a 6 pot with box attached will go in or out of the top easily with all 4 wheels still on the floor, I lowered one in today took no more than 15 mins ?

staley_turbo wrote:I dont understand why?

So that if If I need to get the motor out quickly in the paddock during a race weekend, I dont have to beg an engine crane and lift the motor 5 feet in the air to do it.
With the front off, the motor could be removed by two people with a length of scaffold tube, one each side of the car.
Kim

You never said it you were using it for motorsport. Its a good idea for that but if it got to the point were my engine had to come out, i think id retire from the race!

kimbo wrote:Hi,
We've done it on the E30 racer we're currently building.
Kim.

Did too!!

Kim