Post
Fri Apr 11, 2008 12:02 pm
You can pick up a 525i engine (cheapest way as it already has the right sump etc) for £150 these days. I'd then allow yourself another £400 for odds and sods too such as an e36 rad and ac fan, smaller master cylinder, engine mounts, late e36 manifolds, e36 hear linkage etc etc. That's dependant on you finding the stuff at good prices, maybe a little optimistic.
For the gearbox, the earlier e36 325i gearbox is much easier to use and very cheap, you'd just have to budget for an m3 diff or find an open diff and have kevo swap the crown wheel and pinion for you. I hear it's possible to use the m42 gearbox with little or no messing around though you'd have to double check that.