cheapest, quickest and easiest M30 conversion route

[tomson]

Fritz's Bit's in Devon also sell the custom mounts as that is where mine came from.......

[bigdek]

use the temp switch for the air con or m3 electric fan for ur elec fan m8 ( its the same part no )

got one today and it screws straight in to either the rad or thermostat housing.

[Andy335Touring]

Fritz's Bit's in Devon also sell the custom mounts as that is where mine came from.......

How much were they ?

Which engine ? The E34/2 or the earlier E28/4 M30 ?

Is your car an E21 or E30 ?

What sort of position is your engine at with these mounts ?

Got any pictures mister ?

[tomson]

Andy,

the mounts from Fritz are custom made to your spec, mine are to mount a E34 lump into an E30 but i believe he can fabricate for any engine into any chassis. The cost im unsure of as i bought the engine and mounts etc as a job lot off a bloke that had bought everything needed for the conversion then ran out of money to pay someone to fit it!! So i stepped in and gave him Ԛ£250 for the lot!!
Its gathering dust at the mo till the new year when i will be in the market for a tidy sport/cab with a blown lump to carry out the conversion...
Im concentrating on my 325ix tourer ATM which should be ready for mot end of the week!!

Tom

[Andy335Touring]

Ah, custom, so i'd guess they would need the car and engine there for the mounts to be made ?

Sounds like you got a right bargin

[tomson]

They dont need the car/lump there for an E34 lump into an E30 as they have done a few of these conversions before and have designs to fabricate these particular mounts to mail order.


Bargian of the century for me, my money bought me-
E34 3.5 lump, loom, 2x ecu's, auto box, manual box, M5 rubber mounts(brand new!) Fritz's steel mounts, fly wheel, clutch, ex manifold + full stainless system, and a radiator!!
Some other bits i cant remember now. I think all i need is the E34 prop shaft.......

[jmc330i]

Andy.

I will be calling down to Fritz Bits at the end of next week. I can find out how they do the mounts if you like and what sort of price.

Bargian of the century for me, my money bought me-
E34 3.5 lump, loom, 2x ecu's, auto box, manual box, M5 rubber mounts(brand new!) Fritz's steel mounts, fly wheel, clutch, ex manifold + full stainless system, and a radiator!!

For Ԛ£250?? Bargain is an understatement

[Brianmoooore]

Didn't realise Fritz's Bits were in my neck of the woods.
Website doesn't give location. Anyone know their adress?

[Andy335Touring]

Andy.

I will be calling down to Fritz Bits at the end of next week. I can find out how they do the mounts if you like and what sort of price.

Cheers James, it will be handy for any potential 335er's if they have another option for the engine mounts to chose from

[jmc330i]

Andy.

I will be calling down to Fritz Bits at the end of next week. I can find out how they do the mounts if you like and what sort of price.

Cheers James, it will be handy for any potential 335er's if they have another option for the engine mounts to chose from

No problem Andy, will let you know

Didn't realise Fritz's Bits were in my neck of the woods.
Website doesn't give location. Anyone know their adress?

Unit 90 Tonedale Mill Complex
Wellington, TA21 0AW
01823 669 425

Although I think they will be moving sometime soon. The old mill is being pulled down and replaced by a housing estate

[gareth]

i'd be very interested if fritz's bits did them too...

does anyone know if a E reg E28 525i (M30) auto raditaor will do? are all M30 E28 rads the same?? i know as it's from an auto but my local breakers has one and they only want Ԛ£20! looks very nearly new too!

[gareth]

i've just found out that the E32 donor has aircon! that's the fan and switch sorted then!

also, i've had a look on tha online ETK site and it looks like the E28 m30 525i auto rad i've found is the same as the E28 535i one. this one does have the fittings for the auto tranny cooler that i assume is built into one end tank but this has got me thinking: can i use this for the engine oil cooler? the e30.de site reckons i can only use a E30 M3 one... anyone know any more?

[Toby_Unna]

Hmm auto rad as engine oil cooler...

that's lateral thinking for you, what a great idea!

However, the e34/32 m30 doesn't actually use/need an oil cooler. you could use an e28 535i oil filter housing on the later engine if you wanted to though.

e30.de isn't right anyway, the e28 m535i cooler and lines goes on fine, i had that set up before i put the e34 engine in.

re the rad, if it's the same part number then it should be fine. i can supply dimensions of my m535i rad if you want to check? you don't want to be using an undersize rad, as the engine is already stuffed into a more compact bay.

[gareth]

cool! i thought it was a class idea.... have to check the bores etc but i reckon it should be doable with some custom hoses etc..

thanks for that. i've yet to get the rad but once i have, i'll post the dimensions up. the p/n's are the same though!

so, the E32/4 doesn't use a oil cooler? that's cool for a start, saves time too!. i can then maybe connect up/upgrade to an oil cooler if needed once it's on the road.

engine mounts are ordered and should take 5 days to ship...

[gareth]

i've just got back from a healthy scrapyard rummage!

E28 525i (M30) auto rad, top and bottom hoses and thermostat housing (more ports than the E32 one) and a E32 electric fan thermostat switch... all for Ԛ£15 the rad is nearly new too! should be in good nick as the coolant was clear and blue.

toby, if you could have a quick check on the sizes that would be great. mine is 440mm wide, 353mm tall and 45mm thick. the overall width including tanks is about 560mm. does that sound right?

[Toby_Unna]

no probs mate i'll measure it. it's off the car anyway at the moment

[gareth]

i have a funny feeling i have the smaller one....

the realOEM.com lists 2 rads, one at 560mm, one at 440mm. i suspect this is the core size so mine is no bigger than the E30 325i one. (incidentally, this is listed as 440 or 550mm versions.)

anyway, pics are here:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v382/ ... bb3446.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v382/ ... 03b808.jpg

it should be like this: (from e30.de) http://wp1016621.wp027.webpack.hosteuro ... 120/52.jpg
http://wp1016621.wp027.webpack.hosteuro ... 120/58.jpg

booger!

oh well, it's a start and i have the hoses, thermostat housing (with spare ports) and fan switch now...

[gareth]

right... things aren't going entirely to plan!

i do now have the right rad. a nearly new m535i auto rad and bottom hose, delivered and in good condition for Ԛ£20!

i have my E30.de mounts too! these are wierd looking things indeed!

however, the bloke with the Ԛ£50 engine has so far not got round to bringing the car to the garage to get the lump out and doesn't reckon he will until the new year. this will also still leave me needing the transmission components and a manual loom (tart!). also i'm getting a bit bored of driving a Ԛ£50 diesel astra van in the meantime! (though it is fun in the snow as i don't care if i bend it! )

i may buy a mot-less tax-less manual E34 535i sport that's near me for not a lot... that'd get me almost everything i need!

watch this space...

oh, what are E34 sport bodykits, LSD's, recaro interiors, brakes, suspension etc worth? i'd have a load to sell on afterwards!

[Toby_Unna]

don't need a manual loom mate, if you have an auto one that's fine

not surprised it's taking time, unfortunately it will. look hard for an e30 m3 prop.

buy the 535 sport and make sure you do something nasty to the astra before the snow melts

[gareth]

well, that 535 ended at Ԛ£792 on ebay. that's Ԛ£742 for a greabox etc! no thanks! back to plan A then and the Ԛ£50 (auto) lump.

so... what are the differences between the auto loom and the manual one? is it just a few extra bits that need removing or is it a lot more involved?

[Toby_Unna]

you're not going to get something for nothing

a 535 sport isn't going to go cheap. look how much 325 sports make over normal 325s. and you won't make too much selling e34 sport stuff, different owner culture and much less demand for high spec parts.

i've posted it a few times before, but here it is again! the e34 535i auto loom plugged STRAIGHT IN to my car with no soldering needed and worked perfectly, and WORKS FINE with a manual box. it uses a different throttle switch, but it doesn't matter.

[stoic]

Apologies in advance guys but what is the M30B35? Sounds like a 3.5 and, if so, would it be much heavier than my 2.5?

[stevetigger]

Apologies in advance guys but what is the M30B35? Sounds like a 3.5 and, if so, would it be much heavier than my 2.5?

Sumit like 30kg or there abouts! A very little person in ya car!

[bigdek]

my touring is now officialy a daily driver from 12 am tonight ( road tax )

Have to say even with the increase in weight of the 3.5 over the 2.5 i see no difference in the handling or the ride height.

Sound good as well on a standard 325 system

[gareth]

cheers toby! i thought you'd said that... i recall a section on the www.E30.de site about changing the pin configuration on the large multiplug... does the auto loom simply have the right configuration or am i being too hopeful?!

that 535i sport was at Ԛ£250 ish with less than a day to go, then went beserk! would have been a good deal for me if it had stayed under Ԛ£400/500 but when i've got an engine for Ԛ£50 it makes it an expensive way of getting the rest of the parts.

i've tracked down a chap with a E28 M535i non-dogleg gearbox, flywheel, clutch and prop and he only wants Ԛ£140 + shipping!

that's a total for the engine, box etc and rad of Ԛ£210 (+ some shipping for the box etc) with the lighter flywheel and the later engine, the ideal setup!

[gareth]

my touring is now officialy a daily driver from 12 am tonight ( road tax )

you rotten rotten swine!

that's it, i'm off now to drive my astramax into a wall!

nice one though... must be fun... PICCIES!!!!!!!!!!!

[bigdek]

will take few pics and a fone vid tomorrow

[Theo]

Hi Gareth, just been reading through this as i am considering doing this conversion next summer, noticed that you are in Hastings which is just down the road from me, im in Hawkhurst, do you mind me asking which scrapyards you have found of use round here, alot of them ive been to are useless!! Cheers, Theo.

[gareth]

hi theo,

when it's up and running, i'd be happy to run you though it / take you for a spin etc!

near here, ripleys are good... they have a branch just outside of hastings (westfield) and one in hailsham. incidentally, they currently have what looks to be a very clean E32 735i auto with a mint looking engine in the hastings/westfield branch...

it's worth popping in / calling them every so often to see what comes in as they're not a bmw specialist.

Ripley Auto Spares Ltd
Hole Farm
Westfield Lane
Westfield
TN35 4SA
Tel: 01424 751457

Apex Way
Hailsham
BN27 3WA
Tel: 01323 841228

also, BMW spares near ashford ( www.bmw-spares.com ) are good and almost certain to have whatever you need in stock but are a little more expensive. they're like an aladdins cave of bits, well worth a look around! last time i was there, they had 2 alpina steering wheels and 5 m-tech 2 steering wheels in stock, off the shelf!

[Theo]

Cheers for that Gareth, very helpful, ive been to Ripley's alot, think its pretty much the best scrappy around, got some great bargains there. Ive heard of the place in Ashford, going to head there next week for a couple of bits. I'll keep a look out on this thread, hope it all goes well, will be very interested to see the final product. Theo.

[gareth]

update time:

the bloke with the E28 box and flywheel etc has pulled out however, i got a E34 530i manual box, E34 535i prop, E28 single mass flywheel and some small odds and sods for Ԛ£250 + vat from BMW Spares near ashford not great but it's the only manual box i've seen in the month and a half i've been looking! in that time i've spent half of that in tax and insurance...!

pics here:
http://photobucket.com/albums/v382/gare ... onversion/

i've also spoken to the bloke with engine and he's not going to get a chance to get the engine out so has offered me the whole E32 735i for Ԛ£80. at that price i'll have it and may just scrap the rest rather than try and break it (it'll have to be on my dads drive! )

so, the low price engine offsets the high price gearbox etc i suppose...

that's everything major i need except a new clutch for less than Ԛ£500!

[gareth]

damn it's beeen quiet on this thread lately...

UPDATE 2...

i've just found a E30 M3 prop and a very good condition E30 M3 scorpion stainless steel exhaust! cost me a lot for all of it (Ԛ£329 all in inc delivery etc) but i have the scorpion from mine to sell on... this means it's almost a bolt up swap!

i'm expecting to take delivery of the 375i this weekend and short of a clutch, i have all of the bits i need!

the ends of my tyres is nigh!!!!! i can almost smell the power!

[Toby_Unna]

thats good news but i wouldn't get too hopeful about it being a bolt up swap mate.

why have you got 2 identical threads running anyway

[Andy335Touring]

... this means it's almost a bolt up swap!

Like Toby says it wont bolt straight up as the exaust flange will be differant and you will have to faf about with the hangers as well.

Unless you weld your down pipe to your exhaust ?

I bought an M3 flange from the US to do mine.



Shame the timings not better as you could have bought my Scorpion ehaust from me

[gareth]

toby, 2 identical threads.... kinda ended that way though i never intended for it to! better keep it to here now the prop is sorted and technically ending the other one...

bolt-up is kind wishful thinking and i'm not really thinking it'll be that easy but if it's a bit closer then that's good enough for me!

regarding the M3 exhaust, i'm aware some faffing will be needed at the front end but it's exactly the unit i wanted in the long term so i may as well get it all to fit that rather than the 325i one. a lucky find too... shame i didn't notice yours though andy...

i take it that pic is the M3 system? how does it compare to the M30 downpipe? is it somtething that could be sorted with an adaptor plate?