E46 M3 S85 swap thread

[Rekpoint]

This is going to be epic...

[i_love_cars]

Picked up a really clean E9x 6MT just now on ebay. 56k miles on it at $1800 shipped is maybe 100-200 bucks overpriced but it obviously includes the knick knacks like shift linkage, etc. as opposed to being just a bare transmission. May need to end up fabricating a custom shift linkage anyway but I'd rather have the stock parts with the transmission if I can, so this makes sense I think. 

[i_love_cars]

So, updates. Main thread has been updated with a spreadsheet screenshot of all the cost breakdown for everything. It will be updated over time as needed but at this point we have covered just about all the bases. 

The transmission I had got on ebay arrived with a giant crack in the bellhousing among other problems - basically everything got fucked up by the freight carrier. So I have been refunded for that and am back on the hunt for a transmission again. If anyone catches a beat on a decent E9x 6mt transmission, let me know.

I have a standing order in with BimmerWorld for a set of BE bearings which is somewhat entertaining because they didn't even take payment info and said "anything we authorize will likely expire by the time bearings actually get in stock" since BE is constantly on backorder for S65/S85 bearings upgrades.

The majority of other updates are essentially already documented as a result of the pricing spreadsheet - basically have just been talking with vendors for making custom parts and updated prices accordingly based on what they said. 

Part out of the M5 begins right away in January, and I already have the SMG sold for $2700 and in January will be posting up in the M5 forums and chicago area BMW FB groups probably with official part-out lists.

[Jdesign]

Bummer on that trans. Looks like you still have forward progress though!

[i_love_cars]

This project has been canned! Main thread updated

[B C]

Engine swaps are no joke. My warmed over M52 swap was "easy" and still cost a few grand. Putting together costs to S54 swap an E36 had costs going north of 11k with me doing all the work. 

The V10 E46 dream is dead, but it died because of sound judgement. There is still a well sorted E46 M3 track car with a healthy engine in his garage, so the story still has a happy ending.

[suspenceful]

Lame. I was hyped for this.

Props for being able think with your financial head instead of your car-enthusiast head. That damn car-enthusiast head has expensive taste.

[i_love_cars]

suspenceful said:

Lame. I was hyped for this.

Props for being able think with your financial head instead of your car-enthusiast head. That damn car-enthusiast head has expensive taste.

It is an eternal battle for us all 

[Rekpoint]

Fortunately for you, you got a good deal on the m5 and it wont take long to break even from a partout standpoint. Then its downhill from there.

Sad to see this not happen.

I also hear that turboed S54s sound exotic.

[Jdesign]

  Well you have more self control than I do. Sad to see it go, but im sure it was a good decision.

[straight6pwr]

aww!

[Rekpoint]

Yeah... How does it feel to disappoint the whole community....

I'm kidding.

[i_love_cars]

Rekpoint said:

Yeah... How does it feel to disappoint the whole community....

I'm kidding.

No, no it's definitely a big disappointment to quite a few people lol. You can say what we're all thinking - it's ok 

Jdesign said:

  Well you have more self control than I do. Sad to see it go, but im sure it was a good decision. 

I think it was the right decision. 40k for this build is a lot indeed

[YoungCR]

Bummer but better to have the car racing around the track then in pieces digging a ginourmous hole in your wallet. Would a S65 swap still have the same issues with the frame rails?

[i_love_cars]

The dream is still alive. I have decided that (at least for now) I am keeping the engine and all swap-related parts at Efab Motorsports. Eric will store them for me indefinitely. So I'm going to part out everything else like I planned on in order to break even on the purchase of the car, but at that point as long as I've recouped my 7k, then I don't see any harm in hanging on to a 33k mile S85 that works, assuming I will one day swap it. I don't see myself being able to replicate this kind of a deal for such a low mileage , functional example so it's hard to sell the engine.

[jc43089]

i_love_cars said:

The dream is still alive. I have decided that (at least for now) I am keeping the engine and all swap-related parts at Efab Motorsports. Eric will store them for me indefinitely. So I'm going to part out everything else like I planned on in order to break even on the purchase of the car, but at that point as long as I've recouped my 7k, then I don't see any harm in hanging on to a 33k mile S85 that works, assuming I will one day swap it. I don't see myself being able to replicate this kind of a deal for such a low mileage , functional example so it's hard to sell the engine. 

Maybe I could put it in a van for you...

[SteelBlue]

jc43089 said:

Maybe I could put it in a van for you...

[Jdesign]

SteelBlue said:

Best van ever made.