engine transplant to e30 cabrio

[tasos316baur]

Hey everybody!!! Evreybody nuts here, right?
Listen to this: I am in love (mean it) with e30. I live in Greece which means i like the sun and i want to enjoy it every second of the day which means i love cabrios. I also love 320is motor. So... what do i do? I get a e30 cabrio and i transplant in it the 2lt. Motor of 320is with its 192 PS. How does it sound? My only hesitation is this: Can the e30 cabrio chassis handle the horsepower of the 2lt. M motor? I think it can, since the e30 cabrio 325 with similar horsepower existed. What do you think? Give some advice please..... (begging...)

[wicked]

I have a 87 325ic and i also want to put a bigger motor in it, I have read countless hours of articals on engin transplants into the E30. You can put just about any size engin in the E30 body with little modifications to the engin compartment. But if I was you I would put a M50 motor in:) :devillook

[JamesM3M5]

The 320i motor you're talking about would be a good upgrade. The original E30 3-series 6-cylinder motors were called M20 engines. The E36 3-series engines are M50 engines. The M50 engine fits right into the E30 chassis with some minor modifications.

Check out Zionsville Autosport for the "Project Orca" CD that details 100% of the conversion process. The CD is pricey, but the conversion is DEFINITELY worth it.

BTW-- The E30 convertible came in an ///M version with 195HP, so 192HP isn't a big deal. Chassis flex is bad on those E30 convertibles, so take it easy. They are NOT handling machines. If you want a faster car, look for the Italian E30 320is with 192HP from a 2.0L ///M3 engine.

JamesM

Edit: You can find the Projet Orca CD for sale here:
http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/store/shop.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=6134&Product_Code=ETCCC&Category_Code=S