Rob Levinson's 750iL - June 2003 Bimmer

[Lugosi]

Rob Levinson = Total Pimp :buttrock

[Alex330ci]

Yeah - I've seen Rob's car. It's sweet with that 6 speed from an 850 and the v12...

[95m3sc]

I liked Rob Levinsons car but was curious as to why they stated it was the first big body to run a 6 speed gertag. I thought Simeons car was running that set up for over a year now. It's amazing how Bimmeer only mentions shops that advertise in there mag when it comes to projects like this. I hate to see shops take credit for work they did not do.
All that being said it's one bad big body

[DSK M3/4]

i think rob did that conversion a while ago...

[95m3sc]

No because as I understand it the people that worked on Rob's car used Simeon's info on the 6 speed to make it work. So they had to know about Sim's car at the time.

[Dark Helmet]

Robs is the First V12......... IIRC. I suspect that that was the point they were trying to make. hell, IIRC they even mention VAC in the article, and they did Simeons car too...

(and simeons car has gotten air-time in C/D and Roundel)

[Dark Helmet]

also.... the transmission used from teh 850 is different than the tranny used with the M62.... I think.

[XOC]

Oh, I guess I'm stupid, because I thought 850s only came as automatics.

[Bernanke]

850CSI was stick

[DSK M3/4]

850ci was available with a 6 speed.

[XOC]

Well I'll be danged ....

Thanks guys, now who said you never learn anything on here? :D

[b0rf]

850ci were all auto, 850i was available with a 6 speed.

[DSK M3/4]

i stand corrected. the 850ci was auto only.

[Rob Levinson]

Pimp... yikes!

I can toss some final technical clarification in to address a few issues/questions above.

The 850 came in three flavors:

• 5.0l V12, M70 designation - 850i mostly - some final cars were badged 850Ci. Available as automatic or 6-speed. Note that these cars are mostly concurrent with the E32 750iL ('89-'94).

• 5.4l V12, M73 designation - 850Ci mostly - some early cars were badged 850i. Available only as automatic. Preceding and concurrent with the E38 750iL.

Basically, the badging convention changed around the time that the engine change ocurred - but not precisely, there's a spread where it could be either. Imagine how confusing this is to 850 owners!

• 5.6l V12, S70 designation - 850CSi - all 6-speeds.

BMW never made a 6-speed that bolts up to the 5.4l V12, which is what is in the '96-'01 750iL. That was the interesting challenge with my car, all the custom tranny case/brackets/flywheel parts and software needed to make it work... and also why it took just about 18 months to complete.

As far as the timeline between Simeon's 740i/6 and my 750iL/6, I'm going to take credit for planting the idea in Simeon's mind. :D He and I talked quite a bit while my car was in the early stages, and then his got started and finished before mine was public knowledge. Regardless, the hardware between the two is completely different, no shared parts. The V8 transmission is not the same unit as the V12 transmission.

So now the big question - what next? :evil2

[95m3sc]

Now after seeing your m5 touring and that K bike you are....you are the man. I need a tricked out DAKAR650 now

[NuG]

Rob I've been following your Project E38 and need to tell you that your car is awesome! The exhaust that you made for the car is sweet, when will you have it available for us?

[MDabney]

Ladies and Gentlemen, you read it here on Bimmerforums *first*...

Rob Levinson does = Pimp :pimpflash

... and now you know the rest of the story. :devillook :D

[Rob Levinson]

Originally posted by NuG
Rob I've been following your Project E38 and need to tell you that your car is awesome! The exhaust that you made for the car is sweet, when will you have it available for us?

Thanks!

I have not decided yet whether to put it into series production or just keep it as a one-off. As the Bimmer article noted, a cosmetic change was in the works:
http://www.robertlevinson.com/seven/pages/images/pix/exhaust_5.jpg

I also tweaked the sound a bit, but of course you would only know if you heard it before.

Anybody who is interested in the exhaust, please write to me directly (rob@shortshifter.com) to influence my decision.

But there are a number of other items from "Project X" that will be available just about right away:

- front 355mm and rear 328mm Ultimate Big Brake Kit (UBBK)
- UUC Tuned Spring Set (for cars with or without self-levelling rear suspension)
- Swaybars
- Performance differentials (with or without Quaife) via KMS.

...and perhaps a few other goodies as development continues!

[dave is cool]

Damn, that is one amazing 750

[Preppy]

Yeah, that 7ser. is SWEET :)