Five speed swap done on my ‘89

[Quantumleap]

Finally brought her back home!










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[DesktopDave]

Geez, that's a clean car! Nice work, how's it feel with a proper transmission?

[Quantumleap]

Geez, that's a clean car! Nice work, how's it feel with a proper transmission?

Like a totally different car! All those years as an auto, it’s taking some getting used to lol

[carsnplanes]

I see you did an airbag delete. Where did that wheel come from? Seems many of us did a tranny swap. Love how mine feels like a different car too. it's been three years now since I did mine.

[ShapeShifter]

Very nice, like a whole new car again.....

Enjoy!

[Quantumleap]

I see you did an airbag delete. Where did that wheel come from? Seems many of us did a tranny swap. Love how mine feels like a different car too. it's been three years now since I did mine.

Bought it off a seller from eBay, it was recovered in new leather and feels great. The tranny swap wasn’t cheap but it was well worth it. Spent lots of dough on this one, paint, all new suspension, bushings, shocks, springs, wheel bearings, stainless braided brake lines and all. Next is exhaust, leather upholstery for front seats and sound system. Keeping this car for many years to come

[LarryM]

Like a totally different car! All those years as an auto, it’s taking some getting used to lol

I can just imagine! I've owned mine since 1997 and hope to be making the swap sometime soon. I'll bet it transforms the car from feeling like a luxury cruiser to something with real personality, and a lot more fun to drive. Your car looks really fine, too.

Which transmission did you use, and how does 1st gear feel with the 3.91 diff ratio (which I assume your car has)? Years ago I swapped in a 3.91 LSD (from an '89 automatic) which works fine with the gear ratio spacing of the auto tranny, but I imagine that same 3.91 with the 1st gear in a manual is a real stump-puller combo.

[carsnplanes]

I also left in the 3:91 just because i didn't have a lower one to put in. I would have wanted and still do want something like a 3:45, something in that range. The 3:91 gives you a 1st gear that's almost useless as I'm in 2nd before I even cross the intersection. Also, cruising does keep the revs up at 3000-3100around 70 mph. I'd like it down to around 2500 or less in 5th. Anybody want to swap a nice LSD 3:91 for a 3:45 LSD? (I'm sure not)

[DesktopDave]

Keep your eyes open for a later 6-cyl Z3 diff. I found a 3.45 medium-case diff locally in a trashed '99 Z3 2.2. IMHO it's a perfect combination matched with my slightly oversized 16" tires (IIRC 235/50?). The Z3 diff is also a Torsen unit, and it's not marked as an LSD. They're relatively rare, usually expensive. Well worth seeking out. PM me for fitment details, or check out Ron Stygar's Z3 page for an abundance of details.

Once you're done with the swap, put the Z3 rear cover, E24 speed sender & Z3 output stubs into your 'old' 3.91 and sell it off to an E30 guy. That ratio is great for a 325iS (3.73 stock), even better with an M20B27 (2.93 stock). It'd even work for the M42 guys, since many of the small-case 4.1 diffs eventually die.