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Thread: Project Wolf Wagon - '92 525iT

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    Project Wolf Wagon - '92 525iT

    So I thought I would introduce myself and at the same time document a little bit of my E34.

    I've been a long time German car enthusiast. Ever since I picked up my '83 Porsche 928 when I was 17. I've dealt with the tortured relationship that is loving old German stuff. I bought that car for $2,500 and did tons of work with my grandfather to keep it on the road. Even in it's tattered state that car was magical, especially on the highway.

    Unfortunately and predictably the 928 wasn't able to cope with my lack of resources at the time and I had to get rid of it. I had an E36 325i for a short time, until it was rear ended on the highway. I was fortunate enough to pick up a '03 Honda S2000 after the E36. Great car, learned to drive stick with it. Even drove it through six Illinois winters and it was a blast. But daily driving an S2000 in the Midwest lost some of its appeal after six and a half years. With kids on the horizon and student loans to pay off I sold it.

    Enter the E34. I found the car in CT back in 2014. It's an early production (02/92) 525i, black/black. I flew out to see the car and proceeded to drive it 900 miles home. For about a year the car was my daily driver. I just changed the oil and whatever else came up.

    I removed the SLS in favor of some Koni Sports and sedan H&R Sports. I'd recommend that other touring owners get properly spec'd springs, but I was being cheap at the time and they'll do. I have to say that I love the way the car currently sits.

    I had always planned on doing a 5 speed swap, so when the transmission started acting up I jumped on the chance to start hoarding parts. I ended up with a ZF310Z and a 3.23 LSD. The car was transform by the swap. It's better in every way.

    I just finished the latest project earlier this month. I pulled the rear subframe out and did a full rebuild. New Powerflex subframe bushings, OEM differential bushings, pitman arms, new RTABS, M5 wheel bearings, Racing Dynamics sway bars, and I upgraded to 540i rear brakes.

    I also had Ireland Engineering camber and toe adjusters welded in and had the subframe and trailing arms powder coated black. Needless to say it was a major project and a big improvement over the clunking and shifting subframe of old.

    So that's the Wolf Wagon. I've got plenty more planned, but it will probably be slow going with a little one and another project in the garage. Looking forward to learning more from all the knowledge here.

    Cheers guys!

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  2. #2
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    Well done, old chap. I look forward to updates!
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    Quote Originally Posted by danespann View Post
    Every E34 needs the same things in the end.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by BleedsBlue View Post
    Well done, old chap. I look forward to updates!
    Thanks! For those of you wondering why it's called the Wolf Wagon

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    Looks like a nice touring especially coming from the rust belt. Great color combo too
    Me E30 87/ 325i + F25 12/ M-Sport + E32 94/ 740i

    G/F’s E34 92/ 525iT + F48 18/ X1

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by e30luv318i View Post
    Looks like a nice touring especially coming from the rust belt. Great color combo too
    Thanks for the kind words. It's decently clean, but it will need new rear doors at some point. I plan to do a full body respray at some point, but I've been focusing on the mechanical bits first.

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    moroza is offline MORΩN ΛABIA BMW CCA Member
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    Welcome, and nice car!

    What'd you use for a clutch and flywheel, the OE setup? Also, how do you like the gearing? I'm looking into a manual swap on a 525iT like yours. In automatic form the effective top gear is 2.95, which feels on the high side of acceptable, while the manual is a non-overdrive 3.23, which seems on paper to be way too short. The wheels and suspension on yours suggest a different driving style than mine, but regardless - what's your opinion?

    That car looks like it was garage-kept for much of its life.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by moroza View Post
    Welcome, and nice car!

    What'd you use for a clutch and flywheel, the OE setup? Also, how do you like the gearing? I'm looking into a manual swap on a 525iT like yours. In automatic form the effective top gear is 2.95, which feels on the high side of acceptable, while the manual is a non-overdrive 3.23, which seems on paper to be way too short. The wheels and suspension on yours suggest a different driving style than mine, but regardless - what's your opinion?

    That car looks like it was garage-kept for much of its life.
    Thanks moroza. I ended up going with the stock dual mass flywheel and Sachs clutch. The car was a daily driver for me up until last year. The gearing is a little more aggressive, and it certainly livens up the car when you want to have a little fun. But I wouldn't go so far as to call it "way too short". I also manage 27MPG averaging 65-70. Cruising at 80 you are sitting right around 3500RPM. Personally, think that a 3.15 would be ideal. Guess those M guys knew what they were doing.

    As for the suspension and wheels. I'd say that with the Michelin PSS the car rides very well. Only over the really big stuff do you notice a difference between the 17" and my 15" bottle caps with General Altimax winter tires. The real issue with my current setup is that the sedan springs are not well matched to the weight over the rear. It results in a bit of seesawing in the right conditions.




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    ^Interestingly, only the '95 M3 had a 3.15 in the manual trans. The '96-'99 manuals had the 3.23; but if you calculate the stock tire size OD between '95 and '96+, it's a wash.
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    Quote Originally Posted by danespann View Post
    Every E34 needs the same things in the end.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Wolfwgn View Post
    Thanks! For those of you wondering why it's called the Wolf Wagon

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    Very cool car and dog! My uncle had a wolf hound too unfortunately he passed away a few months back. (The dog not the uncle)

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    Nice car. Love the color. Did you paint it? Or is that blue tape used to protect the trim during polishing like I do? Ah yes, the 928. A fav. One of the coolest looking and sounding cars. My dad's boss had a `83 928. I give you credit for the swap. A restoration shop converted my 533i to manual after I sold it.... drove it years later. More fun, but very mechanical, buzzy - perhaps too much insulation was ripped-out. Partly why I am hesitant to do a conversion in my 525i. Nice E39 Sport Wheels - I wonder if you could fit a 15" style 5 center cap on them - best looking ones IMHO. Nice read btw.
    Last edited by E28E34; 03-26-2018 at 09:47 PM.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by M540fella View Post
    Very cool car and dog! My uncle had a wolf hound too unfortunately he passed away a few months back. (The dog not the uncle)

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    Great dogs, but the life span is something you have to learn to deal with. Our dog Rory is our first Wolfhound and she's about to turn 5. She's a big softy and unfortunately she doesn't like riding in the wagon since she won't lay down in the car!

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  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by E28E34 View Post
    Nice car. Love the color. Did you paint it? Or is that blue tape used to protect the trim during polishing like I do? Ah yes, the 928. A fav. One of the coolest looking and sounding cars. My dad's boss had a `83 928. I give you credit for the swap. A restoration shop converted my 533i to manual after I sold it.... drove it years later. More fun, but very mechanical, buzzy - perhaps too much insulation was ripped-out. Partly why I am hesitant to do a conversion in my 525i. Nice E39 Sport Wheels - I wonder if you could fit a 15" style 5 center cap on them - best looking ones IMHO. Nice read btw.
    I recently gave the car a polish and wax before heading out on a big trip this weekend. Just got home from 4200 mile round trip. E34 was relatively flawless, besides popping the #1 fuse, which caused me to temporarily lose all instrumentation.

    My 928 was an '83 as well and had a muffler delete when I bought it. Definitely has a muscle car quality to it with the 16V 4.7.

    I don't find my car to be any worse from an NVH standpoint from the swap. Other than the obvious increased engine noise at highway speed from the shorter ratio. The Koni Sports and H&R Sport springs definitely do add some harshness but I'm willing to trade that for the lowered ride hight and flatter cornering.

    Hadn't thought about the 15" Style 5 centers. I like these wheels, but they aren't my final choice. I think I'd like to end up with either a set of 20 spoke Aplina wheels or the M systems with the throwing stars.

    Picture of my car waiting to hit the track for some parade laps around Sonoma.

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    This is awesome to see! I sold you the car. Really glad to see it's being tastefully modified and taken care of. I missed it enough to buy another E34 touring recently.

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    Hey David! The car has been great. Obviously it's needed some things along the way, but I'm in it for the long haul. How's the Calypso M5? I remember that you picked that up in favor of the touring.

    Did you end up with another 525 or did you go with a V8 this time around?

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    You're definitely doing a good job with it. The black/black combo is fairly rare and it still looks great. My M5 is still running strong, just preserving it completely stock and hoping the values keep going up.

    I picked up a 530, white/parchment with a 5 speed swap already done. Long term it might be getting a B40 or B44. Love these wagons and can't believe I went a few years without one!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Wolfwgn View Post
    I recently gave the car a polish and wax before heading out on a big trip this weekend. Just got home from 4200 mile round trip. E34 was relatively flawless, besides popping the #1 fuse, which caused me to temporarily lose all instrumentation.

    My 928 was an '83 as well and had a muffler delete when I bought it. Definitely has a muscle car quality to it with the 16V 4.7.

    I don't find my car to be any worse from an NVH standpoint from the swap. Other than the obvious increased engine noise at highway speed from the shorter ratio. The Koni Sports and H&R Sport springs definitely do add some harshness but I'm willing to trade that for the lowered ride hight and flatter cornering.

    Hadn't thought about the 15" Style 5 centers. I like these wheels, but they aren't my final choice. I think I'd like to end up with either a set of 20 spoke Aplina wheels or the M systems with the throwing stars.
    Nice. That's quite a trip. In the 9 yrs. of daily-driving mine, it's never once given me an issue on any long road trip. Very dependable even at 170K now.

    Imagining your car with throwing stars, reminds me of my ride in this Black/Black`95 M5 Touring on the Nurburgring back in `09. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHoybqDlLvs (I drove an Alfa 75 on this track the following day).

    David..... thought this car could have been yours. Small world. David btw, used to own my 533i.
    Last edited by E28E34; 03-27-2018 at 05:15 PM.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by E28E34 View Post
    Nice. That's quite a trip. In the 9 yrs. of daily-driving mine, it's never once given me an issue on any long road trip. Very dependable even at 170K now.

    Imagining your car with throwing stars, reminds me of my ride in this Black/Black`95 M5 Touring on the Nurburgring back in `09. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHoybqDlLvs (I drove an Alfa 75 on this track the following day).

    David..... thought this car could have been yours. Small world. David btw, used to own my 533i.
    Very cool! I know I've watched that video before, but it's cool to have some of the back story.

    Started the trip off with just under 205k miles and now it's just over 209k. I've only been stranded once and it was my fault for not tightening things up enough after a repair.

    I still need to address the front control arms, but otherwise the suspension will be done for the time being. After that I will have to save up for some bigger projects. I'd like to address the front brakes now that I have the 540i rears.

    Eventually I would love to get an S52, some manual sport seats, and repaint the whole car.

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    ^You had me until S52. Don't get me wrong: my first BMW love, and first dose of the infection, was in an S52 car, but I have first hand knowledge of the inferiority of the S52 compared to the M60B40, at least in this chassis. Even going FBO on the S52, it's just not enough compared to a healthy, bone-stock B40. Now, throw a lil centrifugal blower on there (or tarbo), and we're talking
    Last edited by BleedsBlue; 03-29-2018 at 12:11 PM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by danespann View Post
    Every E34 needs the same things in the end.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by BleedsBlue View Post
    ^You had me until S52. Don't get me wrong: my first BMW love, and first dose of the infection, was in an S52 car, but I have first hand knowledge of the inferiority of the S52 compared to the M60B40, at least in this chassis. Even going FBO on the S52, it's just not enough compared to a healthy, bone-stock B40. Now, through a lil centrifugal blower on there (or tarbo), and we're talking
    Outright power really isn't the goal for this car, and it's a 525, so it doesn't make much sense to me to go with the M60. I'd much rather have a car I can push for longer without risking jail time. The S52 swap is just so simple that it's really hard for me to argue against it.

    If I really had the itch for more power I'd probably build a turbo setup for my non-vanos M50. Realistically, it's going to be a few years before any of this gets done, so I guess I have time to mull it over. It's hard for me to say where exactly I will end up until I am ready to spend the money.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Wolfwgn View Post
    Outright power really isn't the goal for this car, and it's a 525, so it doesn't make much sense to me to go with the M60. I'd much rather have a car I can push for longer without risking jail time. The S52 swap is just so simple that it's really hard for me to argue against it.

    If I really had the itch for more power I'd probably build a turbo setup for my non-vanos M50. Realistically, it's going to be a few years before any of this gets done, so I guess I have time to mull it over. It's hard for me to say where exactly I will end up until I am ready to spend the money.

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    I hear ya. It's a noble goal to be satisfied with less power...and the S52 torque pairs better with this chassis than an M50, for sure. I'm just saying, at least there are many factory M60s in this chassis, so it's not exactly a custom swap! Just keep in mind it's giving up ~60 hp and more torque, and the 4.0 in wagon form is still not under a 6 sec 0-60-ish car. Jail time speed is subjective
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    Quote Originally Posted by danespann View Post
    Every E34 needs the same things in the end.

  21. #21
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    moroza is offline MORΩN ΛABIA BMW CCA Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by BleedsBlue View Post
    ^You had me until S52. Don't get me wrong: my first BMW love, and first dose of the infection, was in an S52 car, but I have first hand knowledge of the inferiority of the S52 compared to the M60B40, at least in this chassis. Even going FBO on the S52, it's just not enough compared to a healthy, bone-stock B40. Now, through a lil centrifugal blower on there (or tarbo), and we're talking
    When it comes to sound and feel - the sensual esthetic experience of a car, a large part of the reason we bother with these old sleds in this day and age - 6>8.

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by BleedsBlue View Post
    I hear ya. It's a noble goal to be satisfied with less power...and the S52 torque pairs better with this chassis than an M50, for sure. I'm just saying, at least there are many factory M60s in this chassis, so it's not exactly a custom swap! Just keep in mind it's giving up ~60 hp and more torque, and the 4.0 in wagon form is still not under a 6 sec 0-60-ish car. Jail time speed is subjective
    I understand that the M60B40 or B44 makes a lot of sense, but I don't see the sense in putting one in a 525. I would just get a 530i to start if I wanted to go with a V8. Time will tell, but I think I would be happiest with an S50. Might even try to source a European spec S50B32.

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    Quote Originally Posted by moroza View Post
    When it comes to sound and feel - the sensual esthetic experience of a car, a large part of the reason we bother with these old sleds in this day and age - 6>8.
    Obviously I do love the character of a good inline six, but it's also a matter of pragmatism. If I want to have a v configuration engine I'll just buy a 530i because all the little things have been handled. If I was going through the trouble of converting an inline car to handle a v configuration then I probably would go with a more extreme engine choice.

    As I mentioned above, the S50/52 is basically a bolt in affair. I see it as a bolt in solution to adding more of the current character of the car, which I already really enjoy.

    I like to think that my car is being done in an OEM+ manner, barring the current suspension setup I'm running. I want my car to be done in a manner that the factory might have done it if the bean counters weren't getting in the way. It's one of the biggest reasons I shy away from the temptation to go the FI route.

    Ideally, I want to be able to get in the car and be able to cross the country without worrying about whether or not I'll make it. I want it to be comfortable on the highway, but fun and confidence inspiring when you hit a mountain pass or the occasional track day. I know it's never going to match a modern car in performance and I know it's going to take a good amount of time and money to achieve those goals, but I don't see any reason to move on from this car. It's exactly what I want in many ways and most of what I don't like can be fixed in time.

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    Quote Originally Posted by moroza View Post
    When it comes to sound and feel - the sensual esthetic experience of a car, a large part of the reason we bother with these old sleds in this day and age - 6>8.
    No doubt- 'tis why my M5 is a more enjoyable car than any other E34 combo. The S52 doesn't check the same boxes to me, it's a similar powerband to the M60 but with less juice for our fat-azz tourings.

    Quote Originally Posted by Wolfwgn View Post
    Obviously I do love the character of a good inline six, but it's also a matter of pragmatism. If I want to have a v configuration engine I'll just buy a 530i because all the little things have been handled. If I was going through the trouble of converting an inline car to handle a v configuration then I probably would go with a more extreme engine choice.

    As I mentioned above, the S50/52 is basically a bolt in affair. I see it as a bolt in solution to adding more of the current character of the car, which I already really enjoy.

    I like to think that my car is being done in an OEM+ manner, barring the current suspension setup I'm running. I want my car to be done in a manner that the factory might have done it if the bean counters weren't getting in the way. It's one of the biggest reasons I shy away from the temptation to go the FI route.

    Ideally, I want to be able to get in the car and be able to cross the country without worrying about whether or not I'll make it. I want it to be comfortable on the highway, but fun and confidence inspiring when you hit a mountain pass or the occasional track day. I know it's never going to match a modern car in performance and I know it's going to take a good amount of time and money to achieve those goals, but I don't see any reason to move on from this car. It's exactly what I want in many ways and most of what I don't like can be fixed in time.

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    Well-explained, sir. I dig what you're doing, and where you're going, with the car.
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    Quote Originally Posted by danespann View Post
    Every E34 needs the same things in the end.

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    Quote Originally Posted by BleedsBlue View Post
    No doubt- 'tis why my M5 is a more enjoyable car than any other E34 combo. The S52 doesn't check the same boxes to me, it's a similar powerband to the M60 but with less juice for our fat-azz tourings.



    Well-explained, sir. I dig what you're doing, and where you're going, with the car.
    BTW, I really dig what you guys are doing over at AngryAss. I'm very interested to see how the brake package comes out, since I had been considering going the E31 route. At this point it's likely to be slow going on the touring, since I'm mostly left with major projects and I have another car that needs attention.

    Anyways, keep up the good work! Always fun to bounce ideas of others to get different perspective.

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