Decisions decisons

[Elekta]

Tranny's life is limited. Definetely need a valve body replacement, new guilbo, and tranny mounts. That represents a certain amount of parts and labor.

So I have a few options that I have been thinking about.

1. Buy donor 530im in Jersey, ship it to austin, rob the drivetrain ebay the rest...same same only have a bolt it 5 speed and option to take euro touring all US with speedo, obc, 'F on heat dials, basic parts car. Solves the tranny issue, but still have heavy no torqy motor

2. Getting the wifey an XC90 as soon as I can locate a T6 Silver with tan interior that has nav, tow, dvd, and climate package under 40k miles. It's been a couple months and still can't match all items in the same car....
...which means I have a shopping cart dinged up 535ia with a bullet proof chick driven 113k 3.5 motor to rob, her dials and US dash, buy a five speed and do that change over. No cost for materials, just labor and a tranny ebay the rest of the car... or trade it for the conversion.

3. Buy wrecked M3 with S52, and follow the Terry Sayther conversion which he's already done to a 525iT. Certain to cost over $12K, but what a final product. http://www.terrysaytherauto.com/E30-S52Conversion.htm

I just spent a year building my house. I just d/pmt'd this truck but haven't picked it up yet.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/ggil-tx/truck7.jpg
so I will have something to drive in the interim, but this will need an immediate 15 hun in vintage air and hidden tunes.

any suggestions?

[angrypancake]

get the s52, ebay the rest of the car, that would be spectacular

[Scott H]

fun car....indy in Chicago has done two in the last two years....

only reason I didn't do something like that is b/c I had the 535 parts laying around......only reason I bought the iT AT ALL was because I had the 535 parts laying around....

[Elekta]

Well that's $9k for the truck, $7k for the S52, $5k for conversion, $2 for the 3.0 speed and I'm two old cars for $21k.

[Dave M]

#2: Two birds with one stone, motor and 5 speed. Then sell the remnants of the grocery getter and M60 for parts. Voila, 535iTM.

A couple pics of my rig. Its vintage too ;) (Big F'in shopping carts around here).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/dave_macisaac/Chevy2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/dave_macisaac/Chevy1.jpg

Have fun with your decision,

Dave M

[angrypancake]

if you're gonna be 21k in the hole... you should just say hell with it, get this 79k mile 1991 m5, (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Spectacular-1991-BMW-M5-with-79k-miles_W0QQitemZ4626661674QQcategoryZ6131QQrdZ1QQcm dZViewItem) sell your touring, and not be that far into it. if you want i'll go take that m5 for a test drive, i think its close to me

[Elekta]

fun car....indy in Chicago has done two in the last two years....

only reason I didn't do something like that is b/c I had the 535 parts laying around......only reason I bought the iT AT ALL was because I had the 535 parts laying around....

I know, my friend who did his Franken C said I could get 300 horses out a 3.5 and it would every bit as good as an S52 without the maintenance.

Did you juice your 3.5 with injectors and such? I have the donor car (I mean the wife will get $3k tops with trade in)

I need advice and $$$ #'s breaking this outl.

[Elekta]

#2: Two birds with one stone, motor and 5 speed. Then sell the remnants of the grocery getter and M60 for parts. Voila, 535iTM.

Have fun with your decision,

Dave M

Thanks Dave, I tend to agree. Rob the car I already own (535iA) but it's a big and scary conversion for a guy who still hasn't bought a bentley.

more of the 57 telephone truck
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/ggil-tx/int.jpg

[Elekta]

if you're gonna be 21k in the hole... you should just say hell with it, get this 79k mile 1991 m5, (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Spectacular-1991-BMW-M5-with-79k-miles_W0QQitemZ4626661674QQcategoryZ6131QQrdZ1QQcm dZViewItem) sell your touring, and not be that far into it. if you want i'll go take that m5 for a test drive, i think its close to me
that's a pretty fancy donor car. One thing is for sure, the tourer is staying.

so's this
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/ggil-tx/truck6.jpg

[Johntee540]

I have a ZF 5HP30 that just came out of my 540 for sale. I just bought it from LKirt Koeller at Autosport Unlimited last spring. It has 10k at most miles on it.

I paid $2345 for it. I am asking $1600 + shipping. Thats a whole lot cheaper than anything else you are considerinng. I can have it to you by next week if you are interested. It is sitting on a pallet at Koala Motorsports in Ohio. I took it out to do my Manual conversion. Email if you are interested. - JT

[Elekta]

I have a ZF 5HP30 that just came out of my 540 for sale. I just bought it from LKirt Koeller at Autosport Unlimited last spring. It has 10k at most miles on it.

I paid $2345 for it. I am asking $1600 + shipping. Thats a whole lot cheaper than anything else you are considerinng. I can have it to you by next week if you are interested. It is sitting on a pallet at Koala Motorsports in Ohio. I took it out to do my Manual conversion. Email if you are interested. - JT
I have the hp18. Does the hp30 mate to the 3.0 pig?

[Elekta]

I have a ZF 5HP30 that just came out of my 540 for sale. I just bought it from LKirt Koeller at Autosport Unlimited last spring. It has 10k at most miles on it.

I paid $2345 for it. I am asking $1600 + shipping. Thats a whole lot cheaper than anything else you are considerinng. I can have it to you by next week if you are interested. It is sitting on a pallet at Koala Motorsports in Ohio. I took it out to do my Manual conversion. Email if you are interested. - JT
I have the hp18. Does the hp30 mate to the 3.0 pig? For $1600 I could do the valve body exchange the guibo and the tranny mounts...maybe some 02 sensors to ready for my first smog check in may in austin.

more 57 chevy 3600
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/ggil-tx/3d_1.jpg

[Johntee540]

Its the same block - but someone here is smarter than me as to whether or not it works. I dont see why it wouldnt - Bueller? Bueller? Anybody? - JT

[Kalevera]

Buy a euro 3.8 M5. Had a "new" one in earlier this week, picked up by a long time customer -- black on gray, 6 speed, nurburgring brakes, rear shade, the works. It's a $25,000 car these days ($19 gees in this case). Deals all over the place, but you might have to give it a year at this point in the "season".


The Sayther conversion is nice and cheap if you do it yourself. Scott's got me looking for a touring now, whether he knew it or not.

best, whit

[Elekta]

Buy a euro 3.8 M5. Had a "new" one in earlier this week, picked up by a long time customer -- black on gray, 6 speed, nurburgring brakes, rear shade, the works. It's a $25,000 car these days ($19 gees in this case). Deals all over the place, but you might have to give it a year at this point in the "season".


The Sayther conversion is nice and cheap if you do it yourself. Scott's got me looking for a touring now, whether he knew it or not.

best, whit

like this one?http://willz.ca/images/DSCN6809.JPG

I was thinking the S52 would be cheaper and lighter.

I'm leaning toward the wife's 535 as donor today.

[ILoveMPower]

I know, my friend who did his Franken C said I could get 300 horses out a 3.5 and it would every bit as good as an S52 without the maintenance.

I wouldn't bother doing this if you're planning on going naturally aspirated... it would cost GOBs of money to get 300hp NA.

But I'll tell you one thing, the M30 sure does love boost :D