e28 M535iA manual conversion

[RockJock]

I happened upon an 86 e28 M535iA and it looks like it could be really, really nice. 40K miles on the clock, Japanese import, about $8K, 1 out of 1,140 built. I'm going to check it out tomorrow. I wasn't looking for one but I'm getting tempted.....

Okay, so it's a collectable, but I'd swap in a manual anyways :D otherwise I wouldn't consider it.

Is it even possible, without much grief, to swap in a G260/6 and all the other hardware from an e34 535iM? Many thanks in advance....

[genphreak]

Tranny will fit, tail shaft will need to be a hybrid of the two old ones or a repalcement from manual e28... pedal box proly fits also, but the clutch master cylinder may vary a little... can be done. It really is not easy to do though... have you done this sort of thing before? The clutch may end up more costly than you budget for. I've just done an M50- and have an M30 e34 to move from auto to manual too...

[RockJock]

Tranny will fit, tail shaft will need to be a hybrid of the two old ones or a repalcement from manual e28... pedal box proly fits also, but the clutch master cylinder may vary a little... can be done. It really is not easy to do though... have you done this sort of thing before? The clutch may end up more costly than you budget for. I've just done an M50- and have an M30 e34 to move from auto to manual too...

Thanks Nick -- I have never done this sort of thing before and I'd be heavily counting on the help of a buddy. I'll be taking a look at the car in a couple of hours. I'll take some pics and post em'..

The other car I've been looking at is a very well sorted eurospec e34 m5 with about 130K miles on the clock, slightly more expensive. However, an e28 M535i with a 5 speed manual and a TCD turbo setup could be a $hit load of fun :D, perhaps even more so than an e34 M5.

[Sixdown]

Don't doubt the e34 M5. Gotta try them before you can know what they drive like, which I'm assuming is difficult if they're located in Japan.
I have an e28 and it certainly is a different experience to my e34.

[RockJock]

Don't doubt the e34 M5. Gotta try them before you can know what they drive like, which I'm assuming is difficult if they're located in Japan.
I have an e28 and it certainly is a different experience to my e34.

Both cars are here. The e34 M5 came from Europe and I've driven it, it's one of the nicer ones I've driven to date. The e28 M535iA (with the m-tech suspension) is a very recent import from Japan and I still have to go check it out. I've been on a couple of long distance road trips behind the wheel of an e28 535iM and I absolutely love driving these cars...I can only imagine what an e28 M5 or an FI e28 535iM would be like....

[genphreak]

Both cars are here. The e34 M5 came from Europe and I've driven it, it's one of the nicer ones I've driven to date. The e28 M535iA (with the m-tech suspension) is a very recent import from Japan and I still have to go check it out. I've been on a couple of long distance road trips behind the wheel of an e28 535iM and I absolutely love driving these cars...I can only imagine what an e28 M5 or an FI e28 535iM would be like....Do what I've done... buy both... :D

[RockJock]

Do what I've done... buy both...

Haha! That would be nice but my wife would kill me, I already have 2 E34's. So, I took a cursory look at the car and it looks okay considering that it's almost 22 years old. If I get serious I'd like to get underneath it with a flashlight. Also, it would be nice to take a look for potential rusty surprises underneath the side skirts....

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn291/190166/m535i_1.jpg
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn291/190166/m535i_2.jpg
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn291/190166/m535i_3.jpg
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn291/190166/m535i_4.jpg

[RockJock]

more pics....

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn291/190166/m535i_5.jpg
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn291/190166/m535i_6.jpg
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn291/190166/m535i_7.jpg