E24 6 series LS swap?
E24 6 series LS swap? Has anyone here swapped an LS into a BMW E24....specifically a 6 series?? Im giving it serious consideration as my next project and Im trying get a handle on the major hurdles of the project.
Thanks!
Thanks!
The ultimate shark...
Andrew
agreed....with prices of Camaros/Chevelles/Novas/Corvettes being out of control, Ive been looking for something a little different to build....I think an E24 6 series with an LS motor and a Trans Am/NASCAR vibe could be kind of cool
Andrew
To be honest, I have absolutely no idea...this quite literally the first inquiry Ive made on the subject....Ive found a few threads of people putting LS motors in E24 3 series.... trying to determine the differences. The big issues Im trying to get answers/info on are:
1. engine mounts.....available or fabricate?
2. trans crossmember (assuming TKO 5 Spd)....available or fabricate?
3. rear end.....upgrade factory or replace?
4. wiring....stand alone Holley for the motor, but how will disconnecting the factory stuff affect the functionality of the rest of the car?
5. headers/manifolds.....will anything on the market fit?
1. engine mounts.....available or fabricate?
2. trans crossmember (assuming TKO 5 Spd)....available or fabricate?
3. rear end.....upgrade factory or replace?
4. wiring....stand alone Holley for the motor, but how will disconnecting the factory stuff affect the functionality of the rest of the car?
5. headers/manifolds.....will anything on the market fit?
To be honest, I have absolutely no idea...this quite literally the first inquiry Ive made on the subject....Ive found a few threads of people putting LS motors in E24 3 series.... trying to determine the differences. The big issues Im trying to get answers/info on are:
1. engine mounts.....available or fabricate?
2. trans crossmember (assuming TKO 5 Spd)....available or fabricate?
3. rear end.....upgrade factory or replace?
4. wiring....stand alone Holley for the motor, but how will disconnecting the factory stuff affect the functionality of the rest of the car?
5. headers/manifolds.....will anything on the market fit?
1. engine mounts.....available or fabricate?
2. trans crossmember (assuming TKO 5 Spd)....available or fabricate?
3. rear end.....upgrade factory or replace?
4. wiring....stand alone Holley for the motor, but how will disconnecting the factory stuff affect the functionality of the rest of the car?
5. headers/manifolds.....will anything on the market fit?
1. Engine mounts will probably need to be fabricated, but that's not a huge ordeal.
2. Trans crossmember is also easy to fabricate, although a TKO is not a great trans. I'd go with a T56 or an auto, since many of these cars did have automatic transmissions.
3. There are numerous OEM BMW rear ends that are tough, the questions is whether they can be relative easily retrofitted into this chassis.
4. The Holley is a good option and since these cars are pre OBD1 even, I see no issues. I'd treat them like any other old car swap.
5. The Hooker manifolds are very snug and will probably work and they seem to work well. I am using them on my Cougar swap and I made 325rwhp with my 5.3L that is stock with the exception of the ASA cam...
Andrew
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Where the Navy tells me to go
The E24 6-series was based on the E23 7-series, so you might open up your aperture to look for older 7-series swaps. That would probably be a better gauge of how hard it would be to do with an E24.
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AAIIIC, I appreciate the correction....Im completely new to the BMW and my nomenclature certainly needs work....I was referring to LS swaps into similar vintage 3 series cars....E20? Anyway, Ill start looking at the 7 series cars as well.
Andrew, I think your probably correct with regard to motor mounts and trans cross member. I hear ya on the TKO, my concern about the T56 is size, but I guess at this point, theres going to be trans tunnel surgery regardless....might as well do it once, and do it right. As you said, Ill have to do some research on the BMW rear ends. Its good to hear these can be wired up like any old car as I would likely ditch and simplify a lot of the interior.
Now I just need to start shopping around for a decent looking car. I saw a nice one a month or so ago that was actually a European import, so it had the much nicer (cleaner) Euro front bumper on it
Andrew, I think your probably correct with regard to motor mounts and trans cross member. I hear ya on the TKO, my concern about the T56 is size, but I guess at this point, theres going to be trans tunnel surgery regardless....might as well do it once, and do it right. As you said, Ill have to do some research on the BMW rear ends. Its good to hear these can be wired up like any old car as I would likely ditch and simplify a lot of the interior.
Now I just need to start shopping around for a decent looking car. I saw a nice one a month or so ago that was actually a European import, so it had the much nicer (cleaner) Euro front bumper on it
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I've got a 1979 e24 635e24 German model car and I'm interested in doing the same. I see that someone makes a trans mount for this but haven't been able to find much else. Also want a T56 6spd transmission.
The bit I'd want to find out more about is the steering set up - this car was a recirculating ball box with a center drag link and Pitman/idler arms. That steering box usually competes for space with anything on the driver's side of the engine. Andrew's excellent find above seems to show that none of the steering structure is present for the pictures.....so that's the area I'd want to dig into in more detail. Mercedes 4 and 6 cylinders from the 70's (and later) have similar steering -- and the biggest challenges to V8 swapping them is always the steering box/linkage. Perhaps a switch to rack/pinion is doable -- I'm just not sure. Also looks like some change has to be made to the master cylinder/vacuum booster set up. Doesn't appear to be much room for that either.
The 6 series (a Paul Bracq design), and even more it's "daddy" the E9 2800/3.0 CS (Wilhelm Hofmeister inspired by Bertone), are two of the most gorgeous body styles that ever rolled on the planet. Would be sweet with more power/torque and the proper upgrades to handle it.
Pretty sure these are IRS and so there are a variety of center sections (Dana, Ford, GM, Subaru, Nissan and even BMW) that are probably up to the task. Mounting cradle fab may be needed as well as custom half shafts.
And to the OP, prices on the 6-series have been climbing too....to buy a relative affordable one probably means LOTS of interior bits are gonna be shot. If managing $ is an issue, I'm not sure you're gonna be a lot better off building one of these if you want to make it nice than you are building a Camaro or Chevelle. Although, at the end of the day, you'd just be in another nice LS powered Camaro or Chevelle.
The 6 series (a Paul Bracq design), and even more it's "daddy" the E9 2800/3.0 CS (Wilhelm Hofmeister inspired by Bertone), are two of the most gorgeous body styles that ever rolled on the planet. Would be sweet with more power/torque and the proper upgrades to handle it.
Pretty sure these are IRS and so there are a variety of center sections (Dana, Ford, GM, Subaru, Nissan and even BMW) that are probably up to the task. Mounting cradle fab may be needed as well as custom half shafts.
And to the OP, prices on the 6-series have been climbing too....to buy a relative affordable one probably means LOTS of interior bits are gonna be shot. If managing $ is an issue, I'm not sure you're gonna be a lot better off building one of these if you want to make it nice than you are building a Camaro or Chevelle. Although, at the end of the day, you'd just be in another nice LS powered Camaro or Chevelle.
Last edited by Michael Yount; Mar 26, 2021 at 08:13 AM.