Well I have wanted an LS1 car for a long time, but I like to be unique about cars, kind of why I got a 2nd gen SS instead of a 1st gen. I love BMW's and have always wanted one, my father has a 02 330ci and a 07 650i and I just can't get enough of them. I actually went to his house and cleaned them for him today, and my god I have fallen in love with BMW's haha. But yet I still belive in the LS1, so I was thinking why not put a LS1 in a little Z3 roadster.

I mean It's light, it would be fun, and it would be funny pulling up to a stop light and having people go wtf! I would have to sell my camaro to do this, but I fell that I don't even know what I want to do with the camaro anymore. I know I will miss it but, I just don't see it going any where unless I have 20-30K to spend, while paying for the huge payments I already have. I know I would miss it but I just don't see why not. I mean I really need something that it's ok to go play around with and not really worry as much, trying to keep it really nice. Plus It would take me probally 10 years till I could get it were I wanted, if not more. I am planing to go to UTI for the BMW fast track maybe next august, So I would be ending up working on BMW's anyway.

So I am wanting to get some idea's from you guys on here. I would have to buy a Z3 and then get all the parts, and also find a place that would be able to install it. I figure that I can find a nice 4 cyl. one for around 10-12k and then spend what 7-8K for all the parts and install and have a bolt on LS1 in a Z3? Let me know what you guys think about this, I know it would be kind of different but I don't see why not. I would have to sell my camaro of course, and then get the car, but I guess I could just get a loan for the car and the parts at the same time or would that be a really stupid idea?

Well please let me know what you guys think about this?

 

So I was looking around and saw that there are people putting LS1's into late 80's 944 porsches. What do you guys think. Z3 or 944 with a LS1 wouldn't that be awsome to drive around?

 

Z3 has been done before. dont think the swap was too difficult. might need M3 rear end to take all the torque though.

have a search and see what you come up with.

Chris.

 

Do what you wanna do, but thats alot of $ especially if you have to get a loan for all of it. Sound slike you are young, but I wouldnt advise ya to go that far in debt on something like that. But thats just me.

But you are right it would be cool, just no room for anything in a z3.

 

The Z3 is an E36 platform and there is a kit for that. http://www.vorshlag.com/product_info...roducts_id=141

That is Vorshlag's kit. Very nice product from what I have seen/read but rather pricey. Keep an eye on this thread https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversions-swaps/825472-bmw-e36-lsx-project-starting-point.html and this thread http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...d.php?t=675305.

Good luck.

 

I have 5 944's in the back yard and thats gonna be my next project im gonna use all renegade hybrid products.The z3 swap i seen on you tube is absolutely awesome!

 

There has been a kit for that for several years www.nash8503.com

 

Both would be awesome, but I would go M3.

 

I was just wondering if it would be a good idea to get a loan to get it all done right away, I was just qurious. I am young, but will be graduated in may, and have been paying a 459$ car payment since I was 16, so I know how to pay a loan. I am co signed on one on my camaro.

So I looked threw some of those site, and Still have a few ?'s

So Where would I get the motor/trans/harness?

DO I need a rear end out of the ls1 car?

How much do you guys think it would cost. Actualy how much did it cost you guys to do you're swaps, you can PM me with the number if you could that would be great. I figure I could get a Z3 or a M3 92-98, for 8-9K if not lower, or go with like a 325i 4 door, for like 4-5K, and was wondering how much the swap would be?

Idealy I would like to have a bolt on LS1 in it, but would it be a good idea to try and find a used LS6 manifold and LS6 cam, and put a exhaust system, lid, intake on?

A soon as I sell the camaro, I would have around 4-5K and I would probally sell my truck and then have 4-5k after buying a 4-5k honda for a daily. So I could buy the car, and within 4-5 months of not having my car payment I could probally have around 4-5K ish saved up.

Sooo say I buy a Z3 for 8K and have 6K for the swap, would that be enough?

How good are the stock suspensions on the e36 chassis?

Thanks for the help guys!

 

Read the bolded portions. Hope that helps.

 

I dont know man, that's a tight budget to accomplish what you want. I just paid 4k for a full drivetrain....motor /trans /harness /computer....I might have been able to put something together a bit cheaper but its nice to have everything you need in one shot. I'm also starting out with a much cheaper car, I picked up an M3 roller for $500. You might want to consider getting one of the iron block motors, LQx motors are considerably cheaper than the LSx's, that might be something to look into. Then, you'll need to find yourself a "kit" or make one yourself to install the engine...any E36 kit will work in your Z3 as the engine compartments are nearly identical. Kit prices vary, to say the least. good luck.

 

WOW up to 17k for the whole swap. Hmm, I don't know if that's totally worth it you know, to just have a cam bolt on LS1 in a M3/Z3, because I could just get a LS1 car and stuff. But I want something unique and stuff.

Ok so the best idea would be to buy a really cheap roller or what? See the reason I was looking at up to 8k Z3's and M3's is because then the body and interior would be perfect, and I could just get the swap done. If I spent a 8k on the car and 17k on everything else, that would be 25k which seems like a good bang for your buck, but it would take me forever to get it all done.

So lets see here.


Motor/tranny- 5k
Swap parts- 6k
exhaust and bolt on's- 1,500
Cam and manifold- 1-2k???? how much can you find those for?
Wheels and tires- 2-3k


wow, this looks kind of expensive. I wonder how long it would take me to get the swap done. Last year with working full time in the summer and part time for the rest of the year with some lenincey, I made almost 12k, so that means If I am working full time would it be possible to get the swap done in a year if I was making around 20k a year? I'm just wondering on that stuff.

Does anyone know of any race shops in KC that can do swaps like this?

 

I dont know man, if you're talking about dropping it off at a shop and make 20k a year, this might not be the swap for you. If you cant fabricate the conversion parts, you're spending money. in all seriousness, I've seen C5 vettes go for 15k. I plan on my conversion being 6-8k tops, that's including the car and the drivetrain. Any more that that I would jsut buy a damn vette.

 

You may be right man, I'm just getting ready to turn 18 so I don't have the chance to make big money until I get out of college, you know.

Maybe I should just go with something else. I mean I love my camaro, but I'm tired of having payments so high to where I can't do anything to the car, I've had It 2 summers now and i'm coming up on my 3rd and all i've got done was rebuild the tranny, matninece, a head unit and a 1/4 mile timer lol. I don't have to much more to go on the loan I guess and then it will be payed for.

You know how you just get tired of the car you have a little bit, and want to kind of get something new. Maybe if I could start moding the car I would be happyer.

Well anyway thanks for the help guys, maybe I will go ahead and wait till I get done with UTI and then build something new.

Thanks, jordan.