the project car (need advice)

Alright so i'm a little tired of just owning a stock car and I'm looking into moding out a bmw.

I need some advice on this people so no stupid replies please.

the set up
1990 bmw 325i with 100k on her (yes I love the older style)

Now my goal would be to make ~400hp with a turbo and no NO2. I personally dont like the idea of spraying but to each his own. So lets just talk motors here for a bit, ok?

I have two options now that I've been informed not to bother turboing a M3 motor. They are:
1- rebuild the 2.5L 12v inline 6 to handle a turbo
-currenlty produces 160ish hp
2- bore out the 2.5L to a 3.0L and rebuild to handle a turbo
-would produce about 240ish hp (friend has already done it)

Right now i'm guessing I would be running around 15psi - give or take a few psi. This car still has to remain a daily drive so I would not always be running at full boost, nor will I be racing her around down all day.

I'm going to need to rebuild the motor either way, is it worth boring it out? If I dont bore to 3.0L what kind of step up will I be looking at?

As for the car, shes in mint condition and in a shop right now getting a fresh paint job...

[Racing Rice]

Hrmm.. I dont like the older body style.. But like you said.. To each his own.

Sounds like you have a good plan.. Good Luck.

sounds really costly... WAY too costly to be worth it, BUT as you said.. to each his own..


good luck with 400 hp...

Originally posted by oc civic
sounds really costly... WAY too costly to be worth it, BUT as you said.. to each his own..


good luck with 400 hp...

when you say costly, how much is costly? is 11k USD too much? because thats about what its going to cost me to do all this...

[Racing Rice]

Itll probably be more.. There is always something that youll forget or not count on.

Originally posted by mt.biker
when you say costly, how much is costly? is 11k USD too much? because thats about what its going to cost me to do all this...

too costly is subjective.. i think about things differantly now that i own a civic.. lol im looking at a swap then im done with this car pretty much (besides little shit)

so i ask the question here... if you want to spend 11 THOUSAND dollars i say well what would that get me

a reasonably fast old school bmw (which IS cool) 400 hp
a decently fast good handleing civic 92-95 with a swap and shit
a SICK american domestic car.... (if you are considering straight line speed) 11 k in a late 80s mustang will DOMINATE a lot.. you could assemble a VERY able domestic for that kind of coin..

so its all relative to what you want.. i personaly would not spend 11k for 400 hp but its also NOT my car lol

Originally posted by Racing Rice
Itll probably be more.. There is always something that youll forget or not count on.

i agree with this, BUT that is ANY car project..

these prices are converted from what i will be paying in CAD
car will be 3500USD
turbo will run 4200USD
leaving me with 3300USD

for a grand total of 11000USD

how is that too pricey?

well i want to do somethin different... all the swaps and domestic stuff you're talking about is so over done. most of the civics on the road are rice, the domestics are haters and I want rwd, power, no jap manufacter and style. Tell me what other car I could possibly get that does all that?

Originally posted by mt.biker
these prices are converted from what i will be paying in CAD
car will be 3500USD
turbo will run 4200USD
leaving me with 3300USD

for a grand total of 11000USD

how is that too pricey?

maybe you did not read what i wrote.. TO EACH HIS OWN.. i think you are foolish to do that... a mustang (for example) with 11k includign the car in mods would RAPE the bmw OVER and OVER and OVER again.. SIMPLY because parts are cheaper..


too pricey? its too pricey because there are OTHER cars more suited to go fast... so you can make them move a) faster with the same investment b) or as fast with LESS money

thus making what you want to do "too pricey" IMHO, but dude.. its YOUR car..

i was really looking for advice, on the 2.5 or the 3.0 motor size

but it seems HS is no longer about cars anymore...

I'm with you, biker. Sure, you can always make a faster car, but there's something to be said for a little originality (so, so many ricey civics and 80s stangs with engine work and loud pipes).

11k seems pretty reasonable to me - not much different that what you'd pay for a civic hb + swap + cosmetics or the equivalent on a domestic straight-line racer. I'd personally go for something more obscure than a '90 bmw, like a renault5 or a fiat, but if you like beamers I can't argue.

Originally posted by mt.biker
i was really looking for advice, on the 2.5 or the 3.0 motor size

but it seems HS is no longer about cars anymore...

are you drunk??? lol j/k
everything i posted was in referance to cars... and cost per result.. the bottom line is you are dead set on the BMW and thats fine, but i don't think "HONDASTYLE" will be able to give you specific bmw motor info.. i was ONLY discusing the project on a BROAD level.. in referance to other equally priced projects.. i was HONESTLY trying to help.. NOT put you down..

what i'm trying to decide is if to bore it out or not... cost isnt' an issue and nor is raping everyone on the road.

Originally posted by Mushroom
I'm with you, biker. Sure, you can always make a faster car, but there's something to be said for a little originality (so, so many ricey civics and 80s stangs with engine work and loud pipes).

11k seems pretty reasonable to me - not much different that what you'd pay for a civic hb + swap + cosmetics or the equivalent on a domestic straight-line racer. I'd personally go for something more obscure than a '90 bmw, like a renault5 or a fiat, but if you like beamers I can't argue.

definately not on a straight line domestic.... 11k on that would be a SICK car..

dude its not 11k in mods, its 11k with teh cost of the car.... there is a big difference

Originally posted by Mushroom
I'm with you, biker. Sure, you can always make a faster car, but there's something to be said for a little originality (so, so many ricey civics and 80s stangs with engine work and loud pipes).

11k seems pretty reasonable to me - not much different that what you'd pay for a civic hb + swap + cosmetics or the equivalent on a domestic straight-line racer. I'd personally go for something more obscure than a '90 bmw, like a renault5 or a fiat, but if you like beamers I can't argue.

the renault crossed my mind but i dont know ANYONE around here who works on them.. kinda put them out of the running :( they make nice cars though

Originally posted by mt.biker
dude its not 11k in mods, its 11k with teh cost of the car.... there is a big difference

maybe things are differant there, but here domestic cars cost less initialy, AND parts are cheaper.. SO.. its still a win win situation..

I think its a great idea. It'll be expensive tho, you know thiose german cars...but it'll be worth it.

It'll look great, and be fast.

its a project car right? then who cares about an amount, dump all your money into it

of course i don't know your life, and hwo oyu live, so a beemeer might not fit your life style, do you like to live comfy? go to movies often, or spend a lot of money on other things besides your car?

a bmw might not fit....think bout it.

i think its a great idea tho

Good luck

[ChrisCantSkate]

i would say 2.5, i do not know much about bmw motors, but i know about high reving and turbo'ed motors to say that once bored out, you will have a rod stroke ratio that will not be freindly on the engine, and would require a massive build up to withstand 15psi reliably.

a side note, if it was me, i would supercharge a m3 motor

Originally posted by ChrisCantSkate
i would say 2.5, i do not know much about bmw motors, but i know about high reving and turbo'ed motors to say that once bored out, you will have a rod stroke ratio that will not be freindly on the engine, and would require a massive build up to withstand 15psi reliably.

a side note, if it was me, i would supercharge a m3 motor

chris i looked into this, the m3 motor doesn't take well to boost. It will be more work just to keep it running then its worth... I did my hw on this topic

[TeriyakiBroccoli]

rebore + resleeve should be within the general vicinity of around 700-800 USD.

[Racing Rice]

Man, your definately going to have to resleeve and put lower compression pistons and all that good stuff in to run a lot of boost.

Dont forget about suspension.. That wont be cheap either. You dont want a 400 horsepower car on stock suspension.. Thatd be suicide.

You need to sit down make a list of EVERYTHING you will need to complete this project and price everything out. You will be surprised on what the price is when your done.

Gauges, upgraded parts to support a high performance motor, etc.. All of these things add up really fast. You have to upgrade fuel, and spark to handle that turbo. My guess is by the time you add all the stuff you need together you will be way over that extra $3300 youll have left.

Im just warning you. Projects are fun, you just have to make sure you know what your getting into. Talk to guys on BMW forums that have done something similar. Get suggestions on what works and what doesnt. Put your list together, and the Price everything. If it within your realm and you feel you still want to do it, then you pursue it.

Good luck and have fun.

[Wren57]

you did your hw eh? does that include me lol
anyways, if you are boring out the engine keep in mind you will have to be buying new pistons etc, probably a new headgasket, new valves to handle boost, new fuel system, engine management, etc etc... it adds up way too fast
personally I would bore it to 3.0l with a high comp. ratio, spend whatever money you have left with suspension mods and reinforcing the engine and an aem ems (if they work for bmw)... then when you make more money just change out the headgasket and drop the turbo in there... that way it will be safe, reliable, you will actually be able to get the hp to the ground and it will be a complete car instead of a half-ass cut corners job...
but I like the idea of a 1990 400hp bmw

[Duckydos]

Mt. Biker - The E30's motor isn't very strong. In fact, if you see a E30 with over 300hp, chances are that it has an M motor swapped into it. So, if you plan on keeping the I-6 (I'm guessing it's an S50), good luck with it, I don't think it can be done w/ ease (or even $20k in upgrades).

[Duckydos]

Im running low 13s right now and will be much faster in the spring. The power is easy to make, just spend the dough. The E30 chassis with an M50 engine is where to start. There is room for a blower, turbo, or twin turbo, easily. All 3 could be intercooled as well. The main limitation of an E30 will be weight and the rear suspension. The E30 is kinda heavy with not many routes to substantially lower weight. The rear suspension is not designed to put this kind of power to the ground without destroying itself. There is a fully tubeframe, aluminum floor, Chevy small block powered E30 drag car up here that runs 9s, it has a Ford 9 inch rear end (read: live axle).

Getting 400hp out of the E30 (btw, E30 is '84 - '91 3-series BMW's) is really asinine, with only a $11k budget... But you might want to check www.dtmpower.net for some more help or try http://www.turbofast.com.au/javacalc.html to see what your turbo options are.

i think im going with highlander on this one, set up the engine and suspension, that will get rid of your 3,300 then when you get some more money get the turbo and all that other shit