I know it is taboo to swap an American V8 into a BMW. But...I have a '95 mustang GT engine/tranny (from a previous project) and just picked up a '92 525i with a great motor but bad transmission for $500. The idea was to install a new tranny (auto), conver to 5pd, and either drive the car or re-sell it or track it.

Problem is when I walk into my garage and see the Ford V8 engine/tranny laying there next to the car.... I get bad ideas...:devillook

So, with that said...are there any swap kits out there that could make this happen? Any links or companies? I have tried searching but can't find anything.

I am ashamed of myself...:(

Please dont do it. It would be cheaper to swap a new/used 5 spd tranny into it than a Ford engine

If your looking for power, best route to go is FI

you can definitely get a compatible transmission for your 525 for not that much money. a couple hundred bucks + whatever it is to ship said trans, and you're set. a lot of people have been parting cars lately too, you will most likely get a good deal

Please do not go thru with this. There is a lot of fab and custom work to do. The suspension is probably going to be the hardest to make up.

Considering that 328i's are regularly trouncing Mustang GTs, it would be an awful lot of fab work for very little gain. A trans can be had for less than 500$. A manual swap isn't very difficult in an E34. About the only thing that has a kit is an LS1 swap, and that runs about 8k, not including the engine.

dude everyone knows that 318's pwn all.

I am not a purist, so a V8 swap is pretty cool in my book. However, that's not the engine to do it with. It's got barely any more power than an M30 (but more torque).

For the level of effort required at least get an LS1/2/6/.

'95 is still the 302, right? At least it would be better than that enormous pile of crap 4.6 mod motor.

I'm with Craig, though...if you're going to go through all the work of a V8 swap, at least do it with an engine that has a clear advantage over the available BMW engines. You'd go through a lot of extra work and give up a lot of nice features inside (OBC, Tach, etc) to run a 302 and it won't really be much faster than a 535i, let alone a 540.

hmmm I am a Mustang guy too (shhh) would be a cool swap, throw on a set of AFR 165's and a 3:73 gear and bring on the 540's! Probably would want to look at rear suspension upgrades to deal with the torque i.e. 03 Cobra has stupid wheel hop with IRS. Probably would be better to put on a turbo. Sell the motor at Corral.net

but if you're going to go through all the trouble of swapping in a new motor, you should be aiming much higher than a 540....

Sell the Mustang motor and use the pitiful amout of money you get for it on a tranny. Then spend the rest on FI. You'll be glad you did. Turboed M50s can get 300hp easy, not to mention ample torque.

Nick

Sell the Mustang motor and use the pitiful amout of money you get for it on a tranny. Then spend the rest on FI. You'll be glad you did. Turboed M50s can get 300hp easy, not to mention ample torque.

Nick

Try 600. All he's done is ARP studs and a head gasket. Check over in the FI section on cardcounter.

600hp isn't "easy," especially on a $500 car. Possible, sure. Easy, no.

considering your M50 has 189 HP it isnt that much less on HP than the stock V8.. However the V8 will have much more potential for gain..
If you do a Ford V8 Transplant.. You should shoot for 400hp +

It isnt a easy job.. lots of fab. time and money aside.. if it works out with a clean install. It would be a great car..

Honestly. You will prob be better off getting F.I for the 525i. or Fix the tranny. Sell the car, Sell the V8. Get a 540i.

Shoot for more guts than a 540. Honestly. Sell the 525, the V8 and buy something fast like a 318 auto, or Yugo.

Wow, a lot of great advice guys.

I guess I should have mentioned that it is not a stock GT motor...sorry... It is actually a 1995 Cobra motor with about 5K miles on it and the heads have been o-ringed. New block, heads have been worked. The car this was on was pushing a little over 500hp, but that was with a Powerdyne.

Not sure the route I want to go yet...my other car is a '98 540I Auto...so I do have a "feel" for the 540 power. I am leaning towards selling this motor...or I may keep it for my FFR Cobra kit car I am looking at...not sure yet.

Wasn't sure if there was a company out there like JTR that did these type of swap kits.

Thanks!!