460cu in. (V8) Goes in '79 E21

[Bimmerknut]

This is where I got the engine to get the 2.0L head for Vortex.

I copied some pics from this guys website. This is his verbage on what he it doing to the E21.


This 79 BMW is a four cylinder, automatic, rear wheel drive. We took the engine and transmission out and putting in a 460 big block v8 with a five speed transmission. It will have a custom twin turbo setup & exhaust, custom intake tubing & intercooler, rear mounted radiator, custom hood, custom side & roof scoops, roll cage, custom suspension & brakes, custom dash, center console & interior. All body mods, body work and paint will be done by us as well.

[340i]

is this going to be a drag car?

[Bimmerknut]

I really couldn't tell ya. I'd hope so. I sure can see him cornering anything with that in there~!

[Richard454]

Not that I'm a Chevy guy- But a Ford 460? All that time and money and base it on a Cop Car Motor that you'd be happy if you saw 500hpNA???

A lot easier-cheaper -more parts available going w/ a Chevy Big Block....Not to mention it's lighter (685lbs vs 720lbs for the Ford) w/ alum heads on the Chevy you can get it close to 600lbs...and can easily be stroked to 540 ci -even w/ a low deck block up to 598ci!!!

The Chevy is about 3 inched shorter and 5 inches less in width....
NA it can see 600-700 HP EASILY on Pump Gas.


And there is NO WAY the turbo exhaust manifolds will fit w/ chopping up the strut towers.

[epmedia]

some people are just
The roll cage may be the only thing to keep that car from splitting in half....

[340i]

Not that I'm a Chevy guy- But a Ford 460? All that time and money and base it on a Cop Car Motor that you'd be happy if you saw 500hpNA???

A lot easier-cheaper -more parts available going w/ a Chevy Big Block....Not to mention it's lighter (685lbs vs 720lbs for the Ford) w/ alum heads on the Chevy you can get it close to 600lbs...and can easily be stroked to 540 ci -even w/ a low deck block up to 598ci!!!

The Chevy is about 3 inched shorter and 5 inches less in width....
NA it can see 600-700 HP EASILY on Pump Gas.


And there is NO WAY the turbo exhaust manifolds will fit w/ chopping up the strut towers.

+1 to all of this.

i hope he has a good exhaust fabricator!

[dblsprt68]

This is one of those crazy ideas that get started.........and never finished. I agree a Chevy would be a better choice, but what's wrong with a small block Chevy? Not enough power?? I'd be shocked if it ever gets fired up. BTW, I've thought it would be cool to put a high winding 283 or 327 in an E21. Not brute power, but 6000 rpm's of hard pullin to infinity Lot's of aluminum parts available to reduce the weight.

[Richard454]

This is one of those crazy ideas that get started.........and never finished. I agree a Chevy would be a better choice, but what's wrong with a small block Chevy? Not enough power?? I'd be shocked if it ever gets fired up. BTW, I've thought it would be cool to put a high winding 283 or 327 in an E21. Not brute power, but 6000 rpm's of hard pullin to infinity Lot's of aluminum parts available to reduce the weight.

Plenty of power in a small block Chevy- and very affordable- BUT it still weighs in at 585lbs-or about 250lbs MORE than a stock 4cyl...Aluminum heads would get you down 50lbs- but you are still talking a LOT of weight.

A LS1 makes a lot of sense - since it's only about 100lbs more ( about 414lbs w/o acc) than a M10. But these motors are still expensive- because everybody wants one to swap it into something...I mean everything-



I'd love to do a LS1 in an E21...But I'm into deep to finish my current swap w/ a Buick 215ci aluminum V8 ( which actually weighs LESS than a M10)



Richard

[OLD MAN]

This is one of those crazy ideas that get started.........and never finished. I agree a Chevy would be a better choice, but what's wrong with a small block Chevy? Not enough power?? I'd be shocked if it ever gets fired up. BTW, I've thought it would be cool to put a high winding 283 or 327 in an E21. Not brute power, but 6000 rpm's of hard pullin to infinity Lot's of aluminum parts available to reduce the weight.

+1 for the 327 small block idea

Have any of you ventured over into the track car section and seen this E30?

Podt #144 start of LS1 conversion

Post #182 video of first track time

[Richard454]

+1 for the 327 small block idea

Have any of you ventured over into the track car section and seen this E30?

Podt #144 start of LS1 conversion

Post #182 video of first track time

See...another LS1 going in a swap!!!

327 ....10-15 years ago-that would have been the ticket...But w/ today's technology-

-the new gen I blocks can have a big bore
-easy to retrofit a set of Hyd Roller lifters & cam + roller lifters
- Heads that flow unbelievable right out of the box
-tighter tolerances and balancing techniques
-electronic ignition systems

A warmed over 380+ ci motor today will easily out rev and old school L79 (365HP 327 solid lifter motor)- I know - I had one in my Vette-

[OLD MAN]

See...another LS1 going in a swap!!!

327 ....10-15 years ago-that would have been the ticket...But w/ today's technology-

-the new gen I blocks can have a big bore
-easy to retrofit a set of Hyd Roller lifters & cam + roller lifters
- Heads that flow unbelievable right out of the box
-tighter tolerances and balancing techniques
-electronic ignition systems

A warmed over 380+ ci motor today will easily out rev and old school L79 (365HP 327 solid lifter motor)- I know - I had one in my Vette-

True but I already have two 327's in the garage along with the heads so they are basically free.......

[Turbo 3.8L E21]

Alot of e21's coming otu of nowhere lately, with pretty sweet engine conversions,

stronger diff and bigger turbo time for mine im thinking lol

actually...i have my 6/71 sitting here doing nothing, and a 427ci big block Chev out in the Garage

6/71 is more suited to a small block though im thinking hmm

[TheJonas]

6/71 is more suited to a small block though im thinking hmm

This is how you say that the blower is going on you v6? I bet it'd do some incredible psi on your displacement.

There was a LSx e21 on ebay a bit ago. It was in the US somewhere. Just like w/ the old BRE(small block Chevies in Datsuns) cars, i think you need to cut the **** outa the firewall to get it far enough behind the front axles.

The LSx/t56 is the shortest route between -insert your car here- and 500hp/6spd

[bflan2001]

a custom twin-turbo 460 V8? i agree with dblsprt, this is never going to run, let alone drive.

[L1BERTYorDEATH]

I agree. An LSx engine with a six speed would make a lot more since. Man that would be fun!!

[340i]

theres a guy in the uk building a ls powered e21. its got a roof chop, steel widebody, and 20x13's on the back. no jokes, its amazing.

[Beemer Tech]

Hey sorry for not knowing how built is our motor turbo 3.8? one of my mates bolted a turbo to a stock vs ute (while he built a motor) it bent a rod at 270rwkw @ 16 psi (lasted a at that power) from what i have heard they normally pop at 240kw according to a local tuning shop. Not bad power for a home made turbo kit, road tune and stock motor. I was smiling for weeks.

[Turbo 3.8L E21]

Hey sorry for not knowing how built is our motor turbo 3.8? one of my mates bolted a turbo to a stock vs ute (while he built a motor) it bent a rod at 270rwkw @ 16 psi (lasted a at that power) from what i have heard they normally pop at 240kw according to a local tuning shop. Not bad power for a home made turbo kit, road tune and stock motor. I was smiling for weeks.

just stock motor with small turbo on 10psi,

know a few guys running bigger turbo's with stock engine on 15-18psi, pushing up around 400rwhp, and have lasted over a year, with a good tune they can last easily

[Layne]

And there is NO WAY the turbo exhaust manifolds will fit w/ chopping up the strut towers.

Those are marine exhaust manifolds in the picture, not turbo. But yeah I have no idea where he plans to fit the turbos or why he thinks he needs them. I guess if you're going to totally miss the point of the E21, you'd want to do it by the largest margin possible.

[Turbo 3.8L E21]

just use some block hugger headers with rear mount turbo's, shouldn't be to difficult to setup

[Beemer Tech]

haha it was tuned right as you can get it with an old crappy micro tech. I was supposed to say it lasted a month. I would say bending a rod wouldn't be to do with tune, more just over stressing it. but it could have just been a one off crappy con rod that failed. 400rwhp would be be insane in in e21.

[joel323]

I love the sound of a high winding 289 like from a Shelby gt350,

I see one major issue besides fitting a 460 with twin turbos in the e21 chassis and that is that he is attaching it to mostly rust.