Talk to any BMW fanboy long enough and you’re bound to hear a line or two about the E36 M3, a car that both hardcore fans and automotive critics alike have to come recognize as one the best handling M-cars ever produced.
Its 3.0L straight six (codenamed S50) was the star of the show and though there are plenty of tuned E36 M3s out there, most tend to stick with the stock powerplant in fear of upsetting the car’s natural balance. However, The owner of this particular e36 M3 clearly had different ideas.
The seller says he purchased a stock green M3 with a tan interior with about 95k miles, and then proceeded to tear it down to the bare chassis. Over the next few years the car was completely overhauled, and in went a tuned 440 cubic-inch LS engine that produces 550 hp and 513 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels. Fill it up with E85 and you’ll get another 50 hp out of it.
It’s all hooked up to a T56 six-speed manual transmission rebuilt to Stage2 specs with a Monster stage IV single disc clutch and a custom built M3 differential with 3.45 gears, and a limited slip differential.
There are way too many modifications to list but the seller does provide a quick run down of the parts list cost. Turns out the owner poured more than $60,000 into this completely custom M3, but you can get your hands on it today for a whole lot less.
The bidding started at $200 and it’s already attracted more than 40 bids, which have shot the price up to more than $22,300. But that wasn’t enough to meet the the reserve.
It might not please the purists, but who really cares when your LSx-powered BMW M3 can blow the doors off most anything on the street or track?
A quick rundown on the parts list cost:
$15K motor
$10K paint/body work: e46 fender lips, complete color change everywhere
$2K rims
$3K brakes
$4K suspension
$5K Samberg mounting kit, headers, exhaust fab dual s/s with Hpipe
$2.5K Samberg custom cooling system, intake setup and fuel system
$3K Holley efi and tuning
$5K Stage2 T56, Monster clutch, dshaft and rebuilt Active Autowerk diff
$3K Recaro seats and complete black interior swap
$2K Samberg custom front splitter/undertray
$1.5K stereo, 12″ sub/amp, billet battery tray/Optima yellow top
$1K recent a/c repair/compressor/recharge/test
$3K car purchase clean CA rust free car
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= About $60,000 worth of modifications, according to the seller.
Comments
All these car with engine swaps to a Chevy are nothing new and most are done as they are too expensive to fix the stock engine.
We had a Jag sedan the V12 dropped a valve seat as they do and we ended up putting a 428 Pontiac in after the second head cracked. It was cheaper to put the Pontiac in than to buy the bare casting for the Jag. It also was faster.
828 Porsches, RX7’s and many more cars are prime for these swaps.
The real swaps I have been seeing of late is a Duramax into a Chevelle or Lemans. These are putting out crazy power.
You never get your money back, it’s pretty cool but you better be willing to loose money or keep the car forever.