george graves

Here is the dolly I made to cart the engine around in the cramped garage. I would soon be know for “walking the dog” every time I drug it by it strap to work on it outside… http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00275.JPG

No a smurf did not jizz all over my block – that’s “navel rust jelly” Awesome for removing surface rust. Well not "awesome" – it took about 4 coats and 3 or 4 hours of waiting. And a wire brush, and....but in the end the surface was rust free. http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00271.JPG http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00272.JPG http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00273.JPG

Yes the block says 3.5 on it - (later on)careful use of a die grinder got that pesky bugger right off... http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00266.JPG http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00267.JPG

I paid $800 shipped from Oregon. The bummer was that I needed to pick it up at LAX, about 100 miles away. Hey how much can an uhaul cost for a short trip to LA? The truck says $19.95 a day. Little did I know…That would bite me on the ASS... http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00217.JPG I asked him to let me drive the fork lift - no go... http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00219.JPG $19.95 MY ASS!!!! http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00222.JPG Oh - and a full lift and a engine hoist come in handy for work like this... http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00225.JPG After I paid the enormous uhaul bill (over $300 for the truck rental) I finally had my motor – opened up the crate – to see…well a used m30. I’ll need to work on that… http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00229.JPG http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00232.JPG http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00233.JPG http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00235.JPG http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00252.JPG http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00253.JPG http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00257.JPG http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00258.JPG With only 90k miles on my “new” M30 – there was no way I was going to rebuild it. Those of you who know m30’s, you know they are just getting broken in at 90k. It’s a 400k motor EASY…so time to strip it to a long-block to make sure everything else is ship shape, and some cosmetic touches… http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00261.JPG

http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00441.JPG Here is a pictorial of my m30 swap - Can't tell you how much fun(and pain) I had with the project...I did it about 2 years ago, and the car is a blast to drive - the 3.5L really moves a e30. So here it is. Enjoy! (sorry if my spelling is off - it's 3am!) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- A few months before the swap, I was parked on the “bad side of town” and some a-hole backed into me hard. He pushed my radiator support in about 2 inches – well that had to be fixed. A ‘come-along’ and one tree later it was. http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00005.JPG Hey who is that guy? (M3 Ryan - he's the man!!!) http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00007.JPG http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00008.JPG It's a good thing we were doing this now, as we need every inch or room under the hood for the M30... http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00010.JPG http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC00011.JPG Finding the right motor was hard – finally I came across a MINT e24 being parted out (rear end accident). 90k on the clock, and an AUTO!!! So I knew this motor had been treated nicely! Sweet! Here is the "donor" car. http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC09032.jpg http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC09033.jpg http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC09034.jpg http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC09035.jpg http://www.digitalunderpants.com/M30/DSC09036.jpg