LS6 Powered 1995 M3

[mbrouder]

I'll update this thread over the course of the build. I'm starting with a rust free 1995 BMW M3 that lived it's first 15 years in California. When it's done it will be LSx powered, not sure what variant but I'm leaning towards the LS6's & LS2's. Right now I'm deep into the suspension and brakes.



The entire rear suspension has been removed from the car. The subframe has been removed, blasted, seam welded, reinforced & powder coated Turner Motorsports blue. Urethane bushings have been pressed in. I'm using Turner Motorsports adjustable lower control arms and Turner sway bars. I was going to leave the upper control arms (spring arms) alone.  But those will also be blasted & powder coated.







Along with the subframe, out came the differential. The '95 M3's came with 3.15 LSD's. This one was about to completely self destruct. There are eight small bolts that hold the LSD together. All eight were either sheared off, backed out or loose. The LSD is being rebuilt and reinstalled in to a 3.38 ratio differential.
Old differential with input flange removed. See the old bolts rubbing on the pinion bearing?



Old diff disassembled.



New 3.38 case with pinion, ring gear and new clutch discs.



The parts I'm working on now are the trailing arms. They will be blasted and powder coated. The bearings, ball joints, bushings and ABS sensors will all be replaced.



Hey Kevin, I'll be in the market for and engine and trans. (LSx/T56) later in the year. If you come across anything, let me know. More updates to come as progress continues.

[Kevin O]

Hey Mark!

Awesome project.    We have lots of contacts for killer driveline combos for that car, definitely do not buy anything until you contact me.     We'd love to help with this project somehow...   thanks for posting the pics, and keep us posted!

[mbrouder]

Trailing arm ready for blasting. Looks almost too good to mess with. I'm using glass as a media on all these parts.



Trailing arm after about 40 minutes in the blast cabinet.



Here are the parts I picked up for the engine conversion. They're made by "Nash". They aren't the prettiest but out of all the kits that I looked at this is the only one that lets you mount the engine completely centered. Other kits require the engine to be offset to the right by about an inch. Those kits also require a different steering shaft. This one uses the stock steering shaft & Hydroboost. It also uses the stock front subframe and engine mounts.  Luckily I found a local guy selling these. He pulled a LS2 from his '95 M3 and put it in an E39 540i, added a supercharger too.




BMW E36 pedal assembly modified to work with the Hydroboost.

[mbrouder]

Hey Mark!

Awesome project.    We have lots of contacts for killer driveline combos for that car, definitely do not buy anything until you contact me.     We'd love to help with this project somehow...   thanks for posting the pics, and keep us posted!

I will. I'm looking to have the engine & trans by the fall of this year, car running in a year from now. Until then I'll be sorting out the rest of the car. this car has 185K miles, my work is cut out for me.

[Kevin O]

Nice!    The Hydroboost is a great upgrade, we try to put 'em on everything we build.      The swap kit looks pretty decent, we'd probably do some detail work on the mounts and stuff so they look a little less hand-made, but function is first, right?

Are you doing all the work on this one?

[mbrouder]

At this stage I'm doing everything. I've got access to a well equipped garage though right next door. When it's time to start pulling engines and meshing wiring systems I'll have help. Here are couple of examples of what's being done next door. The Tiger is pretty much done. The Shelby's is about to come apart.

[mbrouder]

Are you doing all the work on this one?

And that's not me welding either.

[mbrouder]

Rear suspension done, ready to go back in. Front suspension slowly piecing together.

[mbrouder]

Picked up an LS6 long block this past week. 50K miles from an '05 CTSv. More to come.

[Kevin O]

Nice.   Going to leave it stock?

[mbrouder]

For right now, Katech rod bolts, MS3 cam, FAST or LS6 intake. The goal is 425hp at the wheels. Also the timing chain, oil pump, push rods, valve springs, all gaskets & sensors will be replaced. BTW Kevin, do you have any FAST intakes other than 102's laying around?

[mbrouder]

Engine with BMW subframe & BMW motor mounts. There was a question to whether or not the CTSv oil pan would work, it does. Most people use F-Body oil pans

[mbrouder]

The car as it sits now.

[Kevin O]

This is going to be a cool car, man.   

[mbrouder]

Pulled and sold the motor & trans. New owner is putting them in to a 318ti. Now it's time to prep the car. First will be a few cans of degreaser and a pressure washer. Then the ABS needs to be relocated, Hydroboost needs to be swapped in & some minor modification needs to be made to the trans tunnel to fit the T56. There is really no other way to do it than with a hammer. I'm probably going to strip the engine compartment and have it resprayed. The two sides don't match due to a poorly done accident repair way back when. This will drive me nuts if I don't fix it.