S55 & 6 spd swap?

ljzimm · 11-17-2017, 08:27 AM

Here's some brain candy for everyone who's ready for the weekend.
I'm a wagon lover through and through. I'm also an avid 3rd pedal enthusiast.
Anyone else ever play with the notion of dropping an S55 and matching 6 speed trans in an F31 328i? Or is that just me?

Paz1 · 11-17-2017, 09:41 AM

That would be sick if it worked.
SLEEPER

metallicpea · 11-17-2017, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljzimm

Here's some brain candy for everyone who's ready for the weekend.
I'm a wagon lover through and through. I'm also an avid 3rd pedal enthusiast.
Anyone else ever play with the notion of dropping an S55 and matching 6 speed trans in an F31 328i? Or is that just me?

I'd think it would be easier and a more attractive idea of it were RWD.

I couldn't see putting all the extra work into it and still end up with an x-drive.

Man does it piss me off we can't get a rwd, 6cyl, manual F31. The F31 is just so good looking. The E46 wagon really wasn't as attractive as the sedan or coupe, and the E91 was plain ugly in the front - I could never warm up to that car, even in M sport - I skipped over it completely. Now there is a beautiful 3 series wagon - the prettiest car of the platform, and it's only 4 cyl, auto and x-drive - too bad. If even a RWD, 4cyl, auto were available I would have bought that instead.

ljzimm · 11-17-2017, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metallicpea

I'd think it would be easier and a more attractive idea of it were RWD.

I couldn't see putting all the extra work into it and still end up with an x-drive.

Man does it piss me off we can't get a rwd, 6cyl, manual F31. The F31 is just so good looking. The E46 wagon really wasn't as attractive as the sedan or coupe, and the E91 was plain ugly in the front - I could never warm up to that car, even in M sport - I skipped over it completely. Now there is a beautiful 3 series wagon - the prettiest car of the platform, and it's only 4 cyl, auto and x-drive - too bad. If even a RWD, 4cyl, auto were available I would have bought that instead.

If we're playing on the figurative here, then the plan would be to make it RWD. If you do the trans swap as well you could keep the M Drive shaft and rear diff.
Or if length would be an issue you can always have a customer driveshaft made

ljzimm · 11-17-2017, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgarbul1

That would be sick if it worked.
SLEEPER

Right?! Someone needs to do this.

Beek · 11-17-2017, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljzimm

Here's some brain candy for everyone who's ready for the weekend.
I'm a wagon lover through and through. I'm also an avid 3rd pedal enthusiast.
Anyone else ever play with the notion of dropping an S55 and matching 6 speed trans in an F31 328i? Or is that just me?

"the stuff that dreams are made of"

Bogart as Sam Spade from The Maltese Falcon

metallicpea · 11-17-2017, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljzimm

If we're playing on the figurative here, then the plan would be to make it RWD. If you do the trans swap as well you could keep the M Drive shaft and rear diff.
Or if length would be an issue you can always have a customer driveshaft made

Yeah and a whole new front suspension - it just snowballs. I am not really familiar with the mechanics of the x-drive from the trans forward, but the changes would seem pretty extensive to me. Might be better for a RWD donor car. Hey, maybe if you found a complete, decent one cheap it might not be so bad.

I guess I will have to look into this thread deeper. no picture load for everyone else too?

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1164655

stormlv · 11-17-2017, 06:02 PM

Might be a lot cheaper to just get an Audi RS4... :|

JAhmed · 11-17-2017, 06:09 PM

Anything can be done with enough money.

Sounds like a wholeeeeeee lotta money though.

kabrichx · 11-17-2017, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljzimm

Here's some brain candy for everyone who's ready for the weekend.
I'm a wagon lover through and through. I'm also an avid 3rd pedal enthusiast.
Anyone else ever play with the notion of dropping an S55 and matching 6 speed trans in an F31 328i? Or is that just me?

It wouldn’t work....or so I was told when I asked knowledgeable people last month.

I *think* they said engine compartment was slightly longer on F8x chassis, which is one reason you cannot throw an OEM M3 Bumper on a F30.

Exterior doors are the same for F30 and F80, so lines match.

Front Quarter Panels are not.

I was going to measure from the door edge to center of front wheel on both when I went to car dealer, but never got around to it.

C'sM3 · 11-18-2017, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljzimm

Here's some brain candy for everyone who's ready for the weekend.
I'm a wagon lover through and through. I'm also an avid 3rd pedal enthusiast.
Anyone else ever play with the notion of dropping an S55 and matching 6 speed trans in an F31 328i? Or is that just me?

This is my dream swap! I'd love to do a complete f81 M3 conversion!! But this would be crazy money. The best way to do either a rwd conversion or a s55 conversion is to get a salvaged donor car. The most challenging part would be the coding that is required to get all the computers to communicate with each other properly.

There was an f30 328i 6 speed rwd rebuilt salvage car for sale on ebay a month ago that was a buy it now for $12,000 that didnt sell. This would be perfect to buy swap over the parts you wanted and then part out the rest of the car to get your money back. But this would take tons of time.

goj · 11-18-2017, 11:32 AM

I would get an M3 and somehow live with it lol

alf_17 · 11-19-2017, 01:14 PM

If you could convince Alpina to make a B3 S Biturbo Touring with a manual transmission, that would probably be the easy solution.
I know it is not the S55, but the current version of the Alpina N55 makes more power and torque than the S55.
An Alpina also still looks more stealthy than an M car.

11-17-2017, 08:27 AM	#1
ljzimm Private First Class 106 Rep 119 Posts Drives: 2004 Volvo V70 R M66 Join Date: May 2017 Location: Pennsylvania iTrader: (0)	S55 & 6 spd swap? Here's some brain candy for everyone who's ready for the weekend. I'm a wagon lover through and through. I'm also an avid 3rd pedal enthusiast. Anyone else ever play with the notion of dropping an S55 and matching 6 speed trans in an F31 328i? Or is that just me?
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11-17-2017, 09:41 AM	#2
Paz1 Banned 218 Rep 665 Posts Drives: 2018 m3 Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: NY iTrader: (1)	That would be sick if it worked. SLEEPER
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11-17-2017, 06:02 PM	#8
stormlv Human 932 Rep 1,200 Posts Drives: Yes Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Geneva iTrader: (1)	Might be a lot cheaper to just get an Audi RS4... :\| __________________ 2023 BMW M4 CP xDr \| 510HP / 650Nm \| Isle of Man Green \| Photo album Sold 2018 BMW M4 DCT / ZCP\| 450HP / 550Nm \| Sakhir Orange \| Photo album \| Tribute Sold 2014 BMW 435xd \| 360HP / 710Nm \| Estoril Blue \| Photo album 2010 BMW Z4 sDrive35i DKG \| 306 HP / 400Nm \| Space Gray \| Photo album
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11-17-2017, 06:09 PM	#9
JAhmed Private First Class 47 Rep 103 Posts Drives: Taycan Join Date: May 2017 Location: CHICAGOLAND!!! iTrader: (0)	Anything can be done with enough money. Sounds like a wholeeeeeee lotta money though. __________________ 2022 Porsche Taycan 2022 Porsche Cayenne GTS Coupe
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11-18-2017, 11:32 AM	#12
goj Brigadier General 2253 Rep 3,622 Posts Drives: 2016 EBII 340i 6-MT Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (0)	I would get an M3 and somehow live with it lol __________________ BMW CCA Member #516012 2016 340i, Estoril Blue, Manual Transmission, MPE, MPBBK, HRE FF04 Instagram: @brandons340i
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11-19-2017, 01:14 PM	#13
alf_17 New Member 9 Rep 26 Posts Drives: 2017 F30 330i M-Sport Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Denmark iTrader: (0)	If you could convince Alpina to make a B3 S Biturbo Touring with a manual transmission, that would probably be the easy solution. I know it is not the S55, but the current version of the Alpina N55 makes more power and torque than the S55. An Alpina also still looks more stealthy than an M car.
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