BMW 320i
jamescho - 1/5/03 at 07:01 AM
Hi,
Has anyone out there built a Locost using the BMW 320i as the donor? I'm new to this game, & relevant advice will be greatly appreciated.
I've posted this message b4, but in the wrong area. So, for those of you who's come accross this earlier, my apologies.
Rgds..........James
James - 1/5/03 at 10:06 AM
quote:
Originally posted by jamescho
Hi,
Has anyone out there built a Locost using the BMW 320i as the donor? I'm new to this game, & relevant advice will be greatly appreciated.
I've posted this message b4, but in the wrong area. So, for those of you who's come accross this earlier, my apologies.
Rgds..........James
I don't know anything about BMW stuff (although I've heard it's heavy and the engine is canted at an awkward angle) but:
A good rule of thumb is: the more you deviate from the original design/plans the longer it'll take and the more it'll cost.
You can make pretty much anything fit with enough effort it just depends how much time you've got or are willing to put in.
Metal Hippy is fitting a large Beemer engine so maybe a mail to him would help.
HTH,
James
ned - 1/5/03 at 10:58 AM
DITTO!
especially on the weight / awkwardness stuff (IMHO)
stephen_gusterson - 1/5/03 at 10:59 AM
my understand is that hippy's engine is still where bmw put it!
I agree with the deviation thing to my own experience 
The 320 is a 6 cyl I think? Might be a bit long cos its an inline engine.
generally the height of the engine is an issue cos locosts are quite low little cars and it screws the bonnet line up.
Also, you need to allow space at the front of the chassis to let the engine come forwards and up to put it in and take it out of the frame. Just cos
the gap looks long enought it may not be!
Further, the bay is narrower at the base than at the top. If 320 are anything like 3 year old 318 I, they have a lot of engine gubbins at the bottom
of the engine like the alternator and crap, so may be quite wide at the base....
atb
steve
ChrisW - 1/5/03 at 10:44 PM
There's a pic of a BMW powered Viento here:
http://www.luegosportscars.com/viento/newprojects/newprojects.htm
Chris
Johan F - 2/5/03 at 12:21 PM
Hi James
I'm also thinking of using a BMW- engine.
I don't know wich model of the 320i you are refering to, but if it is the E30 (83-91) concider using the 4-cyl 16v M42 engine of the 318iS
instead. It weighs less and is actually more powerfull (136hp to 129hp).
I don't really know how well they actually fit a seven, but I sure would like to find out.
Sorry for ev. poor spelling.
/ Johan
P.S
Yes, the 320 is a 6- cyl.
Mark H - 2/5/03 at 02:19 PM
Johan,
Don't worry - your spelling and grammer is better than most people on this site!
Mark
Noodle - 2/5/03 at 03:04 PM
quote:
consider using the 4-cyl 16v M42 engine of the 318iS instead
If memory serves me right, the 318 and 325 Sport's came with a Limited Slip Differential too. 
zetec - 5/5/03 at 12:13 PM
BMW E30 and E36 320 models have cast iron block, later post "96 6cyl have alloy block and head, still big engine. The only one I would consider
is the M3 4 cylinder but pricey. Goes back to the old story of Ford/Vx engines cheap and easy to tune....
jamescho - 8/5/03 at 06:15 PM
Thanks for all your observations gents.....I'm still doing active research on what is best.......James.
Johan F - 8/5/03 at 07:58 PM
Please share what you finds out with us!
/ Johan
theconrodkid - 8/5/03 at 09:16 PM
as steve points out being a deviant from the book(and he should know)makes it hard work,so either use ford seirra as a doner or try a viento and you
can use V8,BMW or what ever you like.my veiw for what its worth is its a small light car and should have a small light engine or you upset the
handling and build in complication