M42 E21

[Tom D]

hey guys, i thought i might drop by and say hi. a couple of years ago i stuffed a M42 into my 77 E21. it's the engine that the E21 deserves to have.

[BMW_Hatchback]

that looks pretty clean, welcome to the site.

any other plans for your ride? Post more pics please!

[wolferj-RIP]

Tom;

Welcom to the .org... Very nice swap, looks clean. That looks like a M42 from an e30, yes? That is a great swap, and you are right, it is the engine the e21 deserves...

How exposed is the oil pan/lower engine in your car?

More pics!

[cooljess76]

Welcome to the forum. Sweet ride!

[Tom D]

thanks guys. the car i bought in 1979, bolted a bunch of alpina parts to it, headed for the track and had a ball. most of the 90s and up until 09 the car was put in storage. i then found myself with a garage space and time, so i decided to add a little magic to the e21.

what a sweet engine. it is from a 91 318is and had 187K miles on it. when i stripped it down the only wear that i found was broken timing chain guides. so i rebuilt it and wrangled into the car. the oilpan is a bit low, but has not been a problem.

i would like to explain the color. in 1981 i had nothing to do, so i went to work for my friend jim for about 5 months. he owned a auto repair shop and my job was mostly rebuilding engines. every engine that left his shop was painted what he called "Bitchen Blue", guess it was his signature. it was a great arrangement. not being a mechanic by trade, it provided me with a full shop and the knowledge of professionals to work on my own rides. well life went on and after 15 years i got word that he had died of a brain tumor. he was 47. so this rebuild is in memory of my friend Jim.



the car is now riding on coilovers, 450# springs in front and 350# in the rear, shocks are koni sports. sways are by alpina as well as the wheels. 3.91:1 LSD diff. the battery has been relocated to the trunk, the front bumper and the AC pump have been removed, making the front end incredibly light.

[mtlblue]

sweet! I love the classics, and the Bitchen Blue too ;-)

[tiFreak]

that's a great tribute to your friend

nice looking car, I wish it was easy to find classic BMWs in good shape up in Vermont

[slow_ti]

So fresh!


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[YME455]

Hello everyone I'm new to the board. I have a 1983 BMW 315 that I purchased a year ago with a headlight switch wiring meltdown. I have that all fixed and want to get this classic to move a little better without losing the integrity of the car. I think this single carb motor only produced 72 H.P. Anyway , I have since purchased a 1991 318i/5 spd. parts car. I have heard u have to switch/modify wiring exhaust etc.. re-locate battery and possibly fuse box. Does anyone out there have any tips on where to start and where my greatest concerns might be ?