S50 engine swap in Southern California...?

[inlacal]

Can anyone recommend a shop, in Southern California, that is EXTREMELY competent and will not hack your car in the process of putting six cylinders under the hood?

I'd prefer someone with experience that has performed this conversion.

Please advise.

[lkwd318ti]

Sorry, but I don't have any experience on this.
BUT
I've heard of a place called "The M Shop"
http://www.themshop.com/index.php
I believe that a person that works there has a 332ti.
I think they did that swap too.
I guess...give them a call and then ask them about the 332ti haha.
Good luck on this!

-Randy

[windnsea00]

Originally Posted by inlacal

Can anyone recommend a shop, in Southern California, that is EXTREMELY competent and will not hack your car in the process of putting six cylinders under the hood?

I'd prefer someone with experience that has performed this conversion.

Please advise.

My good friend Bryson whom is down here in San Diego has done a handful of swaps into E30's...he did my S50 swap into my previous `91 318is for example. He quotes it's as "easy as doing an engine swap." He has a shop to use with a lift and all tools necessary as his dad is an independent BMW mechanic. If you want I could get you in contact with him...I know he is already lined up to do a few swaps this summer for other people but he may have time for more. He is well known in the E30 world and is extremely competent working on BMW's. It really isn't that hard of a swap as everything bolts up...just takes patience, some knowledge and a good pair of hands.

I see you have a `97 ti and well a `98 ti for sale...you would want an OBDII engine which would mean the S52 from the `96-`99 M3. As long as the engine is newer than the car it's legal to swap in CA. Also it's much simpler to keep the car OBDII and obviously legal. Nice collection of cars btw!

[m3outtanowhere]

yes. avus autosport. check search bar please

[inlacal]

Originally Posted by windnsea00

My good friend Bryson whom is down here in San Diego has done a handful of swaps into E30's...he did my S50 swap into my previous `91 318is for example. He quotes it's as "easy as doing an engine swap." He has a shop to use with a lift and all tools necessary as his dad is an independent BMW mechanic. If you want I could get you in contact with him...I know he is already lined up to do a few swaps this summer for other people but he may have time for more. He is well known in the E30 world and is extremely competent working on BMW's. It really isn't that hard of a swap as everything bolts up...just takes patience, some knowledge and a good pair of hands.

I see you have a `97 ti and well a `98 ti for sale...you would want an OBDII engine which would mean the S52 from the `96-`99 M3. As long as the engine is newer than the car it's legal to swap in CA. Also it's much simpler to keep the car OBDII and obviously legal. Nice collection of cars btw!

Thanks for the recommendation, but I'm looking for an established shopped that has performed this transplant on an e36 318ti. The last thing I want is to be a 'guinea pig' and have something not turn out perfect...And that's what I'm going for: Perfection.

To your point, the engine mounts pretty straightforwardly on the correct subframe/mounts, but my concern is the electronics integration. I want absolutely full functionality at the end of the day: AC, cruise control, onboard computer. No glitches. No hacks. Everything would need to be perfect.

That being said, I may have a swap for Bryson on an old e30 M3 that I've been kicking-around for lack of time to pay to it...I may want to do something with it if Bryson has e30 experience.

Stay tuned.

In the meantime, I'm hoping there is an experienced shop in So. Cal. that has done this before....Anyone...?

[windnsea00]

Originally Posted by inlacal

Thanks for the recommendation, but I'm looking for an established shopped that has performed this transplant on an e36 318ti. The last thing I want is to be a 'guinea pig' and have something not turn out perfect...And that's what I'm going for: Perfection.

To your point, the engine mounts pretty straightforwardly on the correct subframe/mounts, but my concern is the electronics integration. I want absolutely full functionality at the end of the day: AC, cruise control, onboard computer. No glitches. No hacks. Everything would need to be perfect.

That being said, I may have a swap for Bryson on an old e30 M3 that I've been kicking-around for lack of time to pay to it...I may want to do something with it if Bryson has e30 experience.

Stay tuned.

In the meantime, I'm hoping there is an experienced shop in So. Cal. that has done this before....Anyone...?

Funny you mention an E30 M3, he just sold his henna M3 with an M50. The M50 was just an intermediate engine as the S14 was dead. He was going to build up a bored/stroked 3.2 S50 for it but he wanted something better for a daily driver and got some strong offers as is so it made sense to just sell it with that engine.

While he hasn't done a TI swap as of yet I'm pretty sure he would be capable for your needs as it's actually easier to get cruise, a/c and everything working when dealing with an E36 engine to an E36 chassis instead of E36 engine to E30 chassis. But I can understand your view and best of luck for the search and let me know if you ever want that E30 M3 project to happen.

[jon@theMshop]

Originally Posted by inlacal

Thanks for the recommendation, but I'm looking for an established shopped that has performed this transplant on an e36 318ti. The last thing I want is to be a 'guinea pig' and have something not turn out perfect...And that's what I'm going for: Perfection.

To your point, the engine mounts pretty straightforwardly on the correct subframe/mounts, but my concern is the electronics integration. I want absolutely full functionality at the end of the day: AC, cruise control, onboard computer. No glitches. No hacks. Everything would need to be perfect.

That being said, I may have a swap for Bryson on an old e30 M3 that I've been kicking-around for lack of time to pay to it...I may want to do something with it if Bryson has e30 experience.

Stay tuned.

In the meantime, I'm hoping there is an experienced shop in So. Cal. that has done this before....Anyone...?

Check your PM box!

We can do an engine swap to a 318ti. We've done it before and we can do it again.

Thanks Randy for the recommendation!

[Dredder]

My ti is for sale

[HuGo]

Ive been to their shop and ive seen and been inside Joe's 332ti. That thing pulls man.