M52 Swap E30 Review & Drive | BMW E30 Sound & POV | E30 Project Update | 060

Maybe a little overdue, but in this video I finally report back on how I'm getting on with my BMW E30 project car.

As a quick up-to-speed, it's a 1990 BMW E30 coupe (2-door saloon), a poverty spec 316i which I have welded up, undersealed and modified with a 24v M52B28 engine swap, HSD coilover suspension, a Z3 steering rack, 5-lug swap, and much much more. (check out the other videos in the playlist).

I got the car done a few months ago, and I figured I would put some miles on it before I come back to review my E30 M52 project.

I've done a few hundred miles in the car, not loads, but enough to get familiar with its quirks and features. I might have done more miles in it if it weren't for a few irritations I'm having with the car. There are a few things about it that I just can't live with, and I need to address those before I even consider the cosmetics.

Firstly, let's start with the good news. I'm really impressed with how strong the M52 engine is in this car. With my other car being an E46 M3, I was anticipating being very underwhelmed by the M52 versus the legendary S54. I am a huge S54 fan, and the way I have this M52 set up has made it feel very much like a junior S54.

The M52 with the light flywheel revs very quickly and feels responsive, and the peak power is at the top of the rev range thanks to the M50 manifold I swapped on. It certainly feels much more lively than I ever imagined. Naturally, it's nowhere near as powerful as the S54, nor does it make such a tuneful noise - although what it lacks in that department it attempts to make up for with volume.

Because the E46 M3 chassis is far more competent and the car feels far more stable, you become numb to the performance. This E30 feels far more lively with the quick steering rack, the short ratio diff, and the hard suspension. When you're thrashing it, it's a real hoot, you feel like it could kill you at any moment. Or at least swap ends and put you into a ditch. It really gets the blood flowing.

I recorded some driving footage from a few angles which hopefully do the car some justice and get across how visceral the driving experience is.

Herein lies the problem though - I fear I might have overcooked this E30 build a bit, and I've made a car which feels far too racy, harsh and savage. I've found myself not even considering taking it anywhere far thanks to how exhausting it is to drive. It's like a sports bike, it's great for an A to A blast, but horrible for any practical A to B application.

Feeling somewhat paralysed about what to do with the car, I've been easily distracted by other projects for a while. But I think its time I share my thoughts with you and jump back on the project. After all, if there's any hope of painting this car before winter, I'll have to crack on!

I've put together a list of four points to tone down the car and make it a car I want to drive all summer.

1. Firstly, the HSD Monopro coilover suspension is far too stiff, I've dialled the dampers to full soft and it still skips down a B-road and rattles your teeth. Speaking to Dan at BMConversions, he mentioned E30 coilovers are commonly specced with spring rates that are too stiff. That would explain it. I will get in touch with Driftworks to see if I can secure some softer springs to calm the ride down.

2. Secondly, the ECU map I am running has not agreed with my exhaust setup. When I lift off the throttle completely, for example when entering a town or village. I end up with the sound of steel drums played behind me for a while. Some people have a pop and bang map, but my M52 E30 has a pots and pans map. It's quite embarrassing. At first I thought the exhaust had dropped and was clanging on something. I need to see if I can map out the burbles.

3. On the topic of sound, the Scorpion exhaust is far louder, and has more resonance than I anticipated. It sounds epic when you're at wide open throttle and blasting down a country road, but the rest of the time, it's quite tiring and gives me a headache after a short while. The volume is one thing, but I think what really gets me is the resonation at certain RPMs. It's like nails on a chalk board. From some research, adding in a flexy into the exhaust could be the solution.

4. Finally, the one I have mentioned in previous videos, I need to pick a longer diff ratio so I can be cruising at more sensible revs, this will probably improve everything else too. I need a 3.64 limited slip diff.

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