Re: [E28] Has anyone done a Chevy/Ford V8 conversion?

[SMILLER@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Joe asks:

>Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 00:12:41 -0500 (EST)
>From: XXX <JMK8014@domain.elided>
>Subject: [E28] Has anyone done a Chevy/Ford V8 conversion?
>
>Hello all,
>Has anyone on the list performed or witnessed a V8 conversion in an
>E28?  I know at least one person has put a modified 400ci big block V8
>into a 535i or '88 M5 that was tracked around Ohio & East Coast. 
>Anyway, I live in an area where V8 engines are plentiful and cheap,
>there's enough room under the hood for a V8 conversion, and the
>power/weight ratio would be incredible with the E28's handling.
<snip>

Well, you'd be adding a lot of weight to the front of the car, which will
increase understeer a whole bunch, and that kind of ruins the nice
handling balance you mentioned.  You'll gain a LOT of torque, but you'll
lose some of the precision engineering that comes with a BMW.  Gas
mileage will probably suffer, or maybe not.  You'll need smog controls
that are acceptible to the EPA, and if you're in California, also the CARB. 
You might need to beef up the front brakes to handle the extra weight up
front, and surely some suspension mods would be required as well. 
Offhand I don't know how much torque the diff can handle.

Go ahead if you want this for yourself, but if you're thinking of doing a
bunch of these commercially, I recommend some market research first. 
Here's my answer:  I wouldn't buy one.   I don't know about anyone else.

Oh, and if you do decide to market this commercially, remember, don't do
it on the Digest, we don't want to start THAT again!   :^)

Scott Miller
Golden Gate Chapter
BMW CCA #44977

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