1994 Q45 with LS1/T56 questions

[hoobuttacrew]

Yeah, I think you should stick with the 540i

[ScottJackson]

http://www.vorshlag.com/ls1bmw0.php

Kinda a mix of what I plan to do and what you plan to maybe do. Anyway, gives a good idea of wiring and such that's needed to be done.

[hoobuttacrew]

Yeah that seems pretty sweet, unfortunately a running e36 is going for around 10k and I cant justify tearing into a car that costs 10k. Would it be pretty much the same to put the LS1 into a 5 series? Im hoping I wont have too many clearance issues because the car already had a V8 in it so hopefully there will be plenty of room.

[ScottJackson]

Well, the V8 5 series all have steering linkage and a steering box. The E39 six cylinders have a steering rack. So you take a step forward and back when you go with a car that was original V8. To use the LS1 you'll need to build a custom oil pan with pickup to fit it in either the Q45 or most BMWs. Some BMWs will take the rear sump pan of the LS1. The E36 isn't cheap because all the rice-racer guys that want to step up from their civic or integra want them. You could try to find one with a bad engine or transmission to save some $$$. However, I've always liked the idea of a Datsun Z car with small block chevy. They're very light and affordable. I'd probably get a 280Z with its stronger differential and add aftermarket bumpers along with aftermarket wheels and brakes. With an LS1, it'd be a blast. It's a swap that's been done before and it's very straight forward. I bet the $$$ you'd save by swapping the LS1/T56 into a Z would offset the price of the car itself.

[Jeff Williams]

If you go with an LS engine, you might as well stroke it out to 408 Cubes or even 427. Why not make it a Q70?

I commend you on your thinking. LS1 swaps are a breeze. There are plenty of computers available, and Vintage Air can take care of the A/C needs. The console would get trashed from the shifter location, and the clutch would take a lot of room, but you can free up a lot of that by removing the wiring harness, and making your own.

I went the easy route, and just bought an LS1 with a small Fiberglass/SMC body attached to it.

The chicks dig the little plastic car much more than the throaty V8 Infiniti for some reason.

The only problem is that every freakin Mustang in town wants to rev his motor when I am in the Vette, but leave me to my peaceful existance in the Q.

The Vette is like a Tiger Shark, while the Q is like a Whale Shark.

[hoobuttacrew]

How much would it cost to get the ls1 stroked and all that? Im mostly looking for a solid daily driver that will smash on other cars in the same category i.e. m5, s4 and the like. Q57 for shizzle.

[ScottJackson]

And the only things chicks seem to dig more than the new corvettes is the classic camaros and mustangs. Honestly, I think a Ford V8 is the best option for swapping American muscle into the Q. They have front sump oil pans and can make big hp very easily. Use a basic '87-92 mustang 302 and you get forged pistons and roller cam from the factory. Add some GT40 or aftermarket heads with a good cam and headers, and 400hp is cake. Use a 351W and you can easily stroke it to 427" for far less $$$ than the LS1. You can also bolt a T56 to it. The LS1 is GMs new ford small block. That sounds screwed up, but with evenly spaced intake and exhaust ports, oil pump in the front, same firing order as the 351 and 302 H.O., and 1.7 ratio rockers, it sure sounds like a Ford small block V8 to me. It's what Ford should have made instead of the 5.4L OHC. The Q is too heavy to be a fast car without sinking lots of money and effort into it. By the time to build the power to easily beat M5s (especially the new V10 E60) with the stroker LS1 in the Q, you may as well just start with a smaller and lighter car. If you were to use a 351 ford with inexpensive 4r70w auto trans from a '99+ V6 mustang (uses the old V8 ford bellhousing pattern and has strong internals, just needs shift kit and converter), you could probably build a 450hp 351 and have a trans that will hold the power with .67 overdrive and lockup converter for under $4000. With $1000 more you can build a cast crank 427 that will make 500-550 streetable hp. I don't know much about LS1 stroker kits, but I believe a 4" stroke crankshaft is right around $2000. Add rods and pistons which are likely about $1200 and then all the machining and balancing, and it'll add up quick. A cheap 351W stroker kit is to use stock 351W rods (good to 600+hp), 302 pistons (factory forged would be fine), and a cast aftermarket crankshaft (about $400) which gives 393". There's plenty of ways to go about it. I still think a remote mounted turbo is the way to go for a goal of 400hp. If you want 500+hp and gobs of low end torque, a big inch american motor would be best.

[rsiwicki]

What is this I am seeing??? Corvette & LS1's being discussed on Q45 forum....tisk tisk, LOL!!! Well being a former Q45 owner I can comment that the VH engine is a work of art for its time, place, and purpose running very hard at the track or daily driving reving to 7,000+rpms. IMO, you can say all you want about how inefficient or not advanced the LSx engines, but they will not show their lack of technology or inefficiency at the track and on the highway getting 25+mpg. Yeah it is true that the LSx most likely will not last for 300,00+ miles but really who cares as luck would have it your car will most likely die from a fatal car accident before reaching 200,00 miles being totaled by the insurance company, etc. Now on the other hand if you have not been in a new Z06 you need to try it out...Adrenaline rush like no other and if it came in a convertible you can bet I would be first in line for ordering it . My 69 vette is going under the knife again in 2 months getting a new heart beat transplant of a stroked LS2 = 427 that I just bought 2 weeks ago brand new. We will be running an easy 500HP with no serious mods resulting in low 12's at the track. This will officially complete my restomod process as I have totally updated the vette with the most modern technology having Vintage Air AC system, 6 speed, power everything including steeriods conversion, etc. It truely is a beast I can't wait for the new engine transplant. I am running mid 13's right now with the original 350 but I need more muscle as Jeff says every Tom, d!ck & Harry wants to race me including some dude in a Ferrari the other day for which I just dumped the clutch and lighted up the rear end producing a very nice white smoke tire display as I knew I had no chance in winning.





Go for the LSx/T56 swap!!!!!

btw...how are you going to get around the California emission laws and engine swap rules? It is my understanding that California will not allow you swap in any engine that was not original for a car and this is causing some problems for the resto-mod guys I have seen lately.