Firstfives.org

I came across this article on the Joe Cain LS swapped e12. It looks like a great installation, but there is some misinformation in the article. All aluminum LS motors are around 400 lbs in weight dressed up, an M30 six is around 300 lbs, an old school Chevy small block 350 is 500 lbs, the same weight as an all iron LS truck motor (500 lbs). An old big block Chevy V8 is 700 lbs and a Hemi 426 V8 800 lbs

LS swap 530i

The reason Cain's car sat higher in the front with the new motor was because he shifted it back, not because it's lighter, because it isn't. In fact BMW's aluminum M60 3 and 4 liter V8s weighed 60 lbs more than the M30. GM engineer Herb Adams who created the Fire Am & Cheverra said moving the battery to the trunk was like moving the motor back 10 in, so moving things back really affects weight distribution. One reason BMW liked to mount the M30 far forward was so the weight would pin the nose of the car to the ground at high speed. Many cars get very light in the front end at high speed (over 100 mph).

I wonder why anyone would go to the trouble and expense on an LS swap, when you can turbo a 3.5 six to 400 hp The Car Wizard gives some good advice concerning LS swaps.

Car Wizard LS swap

tlake wrote: Thu Apr 02, 2020 12:44 am One reason BMW liked to mount the M30 far forward was so the weight would pin the nose of the car to the ground at high speed. Many cars get very light in the front end at high speed (over 100 mph).

I had the hood off my E12 recently and at 80 mph the front end was getting noticeably lightfooted without any downforce on the front (and probably with some additional lift under the passenger compartment from the added airflow through the engine compartment). It wasn't white-knuckle, but if the car always drove like that, I'd like it a lot less at highway speed. I have DOT bumpers, an original Bosch AC compressor and the battery in front. I imagine in an AC-less Euro-bumpered car the effect would be even more dramatic.

528i-1981 wrote: Thu Apr 02, 2020 6:30 am

tlake wrote: Thu Apr 02, 2020 12:44 am One reason BMW liked to mount the M30 far forward was so the weight would pin the nose of the car to the ground at high speed. Many cars get very light in the front end at high speed (over 100 mph).

I had the hood off my E12 recently and at 80 mph the front end was getting noticeably lightfooted without any downforce on the front (and probably with some additional lift under the passenger compartment from the added airflow through the engine compartment). It wasn't white-knuckle, but if the car always drove like that, I'd like it a lot less at highway speed. I have DOT bumpers, an original Bosch AC compressor and the battery in front. I imagine in an AC-less Euro-bumpered car the effect would be even more dramatic.

That's strange, I haven't experienced this in an old school BMW. I find they sit well at the higher speeds.

I was going to add I wonder how William Gau's ex Turbo Bavaria is doing I think that's as powerful as most people would want, and was quite a mad car, lol. It's modified, but unlike the John Cain e12 570i, it isn't completely re-engineered throughout. If you read through the Cain 570i specification it has so many component changes. If you wanted to replicate that it would take great skill, time and expense. He is obviously very skillful, and it's quite a car, but that's a lot of detailed modification.

William Gau Turbo Bavaria

There is one engineer on the internet with a LS swapped DeLorean, and he mentioned how engine cooling was a big problem, and the stock gearbox really has to be treated carefully. So, I guess with LS swaps getting it to fit is only part of the equation. Like Car Wizard says, you need a plan.

This is an account of a 1975 530i owner, his first car, that mentioned how stable the car was at over 80 mph.

First car e12 530i

Here's a You Tube clip of someone doing 100 mph in his 1975 530i automatic

e12 530i at 100 mph