Possible final direction...

[Machine monkey]

Could re-cast our blocks in something way lighter,

I had the luck and joy of driving an eagle e-type recently, this is exactly what they did and recast the jag straight six in aluminium... but it does cost a million squid!

Am I being stupid hear?! But if you want an aluminium block dose a m54 not have near identical engine architecture? They are dirt cheap £500 for a good one! That’s what I would be looking at?!

 

[Fishy Dave]

Dave, any more pics of this mate?

I only had my phone so this was as good as it got, I can tell you it sounded great, but that doesn't really help.

 

[TomK]

Could re-cast our blocks in something way lighter,

I had the luck and joy of driving an eagle e-type recently, this is exactly what they did and recast the jag straight six in aluminium... but it does cost a million squid!

Am I being stupid hear?! But if you want an aluminium block dose a m54 not have near identical engine architecture? They are dirt cheap £500 for a good one! That’s what I would be looking at?!

I have no idea about the specific differences between the two but you'd have to ask the question why did bmw give their M model a heavy iron block vs the (I imagine) similar aluminium block they had to hand. Remember this engine spins up to 8K with a long stroke ergo piston speed is extremely high, cylinders are 4 mm apart or something like that on this 3.2 litre and aluminium at the time was imo not cost effective to produce in the quality needed. The mclaren v12 famously consisting of "2 m3 engines stuck together" did have an ali block but then, oh yep, it cost a s**t load of money too.
All that said I'd imagine someone's probably tried it out there somewhere

 

[Machine monkey]

I had the luck and joy of driving an eagle e-type recently, this is exactly what they did and recast the jag straight six in aluminium... but it does cost a million squid!

Am I being stupid hear?! But if you want an aluminium block dose a m54 not have near identical engine architecture? They are dirt cheap £500 for a good one! That’s what I would be looking at?!

I have no idea about the specific differences between the two but you'd have to ask the question why did bmw give their M model a heavy iron block vs the (I imagine) similar aluminium block they had to hand. Remember this engine spins up to 8K with a long stroke ergo piston speed is extremely high, cylinders are 4 mm apart or something like that on this 3.2 litre and aluminium at the time was imo not cost effective to produce in the quality needed. The mclaren v12 famously consisting of "2 m3 engines stuck together" did have an ali block but then, oh yep, it cost a s**t load of money too.
All that said I'd imagine someone's probably tried it out there somewhere

My point Tom was the talk of casting a block from lighter materials. Basically aluminium. There is already a block that has similar architecture. It might need moding and beefing up. But it would be cheaper than casting from scratch or machining from solid.

There are plenty of high revving high horse power engines out there made from aluminium. I would think the cast iron block was chosen for a number of reasons. Reliability would sure have been one but i best cost was a big one too. But any M owner wanting to save weight at the front? Surly carbon fibre panels will do so much. But not a lot the biggest and best thing to do is loose engine weight or move it. Problem being either is a massive big engineering job. There is a fair bit of room between the back of the engine and the fire wall. So new engine/gearbox mounts dry sump so you could lower the engine and move it back. Would probably be the best and easiest option for weight saving on the car. You would need to shorten the prop shaft to but none of that work is really that difficult.

 

[2skiddy]

As Machine Monkey points out, the factory racers did actually move the engine back and fitted dry sump, making it almost front mid engined. The list of mods is quite extensive!

 

[Vanne]

Lol yeah i am not looking to build a factory racer, as i don't have the 200K+ euro required to do that. If this goes ahead it will be very light, very wide, with lots of rubber, on a semi stock e86m chassis.

 

[2skiddy]

I really hope you do it, I'm sure it will be a great project. I think this sort of conversion will gain in popularity, as there are very few at the moment, and they look sooooo good! A wide bodied car, could also be built on a non M car, giving a bit more scope with power plants etc. I was going to use a 135i N54 engine and DCT box, but my engine builder said it could't be programmed on standalone ECUs. Shouldn't have listened, as it can now I believe!
I think the car at Brands could be the ex Albertisma GT4 car that had a wide body kit on it?
Good luck Vanne!

 

[Vanne]

Bringing this thread back. Just completed a rather lengthy phone/email discussion that went over 2 months with @Flossmann.

Plans are in motion... kinda.... Stay tuned.. possibly something might come out of this...

.

This will have to go on hold again. Plans changed due to employer being Cee you next Tuesdays. Amazing how greedy some people are. :x