• From: Phoenix az
  • Registered: 2017-12-29
  • Posts: 145

Topic: getting an e46 out of class A

so after our 1st Lemons race the auto in our E46 is no more. I was sure this would happen but hoped it would last a bit longer. I picked up a salvage 5 speed car to pull all associated parts out of and plan to run CO with something resembling corner exit speed.

but by the time I am done ill be left with a green beat to snot 4 door e46 rolling shell and now 2 sets of stock wheels. I cant just let this perfect (by Lemons standards)  *free* shell sit there.

Lets forget about obvious engine choices domestic v8s and v6s with or without juckyard forced induction.

I want to get this thing into class C maybe with a shot at IOE

so far top ideas are some sort of GM 4 banger or motorcycle power of the non sport bike variety

also anyone interested in joining the build team in phoenix hit me up.

Owner/Captain of The 27 Club E46. Phoenix, AZ
and now the #95 Thunderbird
  • Mr.Yuck
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Re: getting an e46 out of class A

Sexy jesus wrote:

so after our 1st Lemons race the auto in our E46 is no more. I was sure this would happen but hoped it would last a bit longer. I picked up a salvage 5 speed car to pull all associated parts out of and plan to run CO with something resembling corner exit speed.

but by the time I am done ill be left with a green beat to snot 4 door e46 rolling shell and now 2 sets of stock wheels. I cant just let this perfect (by Lemons standards)  *free* shell sit there.

Lets forget about obvious engine choices domestic v8s and v6s with or without juckyard forced induction.

I want to get this thing into class C maybe with a shot at IOE

so far top ideas are some sort of GM 4 banger or motorcycle power of the non sport bike variety

also anyone interested in joining the build team in phoenix hit me up.

drop a E34 or E39 4.4 and six speed and dom-oh-nate. You could go with an Iron Duke and a Chinese Turbo...

"get up and get your grandma outta here"
  • Registered: 2011-10-14
  • Posts: 4,167

Re: getting an e46 out of class A

We may or may not be doing the MOST blasphemous swap into another popular platform...Chrysler flathead 6 with the original three speed tranny.  Maybe you should consider a Buick straight 8?

  • jfbeam
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Re: getting an e46 out of class A

Slant-six, anything diesel, or EV. Next question!

Duff Beer Civic (#128) -- 2014 Sebring - Class B (#1 of 7), 2016 Barber - Class B
1981 Jet Electrica 007 [Plymouth Horizon TC3] (#128) -- Mk.1 - Index of Effluency Eco (IOEe) @ 2016 Lemons South Fall, Mk.2 - Judges' Choice @ 2017 'Shine Country Classic, Mk.3 - Index of Effluency @ 2017 Southern Discomfort
  • From: Tustin, CA
  • Registered: 2010-12-30
  • Posts: 3,275

Re: getting an e46 out of class A

Motorbike engine won't get you into C.  IMHO, it will take an older non-OHC 4 cylinder.  Think spitfire/midget, Pontiac 196 half a 389), Chevy II, Iron Duke, Metropolitan type drivetrain.  Seems like the slant 6 BMW back east gets put in C

1990 RX7 "Mazdarita"  1964 Sunbeam Imp (IOE 2013 Sears Pointless) 2002 Jaguar x-type (Winner C-Class 2021 Sears Pointless)
Gone bye-bye
1994 Jaguar XJ12 (Winner C-Class 2013 Sears Pointless)  1980 Rover SD1 (I Got Screwed 2014 Return of Lemonites)

6 Reply by Guildenstern (edited by Guildenstern 2018-03-25 04:47 PM)

  • From: Cleveland, OH
  • Registered: 2011-09-03
  • Posts: 2,227

Re: getting an e46 out of class A

Depends. If they try and use the motorcycle clutch and transmission in an E46 shell that's a pretty solid IOE contender because 50/50 odds the drivetrain will eat itself.

Up side: Badass Sequential clutchless shifts!

Bonus points for a BMW 1200 flat twin!

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
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  • From: Phoenix az
  • Registered: 2017-12-29
  • Posts: 145

Re: getting an e46 out of class A

Slant 6 has been considered they should bolt up to a Jeep 5 speed no?  I thought I heard something of quad 4 being automatically in class c? And how the heck does any motorcycle engine not get me into c? I was looking at what bikes made the most torque today. I fully intended on using the motorcycle trans and clutch for the reasons stated above. I never even thought of the BMW flat 2 I was really thinking more goldwing. Flat 6

Owner/Captain of The 27 Club E46. Phoenix, AZ
and now the #95 Thunderbird
  • From: Cleveland, OH
  • Registered: 2011-09-03
  • Posts: 2,227

Re: getting an e46 out of class A

Goldwing flat 6s are pretty pricy. Especially in 1800 trim. Also not sure if it would fit between the strut towers. It's pretty wide.

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport

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  • From: Tustin, CA
  • Registered: 2010-12-30
  • Posts: 3,275

Re: getting an e46 out of class A

I say no motorcycle engines because every bike engined car I can recall has been fast and in class A or B.  Granted, lighter than an E46 but an H2R in that car might be zippy.   The two exceptions to being fast being the Toyohog and the MotoGuzzi powered Fiat 600. The main problem will be that there isn't a bike clutch that will last.  Quad 4 will get you C.

1990 RX7 "Mazdarita"  1964 Sunbeam Imp (IOE 2013 Sears Pointless) 2002 Jaguar x-type (Winner C-Class 2021 Sears Pointless)
Gone bye-bye
1994 Jaguar XJ12 (Winner C-Class 2013 Sears Pointless)  1980 Rover SD1 (I Got Screwed 2014 Return of Lemonites)
  • From: Phoenix az
  • Registered: 2017-12-29
  • Posts: 145

Re: getting an e46 out of class A

There's a good condish running driving 1500 goldwing on phoenix cl. For 1000 bucks. Knowing nothing I'm sure it will fit. I didn't realize there were any a or b class motorcycle powered cars. I also didn't even think fast was possible. BMW makes a 1600cc inline 6 touring bike.  But I don't even think the totalled examples are affordable yet.

Owner/Captain of The 27 Club E46. Phoenix, AZ
and now the #95 Thunderbird
  • From: Sachse,TX
  • Registered: 2017-10-21
  • Posts: 85

Re: getting an e46 out of class A

Put a air cooled 96ci Harley big twin engine in it. If you can find a totaled 07 or newer touring model, you get a 96-110ci engine (depending on model) a 6spd trans and fuel injection. Easy cam swap so it runs good in the 3-6800 rpm range and figure out how to connect the trans to a wheel and off you go. A really really light weight platform would be helpful for any MC engine though...

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  • From: Cleveland, OH
  • Registered: 2011-09-03
  • Posts: 2,227

Re: getting an e46 out of class A

Sexy jesus wrote:

There's a good condish running driving 1500 goldwing on phoenix cl. For 1000 bucks. Knowing nothing I'm sure it will fit. I didn't realize there were any a or b class motorcycle powered cars. I also didn't even think fast was possible. BMW makes a 1600cc inline 6 touring bike.  But I don't even think the totalled examples are affordable yet.

Ooooooo 1500, 6 carbs worth of balancing!!

If you can make it fit, do it!

I'm almost positive there are no A class Motorcycle drivetrain cars. But I want to say there have been well sorted teams in B class with motorcycle and or snowmobile units. Who has ever run a good Bike engined car cheseroo?

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport

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  • From: Sacramento, California
  • Registered: 2012-08-02
  • Posts: 354

Re: getting an e46 out of class A

air cooled corvair motor.

  • From: Tustin, CA
  • Registered: 2010-12-30
  • Posts: 3,275

Re: getting an e46 out of class A

Guildenstern wrote:

I'm almost positive there are no A class Motorcycle drivetrain cars. But I want to say there have been well sorted teams in B class with motorcycle and or snowmobile units. Who has ever run a good Bike engined car cheseroo?

Off the top of my head the MetroGnome comes to mind.  Its won overall in California a couple of times and was one of the poster boys for the shortlived "Class X". There's also the 1600cc Kawasaki engined MR2 done up in AAR #98 livery that has been very fast but fragile.  The Angry Hamsters Z600 was also very quick.  All 3 of those have rightfully been Class A cars.

1990 RX7 "Mazdarita"  1964 Sunbeam Imp (IOE 2013 Sears Pointless) 2002 Jaguar x-type (Winner C-Class 2021 Sears Pointless)
Gone bye-bye
1994 Jaguar XJ12 (Winner C-Class 2013 Sears Pointless)  1980 Rover SD1 (I Got Screwed 2014 Return of Lemonites)

15 Reply by TeamLemon-aid (edited by TeamLemon-aid 2018-03-26 07:28 AM)

  • From: Iowa
  • Registered: 2010-04-20
  • Posts: 2,660

Re: getting an e46 out of class A

3 cylinder Geo motor... 55HP.... FWD

LemonAid - Changing kids lives one lap at a time.

16 Reply by CPT_Trans_Continental (edited by CPT_Trans_Continental 2018-03-26 08:13 AM)

  • From: Portlandia
  • Registered: 2014-08-08
  • Posts: 1,035

Re: getting an e46 out of class A

nimblemotorsports wrote:

air cooled corvair motor.

There are so many spiteful people on the interwebs.

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/pts/ … 05958.html

'18 PNW-Organizer's Choice '17 PNW-IOE '15 PNW-Judge's Choice '14 PNW-Heroic Fix
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17 Reply by Spank (edited by Spank 2018-03-26 10:32 AM)

  • Spank
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  • Registered: 2009-06-10
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Re: getting an e46 out of class A

FWIW, the ToyoHog was my parody of the bike-engined "real racer" cars. It was also in my head a parody of people making an otherwise good and reliable car into a crappy car. It was in the same vein as the CorVegge (taking a sportscar and making it a turrible sportscar). The Corvegge never earned an IOE, and actually did turn some quantifiable laps despite the stories that surround it.

I wish you luck.

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  • Registered: 2010-03-08
  • Posts: 419

Re: getting an e46 out of class A

The Gnome was a "win overall or break" class-A car in the hands of its original team.  The snowmobile-powered Miata was very much a class-A car as well and in fact holds the Lemons race lap record at Chuckwalla.

  • RichVS
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Re: getting an e46 out of class A

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f4/f6/9e/f4f69e72e125a5cd355ef1a463c6f905.jpg

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

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  • Registered: 2009-07-19
  • Posts: 1,585

Re: getting an e46 out of class A

I mean, if you really want out of A with a very definite shot at IOE in an E46, then there's a few things sitting around the shop taking up space and gathering dust that I might be talked into parting with. The last car that we raced with this equipment did win two IOEs:

GE 9" 120V DC Forklift motor, low race miles, worked when parked:
http://www.carolinahondas.com/members/roger-albums-pj-picture6742-motor.jpg


GE EV-1 120V DC Motor controller with throttle module:
http://www.carolinahondas.com/members/roger-albums-pj-picture6741-ev-1.jpg


Several hundred pounds (and several thousand kilowatt hours) of "not quite good enough for eBay" leftover Chevy Volt batteries. A couple of these have obviously bulging bad cells, but most are just charging unevenly and very usable:
http://www.carolinahondas.com/members/roger-albums-pj-picture6740-batteries.jpg

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  • From: Life's great in 21158
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  • Posts: 3,361

Re: getting an e46 out of class A

318 Mopar LA Small Block

Then put a badge from a BMW 318 on the trunk.

Confuse bystanders.

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22 Reply by BoB

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Re: getting an e46 out of class A

Being that you will still have a pretty good suspension setup  and will probably handle pretty well you are going to need a monumentally bad idea for an engine swap to get an IOE, and maybe even to get it into c.

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  • From: Newport News, VA
  • Registered: 2015-12-23
  • Posts: 620

Re: getting an e46 out of class A

Detroit diesel.

That guy
  • From: Cleveland, OH
  • Registered: 2011-09-03
  • Posts: 2,227

Re: getting an e46 out of class A

hoverducky wrote:

The Gnome was a "win overall or break" class-A car in the hands of its original team.  The snowmobile-powered Miata was very much a class-A car as well and in fact holds the Lemons race lap record at Chuckwalla.

Balto was class A?

Also how did I forget about the MetroGnome?

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport

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  • Registered: 2010-03-08
  • Posts: 419

Re: getting an e46 out of class A

Balto was given the choice of A with zero laps or B with something like two laps on its debut.  After that there was never any question that it would be in A.

We came damn close to winning a couple of races in that car.  It was legitimately fast, and there was nothing better in traffic.  Also, you know, pull-start.