[pangolin]

Don't want to mess with tranny tunnel?
I don't know what makes the transmission not fit, well, let the following sink in a little:

E30 BMW uses the Getrag 260 and 240. Get the transmission tunnel from E30, probably only a little past the shifter hole. If you don't have already, battery powered Sawzall (or anybody elses) and go to a Pick n Pull. I've seen E30's occasionally, they are always stripped already. The E36's uses a different transmission (ZF).

 

[MarklotS]

Horizontal string is at the same location as ground relative to the chassis.

“Blerg.” ~ Liz Lemon

 

[MarklotS]

Don't want to mess with tranny tunnel?
I don't know what makes the transmission not fit, well, let the following sink in a little:

E30 BMW uses the Getrag 260 and 240. Get the transmission tunnel from E30, probably only a little past the shifter hole. If you don't have already, battery powered Sawzall (or anybody elses) and go to a Pick n Pull. I've seen E30's occasionally, they are always stripped already. The E36's uses a different transmission (ZF).

Good input for sure. It was just a hope of mine to avoid tearing up the interior through this project. Such is life though.

 

[PSk]

You could gain another inch or 2 at the bellhousing by machining a flat on the bottom of your adapter plate.

Where would the bottom of the cross member have been, height wise? She looks too low to me. Can you tilt the engine over more?
Pete

 

[2mAn]

Dry-Sump? lol

 

[PSk]

Dry-Sump? lol

Yes a valid suggestion but the flywheel is still too low, or is it ... might not be? If not then yes I'd now vote for dry sump as I assume there is a reason for the angle of the engine as it is.

Nothing much harder than an engine conversion, but a lot of thought is going into this one so should come out good.

EDIT:
I went back and found this post: K20 Conversion. If the bellhousing and engine are at the same height as when this photo was taken the bottom of the engine to bellhousing adapter was in line with the bottom of the Alfa cross member. So the adapter and flywheel height is good.

I would make a wet sump that results in the same height, as adapter plate, and all good . It would also look good and logical with all the same heights being used
Pete

 

[nealric]

I'd probably rather have a hood bulge than 2 inches of ground clearance. I'd say 4 is really the minimum for a street car. It looks like you have room to move the engine upwards a wee bit even without a hood bulge.

 

[MarklotS]

You could gain another inch or 2 at the bellhousing by machining a flat on the bottom of your adapter plate.

Where would the bottom of the cross member have been, height wise? She looks too low to me. Can you tilt the engine over more?
Pete

Trimming the adapter would take care of the transmission end but still leaves me in major danger zone up at the pan.

Dry-Sump? lol

If money were no object…

Yes a valid suggestion but the flywheel is still too low, or is it ... might not be? If not then yes I'd now vote for dry sump as I assume there is a reason for the angle of the engine as it is.

It is lower than I’d like in my finished project.

Nothing much harder than an engine conversion, but a lot of thought is going into this one so should come out good.

As always, thank you. I appreciate it even more knowing how much you dislike conversions

EDIT:
I went back and found this post: K20 Conversion. If the bellhousing and engine are at the same height as when this photo was taken the bottom of the engine to bellhousing adapter was in line with the bottom of the Alfa cross member. So the adapter and flywheel height is good.

I would make a wet sump that results in the same height, as adapter plate, and all good . It would also look good and logical with all the same heights being used
Pete

It was all at a good elevation…before I hit rewind on the project in order to move the engine and tranny rearward to make room for steering. The bellhousing was nice and tight to the tunnel at the former position. When pushing things toward the rear of the car the drivetrain had to lower as well to stay clear of the inclined sheet metal of the tunnel. That’s the root cause of the new “opportunity.”

I'd probably rather have a hood bulge than 2 inches of ground clearance. I'd say 4 is really the minimum for a street car. It looks like you have room to move the engine upwards a wee bit even without a hood bulge.

I’m in the same camp. I’d gladly take a good bulge to gain the ground clearance. 4” was my target height given the prior state of the car at 4”. The current angle of the engine and tranny was chosen to clear sheet metal and new the forward prop shaft (correct term?) inline with the original support bearing centerline.

 

[PSk]

It was all at a good elevation…before I hit rewind on the project in order to move the engine and tranny rearward to make room for steering. The bellhousing was nice and tight to the tunnel at the former position. When pushing things toward the rear of the car the drivetrain had to lower as well to stay clear of the inclined sheet metal of the tunnel. That’s the root cause of the new “opportunity.”

Time to take a hammer or grinder to the bulkhead and gearbox tunnel to get it back up where it was then IMO

Pete

 

[MarklotS]

Time to take a hammer or grinder to the bulkhead and gearbox tunnel to get it back up where it was then IMO

Pete

I agree. It is time for that and it’s the right solution in this project. I called a pick-n-pull while driving home from work this evening, taking Pangolin’s good advice, and have found a couple 323i’s that they’ll let me take a sawzall to. I’m going to snag a tunnel from a 2000 323i for dimensional reference and grafting if it comes to that. That will give me an appropriate reference frame with floor and firewall.
So much to learn and skills to gain with fun projects like this!

 

[vintagemilano]

I believe pangolin was talking about E30 bmws... I might have missed a key detail though. E30’s were mid to late 80’s.

 

[pangolin]

The later model BMWs (e36 and later) uses a ZF transmission. I believe people have fitted the Getrag to the newer ones, but the angle is *different, so you can't use the mounting system out of the box. Actually, It's unlikely the floor heights will match. But you should definitely get the shifter mount behind the gearshift hole. I think you should grab up to the center bearing mounting also.

*Actually, that might be due to the greater engine angle of the M52/54. Most people make the M52/54 to M20 conversion. This is why I like this thread...I will use Honda, also.

Anyways, I only know the E30. E36 tunnel probably good also.
I would say its likely the E46 tunnel may be too large, as it is made to accommodate the transmission of the M3, which is the same as used behind the M60/62 V8.

 

[pangolin]

"You gave me this"

See the Milano V8 conversion thread, for this reference.

 

[PSk]

Gearbox tunnel is not a hard thing to make, especially as in most cases covered in sound deadening and then carpet + centre console

Pete

 

[MarklotS]

Gearbox tunnel is not a hard thing to make, especially as in most cases covered in sound deadening and then carpet + centre console

Pete

Agreed. I’m not intimidated by it. The interior is just very sound and clean already and I was hopeful that I could do this without disturbing it much. No biggie. In for a penny…

 

[MarklotS]

The later model BMWs (e36 and later) uses a ZF transmission. I believe people have fitted the Getrag to the newer ones, but the angle is *different, so you can't use the mounting system out of the box. Actually, It's unlikely the floor heights will match. But you should definitely get the shifter mount behind the gearshift hole. I think you should grab up to the center bearing mounting also.

*Actually, that might be due to the greater engine angle of the M52/54. Most people make the M52/54 to M20 conversion. This is why I like this thread...I will use Honda, also.

Anyways, I only know the E30. E36 tunnel probably good also.
I would say its likely the E46 tunnel may be too large, as it is made to accommodate the transmission of the M3, which is the same as used behind the M60/62 V8.

The Getrag I have is out of a 2000 323i so that’s where I’m heading at the pick-n-pull this weekend.

 

[MarklotS]

... This is why I like this thread...I will use Honda, also…

Hopefully there’s something of value for you in here by the end of it. If nothing else you’re being provided with a number of good examples of what not to do in certain parts of your build
In all seriousness though, I appreciate all your input and help along the way. You always have good insights for the dolt on this end of the thread. Thank you!

 

[PSk]

If you can just return to the height you had it, job done

Maybe you can tip the engine over more (Mercedes did this with their 300SL ...) to clear the bonnet, but that might result in inlet manifold modifications (cutting and welding) to bring some of it back to the right place to also fit under the bonnet.
Pete

 

[MarklotS]

If you can just return to the height you had it, job done

Maybe you can tip the engine over more (Mercedes did this with their 300SL ...) to clear the bonnet, but that might result in inlet manifold modifications (cutting and welding) to bring some of it back to the right place to also fit under the bonnet.
Pete

Sorry, I’m not quite tracking with the idea here. Are you talking about rotating about the crankshaft axis like in Sketch B or a driver-to-passenger axis like in Sketch A?

 

[PSk]

B, but the other way so it is more angled to make the engine not as tall. But AFTER you have modified the gearbox tunnel so the gearbox was raised back to the height you had it earlier
Pete