Best Non E9 Parts Car

[westoz3.0csa]

Hi All,

I have the opportunity to pick up an '79 E12 528i or an '84 E28 535i at very similar cost.... ie Cheap!
With the intention of converting my Carb'd and auto Coupe to FI and manual (which both are) Which of these would be the better option as a parts car ? and give me other parts that I may be able to use ... I think I read somewhere on this forum that I can use the rear window motors from the E28, anything else ?

Carl Parker
74 3.0CSA
#4330190

 

[61porsche]

Better parts car

The 79. The 5 speed has the speedometer gear. The FI looks more period. IMHO.:-D

 

[Bill Riblett]

If these are like US cars, unless the 79 got converted, it came with a 4 speed.

The E28 has a bigger engine and more modern engine management system. In my opinion, it is a nicer driving engine.

 

[Orangener]

I vote for the '84 E28 535i, because Australia is also a country of boundless possibilities !
A 3,5csi would not be possible in Austria, but on the other side of the world.....

 

[gkb]

Why not a 3.5 in Austria?

Just curious - are there regulations against engine swaps in Austria? Could you bore out a 3.0 as is common here in US (and in my e9)?

Actually my interest in Austria is deeper than curiosity since my maternal grandparents were born there (hence I am 50% Austrian) - visited last year - beautiful.

 

[x_atlas0]

Does the E12 have a LSD, or does your E9? Side-loader LSDs of stock ratios are getting pretty pricey to find. If the E12 does have a same-ratio LSD as the coupe, that alone is worth some serious scratch. The engine isn't the optimal choice. The FI system is a bit of a PITA too, as it is the older Motronic 1.0 system so you'd have to use the flywheel-triggered crank position sensor. Getting the Motronic 1.3 system from an E32 or E34 would be the best performer, especially if you can get the engine at the same time, as the M30B35 is better in just about every way than every previous M30 incarnation, aside from the M90.

If you are willing to go a little further, the "best" OEM M30 mash-up is a M90 block with a M30B35 head, running Motronic 1.3. Will take a little tweaking, though.

 

[Orangener]

Just curious - are there regulations against engine swaps in Austria? Could you bore out a 3.0 as is common here in US (and in my e9)?
Actually my interest in Austria is deeper than curiosity since my maternal grandparents were born there (hence I am 50% Austrian) - visited last year - beautiful.

Na servus, du halber Österreicher !

Regarding your question, as long you have matching numbers, you can du with your motor what you want. You can also install an identical motor, but a swap to a bigger machine with more horsepower is forbidden, because we pay performance-related tax. It would be insurance fraud, exept you make a applicant for admission, and thats a battle with red tape.