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Just an idea at this point and if you look at the first prices I found on the web it is probably a distant idea but if I sell the original Z300S and possibly the Merc I will get something as fast as the Merc and as pretty as the Z300S...
Body = Tribute Automotive Z300S Barchetta
Incl. Tax: £1995
I can punch a hole in the bonnet and fit a shaker box no problem...
Just spotted that there is a Merc in front though
Just checking and the engine I am putting in, even when tuned, doesn't hit the top 10. It crawls in with a miserable 12th place : http://www.topcarrating.com/power.php
Current plan (made after beer and without MrsWCA in the house) is:
1) Buy a crapper donor to strip back and prepare.
2) Flog the Z300S for a fortune to fund the buy list
3) Buy lots of shiney bits and slot them in place without any difficulties
4) Register this mod with the DVLA
5) Pop the pretty body on, paint it and drive away into the sunset
I pick her up from the hospital tomorrow morning. Just had to clean and hoover round and I think her 2000w Miele vacuum could be upgraded, perhaps somewhere for the spare BMW engine to go...
Chris has a contact making wide wire wheels so can stick some 275 tyres on it.
Cheaper and more exciting alternative - stick with the stock 193bhp motor and put skinny tyres on narrow rims - it'll feel like it's on the edge at 6/10ths!
MrTowed - Thats what I have at the moment. 5.5 inch rims running high profile 205s that wobble wonderfully. At the risk of sounding like Clarkson, I just like the option of more POWER
NrTowed - your car is beautiful and probable well balanced on those tyres but with 200 bhp and over 200 lb/ft at 3,500 rpm I think the tyres I am running give a similar experience. great fun for playing but I am considering merging this and the Merc as a single daily driver / fun car.
That will leave me with just one car for me and one for the wife (who doesn't drive) so I could potentially sneek in a replacement third car for fun. That wouldn't need to be as practical as the ML430 or as sensible as a 500bhp Z300s.
Ive never done an engine swap before but ive heard a few stories where people spend thousands when I think the simple answer for you is right here.....
Its already black so you could just swap the lot over (including your doors with them cool handles) and im sure you would fetch a bit for a z3m replica with a smaller engine
Just talking with the guy who has done a couple of Z3 conversions and he quoted £8K to do it if I supply the engine and transmission!
He said it is quite straight forward as long and you get the transmission aligned correctly and are very careful with the engine mount design. Apparently once you have done the first couple it gets easier but still not really a project for the drive way mechanic.
Looks like this project may not be going forward. :-(
