Kits using BMW E36 316 Compact Donor

[rufusdd]

Hi,

My brother recently wrote-off his '95 316i compact. Basically it is all chassis damage, running gear and engine are undamaged. It only has 75k on it so we wondered if there was a kit we could use it as donor for. Any ideas are welcome, I have tried searching for previous threads but to no avail.

Cheers,

Rufusdd

[Stuart]

Hi
The Marlin Sportster kit would use a E36 BMW as a donor.

Stuart

[Patrick]

The compact has the same rear trailing arms as the E30 model unlike the rest of the E36 range so it should be good for E30 based kits too (like the Sportster).

[AutoCustomEng]

HI ,

Patrick is right about the E30,

You can also if you do find a kit use the ZM3 rear trailing arms and setup,

They use the same E30 setup and it is designed for oversteer not understeer

as the newer E46 and above are, I fitted a 2.8 to a compact with ZM3

running gear and a LSD on the back, You can also fit M3 hubs and brakes all

round, the only problem maybe the compact length but propshafts etc can be built,

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by AutoCustomEng

HI ,

Patrick is right about the E30,

You can also if you do find a kit use the ZM3 rear trailing arms and setup,

They use the same E30 setup and it is designed for oversteer not understeer

as the newer E46 and above are, I fitted a 2.8 to a compact with ZM3

running gear and a LSD on the back, You can also fit M3 hubs and brakes all

round, the only problem maybe the compact length but propshafts etc can be built,

I forgot the Z3 range also used that set-up at the back!

We drop an M52B28 into my brothers compact: http://328compact.co.uk/ - with an M50 manifold and remap its quite a quick little car

[AutoCustomEng]

Good Conversion,

I did a few things different, I ran the ZM3 complete rear end, I ran the 328 box with the Zm3 lightweight prop,

I also ran H&R anti roll bars and Eibach springs, the front hubs were hanged to e36 M3,

I took off the ABS, as i didnt like the setup,

Also good idea about the M50 manifold should of done that

I custom made my exhaust using 328 to the cat and then one side of the ZM3 dual pipe sounds a beast,

[Patrick]

There's a guy "alpina" with some number on the end of his name on E30Zone & E36Coupe that sells the bits to do the M50 manifold conversion complete with a BBTB.

It's due an LSD at some point when the right one shows up.

[AutoCustomEng]

thats alright i will machine my own adaptor,

Get a ZM3 it will bolt to the crossmembers and you will need the trailing arms/hubs