Lets talk about something that can make or brake your build, the cost. I did have a budget for this build however, as soon as I started purchasing parts and putting them on the car I knew i was going to go over.
Honestly, I cant give any real advice on budget because its up to the builders preference. I personally like to get it working as cheaply as possible, but that’s because I am Impatient!
So here’s the list of parts i bought to get this thing going.Ill try to separate items into categories to make it easier. Also, I will not put in the cost for the engine and transmission as everyone will get theirs at a different price. When i bought my engine/transmission it came with the ECU, wiring harness, electric gas pedal, engine, transmission, and twin disc clutch. So those parts wont be calculated in the price.
The Big Stuff ($3654.86)
Sikky definitely provided most of the parts for the actual swap itself and it wasn’t cheap.
- Sikky Spec Your Own BMW E30 LSX Swap Kit ($3654.86)
- T56 Transmission Mount
- Engine Mounts
- Differential Spacers
- Urethane Bushings
- Stainless Steel Driveshaft
- Oil Pan Kit ($699.95)
- Oil Pan Gasket ($49.99)
- Oil Filter Relocation Kit ($174.99)
- Stainless Steel Headers ($1,199.99)
- Aftermarket Control Arm Bushings ($189.99)
Fuel System ($500)
I’ll make a separate post for the fuel system because there is a little bit of information in there that would have helped me out when i started. Here are the parts.
- 15 Gallon Fuel Cell ($122.88)
- AEM 380LPH Fuel Pump ($145.68)
- Fuel Filter ($22.77)
- Fuel Rail Connector ($10.99)
- Fuel Pressure Regulator/Filter ($75)
- 10AN male Couplers ($9.69)
- 8AN to 6AN adapters ($7.99)
- 6AN Line and extra fittings (~$50)
- 10AN line and extra Fittings (~$50)
Brakes ($680)
There are a lot of different ways I could have gone on the brakes however, i decided to go with the full “race brake” setup. Which is the Wilwood pedal assembly and custom made lines. Ill also make a post about this as there’s a lot of information to take in. NOTE: This is BEFORE I do my E36 Brake Upgrade!!
- Willwood Pedal Assembly ($199)
- E30 Pedal Bracket for Wilwood Pedal ($175)
- 2x 5/8″ Master Cylinders ($166)
- 1/8″ NPT – 3/16″ Adapter ($9.50)
- 3-Way Female Brake Line Tee ($18.00)
- Brake Line Clips ($11.75)
- Copper Nickel Brake Line 25FT ($19.49)
- 3/16 Steel Tube Nuts ($4.99)
- Stainless Steel Brake Lines ($74)
Electrical ($200)
Electrical is something that will be different for everyone as people get different deals and need different things for their setup. I wanted the thing to start and drive right away so im pretty easy. Also, I got my harness/ECU when i bought the engine and transmission. So i didnt have to buy that.
- 10 Gauge Wire ($50)
- 14 Gauge Wire ($50)
- Lots of different style connectors (~$50)
- Fuse Box for engine components ($12)
- Relays/Fuses (~$30)
Miscellaneous stuff ($914)
There is a lot of extra stuff that doesnt really fit into a good category so ill just put all of it in here. Some stuff will be discussed in other posts. This is just to give you an idea of the cost, not necessarily go into the specifics.
- Chase Bays Powersteering conversion kit ($319)
- E36 Power steering Rack ($190)
- E30/E36 power steering rack spacers ($25.50)
- Ebay R32 Radiator ($147)
- 2X Lower Radiator hose B70938 (~$20)
- Steam Port contraption (~$20) (Will discuss in cooling post)
- Lots of heat resistant protection sheath (~$60)
- Clutch Slave Cylinder ($45)
- 4an stainless steel line ($37)
- Remote Bleeder Kit for T56 ($50)
This list is only to give you the general idea as to what you will need. You will definitely be spending some money at your local auto parts store and probably Ace Hardware. What I plan on doing is making posts and or videos that will go through each of these categories and discuss all the things that you need to know about doing this swap. If you have any questions or suggestions for future videos/posts please comment below!
Thanks for reading!
