If the last time we posted a LS3 powered E36 M3, you were disappointed that it was on the wrong coast, then here's your chance. We really like this motor/chassis combo and feel that is car is built just as well as the other one we posted. The engine bay is super clean and the rest of the car looks to be a beautiful example of an E36 M3. Find it here in Orlando, FL, for $22,500.
1997 BMW M3, LS3 Swap
For some people, the S14 that comes stock in the E30 M3 just doesn't have enough power or torque for their needs. This is the perfect project for that kind of person. Two owners ago wanted to stuff the V10 from a M5 in between those strut towers, which would be lovely, but plans changed and the car was sold before the project could really even start. As it sits now, it's a complete E30 M3 sans motor and trans. This is a great opportunity for someone to create their dream M3 with a very small amount of work. There is no mention of title status so that would be our first question to ask the seller. Find it here, in El Monte, CA, for $8,500.
1988 BMW M3 Roller
Despite the 530I's nameplate, this car isn't equipped with the expected 3.0 inline 6, but a 3 litre V8 that produces about 210hp and 210tq. This car looks to be in good condition and is equipped with a fairly rare manual transmission. The stance is perfect and there isn't much that we don't like about it. About the only thing that we would like to see changed is a set of catalytic converters and a black or dark brown interior. Find it here, in Richmond, TX, for $8,500.
1994 BMW 530i
The M535i was the M5 before the M5. It was as high performance as possible at the time, sporting a 215hp/230tq 3.4ltr straight 6 with uprated brakes, suspension, and diff. These cars were only made between 1979 and 1981 and were only available in the European markets. This car is in pretty good condition but does need some love. The current owner has done quite a few bits of good maintenance that should keep it on the road for many years to come. Some of the issues are rusty doors, clutch/throwout bearing, and an aged interior. On the subject of the interior, we love it. There's a lot of detail that you just don't get in any of the more modern Bimmers. The color combo is nice on this car and we think it could clean up into something very special. Find it here, in East Atlanta, GA, for $3,000.
1981 BMW M535I
What started life as a pedestrian automatic 323i has now become a full fledged dream wagon. This E46 Touring has benefited greatly from the death of a low-mileage 2004 M3. There's little that wasn't swapped over to the wagon, including manual trans, gauges reflecting actual motor mileage, differential, seats, steering wheel, etc. This is one hell of a daily driver set up that could also be great on the track. We found the car through it's original for sale thread on bimmerforums, here, and the actual ad is on autotrader, here, for $18,750, in Chicago, IL.
2000 BMW 323I, Full M3 Swap
We'll cut to the chase, this car looks like an amazing deal. Not only is it a fairly nice E30 M3 replica, but it has the Euro S50B32 and it's been BAR'ed, meaning it's smog legal! This is like finding a unicorn that can run barrels, is a master at dressage, and is already qualified to run in the Kentucky Derby. Who cares if the horn is fiberglass, it's grafted to it's skull and you're the only one who knows! We're not saying we'd parade around like it's a real M3, but this car not only looks the part, but will perform just as well, if not better. One of the downsides is that the motor is not currently in the car at the moment. Find this great deal here, in Santa Clara, CA, for $12,000. The seller is willing to part the motor and car, but we'd like to see a BAR'ed euro S50B32 running on the streets of CA!
BMW E30 M3 Replica Track/Street Car, BAR'ed Euro S50B32
BMW is, to this day, quite cruel with their performance wagon distribution to the US. So we have to improvise. This E34 wagon not only has a nicely modified S50 from a dearly departed E36 M3, but it also has it's 5 speed manual as well. This car looks great with the M5 bumper swap, drop, and a nice set of CSL replica wheels. We don't mind the green that much, but we would like to know what color the interior is. A few things are going wrong with the car, most concerning is as the seller describes "...speed wobble in the passenger rear wheel, but only when going 53-57 mph... I suspect that it's either a bad wheel bearing or needs to be balanced properly." The worse case scenario is the wheels bearing, which repairing yourself is cheap, but it's a pain. There is some confusion about the condition of the paint on the roof as the seller states in one part of the ad that the roof has been sanded down and needs paint, while in another part says that the roof was taken to bare metal and painted at the same time as the bumpers. All in all, this looks like a great daily driver with some great performance mods that's in very fair condition compared to most E34's that we see for sale these days. Find it here, in Redmond, WA, for $8,000 OBO.
1995 BMW 525I Touring, E36 M3 Drive-train Swap
This is E30 M3 has been fortunate enough to receive a motor from a euro-spec E36 M3. That includes the highly desirable 6 speed trans. We're pretty sure that this is the same Euro swapped E30 M3 that we featured earlier this year, but with a vinyl wrap and a wheel swap. We'd like to see some pics of the engine bay and the paint condition before the vinyl wrap. We'd also like to know if the cracked bell-housing that the last seller mentioned was fixed. We still think this car is a fair deal considering that it is a clean title and and the front fenders have been replaced, but we would like to know if the replacements are metal or fiberglass. We'd love to get this car over on the west coast, but the prospect of trying to get the euro spec motor to pass smog is a mountain we're not sure we want to climb. Even for all of the questions we have, this is still a fair deal for the buy-it-now price of $14,000. This car is going to go fast so find it here, in Newport News, VA, with current bidding at $3,250 reserve-not-met and 2 days 5hrs remaining.
1988 BMW M3, Euro-spec E36 M3 Swap
Be the star of controversy at the next Bimmer meet with this S2000 powered 2002. This unconventional swap is probably one of the best matches of power and chassis, but purist will absolutely hate the fact that there is a Honda motor in your BMW. The seller states that everything works and that the car "runs and drive like a dream." We'd like to see some interior shots, being as the seller also states that the car is running full S2000 wiring harness. We'd like to know if that includes the gauge cluster and if not, are all of the gauges functioning? The car looks great and is sure to be a load of fun on the street or track. Find it here in Tacoma, WA, for $8,000. In our world, there is nothing sacred about a brand. If there is a better drive-train out there, or a body more suitable for that power-plant, then we say do the swap!
1968 BMW 2002, Honda F20C Swap
If the M5 is out of your price range, we've got this 535i that has all of the power and style of the M5, at half the price. The motor has been upgraded to a Metric Mechanic 3.9 stroker and is putting out around 300HP. This car also benefits from euro bumpers and a Hartge fascia. The body color is quite beautiful and the BBS mesh wheels compliment it nicely. Upgrades to the suspension as well as the diff put this car on par with the M5 in almost every way. The bad news is that the car has 586,000 miles on it, no word on how many miles are on the 3.9 or suspension mods, and the interior doesn't look to be as clean as we would've hoped. When compared to the M5, $8,000 is quite the steal, but there is some work that needs to be done to get this car to be 100%. Find it here, in Yorba Linda, CA. We still love the color combo and think that both cars are reasonably priced!
1985 BMW 535I 3.9 Stroker, M5 Alternative
The E28 M5 was the car that put BMW's M division on the map. This particular car looks to be in great condition with recent paint work, a nice list of suspension mods, and a history of diligent care-takers. This car has been stored indoors it's entire life and it shows. A crack free dash and immaculate sports seats are hard to come by in any old Bimmer. As usual, we love the Euro bumper conversion as well as the Hartge fascia and Zender skirts. The down side is that the new paint is due to a mild rear impact 4 years ago and the seats were reupholstered with "German brand leather", not original. Regardless of how the car came to sit in it's current condition, the car still looks great and is fairly priced with a $16,000 Buy-It-Now option. Find it here, in Fairfax, VA, with the current bid at $10,500, reserve not met.
1988 BMW M5
This 325IS looks to be a killer track car setup with potential to be a great street car. The swap looks unbelievably clean and the S52 was completely rebuilt before being installed. Suspension has been tottaly gone through and the hubs have been upgraded to 5-lug. The paint isn't so great and the interior apparently very gutted. The seller mentions not being able to smog the car and there are no pics with a California plate, we're assuming that there will be issues to overcome if you want to daily drive this in California. The seller has posted some very quick times at multiple tracks and has videos of his runs listed in the ad. $7,000 is quite a lot for what is currently a stripped out track car here in CA, but this is a case where you get what you pay for. Find it here, in south San Francisco, CA.
It's not often that you find an E30 Convertible that has been as well cared for/restored/maintained as this. The paint looks great and the interior looks amazing. The dash in good condition for being a convertible, but it does have a single crack. Diving board bumpers aren't normally our favorite but they look great on this car since the plastic bumper trim is painted to match the body color. We also like the E21 320IS lip spoiler, era appropriate Gotti wheels, and the limited slip diff. Find this E30 that's a step above the rest here, in San Diego, CA, for $11,900 OBO.
1987 BMW 325I Convertible
Not only is this the cheapest 850CSI we've seen, it's also has the rare 6 speed manual option. This car needs some paint and the right front headlight needs to be replaced but this is still an amazing deal for a BMW enthusiast. The car has had a recent tune-up and has relatively low miles at 71k. Find it here, in San Jose South, for an amazing $6,500.
1991 BMW 850CSI, Cheap Project
We feature a lot of swapped cars here on Carticular, but not all them are done quite as well as this E36 M3. The LS3 looks to have been professionally built and installed while the rest of the car needs nothing. The only snag is that this car is in Irvine, CA, which means if it stays local, it will have to go through the smog process. Getting this car BAR'ed will require not only a substantial amount of money and patience, but a SMOG referee who is patient and willing to work with you. For that reason, we suggest that this car goes to an out of state buyer. Find the dyno sheet and complete list of parts here, with a price of $19,900 OBO. Negotiate well and you could end up with a reasonably good deal on a great performance car!
1998 BMW M3, LS3 Swap
This E34 looks great and promises to be good fun while grocery getting. The lackluster automatic has been swapped out for a 5 speed manual and the motor has been given a little bit more breathing room with a set of S50 cams. The car sits on adjustable coil-overs and doesn't come with the AC Schnitzer wheels that are pictured. This car is a pretty good deal at $5,500, but there are some minor issues that need addressing. The passenger seat doesn't adjust correctly, some of the front end is a mismatched white, the power sunroof is non-op, and the headliner is slightly sagging in the rear of the vehicle. Find this great daily driver here, in Northridge, CA.
1995 BMW 525IT, 5 Speed Swap, Mild Drop
We see a lot cars that are wild on the outside while running very sedate engine setups. You don't have to worry about that here, every inch of this E30 is as batty as it looks. The pedestrian M20 has been swapped for a R32 GT-R RB26 that has also been built to take just about anything you could ever plan on throwing at it. The brakes, suspension, interior, and body have all been modified in one way or another. Fortunately, all of the changes were tracked and cataloged in the seller's build blog. We don't know if the seller will be able to get what he's asking for the car, but one thing is for sure, you'll never come across another one like it anywhere in the world. Find the complete list of parts and work here, in Lakeview, NY, for $29,999 OBO.
1987 BMW 325IS, RB26DETT Swap, Streetable Race/Show Car
This wonderful 2002 has been completely gone through with one of the best motor rebuilds we've seen in these cars. The body/interior look fantastic and the car is rebuilt from top to bottom with great care. The seller states that the motor needs some tuning to get the maximum potential out of it, but is currently running and driving. Find the full parts list here, in Gleneagle, CO, priced at $11,000.
1976 BMW 2002
Well cared for, lowered, 5 speed swap, 323I touring. It basically sells itself in very few words. This car has very nice list of recent maintenance items and below average miles on the odometer. The stance is just right, falling right just in the realm of daily drivable with minor scrapes every now and then. The matte black roof isn't something we would boast about as it will look like a cheap fix for a sun faded roof. We would suggest that if you cannot live without the black roof to have it painted glass black. This car should turn out some impressive fuel economy numbers and be a very competent daily driver. Find it here, in Gainesville, FL, for $9,000 OBO. The price is on the high side but it is rare to find a 5 speed RWD touring.
2000 BMW 323I, 5 Speed Swap
Sometimes the best daily driver isn't in immaculate condition. Worry free driving and parking is a nice departure from stressing about finding an end stall or having to drive through that shady neighborhood on your way to work. Reliability and fun can be had in an inconspicuous package like this e30. The M50 gives you all of the reliability and MPG's as well as a good boost in power over the m20b27. This car has considerable amount of work done to it and is already a good deal at $2,800, but it also comes with a roll cage that is ready to be installed. Find this daily driver deal here, in Willowbrook, IL.
1986 BMW 325E, M50 Swap
