Bmw E46 in a chevy 3100

[minishorty]

Hi all as above I have a 1950 chevy 3100 stepside and I want to drop a sweet bmw engine into it for a good daily driver . Can anyone recommend someone that could make me a stand alone engine wiring loom. There is no wiring in the chevy at the mo so it could all possibly be moved across but I am a bit worried about it possibly going into limp mode due to lack of sensors on the chevy

[andy43]

Cheapest might be to go aftermarket ecu - as long as it'll operate the variable valve timing.
Or if you can find the people who do E46 M3 estate conversions they'd probably be able to wire the original system up.

[kambites]

There's a handful of companies which put BMW engines into kit cars; might be worth contacting one of them for advice. They might sell you a full loom for their car which would probably have similarly simple other components.

[minishorty]

I have only found one so far looking at a grand for aftermarket ecu and loom I was expecting to pay 500 or 600 but a 1k is a hell of a lot

[unsprung]

alternatively, if you don't mind a less sexy OEM, there's probably a Vauxhall four or six that's not too differently spec'ed

parts and ECU might be easier to come by

and there's always the odd time-warp of putting a UK GM into a US GM; makes for a good story when talking about the car

Edited by unsprung on Tuesday 1st May 12:23

[steveo3002]

id fit the whole loom then you have the choice to adpat some to use for lights /radio etc then snip out whats not needed

[lufbramatt]

Contact GKD sportscars? They use BMW engines with the BMW ECU and appear to supply a conversion loom with their kits.

I'd imagine if you can scavenge the complete engine loom out of the BMW along with the ECU, immboliser module, ignition barrel etc. it wouldn't take much to make it work in a different car.

also older engines will probably be easier- cable throttle rather than DBW etc.

Edited by lufbramatt on Tuesday 1st May 12:43

[Krikkit]

Sorry to be a pain here, but why not a carbed Chevy smallblock instead? Totally reliable, easy to fit, keeps the American theme going.

[KevinCamaroSS]

Krikkit said:

Sorry to be a pain here, but why not a carbed Chevy smallblock instead? Totally reliable, easy to fit, keeps the American theme going.

I'm with Krikkit here.

[Willy Nilly]

KevinCamaroSS said:

Krikkit said:

Sorry to be a pain here, but why not a carbed Chevy smallblock instead? Totally reliable, easy to fit, keeps the American theme going.

I'm with Krikkit here.

+1 but 350 or 454?

To add, the BMW may well be a great engine and will be lovely and smooth, but ti won't sound right in the pickup. It has to be a Chevy V8 in there, ideally with fruity pipes

Edited by Willy Nilly on Tuesday 1st May 13:43

[minishorty]

ive got a bm engine in my ferrari replica and with the right exhaust they can sound grate and still do 40+mpg unlike the chevy what that will do 16 mpg on a good day. cars already bought and I started to pull it apart

[minishorty]

lufbramatt said:

Contact GKD sportscars? They use BMW engines with the BMW ECU and appear to supply a conversion loom with their kits.

I'd imagine if you can scavenge the complete engine loom out of the BMW along with the ECU, immboliser module, ignition barrel etc. it wouldn't take much to make it work in a different car.

also older engines will probably be easier- cable throttle rather than DBW etc.

Edited by lufbramatt on Tuesday 1st May 12:43

thanks for the info I plan to take out as much as I can and refit everything in the chevy clutch accelerator the lot , it's just the sensors the chevy doesn't have will cause me problems

Edited by minishorty on Tuesday 1st May 14:50

[lufbramatt]

Willy Nilly said:

KevinCamaroSS said:

Krikkit said:

Sorry to be a pain here, but why not a carbed Chevy smallblock instead? Totally reliable, easy to fit, keeps the American theme going.

I'm with Krikkit here.

+1 but 350 or 454?

To add, the BMW may well be a great engine and will be lovely and smooth, but ti won't sound right in the pickup. It has to be a Chevy V8 in there, ideally with fruity pipes

Edited by Willy Nilly on Tuesday 1st May 13:43

I think the original engine would have been a straight 6 so I can see where the OP is coming from

[foxbody-87]

I sold an LS400 to a bloke who planned to drop the engine in a Chevy pickup. Lovely, smooth engine but kind of wasted in a rattly ‘50s pickup!

[Krikkit]

minishorty said:

ive got a bm engine in my ferrari replica and with the right exhaust they can sound grate and still do 40+mpg unlike the chevy what that will do 16 mpg on a good day. cars already bought and I started to pull it apart

They do sound great, but I think it might be optimistic expecting 40mpg from a big lump like a Chevy 3100.

Your car at the end of the day, but I'd be favouring fewer electronics either way.

[kev b]

The chosen engine for fifties pickups around here seems to be a 1980s Transit 2.5 DI, same power as the original six with more torque and better economy, five speed box as well if you like.

[minishorty]

God no not a transit, I have built 5 kitcars all with beemer engines touch wood never had a problem with one and they sound awesome with a twin stainless exhaust on

[curlie467]

kev b said:

The chosen engine for fifties pickups around here seems to be a 1980s Transit 2.5 DI, same power as the original six with more torque and better economy, five speed box as well if you like.

I'm genuinely curious as to How Many 50s pickups are in your area with transit engines?

[otasell]

Got any pictures of chev with transit engine fitted??

[Whatapex]

Maybe try endtuning or bwchiptune,i think that's what they're called and i think they've both done ECU's and looms to fit BMW engines in other cars.
But doesn't such a car deserve a nice little smallblock ?