BMW E32 750i - Six speed manual
Discussion
I bought this years ago but I've only just start working on it properly! This is still a work in progress but should be done over the coming months.
On a previous thread about some of my cars I wrote the following about it's back story...
2016:
I bought it previously lowered off a friend, unfortunately he had an electrical issue with the autobox that caused the box to stick and lock in gears incorrectly. Sometimes it would be fine, other days it was unuseable. He tried everything including a new autobox but couldn't get it to resolve. He offered it to me cheap but I didn't need another project on my hands (for obvious reasons!), and I wasn't going to get any further with the autobox issue than he had. I said to him if I ever found a manual box then I'd have it off him, otherwise I couldn't take it on. If you know anything about BMW V12 manual boxes then you'll know how rare they are...
About a month later I saw a very bad listed ebay item "BMW V12" or similar, it was for a partially assembled V12 engine out of an 850i... With a complete manual box on the back of it. I couldn't believe it, and you probably wouldn't believe what I paid for it either.
So now I had a partial V12 M70 5.0 engine, V12 manual box, V12 specific flywheel and clutch, gear linkage and the rear part of the prop (which was just hacksawed off on removal!).
The 750i was delivered the next week. This is how it arrived, I got it even cheaper as I didn't fancy the black Style 32s that it came on
In the end I fitted my Hamann HM1s
I haven't started the conversion yet, I might have a look at it towards the end of this year. I have it all sussed out, including the electrics, but need to set aside some time to focus and do it.
One of the biggest issues is the fact it's going to be very hard to fit and route a clutch line and bolt up to a master cylinder due to the colossally wide inlet manifolds. The V12 itself is very compact, but the inlets are massively wide. I even considered pulling the engine to fit the box and do the master cylinder/clutch line at the same time but one of my mates suggested trying a braided clutch line instead.
The V12 clutch is rare and expensive, there wasn't much wear on the pressure plate but the friction plate had seen better days.
So I had it refurbed with new friction material and springs by Precision Clutches, they did an awesome job
Hopefully I'll have some actual progress by the end of the year.
Previous thread here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
On a previous thread about some of my cars I wrote the following about it's back story...
2016:
I bought it previously lowered off a friend, unfortunately he had an electrical issue with the autobox that caused the box to stick and lock in gears incorrectly. Sometimes it would be fine, other days it was unuseable. He tried everything including a new autobox but couldn't get it to resolve. He offered it to me cheap but I didn't need another project on my hands (for obvious reasons!), and I wasn't going to get any further with the autobox issue than he had. I said to him if I ever found a manual box then I'd have it off him, otherwise I couldn't take it on. If you know anything about BMW V12 manual boxes then you'll know how rare they are...
About a month later I saw a very bad listed ebay item "BMW V12" or similar, it was for a partially assembled V12 engine out of an 850i... With a complete manual box on the back of it. I couldn't believe it, and you probably wouldn't believe what I paid for it either.
So now I had a partial V12 M70 5.0 engine, V12 manual box, V12 specific flywheel and clutch, gear linkage and the rear part of the prop (which was just hacksawed off on removal!).
The 750i was delivered the next week. This is how it arrived, I got it even cheaper as I didn't fancy the black Style 32s that it came on
In the end I fitted my Hamann HM1s
I haven't started the conversion yet, I might have a look at it towards the end of this year. I have it all sussed out, including the electrics, but need to set aside some time to focus and do it.
One of the biggest issues is the fact it's going to be very hard to fit and route a clutch line and bolt up to a master cylinder due to the colossally wide inlet manifolds. The V12 itself is very compact, but the inlets are massively wide. I even considered pulling the engine to fit the box and do the master cylinder/clutch line at the same time but one of my mates suggested trying a braided clutch line instead.
The V12 clutch is rare and expensive, there wasn't much wear on the pressure plate but the friction plate had seen better days.
So I had it refurbed with new friction material and springs by Precision Clutches, they did an awesome job
Hopefully I'll have some actual progress by the end of the year.
Previous thread here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
2017:
I gave myself a Saturday to see how far I could get... Not very was the answer, I unburied it and the box and then got the car into the workshop.
Guargantua box... The box is double the size of any other BMW boxes from the same era!
Late 2018 and early 2019:
I actually start working on it properly!
Three pedal V12! Just before the clutch master cylinder was fitted...
Autobox off!
BCs arrived for it last week
Current state of play...
Hopefully the manual box will be fitted in the coming week or two!
I gave myself a Saturday to see how far I could get... Not very was the answer, I unburied it and the box and then got the car into the workshop.
Guargantua box... The box is double the size of any other BMW boxes from the same era!
Late 2018 and early 2019:
I actually start working on it properly!
Three pedal V12! Just before the clutch master cylinder was fitted...
Autobox off!
BCs arrived for it last week
Current state of play...
Hopefully the manual box will be fitted in the coming week or two!
Manual E32s were a factory option from what I'm led to believe, but barely any were ever chosen by new owners. That said I'm pretty sure no manual 750i were offered! I have actually already owned two manual E32 735i, though both were auto swapped by previous owners.
Luckily the 750i and 850i are very similar and most of it will be bolt in. Other manual parts have been donated by a manual E34, which are almost identical to E32s, including all the pedal hardware.
The prop will need to be modified since the autobox has a completely different connection, and I'm not sure on the length difference yet. I'll get a prop company to modify the auto prop once I get the manual box on and I can get accurate measurements.
From what I can tell I will need to shorten the gear linkage by an inch or two, which will be interesting as the body is cast aluminium. I'll probably find someone to weld it, or I had thought about drilling and plating the two shortened halves...
I'll need to fab up a manual box crossmember as I don't have the one from the 850i. They aren't available from BMW anymore, though they are listed for a reasonable price. I have a hunch that it probably wouldn't be a bolt in swap anyway.
Luckily the 750i and 850i are very similar and most of it will be bolt in. Other manual parts have been donated by a manual E34, which are almost identical to E32s, including all the pedal hardware.
The prop will need to be modified since the autobox has a completely different connection, and I'm not sure on the length difference yet. I'll get a prop company to modify the auto prop once I get the manual box on and I can get accurate measurements.
From what I can tell I will need to shorten the gear linkage by an inch or two, which will be interesting as the body is cast aluminium. I'll probably find someone to weld it, or I had thought about drilling and plating the two shortened halves...
I'll need to fab up a manual box crossmember as I don't have the one from the 850i. They aren't available from BMW anymore, though they are listed for a reasonable price. I have a hunch that it probably wouldn't be a bolt in swap anyway.
A year since my last update... Over the last year progress has been very slow with work and personal life blocking me from actually getting on with it. Long story short, it's now on the road!
Anyway, back to last year. The manual drivetrain got fitted up, here the huge 850i manual flywheel is fitted up. It takes a whopping 280mm clutch!
The colossal 850i manual box got heaved on and I made a custom box cross member and re-used the standard 850i box support bush.
The 850i manual gear shifter linkages had to be drastically shortened to fit the E32. I had to get the ali frame welded up elsewhere but the steel linkage rod was easily cut and shut to reduce the length.
The original 750i automatic prop was customised to take the 850i manual flange at the gearbox end and was made to the right length. Some very nervous measurements were taken before getting it sent to JW Engineering in Bexleyheath, who did a superb job and it's a perfect fit!
Anyway, back to last year. The manual drivetrain got fitted up, here the huge 850i manual flywheel is fitted up. It takes a whopping 280mm clutch!
The colossal 850i manual box got heaved on and I made a custom box cross member and re-used the standard 850i box support bush.
The 850i manual gear shifter linkages had to be drastically shortened to fit the E32. I had to get the ali frame welded up elsewhere but the steel linkage rod was easily cut and shut to reduce the length.
The original 750i automatic prop was customised to take the 850i manual flange at the gearbox end and was made to the right length. Some very nervous measurements were taken before getting it sent to JW Engineering in Bexleyheath, who did a superb job and it's a perfect fit!
Onto the brakes... I knew there was a problem with the brakes before I even started the project as driving the car around they were sticking on, but I wasn't prepared for this... 
It's an ex-seaside car and I think I can tell... I've been working on 70s-80s BMWs for 15 years and I've never seen anything like these.
I stripped them down and soaked them in Citric acid for 2-3 days...
A quick wire brush after...
MILES better. I then fully rebuilt them with new seals, pistons, bleed nipples and painted them up.
I actually never took a decent pic with them all refurbed, but here's a front one fitted with new EBC yellows, modelled on the newly installed BC coilovers
Just for a laugh I thought I'd post up my old E32 735i manual in it's current state after I dragged it out of a hedge recently. It had two previous owners after me and was involved in a fairly bad accident a few years ago. Luckily it donated a good instrument cluster and it's heating resistors to the 750i cause!
It's an ex-seaside car and I think I can tell... I've been working on 70s-80s BMWs for 15 years and I've never seen anything like these.I stripped them down and soaked them in Citric acid for 2-3 days...
A quick wire brush after...
MILES better. I then fully rebuilt them with new seals, pistons, bleed nipples and painted them up.
I actually never took a decent pic with them all refurbed, but here's a front one fitted with new EBC yellows, modelled on the newly installed BC coilovers
Just for a laugh I thought I'd post up my old E32 735i manual in it's current state after I dragged it out of a hedge recently. It had two previous owners after me and was involved in a fairly bad accident a few years ago. Luckily it donated a good instrument cluster and it's heating resistors to the 750i cause!
I "finished it" just before the end of 2019 but it still had some niggling issues to resolve. Here it is driving out of the workshop under manual power!
Matt, a friend of mine, was car-less and he has more spare time than me currently so he took the car early January, MOT'd it (went straight through!) and has been doing odd jobs on it since then. More importantly he gave it a wash and put it back on it's Hamann wheels.
Ignore the 5 speed logo, I need to buy a new stick or swap the logo...
Three pedals! The interior needs a good clean...
Another thing Matt did was made a custom 3" half exhaust system for it
Matt, a friend of mine, was car-less and he has more spare time than me currently so he took the car early January, MOT'd it (went straight through!) and has been doing odd jobs on it since then. More importantly he gave it a wash and put it back on it's Hamann wheels.
Ignore the 5 speed logo, I need to buy a new stick or swap the logo...
Three pedals! The interior needs a good clean...
Another thing Matt did was made a custom 3" half exhaust system for it
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