The E34 generation of BMW’s 5-series was sold from 1988 through 1995 with a wide variety of available engines. The collection of available motors included the beastly S38 inline-6 in the M5, the sweet sounding M60 V8, a bunch of slilky inline-6s of various displacements, a few junky inline-4s for Europe (including a 103 horsepower […]
This next Ford Model A makes up for all of the Jaguars with small block Ford V8s (and Chevy 350s) that we’ve posted over the years…and leaves some change on the table. It starts with a 1930 Ford Model A Coupe that has been chopped and then adds a Jaguar inline-6 that has been juiced to produce some insane amount of horsepower if we are to believe the 9.32 second 1/4 mile drag time according to the seller (then engine needs a new headgasket, but don’t even think about putting a Chevy V8 in it!) We’ve always wondered where the old XJ engines go when someone shoves in some lump of American iron…well here it is. Find this 1930 Ford Model A Coupe offered for $14000 in Modesto, CA via craigslist. Tip from Andy.
This next car comes as a tip from Cory who writes; One of the odder volvo 240 swap cars I have seen- BMW engine and volvo s60 dash. In my opinion, the car is close to being actually good, but some very odd details (steering wheels is horrid) keep it in the mongrel category. Never seen or heard of anyone swapping in a poorly fitted dash into one of these. Find this 1990 Volvo 240 Sedan with BMW inline-6 swap offered for $1250 in Suffield, CT via facebash markingbaste.
BMW wagon owners always complain that BWM didn’t export their best engine/transmission options into their wagons for the US market — and it’s true! The E34 5-series had a V8 and a 6-speed option, but it was never available together on the wagon…perhaps because they assumed wagon owners were family men/women who wanted to just cruise. Anyway, if you want the wagon and you want to have fun, you’ll need to find one that has been modified like this next beast, which is now powered by an E36 M3 drivetrain. Find this 1993 BMW 524iT with S52 inline-6 swap bidding for $5,000 in Burlington, VT via eBay. Tip from Cory.
This next car has me scratching my head. And my leg. And my back…oh no, that might be fleas or bedbugs…but I’m still totally and completely and utterly flummoxed by this next car. On the one hand, I hate it when people shove carburated small blocks into classic inline-6 powered Jags, but I don’t mind […]
The RX-8 was Mazda’s replacement for the out of production RX-7, introduced as a last chance attempt at saving the rotary engine. The RX-8 was built starting in 2003 and ending in 2011 when the lights went out on production of Felix Wankel’s spinning machine…for now. Anyway, the RX-8 rapidly gained the a similar reputation […]
This next car will invoke some serious “why would you do it?” and “why wouldn’t you do it?” discussions with car guys. It could be the best car to meet your future inlaws and simultaneously the worst car to meet your future inlaws. A Toyota 7M-GE from the 80s also the best possible upgrade to […]
I was engaged with DT’s Technical Editor CFlo in a spirited battle of “who drives a crappier wagon” (spoiler alert, it is CFlo) when I said with a twinkle in my eye, “you know what DT really needs?” “A 225 degree fahrenheit ethylene glycol enema?” “No…well…maybe…but what I was thinking is that it needs more […]
If you are confused when BMdubheads get into their nomenclature, you are not alone. And you don’t need to know the difference between an E36 and an E37 to understand the appeal of a rear-drive manual-transmission sport sedan from Germany. Find this 1989 BMW 325i E30 offered for $12,500 in San Diego, CA via craigslist. […]
Time to wipe all history of the previously featured V6 powered MX-5 from your mind and start fresh like a Hillary Clinton e-mail server. This next car combines the gorgeous lines of the Malcolm Sayer & Doug Thorpe designed coupé (that is pronounced coop-A) with the silky smoothness and rock solid reliability of a Toyota […]