[Tut4u2]

I figured it was time to start this thread and share with the broader community my winter project. Initially I started this thinking I would do a sponsored build, but I gave up on that quickly given time constraints and not wanting to deal with that hassle.

For anyone who’s done their own car work (or any DIY for that matter) there are a few things and emotions that one usually encounters:
• Optimism and glee at starting something new
• Hope that you will finish on time
• Justifying the cost and time as you fall behind and over budget
• Annoyance in having to repeat something over again (as a former Subaru owner I have grown proficient at pulling those motors; damn you ring lands!)
• Bloody knuckle, a little whimpering, and maybe some tears
• Frustration when stuff simply doesn’t fit (laying on your back and trying to get the input shaft to line up with clutch splines..UGH!)
• Satisfaction and pride when you’re done. That feeling when you step back or turn the key and the motor comes to life…yah…You know exactly what I’m talking about. It doesn’t matter how long it took you, or if it was cheaper to pay someone to do it, or whatever! This is your work and its done, because you did it.

That being said, I’ve always had a soft spot for BMWs. Performance and reliability aside, they made some good looking and good sounding cars.The downside with BMWs as has been my experience is reliability and cost. Parts are expensive and the electronics are shoddy. My E36 driver side window regulator had a mind of its own and after several DIY attempts and even paying the dealer, it still wouldn’t work.

Much has been written and said about the 1M, so I won’t be rehashing anything. Go watch the Chris Harris review and enjoy. While this will be an unpopular opinion, I think the 1M is okay. Looks wise though, I think it looks fantastic. Especially in that valencia orange. Around the same era, you have the E9x M3. The coupes and convertibles are a dime a dozen and I don’t think much of them. The S65 engine though is a gem. It makes all the right noises and has all the revs. I have a supercharged S2K so I'm partial to high strung motors.

A handful of these have been done in one shape or form over the years, so what makes this one any different? Simple: its mine.

Let me address the people who will get up in arms and say this is a waste. Yes there are faster swaps out there. I could swap a LS into a BRZ/FRS/GT86 and have more reliable and cheaper car, but I don’t care and I’m not a fan of how those cars look. I could just get the rear subframe from a M3 and mod the engine on a E82 and be done; however, I want that V8. I’m not out there chasing lap times and to be blatant, how many people drive their cars to the limit? There’s a minority of people who actually buy performance cars and drive them to their full potential. I set out to build a car to have a good experience and put a smile on my face. In the process, I addressed the usual maintenance items and did a couple of upgrades since everything was apart.

Lastly, I had been hunting for a clean E90 M3 for over a year and while this swap cost me marginally more, it was more complete given that I was able to address all the issues and having taken it apart to the bare chassis I know there are no underlying issues or hidden surprises.