M20 Conversion: Cutting required or optional??

[ogryry]

I don't want to say I've given up on my S14 hunt for good but the car needs some power NOW and the M20 seems like the easiest way to accomplish this.

 

My car isn't perfect but it's nice enough that I'd like to avoid hacking up the radiator support. Most of the M20 swap posts, if not all, I've come across address having to cut the radiator support to allow for the m20's added length. I would think that some crafty individual has figured out how to do this conversion without making permanent modifications to the car. I'm thinking custom radiator and a pusher fan.? Can anybody weigh in on whether or not this has been done?

[ogryry]

Oops! Was supposed to go in '02 General Discussion. Not sure what happened there... 

[AceAndrew]

Ogryry,

 

1) A no-cut M20 swap has been done by the illustrious Tom Jones up at Casey Motorsports.  I know he ran an electric water pump at the nose, and an M20-specific Getrag 245 trans to avoid dicing up the trans tunnel.

 

2) Camperman has a great blog where he slid an aluminum radiator underneath the top tray.  Looks factory from the top.  He also ran that Getrag 245.  https://www.bmw2002faq.com/blogs/blog/150-triple-weber-28l-m20/

 

 

3) I'm working on a similar solution as camperman, but where the top tray will be removable for ease of servicing the radiator down the road.  Unfortunately it looks like a number of photo links are no longer valid.

https://www.bmw2002faq.com/forums/topic/116731-m20-triple-weber-build-x2/?do=findComment&comment=1092451

 

Hope that points you in the right direction.

 

Edited February 15, 2017 by AceAndrew

[tonybeemer]

Cut it all and boost it 

[TobyB]

The original conversions from the 80's/ early 90's did not require cutting.

 

They DID require the 4- speed 320 trans mated to an M20 bellhousing, 

using parts that were hard to find then.

And using a distributor that ran off the M20 countershaft, not the front of the head.

 

Look for '6 into 2 does go'...  there are reprints of those articles kicking around.

 

hth

t

[AceAndrew]

Toby, I'm working on an ignition-only wasted-spark setup (kind of like the microsquirt) except utilizing the stock M20 60-2 wheel and be blue-tooth friendly.  It will be ready this summer.  Should be a neat solution for those so "carb inclined".

 

 

Or be like Tony and boost the bejeebus out of it!