1975 BMW E3 Manual Swap

[ricochang]

Okay, so i have found an excellent 1975 BMW e3, it has an inline 6 M30B30 motor with an automatic transmission, i already know how to swap these cars to manual but I have no idea of what manual tranny will work on these cars. Im wondering if there is a transmission that is interchangeable from either a newer car or a 2002 coupe. Any help is appreciated.

[HBChris]

Getrag 265 OD from e12 through 1981 with speedo output.  They are getting harder to find, join the e9coupe.com Forum.  3.0Si? 

 

Chris

Edited February 25, 2017 by HBChris

[ricochang]

Yes it is a 3.0SI, has the M30B30 motor, will the getrag 265 mount right onto the engine thats in the car or is a engine swap needed too? 

[Gordon]

2002s had a M10 motor so a gearbox from an 02 will not work in a E3.  Your E3 has a M30 motor so you have to use a gearbox compatible with a M30. Your E3 has a mechanical speedometer drive (cable from the gearbox to the back of the speedometer) so you have to use a gearbox with a mechanical speedo drive.   BMW used gearboxes with a mechanical speedo drive up to 81-82 depending on model.  You have your choice of using a 4 or 5 speed gearbox for a M30 motor.   The desirable donor gearbox for your E3 is a Getrag 265, a 5-speed overdrive gearbox that came in 80-81 E12, 80-81 E23, 80-81 E24.  82 E28 528e also came with a Getrag 265 as as carryover from the E12. Problem is, the 82 E28 had a M20 motor so you have to find a M30 bellhousing to use this gearbox from a 82 E28 for your E3.  Euro spec models with a M30 motor from this era also make good manual gearbox donor cars and some Euro spec E24 models have a dogleg close ratio 5 speed gearbox, very rare and expensive. 4 speed manual Getrag gearboxes are cheap and available since they came in all manual gearbox BMWs (E3/E9/E12/E23/E24) with a M30 motor from 70/71-79, early E3/E9 4 speed gearboxes were made by ZF before converting to Getrag sometime in the 70-71 time frame.  In the early 80's, BMW came out with the Getrag 260 gearbox for M30 motors and started using electronic speedometers.  You can use the Getrag 260 but it does not have a mechanical speedo drive so if you use this gearbox, you will have no speedo or odometer (use a GPS device for speedo). In 1985, BMW went back to the Getrag 265 for one year only due to issues with the Getrag 260. Getrag 265 gearboxes in 85 E23, E24 & E28 have a plug where the gearbox speedo cable went into the gearbox. If you use this gearbox from a 85 model, you'll have to find the gearbox speedo gears from a donor gearbox. Problem is, prices are going way up on Getrag 265 since nearly 35 years later, they have become very scarce. I did the autotragic to 5 speed conversion in my former 73 Bavaria and the car was transformed from a cruiser to a car that was a blast to drive and always put a smile on my face, I miss that Bavaria. In the meantime, start acquiring parts for the conversion that will happen sometime in the future and enjoy your Bavaria.  This link should help you with all the parts needed. http://www.e9coupe.com/tech/5speed.html

If you have questions, post them on the E3 page in the E9 forum. http://www.e9coupe.com/forum/

 

G-Man

Edited February 25, 2017 by Gordon

[echappe]

Part Model	Description	Miles	Part Grade	Stock#	US Price	Dealer Info	Dist mile
1981 Transmission Assembly BMW 733 i	4 SPD TRANS EUROPEAN	82,808	A	BB0038	$450	All Foreign Auto Salvage, Inc. USA-MA(East-Bridgewater) E-mail 508-587-0222	1029
1982 Transmission Assembly BMW 733 i	,G/T	0	A	2A3511	$Call	A & D Auto Parts USA-OH(Toledo) Request_Quote 1-419-476-4772 Request_Insurance_Quote	832
1981 Transmission Assembly BMW 633 CSi				BB0012	$500	GMILL NJ USA-NJ(Millville) E-mail 856-293-0003	754
1981 Transmission Assembly BMW 528i	U,4SP			81528	$300	Price Auto Parts USA-NC(Knightdale) Request_Quote 1-800-672-9211 Request_Insurance_Quote	449
1982 Transmission Assembly BMW 733 i	BASE,3.2,F-MT,MT			OB0048	$Call	Case Used Parts #1 USA-SC(Marion) E-mail 843-423-4711 / 800-234-2928	321
1981 Transmission Assembly BMW 633 CSi	5 SPEED MAN LONG WITH SPEEDO DRIVE-			81633I	$Call	Bimmer Parts Can-BC(Duncan) Request_Quote 1-888-309-8899 / 1-250-748-0832 Request_Insurance_Quote	2569
1981 Transmission Assembly BMW 633 CSi	M.T-[B			81633I	$Call	Bimmer Parts Can-BC(Duncan) Request_Quote 1-888-309-8899 / 1-250-748-0832 Request_Insurance_Quote	2569
1981 Transmission Assembly BMW 633 CSi	M.T-[B			81633I	$Call	Bimmer Parts Can-BC(Duncan) Request_Quote 1-888-309-8899 / 1-250-748-0832 Request_Insurance_Quote	2569
1981 Transmission Assembly BMW 633 CSi	M.T-5 SPD				$Call	Bimmer Parts Can-BC(Duncan) Request_Quote 1-888-309-8899 / 1-250-748-0832 Request_Insurance_Quote	2569
1981 Transmission Assembly BMW 528i	2.8 5spd			PV1686	$Call	Highway Motors USA-VA(Hampton) Request_Quote 757-766-1149 / 757-766-2705 Request_Insurance_Quote	580
Year Part Model	Description	Miles	Part Grade	Stock#	US Price	Dealer Info

[TobyB]

Oh, heck, a 2002 gearbox will bolt right up to an m30. 

 

What could go wrong?

 

t

[Lorin]

59 minutes ago, TobyB said:

Oh, heck, a 2002 gearbox will bolt right up to an m30. 

 

What could go wrong?

 

t

 

It was good enough for Alpina in their M30 powered B6 2.8.

 

If you do bolt a 4 cyl gearbox to a M30, you have to use a 228mm flywheel and clutch. The 240mm M30 parts won't fit inside the bell housing.

[jrkoupe]

that is a niiiiice sedan.........wow...tell us more.

[Hans]

Very nice!! Weren't those Bav boxes two piece (separate bell housing)? Seems to me I have a bell housing in the garage that I was saving for some project.

[HBChris]

Yes, two piece but four and five speed bell housings are different.