winter project ideas?

[mikek]

i have an '85 280i and i am wondering what i could start w/ for a winter project. it is up and running and driving so i was thinking something along the lines of breaking up grades, suspension up grades, interior upgrades. somethings along those line. do any of you guys have any idea of places i could start. my goal is to do the little things the car is going to need before i put a ford 5.0 v8 into the car. thats why i was thinking about suspension and breakes.
thanks
mike

[sjp76]

Mike,

I too have an 85 280. What's involved in putting that 5 litre beastie into it? I'm guessing the chassis and pretty much everything else needs adapting, but sounds like a great idea. Any reason you chose the ford lump as oppose to a Rover V8?

Cheers,
Steve.

[mikek]

well initally i was planning on doing the motor swap, but i talked to my machanic and he infact has done a 5.0 swap about 10 years ago for a guys 280i. he said it was awsoem. so i figured it would be alot easior if he did the swap and he could also have it done in a very timely manor.

as for the ford motor apposed to the rover. well ford parts are much cheeper, and in some ways more reliable. but also the money that it would cost to build a rover motor apposed to a ford greatly diffrent. Alot of people have been saying that the weight is a major factor in this swap, that is one thing the rover motor has is its light weight. the ford motor w/ alum heads w/o p/s a/c adn all that other unnessary extras may weigh about 400lbs ish. witch isnt much more than the stock motor. also i plan on coverting the headlights like steve's 520. that also saves weight. i have heard of someone that has swaped a 3.8 ford supercharged v6 into his 280i and that motor is heavy and would weight about the same if not more than a 5.0. also i want my care to be diffrent hehehe. i guess thats kinda what it comes down too =).

[SEVANS]

I would think you definitely need to upgrade the front brakes and beef up the rear suspension, assuming it is trailing arm.Upgrade to a Powerlock diff?? What happens with the gearbox with this upgrade, does this need replacing?
Rebush suspension maybe upgrade to nylon bushes.

[mikek]

yep the current 4 speed is gonna be swapped out for a mustang 5 speed all in one swap. what are good breaking up grades that i can do here in the states???