Discussion
If anyone can remember talk of the E36 '340i' that myself, Turbobloke and Iguana have owned at some point in our lives (Turbobloke commissioned it originally!), then I have just put some pics of it up for anyone interested (it is being sold in the classifieds on PH).
It was an interesting project - a 325i coupe that had an E36 M3 engine upgrade, before that engine was removed and a 4 litre BMW V8 shoehorned in. This was not without its problems as Alpina will tell you (all the B8s were LHD because of the problems with RHD V8 E36 installations). Now it's pretty much sorted and still has an exhaust note that creates conversations.
After a flyby at Silverstone, a chap came up to me in the pits.
"What's in that thing? I've got that E36 M3 Evo over there."
"Oh, it's just the Jamex exhaust. Shifts alright for a 316i doesn't it?"
Oh, forgot to add, it's in the trackday cars section:
www.pistonheads.com/sales/list.asp?p=1&s=119
It was an interesting project - a 325i coupe that had an E36 M3 engine upgrade, before that engine was removed and a 4 litre BMW V8 shoehorned in. This was not without its problems as Alpina will tell you (all the B8s were LHD because of the problems with RHD V8 E36 installations). Now it's pretty much sorted and still has an exhaust note that creates conversations.
After a flyby at Silverstone, a chap came up to me in the pits.
"What's in that thing? I've got that E36 M3 Evo over there."
"Oh, it's just the Jamex exhaust. Shifts alright for a 316i doesn't it?"
Oh, forgot to add, it's in the trackday cars section:
www.pistonheads.com/sales/list.asp?p=1&s=119
The problems were basically involved with a RHD steering set up and the depth of the V8 engine. It's sorted on this one, but the way the column and rack are situated on RHD cars plays havoc with the installation of the engine. It just enters the wrong soddin' side, LOL. You could probably get around it with a dry sump as the area it fouls is the sump pan, which is just a tad too deep as standard. The V8 is a taller engine than the straight 6 or four. Anyway, I'm no expert, but it was all to do with what goes where in a RHD E36 engine bay. It needed some remedial work to get it right - mods to steering column, a few details like that. Most of the money has gone into solving the engineering problems of big engine/small engine bay. Interestingly tho', despite there being no room widthwise in the dilithium crystal bay, there is enough pulley room at the front of the engine to SUPERCHARGE it. 410+bhp in an E36 anyone?
That's right. The beige leather interior was original 325i SE spec. My tech didn't like the beige, so he changed the interior to black. Plus he put in M3 coupe seats as the old seats, although M3 saloon/cabriolet fitment, didn't offer much lateral support. The M3 coupe ones were better. Some carpet etc. got junked in the process and a cage went in. An M3 steering wheel was also fitted, as it had a Momo type thing when I owned it.
Even with all the problems cited, some of which Ray aka Stevie would dispute (but I can't as I'm not a techie) it was - and doubtless still is - an amazing car to drive. Can't see any mention in the ad or this thread about the Geoff Everett rolling road re-chip, done when he was still Mr AmD. Did anyone, domster, iguana or Geoff's heirs and successors, change the chip back to standard? Can't imagine it's slower now but it ate E36 M3 EVOs out of the box down to the torque and some weight loss.
Take a look at the thread in P&P on wives and houses and you'll see why I had to sell it a few years back. If it wasn't for the fact that the ex did a hoover job on my wallet as well, plus the slowly filling piggy bank labelled 'Diablo' on my desk, I'd be tempted.
Here she is just after the initial conversion:
Awesome car.
Take a look at the thread in P&P on wives and houses and you'll see why I had to sell it a few years back. If it wasn't for the fact that the ex did a hoover job on my wallet as well, plus the slowly filling piggy bank labelled 'Diablo' on my desk, I'd be tempted.
Here she is just after the initial conversion:
Awesome car.
turbobloke said:
Can't see any mention in the ad or this thread about the Geoff Everett rolling road re-chip, done when he was still Mr AmD. Did anyone, domster, iguana or Geoff's heirs and successors, change the chip back to standard?
Take a look at the thread in P&P on wives and houses and you'll see why I had to sell it a few years back.
The original Geoff Everett chip was, I discovered later, not as expansive a remap as it could have been and was designed to get the engine running, rather than fine tune it. You may have been unaware of this but I believe even Geoff admitted it was a bit of a troublesome job and he couldn't work his magic to the full. Therefore the engine was running hugely rich (for safety's sake) when you and I knew it. Estimated output was about 240-260bhp. It wasn't running a lambda so it could never be mapped that precisely or for maximum advance etc. Since then it had a new exhaust by Milltek, some sensors added in (inc lambda IIRC) and a full remap by AmD (the current lot). Current output is circa 300bhp. It should still eat M3s
As for the circumstances of its original sale, I was really gutted for you.
The only blessing in disguise was that the steering column issue was discovered and got sorted before the shaft popped out of the UJ when you were on a mission down the A40 
The original seat mountings were less than ideal as well, so it was good to finish Ray and Steve's task as the concept deserved it. It really is a stunning machine with more character than a BMW deserves to have (Only ones I've driven that have beaten it for character are an M1 - gorgeous - and a 2002 Turbo - old fashioned but interesting.) ATB
Dom
PS Glad you found the thread, I was toying with sending you the link.
Its present condition is so far advanced from what it was when I drove it when Dom had it as to be un-comparable.
Not gunna go into it here as its not fair on Dom & turbobloke to expand, but in its original state it really was woeful to drive & not very quick.
The important fig is that now its actually handles & even more importantly its got 330LBft of v8 grunt
I drove it again yesterday & ahh she does make me pine for her, anyway I told a mate of mine about it as I wanted it to got to a good home & hes done the deal on her so at least I get visiting rights
Not gunna go into it here as its not fair on Dom & turbobloke to expand, but in its original state it really was woeful to drive & not very quick.
The important fig is that now its actually handles & even more importantly its got 330LBft of v8 grunt
I drove it again yesterday & ahh she does make me pine for her, anyway I told a mate of mine about it as I wanted it to got to a good home & hes done the deal on her so at least I get visiting rights
iguana said:As I suspect we all agree, there's no point debating what was or wasn't under the skin, since at this stage it's water under the bridge and each party will just claim they were right. Stevie aka Ray would say there's no proof that what was described (to me) was what he did.
...in its original state it really was woeful to drive & not very quick...
As I didn't personally do the work I have no pride or commercial reputation at stake, I just commissioned the car, but let it be said that in its original state it passed MoTs at a station where the technician responsible for the conversion was persona non grata, and where I had no sway with the tester...if he could've failed it he would.
Also just after getting the car back it was hooned around by me and the handling was acceptable, the Editor of BMW Car was in it and said it felt like it was made by BMW (er...) and Domster let his feelings be known to me both before, and after, the allegations of subsurface slapdashery.
As it's now in good nick and good hands, the happy ending is very pleasing to see from a first owner's perspective.
There's not a lot that can be said on a public forum and all's well that ends well, but it has to be said that the failings of the car, MoT or otherwise, weren't a figment of my imagination 
So it would appear that there's room for people to agree to disagree here 
I would have been happy to prove these to you independently if I thought it would have helped. (In fact, you seem to still have your doubts now, so it would have been nice to show you, just so you don't take other cars to either the garage or MoT centre involved) but I was merely content to get the car modified to a standard I was happy with.
However, I do think Mr Iguana has a U-grade in Diplomacy, and I certainly don't think it drove as woefully as he suggests in its original form. I quite enjoyed driving it at the time... as did you and Mr BMW Mag.
What we should agree on, is that it's good that the beast lives on... and the more time and money spent on it, the better it gets...
Rgds
Dom
So it would appear that there's room for people to agree to disagree here I would have been happy to prove these to you independently if I thought it would have helped. (In fact, you seem to still have your doubts now, so it would have been nice to show you, just so you don't take other cars to either the garage or MoT centre involved) but I was merely content to get the car modified to a standard I was happy with.
However, I do think Mr Iguana has a U-grade in Diplomacy, and I certainly don't think it drove as woefully as he suggests in its original form. I quite enjoyed driving it at the time... as did you and Mr BMW Mag.
What we should agree on, is that it's good that the beast lives on... and the more time and money spent on it, the better it gets...
Rgds
Dom
domster said:I don't doubt it, but you also saw the MoT certificates from its last two (or three?) passes. As you say it's good to know the car is sorted and about to give its lucky new owner a lot of pleasure.
There's not a lot that can be said on a public forum and all's well that ends well, but it has to be said that the failings of the car, MoT or otherwise, weren't a figment of my imagination
We're all in the same boat on this one iguana, each party could feel aggrieved but there's no point. The source of the conflicting views are the companies involved, not us, we just pass on what we hear or told.
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