A tip that a lot of people don’t know: You can use a 92-01 Toyota Camry ball joint as a trailing arm bushing replacement. It’s a sealed spherical bearing and it only costs like $20. Fits perfectly in an E36 or E46 trailing arm pocket. Part number K200786. You’re welcome
I'm so fkn confused at how this would work....are you referring to the upper and lower control arm bushing on the trailing arm or the actual trailing arm to body bushing ?
@@minzahhh1 Trailing arm body bushing Put in a Google search for “E46 Toyota Camry RTAB” and it’s the first thing that comes up. Plenty of info on the forum
@@minzahhh1if you google the PN he posted, this looks dead on the E46 M3 ball joint for the upper and lower control arms on the rear trailing arm. This isn’t a crazy life hack as the aforementioned M3 ball joint is about the same price when you buy the Lemforder made part (which is the OE supplier).
@tass2001 yeah control arm to trailing arms it makes sense but the way he said it "fits perfect in the trailing arm pocket" anyone who's owned one would assume the trailing arm to body mount is the "pocket" he's referring to
Your BMW vs SChassis video is what made me look into a bmw chassis when I knew NOTHING about drifting. Bought an 05 325i for $1,500, drove it home, and started drifting with it bone stock. Spiraled into the SBC swap madness it’s become. I tell everyone you’re why I have a bmw lol. It was sick to finally learn from you at the class at Kilkare as well 🤘
You guys in the US have it real good! You only have to give a lil bread and butter to get an e36/e46. In Germany the 325/328/330 are costing about 12k to 17k. For one in decent condition.
This has been one of the most informative videos I've watched about E36s and E46s. I bought a 318i a while back thinking I could turn it into a drift car but have since bought a 328i to replace it. After watching this I'm glad I did
Just a note to add about the clutch fans, MAINTAIN YOUR MOTOR MOUNTS. Clutch fans don't fail unless your mounts do. Learned this the hard way after signing up for a drift clinic 4 hours away from me right after I bought my e36. My day ended two hours in. 03' 330's had 6spds too btw! Factory ZF's
“E36 Sedans and coupes are the same just have different body parts” Kinda like Chelsea and Chelsea 😂😂 You guys keep killing it as always. I love your channel been watching for a while
Here in Europe prices of E36s and E46s are unfortunately rising exponentially: a 318is in great condition with a rust-free chassis and an healthy engine is gonna be around 5k (obviously they can be much much cheaper in worse condition)
Rust was the main killer of E36 here in Norway. I still remember when the E30 was cheap. But they have gotten expensive years ago and same with the E36. E46 is starting to climb in price to. I think E90 are the go to in Europe. It has to be a 6 cylinder base, stronger drive train. If you could get a hold of a 325D or 330D and swap the engine that would make sense to.
@@scottex. I agree if you're talking about the engine, because you can swap it if you want, but if the chassis is rotten to shit then it will be a lot of work, even though it is a lot more doable on an E36/46 than a jdm car
Great advice from both. The 330zhp was one of my best loved cars ever. The e36 is easy to mod but the e46 feels better out the box. If I can add 2 cents... My clutch fan and AC was a bottle neck so at some point better cooling happens once you remove the exploding clutch fan. My e46 m3 that I bought in 2006 is still in my garage... Best chassis ever
This video was very informative. Been building an e46 drift car myself and I feel reaffirmed. Congrats in Monroe btw, I went the last 2 years- it's always a blast watching you go full send!
I agree with what your saying about buying the right spec. I bought a worn 325i for 3k cause it was manual with a black sport interior. After 3.0 liter swapping it I realized I’d need a zf trans just to slide it around in the dry then I’m spending all this money to turn it into a 330 when I should’ve just bought one. Oh well live and learn I guess
In germany (Where E36 exist like sand on a beach) you pay like 42k$ for a M3 coupe with 270.000km considering they are basically suspension/ engine fked after 120.000km. They all act like they have the 💩 whilst only having💩. This goes for the 323/325/328i too you get them for 10k with 250.000km and also RUST is a problem on these especially in germany
You two covered most everything, e36 shocks towers are definitely a issue! I tell everyone I meet that decides they want a e36/46 to replace entire cooling system as first mods! What I am starting to notice is some oem new e36 parts are going bye bye, discontinued. Like S chassis so many oem parts are discontinued now. I also don't see e36 in junkyards as much anymore which is a bad sign, they are disappearing.
shout out corey ellis from the haze drift team for getting the dorman rebuildable driveshafts to be a thing. $600 for a brand new ZF driveshaft with swappable Ujoints and stronger all around with a warranty is a hell of a deal. also perks of e36 M52 is how tuneable the stock ECU is. im on 3 seasons of 11psi of boost in mine on stock ecu, pump gas and just studs and a fresh stock head gasket
Great info. I'm from the Philippines and I have a 316i. I turboed it then problems happened when the ECU got wet. Next engine was a M50b25tu and I supercharged it making around 300hp. It hydrolocked in a flash flood. Finally I bought an S52B32 and also supercharged it and bought everything M3 like the drive train etc. It was very expensive since I had to ship parts from the USA to the Philippines. But now I'm happy with a reliable daily driven 400hp car. I don't need more than that.
Currently have an E46 323i that I'm building up to be a "daily driver." M50 manifold swapped it, swapped it to M54 ECU/fuel rail/filter/evap canister, put a M54B30 cam in it, etc. Tons of headache. It does run awesome now, but has been a pain! I'd like to turbo it so that means 330 drivetrain. Seriously, if you're going to modify an E46, do not buy the 323. Just don't. You will eventually end up with mostly 330i stuff. Buy the 330i. This man speaks the truth. (And as someone really missing my E36, E36 > E46, hands down)
Bought my e46 323i in 2019 for 1700 only because the other variants at that time and even still are going for 5-9k in my area for beaters. I’ve done all of the subframe repairs/reinforcements, PSM arms, angle kit, coil overs, with plans of trans and diff/axles swap, hand brake next. Then later on put a super charger on it while keeping everything as factory as possible for sake of reliability.
You can swap 330 trailing arms into an e36 and they're the same hub size as m3, also infinitely cheaper. Also 330 automatic left side axles (which are basically as strong as m3 axles) are same length as e36 and don't need the bigger stub shafts. Just did this on my 325 😂 but it fucking rips so I'm happy with it.
The service Chelsea(s) does for the community is insane he doesn’t keep shit secret just gives u all u need to have fun and be competitive or whatever we need that back in the community
I bought a 330ci m-sport for 3k last week and I want to get an e36 soon I love both platforms and I think they are amazing depending on who you get it from and what the state of the car is in, love them so much
2023 - September ZF trans found in a junkyard for $340 ..there is hope. plenty of 328 e36 and 328i/ci and 330i/CI e46 in the yards. until I snag them all. haha cant wait to mount up the ZF to my 1jzvvti Is300 and get back to ripping. good info in this video though
A few years ago I got a non running 98 323is for 1200, sold the full drivetrain for 1200 and then got an LS for 1200. Plan to run a AR5 trans from a slingshot. I’m hoping to be in track next summer! Yes I know I probably could of got it running for cheaper and already be on track but I’ve always wanted an LS NA build.
When the world runs out of E36 and E46 it's going to be time to start running C-Classes. W202 and W203 230 kompressor cars with the M111 put out 193 crank ps, they are very cheap and come with forged internals, easily boostable. A bit more finicky with the electronics than an E36 though. When I save up I hope to do a drift build on my turbo diesel W204, which I expect to be challenging (it is a 1585kg or 3500lbs boat)
For us, it is cheaper to use diesel plateforme to drift because they are cheaper than gas one and there is a lot of them. 230k can be a a good one but I heard that there is something with the power delivery on early throttle in order the have a smooth power delivery. If that it fix, it can be fun, I guess
Makin me feel old mate... Been in the game since 06 had my share of basically every "clout" car as the kids would say now-a-days. I was blessed to go to college in Japan and marry my Japanese wife and own all the legends and so on so forth. Seeing all the price explosion now-a-days kills me!!!!! "paid $3700 for a RZ 99 FD, $7200 for a 91 R32 GTR" As a new home owner and a kid I have a miata LMFAO! OMFG I hate it! But I still get my track days in and crush it. I always loved pushing the under dogs beyond what people think is capable. Best part, I was a instructor for Extremespeed and Speedventures for more than 6 years so I don't even pay for track days anymore I just coach when I have the time haha! Good content mate, we're old AF and wrenching on these is getting harder by the day, but keep on keepin on my dude! Good stuff. I won't do another E36 tho... Fkn-A I hate wrenching on those things! It's not the motor/drivetrain it's all the other shenanigans that the body/chassis harness integrates with >_< and I just don't wanna deal with em hahahaha!
pro tip for M54: Deleted the thermostat before an event, and overheated because I didn't block a hole in the head. Grabed a 22 socket, welded the hole shut and pressed it in there. Problem solved!
Well I love them both. But I have an E46 with a complete E46 M3 swapped into it. It WAS a 330ci and as far as anyone knows from the outside it still is but the guts are all M3. I love it!!
You posted this video at the greatest possible time for me😂 I’m stationed in Germany and have a 318 and have been at a toss up between building a little winter warrior or getting something else Potentially just building a nice sim so I can stay out of trouble out here lol I think I’m going with the sim honestly, build a car when I go back to the states
Thanks for the video, glad I bought a e46 328 for my daughter now, I learnt in a e36 328, suffrage will now come out because she's a rusty boi, congrats on the FD 🏆
I bought m50b25 engine about 5 years ago for my e36 which i have for 5 years also, used it for "spinning" and drifting 2019,2020 and 2022. I know of 2 previous owners who used it for skids. The engine had a skimmed head and i did a port and polish job last year. Getrag gearbox ,323i auto whole subframe with diff(3.64). Both engine and gearbox come a long way in terms of being bashed around on limiter. I broke that gearbox last year and the engine broke 1 piston this year january. But power wise and response it really did the job. Plus i have e36 m3 euro custom exhaust manifold. Not trying to boost my channel but feel free to check it out for yourself. I never had a clutch fan, im using a 318is electric fan and never had an issue as long as its on high speed, and my country is hot. Winter here is like 13 degrees Celsius min😂.
3 years of sending it e46, i knew about the subframe so welded some cheap plates made diy vince bar strut bar list goes on etc ... 3 years no frame damage yet 🤞
in 2016 i got a '94 boston green 325is 5 speed 190k miles for $1000 been to two track days and 7 drift days while still a daily driver drivetrain was always solid. Only snapped two axles (snapped orig then replaced and snapped during test drive swapped again now its good) now 2023 its getting a M60 swap since the old M50 head cracked, def from multiple times I overheated it. M50 doesnt really have power and torque so I made up for it with speed and really hucking it Id do it all over again
Got 325ci for drifting Transmission and axels are fine, people are running turbo on these with 400whp, just subframe reinforcement plates and better clutch and everything works fine In lithuania e46 is way more preferred for drifting than e36, subframe reinforcememt for 1500$ like you said is crazy, in here 150-400 euros
My 325i had weirdly strong axles, I did years of N/A s50 drifting and then a few events at around 400whp before upgrading to m3 rear for peace of mind. Never broke one but I still wish I had just started with an m3
My 328i had weirdly weak axles. Granted, they lasted 2 years and a lot of abuse, but I snapped both in the same month and they were def oem. It's been junkyard oem axles since
I remember buying my second E36 for a couple hundred bucks and a handful of weed lol.. I painted it Kubota orange, extended the stock control arms, then had you on my door shortly after... Man have times changed
E46 330 auto vs manual have oddly enough have different axles. Auto axles supposedly stronger. 330 come with bigger brakes. Not that that matters much for drifting. E46 M3 have factory widebody. So fitting angle and bigger tires under it is much easier. Can you please do a video about drift suspension set up. Like you did the solid axle on the fox? Like going into detail how what changes effects different things like grip side bite and so? I know some. But I’d love to tap into your yrs of experience of setting up these cars.
This video is fire 🔥 just helped me out a lot when getting my first e36. I’m looking to get into this as a hobby, and have some fun. Thanks bro for all the info! 😎
The prices and availability part of this video applies up to about 2015 in Europe. Current cheap 6 cyl manual 3 series over here is E9X, never tried one tho
I just got "serious" drifting in the past year and I have a 318ti cali top that came with a 2.8 swap. I absolutely love it and it's a little weapon on the track however the axle issues pushed me to spend $3k on a 328 and retire the ti.
Lucky i got my e36 in late 2017 before prices started going up. 95 325is auto for $650, complete 5 speed swap from a 328 with a zf320 trans for $800, and a 2.8 w/ 120k miles for $600
Mileage is such a good point, and I always try to beat it into peoples heads lol. 50K miles in the wrong hands can be waaay worse than 200k miles in the right hands.
Hey, that gold E46 you show when you switch to that topic... that's mine. Like, mine was sold on Cars and bids twice, and the first listing photo is in this video. It now looks like a pack of Marlboro lights with the livery on it, and it's a full-time dedicated grip car. Small world!
If anyone's curious, it's got a fully rebuilt M3 rear end, all poly/delrin/spherical bushings, chassis reinforcements, m54b30 from an e60, 330 brass guided front brakes, all steel lines, a ZF 5 speed, IRP shifter, 11lb flywheel and JB Racing clutch, deleted SAP, AC & washer reservoir, Power pulleys, billet oil pump, baffled pan, no interior, hard mounted buckets, widebody, Apex arc8 18's, hoosier A7 295s, SLR circuit control arms w/ bump steer kit, Silver's neomax 1 ways, Yellow tag steering rack with Ujoint instead of guibo, treehouse lollipop fcas, shmeidmann headers, dinan intake.... And everything else that I haven't mentioned has been touched too. It's been uhh... pretty built :) She rips though. Originally was a 325 but there is not a single 325 piece left in it. Both of the times it was listed, including the picture used in this video, are can be seen on carsandbids.
Man i miss the days of wrapping a 328 around a tree drifting then going and picking up a running and driving 328 w days later for $600. Ive owned i think 7 of them amd i loved them all
This is a super awesome video. So much great info I've been trying to figure out what bmw 3 series will fit me best. Thank you 👍❤️👍 Curious about 330i and 530i ??
Great video... Loads of knowledge, thank you. I love my 330 e46's... 1 is a modded (bodywork mostly, carbon bits) 03 imola red msport (ZHP) Saloon (sedan) 128k miles, with the 5 speed.. That one i've been messing with that changing bits since i bought it 4 years ago.. It's a great car... Then an old mate was moving back to Poland, so i bought his Sapphire black 04 330 msport vert 112k miles with the 6 speed... Mint car, hasn't moved since i bought it 2 years ago lol.. Nearly had a Techno Violet e36 M3 many years back. I just couldn't justify paying 10k for a car that had rust on it.. Yep, luv ma beemers.. I'd have more if i had somewhere to park them :) Am in the UK. They weren't too expensive to buy when i bought them. But they've both basically doubled in price since owning, not that i'd wanna sell them.. I don't sell anything
Also, for anyone that has a 330i e46 and wants to start drifting. Do not even attempt to start drifting it without some kind of modification to the oil pump nut/sprocket etc. The best thing you can do is get the upgraded pump from SLG and call it a day because your oil pan gasket is probably leaking anyway.
My 1997 M3 has 330,000km on it, never had any issues. Just usual maintenance. I don't drift it but I definitely rip on it/redline it every time I drive it. Sollidddd car 👍
37:32 My E46 328i is 1260kg with medium weight reduction but a few of the guys I drive with have very lightweight 330i's at aroung 1020kg to 1050kg. That would be 2250lbs. This is extremely light and when you have 231hp (crank) they are plenty to drive 3rd gear tracks. If you do some NA mods like headers and cams and a tune and go into the 250-260hp range at this super light weight you will be way faster than any 350Z.
Your bmw vs s chassis video is what made me buy my e46 when getting into drifting. Later skyrocket to an sbc swap, but regardless. It was great to finally get to hang out and learn a lot at your class at Kilkare as well. 🤘
Meanwhile in Europe we have lots of fun with barely whatever we find rear wheel drive. I had an E34 diesel as training drift car full stock for years and it was the most fun and best teacher for under 200€. USA drift scene feels like the same cake with another taste. You definitely just can't avoid going big and overmaking everything, in general 😂 love your drift scene nevertheless. You really know how it's done. Cheers from Spain!
I bought my 330i freshman year of highschool, been drifting it with a welded ever since. Bone stock, overheating till the rad cap blew off. Still serves its purpose to this day. I run 265/30’s in the rear and can keep up with any of the “stock-ish” cars on track. Buy a 330.
I’m not sure I agree with your math for 325i vs 328i. I got my ZF from a junkyard for $200. And I didn’t think the 328i axles were any stronger. Even so, I can get the axles from a junkyard for $40 a piece. Driveshaft is cheap too. So cost wise I still think the 325i makes more sense. But do you think the power of the 328 is significant enough for it to still be the better choice? On paper it doesn’t seem like it would make that much of a difference
Thought the same shit owned more 325’s e30, e36, e46. Flipped a few 328’s and didn’t notice power that much in comparison. Not worth the extra money if you get your hands dirty
My 1993 bmw 325is was ok. Same with my e36 M3 convertible. I just didn't care for the weak interior issues. Door panels coming loose. Ect. E46 have the rear sub-frame issue, Which is something REALLY to consider.. But I don't drift, so...
Where I live anything but a 318i or a diesel is considered now a classic car and people ask unreal amount of money for them (starting from 10k), what would be an ideal engine to swap into a e36/e46 that would be easy, cheap and has a decent upgradability path (I'm ok with capping at 400 hp, LS is out of the question, can't find any here)
if you are in Europe , and you can afford some traveling , tikering and mechanic time , look for old automantic or beated e39s like 530i , 540i , e38s 730i 735i .740i and get the engine and all the parts cross compatible and try to sell the rest of the parts they still in reasonable range prices ,personally i dont like bmw v8s and i'm not sure if the 3'5 fits in a e36/46 but they are available , i like the 3.0 a lot more for drift cars the crazy option is go and find a cheap lexus gs300 and get the NA 2jz of it , you can get a lot bmw gearbox adaptors and engine mounts available and you will have a great plataform for future upgradres with a decent inital power bonus tip also you can find a lexus is300 with the 2jz and manual swap it if you want a different drift car
Chelsea I've been watching you since I was a kid and love your videos... But after a video like this all I keep thinking it welp... now the cheap e36 ti is a thing of the past...
Biig bmw guy 💪. It was fun comparing USA to UK knowledge of the 36/46 while watching this. Mad how much knowledge you have, mad that I can keep up to some extent 😂 Never knew about the secret smg sauce 🤯 Some things I would add from my personal experience from rain filled UK. 325 with a 318 diff swapped (medium output cups cut and welded in and shafts) in is a perfect rain machine. This potion goes amazing with the following flywheel/clutch setup. M20b25 flywheel with the back machined down to save weight and avoid the sump. E30 325 clutch, e28 323i throwout bearing 👍. E46 power steering will always leak. Don't even bother trying to fix it 😂. E36 RTA pockets and subframe mounting points are turning into a similar situation as e46 floors now. Ripping out because of rott. If wife Chelsea could put more effort into the "cut" at the end please that would be great. didn't even slap the arms tohether, poor effort 😝
I was just asking this question on reddit sort of. Like if you could ignore the engine package and separate the front and rear geometrys whats the best setup! Gonna comment again when soak up all the knowledge drop.
Myself I got a E46 320 (170hp) to drive on the snow. Welded diff, angle kit and that's it. Can run 3rd gear on ice tyres on a lake. Lots of fun :) Live in sweden so we get lots of snow which makes it possible to have fun with the weaker engine.
The e36 can have the subframe ripping out problem, too. Just a few weeks ago i sat in the passenger seat of a road car, it has never seen a racetrack or drifting and i was like 'something feels not right back there'. His answer was 'one side of the subframe mount has nearly rusted through and the other side is rusty, too. That's not uncommon on E36s that are driven through the winter year after year'.
Apparently the e90 6cyl automatic front half of driveshaft is interchangeable with e36 ZF front half of driveshaft.. havent confirmed this personally though
318i e46 as a daily and some town drifting for 2k is it good? Or should i just go for a 328 e46 for 3k+? Or should i just go for a e36 ? What you think of 5 series ?Love this video! Watched it like 10 times now! Im in Sweden btw
Could you go into depth on the M54b30 out of the 330ci e46. I have a lot of those and wanna know if it’s worth building N/A or just turbo or swap a different motor. I’ve heard different stuff about the m54b30 that it’ll blow up after 400hp?
I currently have a 330i swapped 323 e46 drift car. It’s pretty sorted out but I’m at the point where I want more power. I’m trying to weigh the options between S54 swap or M54 turbo build. I’m leaning towards s54 but I’m just unsure what the better option is. It’s still a street car and I’d love for this one to stay a street car
Glad I picked up and auto 328 a few months ago. Been a good daily and I already have a manual swap from a m3 that I got for $1200 (zf, clutch flywheel, driveshaft, diff, pedals, everything)
I bought a drift-ready '96 328is with BC coils, SLR ultra angle, hydro, roll bar, seats and steering wheel, plus body mods and an extra set of wheels for 6500. If I was looking for an M3 I would have spent double that even without mods.
@@Chattsteezy Thanks! The real hero of this story is the guy i bought it from. He's been helping me with learning and troubleshooting things as they come up.
any good power adders for the M52? id love to get some more power out of my daily 328i, and how do BC coil overs handle the canadian winters? better off leaving them stock?
Very informative. Just a heads up to fellow non americans, he did not bring up any of the differences between N/A models and other markets, such as completly different e36 m3 and m52 single vanos being aluminum blocks
A tip that a lot of people don’t know:
You can use a 92-01 Toyota Camry ball joint as a trailing arm bushing replacement. It’s a sealed spherical bearing and it only costs like $20. Fits perfectly in an E36 or E46 trailing arm pocket. Part number K200786. You’re welcome
Nah this feels illegal to know, crazy lore, thank you sir
I'm so fkn confused at how this would work....are you referring to the upper and lower control arm bushing on the trailing arm or the actual trailing arm to body bushing ?
@@minzahhh1
Trailing arm body bushing
Put in a Google search for “E46 Toyota Camry RTAB” and it’s the first thing that comes up. Plenty of info on the forum
@@minzahhh1if you google the PN he posted, this looks dead on the E46 M3 ball joint for the upper and lower control arms on the rear trailing arm. This isn’t a crazy life hack as the aforementioned M3 ball joint is about the same price when you buy the Lemforder made part (which is the OE supplier).
@tass2001 yeah control arm to trailing arms it makes sense but the way he said it "fits perfect in the trailing arm pocket" anyone who's owned one would assume the trailing arm to body mount is the "pocket" he's referring to
48 mins of why e36 is best car
You missed the part where he said no e36 even comes close to e46 m3 😂
Its because its so good 🎉
@@stephenmurray9881yea but base model vs base model e36 takes it
@@willwarren304 looks aside the base 330 e46 shits on 328 e36...
The best one I should look for is a 328i right
Your BMW vs SChassis video is what made me look into a bmw chassis when I knew NOTHING about drifting. Bought an 05 325i for $1,500, drove it home, and started drifting with it bone stock. Spiraled into the SBC swap madness it’s become. I tell everyone you’re why I have a bmw lol. It was sick to finally learn from you at the class at Kilkare as well 🤘
You guys in the US have it real good! You only have to give a lil bread and butter to get an e36/e46.
In Germany the 325/328/330 are costing about 12k to 17k. For one in decent condition.
I just got a e36 325is for 1300 dollars with only 120k miles on it 😂
@@Andrew_on_tvlucky mofo the deals r out there !
Still WAAY cheaper than In denmark😢
How about 318i's?
This has been one of the most informative videos I've watched about E36s and E46s. I bought a 318i a while back thinking I could turn it into a drift car but have since bought a 328i to replace it. After watching this I'm glad I did
Just a note to add about the clutch fans, MAINTAIN YOUR MOTOR MOUNTS. Clutch fans don't fail unless your mounts do. Learned this the hard way after signing up for a drift clinic 4 hours away from me right after I bought my e36. My day ended two hours in.
03' 330's had 6spds too btw! Factory ZF's
Yes sir
What is the 330 6spd transmission called?
@@chelseadenofa
Price-wise e36/e46 are starting to cost almost as much as e9Xs. Will be interesting to see if we start seeing more of those...
“E36 Sedans and coupes are the same just have different body parts”
Kinda like Chelsea and Chelsea 😂😂
You guys keep killing it as always.
I love your channel been watching for a while
Here in Europe prices of E36s and E46s are unfortunately rising exponentially: a 318is in great condition with a rust-free chassis and an healthy engine is gonna be around 5k (obviously they can be much much cheaper in worse condition)
It’s way worse In denmark
Rust was the main killer of E36 here in Norway. I still remember when the E30 was cheap. But they have gotten expensive years ago and same with the E36.
E46 is starting to climb in price to. I think E90 are the go to in Europe.
It has to be a 6 cylinder base, stronger drive train.
If you could get a hold of a 325D or 330D and swap the engine that would make sense to.
couldn't care less about the conditions but they're just going up ffs
@@scottex. If you're talking about the conditions of the cars i think you're wrong.
The better conditions the less you have to do.
@@scottex. I agree if you're talking about the engine, because you can swap it if you want, but if the chassis is rotten to shit then it will be a lot of work, even though it is a lot more doable on an E36/46 than a jdm car
Great advice from both. The 330zhp was one of my best loved cars ever. The e36 is easy to mod but the e46 feels better out the box. If I can add 2 cents... My clutch fan and AC was a bottle neck so at some point better cooling happens once you remove the exploding clutch fan. My e46 m3 that I bought in 2006 is still in my garage... Best chassis ever
This video was very informative. Been building an e46 drift car myself and I feel reaffirmed. Congrats in Monroe btw, I went the last 2 years- it's always a blast watching you go full send!
Hey brother what’s your build by any chance . Thanks
I agree with what your saying about buying the right spec. I bought a worn 325i for 3k cause it was manual with a black sport interior. After 3.0 liter swapping it I realized I’d need a zf trans just to slide it around in the dry then I’m spending all this money to turn it into a 330 when I should’ve just bought one. Oh well live and learn I guess
I have had an e36 m3 for 12 years.......current e36 prices are just dumb
Current prices for any vehicle is dumb… motorcycles included
In germany (Where E36 exist like sand on a beach) you pay like 42k$ for a M3 coupe with 270.000km considering they are basically suspension/ engine fked after 120.000km. They all act like they have the 💩 whilst only having💩. This goes for the 323/325/328i too you get them for 10k with 250.000km and also RUST is a problem on these especially in germany
I've been trying to sell me 318is, "one of the worst models" for like 2 years
@@michaelparrish6401the r6 jumped 3k in 3 years. Sold mine for 6k got it for 3k. It was also a 05 raven with 10k miles. Shits crazy
Same in France, 10 years -> ×10
You two covered most everything, e36 shocks towers are definitely a issue! I tell everyone I meet that decides they want a e36/46 to replace entire cooling system as first mods! What I am starting to notice is some oem new e36 parts are going bye bye, discontinued. Like S chassis so many oem parts are discontinued now. I also don't see e36 in junkyards as much anymore which is a bad sign, they are disappearing.
Ah yea. Front and rear
shout out corey ellis from the haze drift team for getting the dorman rebuildable driveshafts to be a thing. $600 for a brand new ZF driveshaft with swappable Ujoints and stronger all around with a warranty is a hell of a deal. also perks of e36 M52 is how tuneable the stock ECU is. im on 3 seasons of 11psi of boost in mine on stock ecu, pump gas and just studs and a fresh stock head gasket
Great info. I'm from the Philippines and I have a 316i. I turboed it then problems happened when the ECU got wet. Next engine was a M50b25tu and I supercharged it making around 300hp. It hydrolocked in a flash flood. Finally I bought an S52B32 and also supercharged it and bought everything M3 like the drive train etc. It was very expensive since I had to ship parts from the USA to the Philippines. But now I'm happy with a reliable daily driven 400hp car. I don't need more than that.
I love my e36 328 and I wish I had not sold it. This confirms why I loved it so much. Thanks for the video
No better dude for this vid
Miss ya being in the PNW man
Thanks for the video!
didnt take notes but i'll 100% remember this for when ill buy an e36. Loved the video
Currently have an E46 323i that I'm building up to be a "daily driver."
M50 manifold swapped it, swapped it to M54 ECU/fuel rail/filter/evap canister, put a M54B30 cam in it, etc. Tons of headache. It does run awesome now, but has been a pain! I'd like to turbo it so that means 330 drivetrain.
Seriously, if you're going to modify an E46, do not buy the 323. Just don't. You will eventually end up with mostly 330i stuff. Buy the 330i. This man speaks the truth.
(And as someone really missing my E36, E36 > E46, hands down)
Bought my e46 323i in 2019 for 1700 only because the other variants at that time and even still are going for 5-9k in my area for beaters. I’ve done all of the subframe repairs/reinforcements, PSM arms, angle kit, coil overs, with plans of trans and diff/axles swap, hand brake next. Then later on put a super charger on it while keeping everything as factory as possible for sake of reliability.
Chelshe’s comments and facial expressions made this long video entertaining to watch the whole video.
You can swap 330 trailing arms into an e36 and they're the same hub size as m3, also infinitely cheaper. Also 330 automatic left side axles (which are basically as strong as m3 axles) are same length as e36 and don't need the bigger stub shafts. Just did this on my 325 😂 but it fucking rips so I'm happy with it.
The service Chelsea(s) does for the community is insane he doesn’t keep shit secret just gives u all u need to have fun and be competitive or whatever we need that back in the community
I bought a 330ci m-sport for 3k last week and I want to get an e36 soon I love both platforms and I think they are amazing depending on who you get it from and what the state of the car is in, love them so much
Got my e46 m3 3 years ago for $10k Did the smg to manual swap in driveway with CAE SHIFTER. Love this car.
Thanks! I asked the last time and you said it was otw!
Hell yea, Did not disappoint
2023 - September ZF trans found in a junkyard for $340 ..there is hope. plenty of 328 e36 and 328i/ci and 330i/CI e46 in the yards. until I snag them all. haha cant wait to mount up the ZF to my 1jzvvti Is300 and get back to ripping. good info in this video though
I agreed with Chelsea.
A few years ago I got a non running 98 323is for 1200, sold the full drivetrain for 1200 and then got an LS for 1200. Plan to run a AR5 trans from a slingshot. I’m hoping to be in track next summer! Yes I know I probably could of got it running for cheaper and already be on track but I’ve always wanted an LS NA build.
Couldn't decide, so just decided to get both E36 and E46. :D
When the world runs out of E36 and E46 it's going to be time to start running C-Classes. W202 and W203 230 kompressor cars with the M111 put out 193 crank ps, they are very cheap and come with forged internals, easily boostable. A bit more finicky with the electronics than an E36 though. When I save up I hope to do a drift build on my turbo diesel W204, which I expect to be challenging (it is a 1585kg or 3500lbs boat)
For us, it is cheaper to use diesel plateforme to drift because they are cheaper than gas one and there is a lot of them.
230k can be a a good one but I heard that there is something with the power delivery on early throttle in order the have a smooth power delivery. If that it fix, it can be fun, I guess
Makin me feel old mate... Been in the game since 06 had my share of basically every "clout" car as the kids would say now-a-days. I was blessed to go to college in Japan and marry my Japanese wife and own all the legends and so on so forth. Seeing all the price explosion now-a-days kills me!!!!! "paid $3700 for a RZ 99 FD, $7200 for a 91 R32 GTR" As a new home owner and a kid I have a miata LMFAO! OMFG I hate it! But I still get my track days in and crush it. I always loved pushing the under dogs beyond what people think is capable. Best part, I was a instructor for Extremespeed and Speedventures for more than 6 years so I don't even pay for track days anymore I just coach when I have the time haha! Good content mate, we're old AF and wrenching on these is getting harder by the day, but keep on keepin on my dude! Good stuff. I won't do another E36 tho... Fkn-A I hate wrenching on those things! It's not the motor/drivetrain it's all the other shenanigans that the body/chassis harness integrates with >_< and I just don't wanna deal with em hahahaha!
pro tip for M54: Deleted the thermostat before an event, and overheated because I didn't block a hole in the head. Grabed a 22 socket, welded the hole shut and pressed it in there. Problem solved!
You guys are really good together, great info will be making this decision in the next year or so, Thank You!
Well I love them both. But I have an E46 with a complete E46 M3 swapped into it. It WAS a 330ci and as far as anyone knows from the outside it still is but the guts are all M3. I love it!!
You posted this video at the greatest possible time for me😂 I’m stationed in Germany and have a 318 and have been at a toss up between building a little winter warrior or getting something else
Potentially just building a nice sim so I can stay out of trouble out here lol
I think I’m going with the sim honestly,
build a car when I go back to the states
Thanks for the video, glad I bought a e46 328 for my daughter now, I learnt in a e36 328, suffrage will now come out because she's a rusty boi, congrats on the FD 🏆
I bought m50b25 engine about 5 years ago for my e36 which i have for 5 years also, used it for "spinning" and drifting 2019,2020 and 2022. I know of 2 previous owners who used it for skids. The engine had a skimmed head and i did a port and polish job last year. Getrag gearbox ,323i auto whole subframe with diff(3.64). Both engine and gearbox come a long way in terms of being bashed around on limiter. I broke that gearbox last year and the engine broke 1 piston this year january. But power wise and response it really did the job. Plus i have e36 m3 euro custom exhaust manifold. Not trying to boost my channel but feel free to check it out for yourself.
I never had a clutch fan, im using a 318is electric fan and never had an issue as long as its on high speed, and my country is hot. Winter here is like 13 degrees Celsius min😂.
Hey Chelsea, about the diff ratios on the E46, you can also use X3 E83 differential that comes in the X3 25i and 30i which are 3,91 and 3,64 ratio.
3 years of sending it e46, i knew about the subframe so welded some cheap plates made diy vince bar strut bar list goes on etc ... 3 years no frame damage yet 🤞
in 2016 i got a '94 boston green 325is 5 speed 190k miles for $1000
been to two track days and 7 drift days while still a daily driver
drivetrain was always solid. Only snapped two axles (snapped orig then replaced and snapped during test drive swapped again now its good)
now 2023 its getting a M60 swap since the old M50 head cracked, def from multiple times I overheated it.
M50 doesnt really have power and torque so I made up for it with speed and really hucking it
Id do it all over again
Got 325ci for drifting
Transmission and axels are fine, people are running turbo on these with 400whp, just subframe reinforcement plates and better clutch and everything works fine
In lithuania e46 is way more preferred for drifting than e36, subframe reinforcememt for 1500$ like you said is crazy, in here 150-400 euros
My 325i had weirdly strong axles, I did years of N/A s50 drifting and then a few events at around 400whp before upgrading to m3 rear for peace of mind. Never broke one but I still wish I had just started with an m3
That’s rad! They were probably OEM and you probably didn’t have a crazy clutch
@@chelseadenofaneed to keep that clutch delay valve in it too
325 are a normally solid axle. 328 are normally hollow.
@@omw2fwb no clutch delay valve is the recipe for disaster on almost any drift car
My 328i had weirdly weak axles. Granted, they lasted 2 years and a lot of abuse, but I snapped both in the same month and they were def oem. It's been junkyard oem axles since
Bro, I just got done with a 4hr adventure picking up a clean E36 sedan and come home to this video 😂
I really appreciate this video, i have a e46 but it is 1jz swapped. I will definitely attend your drift school whenever i get the chance.
I remember buying my second E36 for a couple hundred bucks and a handful of weed lol.. I painted it Kubota orange, extended the stock control arms, then had you on my door shortly after... Man have times changed
E46 330 auto vs manual have oddly enough have different axles. Auto axles supposedly stronger. 330 come with bigger brakes. Not that that matters much for drifting. E46 M3 have factory widebody. So fitting angle and bigger tires under it is much easier.
Can you please do a video about drift suspension set up. Like you did the solid axle on the fox? Like going into detail how what changes effects different things like grip side bite and so? I know some. But I’d love to tap into your yrs of experience of setting up these cars.
Id like to know your thoughts on the 5 Speed pre-facelift 528i withs the iron block M52 the E39 is criminally slept on
This video is fire 🔥 just helped me out a lot when getting my first e36. I’m looking to get into this as a hobby, and have some fun. Thanks bro for all the info! 😎
Thank you for making my 328is manual worth even more. Drift tax!!
I got lucky and bought my zf and 3.0 for 300 each in my e46 plus i got a ebay clutch only issue I’m having now is axles keep snapping
The prices and availability part of this video applies up to about 2015 in Europe. Current cheap 6 cyl manual 3 series over here is E9X, never tried one tho
E9x are also cheap here 3-5k for a beater
I did it all wrong. Started with a $1700 E46 325i with getrag, swapped in e36 328i m52 motor and ZF, lol 😅
I just got "serious" drifting in the past year and I have a 318ti cali top that came with a 2.8 swap. I absolutely love it and it's a little weapon on the track however the axle issues pushed me to spend $3k on a 328 and retire the ti.
I have had a few! The e30 6cyl setup is the way
Lucky i got my e36 in late 2017 before prices started going up. 95 325is auto for $650, complete 5 speed swap from a 328 with a zf320 trans for $800, and a 2.8 w/ 120k miles for $600
Mileage is such a good point, and I always try to beat it into peoples heads lol.
50K miles in the wrong hands can be waaay worse than 200k miles in the right hands.
Hey, that gold E46 you show when you switch to that topic... that's mine. Like, mine was sold on Cars and bids twice, and the first listing photo is in this video. It now looks like a pack of Marlboro lights with the livery on it, and it's a full-time dedicated grip car. Small world!
If anyone's curious, it's got a fully rebuilt M3 rear end, all poly/delrin/spherical bushings, chassis reinforcements, m54b30 from an e60, 330 brass guided front brakes, all steel lines, a ZF 5 speed, IRP shifter, 11lb flywheel and JB Racing clutch, deleted SAP, AC & washer reservoir, Power pulleys, billet oil pump, baffled pan, no interior, hard mounted buckets, widebody, Apex arc8 18's, hoosier A7 295s, SLR circuit control arms w/ bump steer kit, Silver's neomax 1 ways, Yellow tag steering rack with Ujoint instead of guibo, treehouse lollipop fcas, shmeidmann headers, dinan intake.... And everything else that I haven't mentioned has been touched too. It's been uhh... pretty built :) She rips though. Originally was a 325 but there is not a single 325 piece left in it. Both of the times it was listed, including the picture used in this video, are can be seen on carsandbids.
I have no interest in buying a e36 or e46 but this was still cool to see you brake down the differences
Pumped to see this upload as I now have my pandem E36 coupe 😂
Man i miss the days of wrapping a 328 around a tree drifting then going and picking up a running and driving 328 w days later for $600. Ive owned i think 7 of them amd i loved them all
Dont forget the x3 diff for the e46. 3:91 4:10 and 4:44
This is a super awesome video.
So much great info
I've been trying to figure out what bmw 3 series will fit me best.
Thank you 👍❤️👍
Curious about 330i and 530i ??
Great video... Loads of knowledge, thank you. I love my 330 e46's... 1 is a modded (bodywork mostly, carbon bits) 03 imola red msport (ZHP) Saloon (sedan) 128k miles, with the 5 speed.. That one i've been messing with that changing bits since i bought it 4 years ago.. It's a great car... Then an old mate was moving back to Poland, so i bought his Sapphire black 04 330 msport vert 112k miles with the 6 speed... Mint car, hasn't moved since i bought it 2 years ago lol.. Nearly had a Techno Violet e36 M3 many years back. I just couldn't justify paying 10k for a car that had rust on it.. Yep, luv ma beemers.. I'd have more if i had somewhere to park them :) Am in the UK. They weren't too expensive to buy when i bought them. But they've both basically doubled in price since owning, not that i'd wanna sell them.. I don't sell anything
Also, for anyone that has a 330i e46 and wants to start drifting. Do not even attempt to start drifting it without some kind of modification to the oil pump nut/sprocket etc. The best thing you can do is get the upgraded pump from SLG and call it a day because your oil pan gasket is probably leaking anyway.
My 1997 M3 has 330,000km on it, never had any issues. Just usual maintenance. I don't drift it but I definitely rip on it/redline it every time I drive it. Sollidddd car 👍
37:32 My E46 328i is 1260kg with medium weight reduction but a few of the guys I drive with have very lightweight 330i's at aroung 1020kg to 1050kg. That would be 2250lbs. This is extremely light and when you have 231hp (crank) they are plenty to drive 3rd gear tracks. If you do some NA mods like headers and cams and a tune and go into the 250-260hp range at this super light weight you will be way faster than any 350Z.
In Ireland we used E46 320d drive shafts as they are solid and they fit straight onto the E46 330s
Your bmw vs s chassis video is what made me buy my e46 when getting into drifting. Later skyrocket to an sbc swap, but regardless. It was great to finally get to hang out and learn a lot at your class at Kilkare as well. 🤘
Meanwhile in Europe we have lots of fun with barely whatever we find rear wheel drive. I had an E34 diesel as training drift car full stock for years and it was the most fun and best teacher for under 200€. USA drift scene feels like the same cake with another taste. You definitely just can't avoid going big and overmaking everything, in general 😂 love your drift scene nevertheless. You really know how it's done. Cheers from Spain!
I bought my 330i freshman year of highschool, been drifting it with a welded ever since. Bone stock, overheating till the rad cap blew off. Still serves its purpose to this day. I run 265/30’s in the rear and can keep up with any of the “stock-ish” cars on track. Buy a 330.
I’m not sure I agree with your math for 325i vs 328i. I got my ZF from a junkyard for $200. And I didn’t think the 328i axles were any stronger. Even so, I can get the axles from a junkyard for $40 a piece. Driveshaft is cheap too. So cost wise I still think the 325i makes more sense. But do you think the power of the 328 is significant enough for it to still be the better choice? On paper it doesn’t seem like it would make that much of a difference
Thought the same shit owned more 325’s e30, e36, e46. Flipped a few 328’s and didn’t notice power that much in comparison. Not worth the extra money if you get your hands dirty
My 1993 bmw 325is was ok.
Same with my e36 M3 convertible.
I just didn't care for the weak interior issues.
Door panels coming loose.
Ect.
E46 have the rear sub-frame issue,
Which is something REALLY to consider..
But I don't drift, so...
Would have liked to hear a bit about the Z3 and Z4. The 1 series also looks attractive at the same price points now as well.
What do you do about oil starvation? Just the normal 1L more of oil? Or do you do baffles in the pan for E36’s?
I know . Nobody said anything about it. I wonder..
with reference to cooling we have a saying BMW stands for "boiled most weekends"
Where I live anything but a 318i or a diesel is considered now a classic car and people ask unreal amount of money for them (starting from 10k), what would be an ideal engine to swap into a e36/e46 that would be easy, cheap and has a decent upgradability path (I'm ok with capping at 400 hp, LS is out of the question, can't find any here)
Probably m52 turbo.
if you are in Europe , and you can afford some traveling , tikering and mechanic time , look for old automantic or beated e39s like 530i , 540i , e38s 730i 735i .740i and get the engine and all the parts cross compatible and try to sell the rest of the parts
they still in reasonable range prices
,personally i dont like bmw v8s and i'm not sure if the 3'5 fits in a e36/46 but they are available
, i like the 3.0 a lot more for drift cars
the crazy option is go and find a cheap lexus gs300 and get the NA 2jz of it , you can get a lot bmw gearbox adaptors and engine mounts available and you will have a great plataform for future upgradres with a decent inital power
bonus tip also you can find a lexus is300 with the 2jz and manual swap it if you want a different drift car
Auto E46 had clutch fan stock and Manual E46 had efan stock, I've always swapped the OEM efan for the clutch fans on manual cars.
E36 class with Mr.Chelsea and Mrs.Chelsea, make sure you guys take notes, quiz next week
Chelsea I've been watching you since I was a kid and love your videos... But after a video like this all I keep thinking it welp... now the cheap e36 ti is a thing of the past...
Biig bmw guy 💪.
It was fun comparing USA to UK knowledge of the 36/46 while watching this.
Mad how much knowledge you have, mad that I can keep up to some extent 😂
Never knew about the secret smg sauce 🤯
Some things I would add from my personal experience from rain filled UK.
325 with a 318 diff swapped (medium output cups cut and welded in and shafts) in is a perfect rain machine.
This potion goes amazing with the following flywheel/clutch setup.
M20b25 flywheel with the back machined down to save weight and avoid the sump. E30 325 clutch, e28 323i throwout bearing 👍.
E46 power steering will always leak. Don't even bother trying to fix it 😂.
E36 RTA pockets and subframe mounting points are turning into a similar situation as e46 floors now. Ripping out because of rott.
If wife Chelsea could put more effort into the "cut" at the end please that would be great. didn't even slap the arms tohether, poor effort 😝
Oh, don't forget the purple tag e46 rack for all e36/46's 👍
I see a lot of people doing CCV deletes and fitting a catch can. What would your preference be on an M52B28?
Yes yes yes
To simplify the amount of things going on or another reason?
I was just asking this question on reddit sort of. Like if you could ignore the engine package and separate the front and rear geometrys whats the best setup! Gonna comment again when soak up all the knowledge drop.
E36 front e46 rear subframe that’s reinforced. But they are basically the same
Myself I got a E46 320 (170hp) to drive on the snow. Welded diff, angle kit and that's it. Can run 3rd gear on ice tyres on a lake. Lots of fun :) Live in sweden so we get lots of snow which makes it possible to have fun with the weaker engine.
And during summer I have a R33 with RB25DET NEO.
The e36 can have the subframe ripping out problem, too. Just a few weeks ago i sat in the passenger seat of a road car, it has never seen a racetrack or drifting and i was like 'something feels not right back there'. His answer was 'one side of the subframe mount has nearly rusted through and the other side is rusty, too. That's not uncommon on E36s that are driven through the winter year after year'.
I have a E46 M3 here in Germany. I had taken it to Mork Wenz Performance and they found cracks in my subframe. It was bound to happen!
Apparently the e90 6cyl automatic front half of driveshaft is interchangeable with e36 ZF front half of driveshaft.. havent confirmed this personally though
What about the 330ci?
i like the E46 better but love the styling and nostalgia of the e36
318i e46 as a daily and some town drifting for 2k is it good? Or should i just go for a 328 e46 for 3k+? Or should i just go for a e36 ? What you think of 5 series ?Love this video! Watched it like 10 times now! Im in Sweden btw
E36 m3s are a tad more fun to drive than e36 😂 both look dam good. Really good info, great listen.
Could you go into depth on the M54b30 out of the 330ci e46. I have a lot of those and wanna know if it’s worth building N/A or just turbo or swap a different motor. I’ve heard different stuff about the m54b30 that it’ll blow up after 400hp?
$700 E46 325, $2000 LS1, $1000 T56, $500 driveshaft, $1500 ECU, $800 tune, $700 mounts. $2000 suspension. Most fun and solid combination for E46
I wish I could find any of those parts for near those prices.
What about that swap kit
Where are you looking for a 325 that isnt completely rusted out or wrecked for that much. Serious question
@@braedonwalther8564 I live in Houston so no rust to deal with. They are shells all over marketplace for under $1000
@@1411MEDIA thought so, can't find shit under 4k in the midwest that isn't rusted out or clapped
I currently have a 330i swapped 323 e46 drift car. It’s pretty sorted out but I’m at the point where I want more power. I’m trying to weigh the options between S54 swap or M54 turbo build. I’m leaning towards s54 but I’m just unsure what the better option is. It’s still a street car and I’d love for this one to stay a street car
Just fot LS, S54s too expensive for how much power you're getting and thats not even thinking about vanos and rod bearing work
Glad I picked up and auto 328 a few months ago. Been a good daily and I already have a manual swap from a m3 that I got for $1200 (zf, clutch flywheel, driveshaft, diff, pedals, everything)
To add to diff ratios there's also 2.93 3.07 3.45
I bought a drift-ready '96 328is with BC coils, SLR ultra angle, hydro, roll bar, seats and steering wheel, plus body mods and an extra set of wheels for 6500. If I was looking for an M3 I would have spent double that even without mods.
That was a good deal. You aren't missing much from the M3 minus the rear end honestly.
@@Chattsteezy Thanks! The real hero of this story is the guy i bought it from. He's been helping me with learning and troubleshooting things as they come up.
any good power adders for the M52? id love to get some more power out of my daily 328i, and how do BC coil overs handle the canadian winters? better off leaving them stock?
RK tunes flash
Header
Intake
S52 or after market cams
Very informative.
Just a heads up to fellow non americans, he did not bring up any of the differences between N/A models and other markets, such as completly different e36 m3 and m52 single vanos being aluminum blocks
Yes yes