E36 LS3 / TR6060 Swap

Broke apart the rear axles. They will get cleaned...painted...new grease and boots.

old grease

First clean...everything will get cleaned again before going back together

New boots outer

inner

Wheels showed up today! Tires will be 265/30/18 in the front and a 285/30/18 in the rear. To fit a tire that wide it with get e46 fender flares grafted in.

Just pics of one of the rears and specs on front and back.

Will run a 15mm spacer in the front.

Can't wait to see flares

New rear suspension going in. not a very good picture...

New grease in the axles

Two fresh axles ready to go in

Engine is coming back out tomorrow to make the new shifter carrier. I will probably also hang the rear trailing arms too.

Engine back out so I can make the New Shifter carrier. Also got a 2010 camaro short shifter from LSR Performance. Has an adjustable height level too (not attached in the pics)

Here is where it needs to go. Round part will come up through the hole in the body.

Something like this will attach from the trans up to the carrier.....out of metal not wood sticks :)

I have to make a bushing that will fit in the spot on the trans and use the stock rubber insulator.

Debating if the carrier back mount should hook to the trans tunnel (like stock) or mount to the trans.

What an awesome build. You have some mad skills sir.

Chris

thanks

Hung the rear trailing arms....sure is nice bolting up new parts.

Made "bushings" for the shifter carrier to hook to.

Template out of paper

I will make the same thing on 1/4" steel and weld to the carrier and bushings. There will be a matching one on the other side. I am still not sure if the rear of the carrier will mount direct to the trans or the bottom of the trans tunnel. Stock it is to the trans tunnel but everything might be more solid connected direct to the trans.

Does anyone have any suggestions going either way?

I've wondered about this, and all I've got is to ponder what each way gives you... seems like all-to-the-trans could be a little more direct... OTOH, half trans/half tunnel should halve how much the shifter moves around with motor mount deflection?

Yeah I'm really not sure why it is done both ways.... The rear mount would be able to slide in the rubber mount. Just like BMW did it and how the stock camaro setup is.

Just read through your thread...

Not really sure what to say that hasn't been said. Just awesome. All the way around.

Any chance you have an extra room and want someone to come sweep the floors? I really need to figure out somewhere I can work/intern where I'll learn stuff like this. I'm really into the fabrication and customization side of everything, I just don't have any experience with it.

From your semi-professional (fully professional? I saw you said you were a teacher by day) opinion, what's the best way to learn, basically, how to do what you're doing?

I have a Tr6060 in my dodge and would recommend any and all steps to "firm" up the mounting. It is a great transmission. The aftermarket shift kits with a stiffer rear bushing tend to make noise, as reported on the net, I have no first hand experience.

I enjoy your documentation and following this!

Huhmanbeing wrote: Just read through your thread... Not really sure what to say that hasn't been said. Just awesome. All the way around. Any chance you have an extra room and want someone to come sweep the floors? I really need to figure out somewhere I can work/intern where I'll learn stuff like this. I'm really into the fabrication and customization side of everything, I just don't have any experience with it. From your semi-professional (fully professional? I saw you said you were a teacher by day) opinion, what's the best way to learn, basically, how to do what you're doing?

many thanks! I grew up working on cars with my dad so that is really where I got my start. From there I have learned it all from just doing it pretty much....along with reading, research, planning, etc.

By day I am a K-12 music teacher but I do have a couple years of Engineering schooling too (EE) so I have bit of an engineering brain.

The best way to learn is just dive it.

daytonaer wrote: I have a Tr6060 in my dodge and would recommend any and all steps to "firm" up the mounting. It is a great transmission. The aftermarket shift kits with a stiffer rear bushing tend to make noise, as reported on the net, I have no first hand experience. I enjoy your documentation and following this!

I already eliminated the rubber mounting at the trans. That is direct metal to metal. At this point I am unsure if the rear mount should go to the trans tunnel like stock or mount off the trans itself. I would expect shifts would be more direct with it mounted right to the trans but it also might transmit more vibration. But that really would only be noticeable when shifting. The t56 in my car has the shifter direct and there really is very little noticeable vibration.

jakeb wrote: I already eliminated the rubber mounting at the trans. That is direct metal to metal. At this point I am unsure if the rear mount should go to the trans tunnel like stock or mount off the trans itself. I would expect shifts would be more direct with it mounted right to the trans but it also might transmit more vibration. But that really would only be noticeable when shifting. The t56 in my car has the shifter direct and there really is very little noticeable vibration.

I would imagine directly mounted to the trans would be idea. I get vibration and movement in a stock dodge challenger but I have the giant soft engine mounts. I am assuming you are going to use good engine/trans mounts, so I don't think you will have much movement. Stock body mount with soft bushings like in my dodge results in allot of movement and slop.

It is the rear mount rubber that has a reputation of being noisy if firmed up.

I would also imagine mounting the rear shifter mount on the body would create an extra link for noise and vibration. Using the shifter linkage to join the trans and body seems like an unnecessary point of vibration that could be eliminated.

Either way, good job!

Turn cardboard into metal...

Rear will mount off the trans... something like this

This piece of metal will be cut where the line is after I drill a hole on each side of the big hole going up from the bottom. Then I will tap the upper half so it is easier to take the entire assembly in and out.

The entire thing will be powder coated.

Great attention to detail on this one. This must cost whoever is getting it an arm and a leg.

It's not a low budget build but my labor costs are pretty low considering all the work. I really enjoy doing them so...

Cut down the back mount to make the entire shifter easy to remove.

Before cutting it apart i drilled holes. These will be drilled bigger and tapped to m6.

How it will fit

Removed the linkage that hooks to the shifter rod and then drilled a hole through it.

That way the rod will go through the linkage end

About where it will end up

Excess will get cut off and then the two pieces will be welded together. I might have a one piece linkage cut out on the water jet. Will see how the modded one turns out first.

Shifter all done (needs to be cleaned up a little bit and then coated) - Only tacked in the pics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4ic_SmDbpg

Inside the car

old shifter knob.... This shows 3rd gear. The shifter is height adjustable. It is at it's lowest point right now.

Trans mount (needs to be fully welded and a gusset or two added)

Flaming river Ujoints / Borgeson DD sliding steering shaft...next to the stock one

Starting work on the headers. New little tool to make sure the cut is across the radius.

I posted a pic of a converted wood saw to cut metal but I wasn't happy with it so it got returned after I found this big ole machine on craigslist. Made in 1937...made to cut only metal. Makes cutting stainless U bends easier. Not to mention old machines like this are cool.

Passenger side header started

Pan to subframe clearance..

A little bit of work on the passenger side header.

a little more on the passenger side header

Collector will be about like this..

In reply to jakeb:

So many awesome details. An LSX e36 has got to be an awesome track toy!

This will mostly be a DD for the owner but it will see some time on the track as well.

Drivers side header is a bit more work...but making progress none the less. It is a puzzle....that I sure enjoy solving.

I was actually able to install the header from the top. Not sure how that will be once all the runners are on but...we will see.

Started on one runner...

It's hard to get a picture of how it routes...

Where the collector will go..

From farther away

Another angle

Collector could still go a couple different ways....

I was impressed with the cleanup and now the custom fab work is pretty nice too.

If you don't mind my asking, what will the total bill for something like this come out to?