LS BMW E36 M3| Real People. Not Actors.

When you’re looking for some sort of new project car, always mentally take it down the path of – What’s the worst that could happen here? And then – How would I go about fixing it? 1) A lot of young car enthusiasts get wrapped up in massive used BMW problems, because they have no idea what they’re getting into when they buy the car… it’s just the nicest/flashiest thing they could afford so they jump in. 2) A lot of other enthusiasts run for the hills at the mere thought of used BMWs… because they know the potential difficulty & expense of maintenance. So they won’t even consider the car, because the cost of repairing a moderate problem could essentially total an E36. BUT! But… but… but… when it comes to cars like the E36 (and the 350Z & RX-8 for example), there’s an Option 3. The LS-swap!

The 3rd Option

3) There are a few chassis out there, where the LS-swap is your absolute saving grace in a pinch. Your get out of jail free card. It’s like that grandparent who comes in & bails you out of credit card/college debt when shit hits the fan. The E36 on its own… is one of those chassis that will ride forever, simply because of the aftermarket, the enthusiasts, and motorsports. And – because the LS-swap has become a plug-n-play option in the E36… you can pick up an E36 for under $5,000, drive the wheels off the thing, and just keep putting a little money aside every month in case anything grenades… keeping an escape plan in your back pocket lol. I’m not saying the BMW engines are weak. But sometimes the things that plug into it are. And eventually, you’re gonna wanna go faster… and/or… the costs of repairing/maintaining the engine, is not going to be worth the horsepower you’re getting from it.

When you stick an LS into an E36, it becomes a forever car. You see a lot of stripped-down LS E36s in the drifting paddocks. But you don’t see many clean ones on the street. And why not??? Because this is the perfect street car! You get amazing power, in an amazing chassis, with amazing support, and classic Euro style! Plus – you get a wealth of knowledge from 2 major enthusiasts groups: The BMW crowd and the LS crowd.

The Ultimate Driving Machine

This is Tony Abad’s E36 M3 out of Houston TX. Tony absolutely loved this car with the BMW M50 engine. He was meticulous about keeping up with the car & maintaining it. And it’s not like anything bad ever happened to that M50. It was just that – when he was going to pull it down for a rebuild… he began to realize the costs associated with a strong rebuild, were going to be in the same price bracket as a full LS-swap. So curiosity took over & he went for it. And now – he’s got 450 underworked N/A horsepower in an ultra-clean 90’s Euro sedan… with huge aftermarket support to pull from. It’s an Ultimate Driving Machine that’s real tough to beat.