E30 320i in Canada: a first post...

[Sporkfire]

I found a 1987 E30 320i (M20B20) (man trans) from Germany for sale in the front yard of a farm in Canada. I took it for a test drive and found it alright. My question... is it possible to swap out the M20B20 engine for a more North American parts-accessible M20B25 (325i) engine? Does it fit within the same engine bay? I realize that the transmission isn't the same as the 325i, so any swap would include a tranny swap too. Would the new tranny fit in there too?

In the worst case, is it hard to ship parts from the UK/EU to Canada? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Spork

 

[epj3]

I imagine it would be a direct swap? Though if you're going to spend the $2k for an M20, you might as well spend the $2500 it'll cost (all USD...) for an M50 engine from an E36 325i. That'll give you an easy and super reliable 190 hp, and it should be a simple swap if you're handy. BTW You'll get more help at www.bimmerforums.com in the e30 section.