First Drive and Initial Impressions of the M60B44 Swapped BMW E31 8 Series | Worth the Hype? 

Other then the auto you're describing my E39 540i/6 ownership in a nutshell. It had power, it was smooth, it was technically fast, but man it didn't want to play. If you tried to drive it aggresively it would fight you. Very comfortable place to go above the number on the sign with a great stereo and heated seats but everything about it was oriented to comfort vs wanting to play. It honestly felt more Mercedes then BMW given the era it was made

Def one of the most unique looking bmws

This channel is such a gem dude, I love BMWs but in my area the older ones are insanely hard to come by, I've learned so much from you. Josh you should definitely consider the m60b44 for an e39! Though a 3 series would be soooo badass.

I think the best and most obvious answer is that it should have been in a HE53 e34. I think if you pop a 420g into it, (all be it expensive, i know i’m looking for one in my 530 5spd swapped, 540) it’ll be 10x more enjoyable and sell-able but thats my opinion

LOOOOVE the E31! 🥰😍🤩Want my old 850Cia back....

I've seen m60b40 and m62b44 swaps on e30s and i think THAT'S the opposite of what happens to your e31, they look like a super raw power drift machine experience.

Very well done Josh. Nice to just see the 8 series. My next and last dream BMW to drive is the E60 M5, again. I've not been excited for any BMW after that one and great to watch your channel for the old school BMW still after all these years.

I understand where you're coming from. That engine would be a better performer in a e34. But your age shows in this video. Not saying am an old man, but that's who BMW was targeting with this car rich old men. They wanted a comfortable GT car. I can see myself getting into an e31 in the future.

Bro finally included a little exhaust clip

Good work, I do the Frankenstein with parts from s62/M62/M60 with impressive performance 😊

Building a Pseudo Alpina-Styled E30 coupe with the Frankenmotor would be pretty dope. It'll fly!

What you want is this engine, but with the steptronic 5spd from 4.4 cars, sports cats and a hotter large case diff, and that would probably round off a lot of your reservations.

can’t wait for you to find another keeper 540 before they reach unobtainium & try this again. I think the biggest opportunity missed here will be your long term documentation of an m60b44 “Frankenmotor”. Really curious for your specific ownership style & what issues or benefits this has long term, it’s always been my favorite bmw brainchild since i first found out about it. Good shit & great work per usual big dog, paving the way for the rest of us!

Ι think that the best candidate is the S62 V8 engine from the E39 M5. A bulletproof engine with a power output to match the beauty of this car.

put a DCT inside of it and then add a supercharger lol (but DCT would be cool)

Man, everything you said and how you feel about that car is literally the same for me, when I listen to you it's like I'm listening to myself. The only thing that (maybe) can help here to get what you need is a manual and a much, much stronger engine, in the past I have same automatic like that and it is very bad for fun, I tried manual in another e31 850, it is much beter but need minimum 100-150hp more to have that what I looking for

You really need to try to drive an 840 with a 3.15 lsd out of a 750il and a 6 speed. Hooks better and grabs turns a whole lot better. The driving experience is a lot better. It'll feel like a sportier 2 door e39 540. And look up quick arms for the e31. They turn the lazy steering box into a sporty habdling experience, they genuinely feel like a tight rack and pinion.

I think if you put an S62 in this then you would have a much more fun car. I know that S62 is more expensive, but I think it would be worth it.

I saw a post online where this guy turned round and said comparing it to his m60b40 he felt like it made the m60b40 feel tame and lazy by comparison 😳 Now, I had an m60b40 in my e30 and my god I'd not describe the m60b40 as lazy or tame by any stretch 😂 I did feel though, that the m60b40 really came on song at around 3400 rpm that's where thr punch was but the m60b44 has that punch and more from way down the bottom from everythig I've seen. I've got my engine built and ready to go in the e30. I'm just waiting to collect my gearbox from having a full strip down and overhaul so won't be long until I get to feel it in my e30 but I've gone all out with it. I have a 6 kilo billet flywheel, 4 to 1 custom stainless manifolds, no cats, no mid box, lighter vw lifters with the view to go cat cams later on and standalone management to squeeze thr most out of it. Literally can't wait 🙈😳

Before I continue watching I feel like you really should have swapped it into a white E36 coupe because everything you're saying leads to lighter vehicle keeping the raw experience while having it slightly more up to date than a E34 and still keeping the same style minus the dope window on e31

A manual trans would be sooo much better. Would be fun to try that out but yea, pretty tough to find parts

Well done mate!

Put some coilovers on it. It might surprise you. I've got an 850 manual and it's great

Dammit man, I’m like 2 weeks away from finishing the m60b40/6spd swap in my e36, and this makes me want to take it all apart to build an m60b44 for it instead🥲😂😂

That is a very nice daily driver. To go to the office.

Needs a tune and or supercharger lol

Probably a slower diff would make a big difference. But it's a cruiser and not worth it.

I had a 4.4 840Ci 20+ years ago, bought it certified from a BMW dealership. I always wanted one so, you know, f*ck it. It was a nice car. I sold it after a year. What did it do a 540i doesn't? Nothing. The E34 is a heavy old lump as well. I'd be putting one in an E36. It's a LOT of work (sump/crossmember/rack etc) but....... Getrag 420 6 speeds are too much ££££ now, but there are conversions to use a 3.0 diesel gearbox with flywheel/clutch and they are worth peanuts.

I want to build one of these engines for a Z4

you should remap this gearbox... it would change a lot how the car behaves.

How hard would it be to swap in a higher ratio diff? I bet that would make a noticeable difference. Trade off some highway revs for more punch

I think you might need a supercharger kit to get stupid fun.

E30/e36 coupe with the m6x is super fun. I always regretted not buying the m6x e36 i drove.

can i ask you for advice, I have 91 E34 M5 getrag280 trans and I cant get the throwout bearing out!! Do you have any tips or ways to get it out? thanks. I'm using a claw clamp to press it out not moving.

When you do these frankenswaps like this one, are you using the ECU from the same engine? Or how are you getting the electronics to work from the E31 with the M60?

should have m113k swapped it

If it was my engine to do with what I wanted, it would go into an E34 Touring with a ZF 8HP70 8-speed automatic box.

It needs an s62

manual swap it just to try it

Supercharge it.

M60b44 supercharged in something more funny?

Honest? The m62tu 4.4 makes 280 ish hp at the crank. How does taking that bottom end with the m60 heads make more power than either the m62tu or the m60?

You may have already said in one of your other videos or somewhere in this one, but have you put this franken motor into another chassis? Or an M60 into a previous M50 e34? Reason I ask is because I have a very high mileage 93 525i with the M50 b25 tu with auto engine, and have a donor M62B44 in my '97 740iL which I was thinking I could possibly swap over, especially if I could find a six-speed manual trans to go with... And then upgrade the 740iL to a 4.6is engine...

It's a big ol' GT what did you expect?! 😂 Seriously it's a beautiful and extremely sophisticated car, I'm pretty sure a manual would still be worth it if it has the same or more power as a 850, the 850csi was my dad's elusive dream car, he owned two na 911 and a M5 in the 1990's but never satisfied he always lusted after the 850 manual ...

I love that the verdict was it should've gone in an E34 hahaha. If I ever warp my block I know what to do.

An 840 is my dream car. I have a 2001 740i Sport and it is fun to drive but I like coupes.

850CSi is what a German James Bond would drive. I'm a huge nerd for E31s - this build is making me want one even more, V8 or V12 I don't care as long as it's manual. My E39 is a nice and quiet sitting space regarding road noise and big bumps - the quietness of luxury is more valuable to me than the thrill of feeling connected to the road at this point in my life.

favorite bmw channel and my favorite host on youtube. excited to see these new platforms even though they’re hell to learn 🔥

Time to gut it lol

I would love an E31, but to me it's not a "fun" car. You don't really care if it's fast, or that it's boaty. It's not something you wanna throw around. It's a baller ass big coupe and thats the fun part. You don't really see these much either. I'd totally stance it out on air and i generally hate stance cars. I'd drive it to meets primarily and just take it for icecream when the weather is nice, and just look at it cause they are good looking cars. I don't want it to be loud and stiff and do all the things that you would do to an E36 or even an E34.

E31 are meant to be GT (Grand Tourer) therefore they meant for cruising and long journeys, they built for comfort, not fun.

Maybe get a shorter rear end? Is it the 4 speed auto?

I had an old 840ci. Miss that car! Put a manual swap or shorter rear end. It wakes them up pretty good!

i must admit i wasnt expecting this next video being like this but listening to everything you saying abou the car and it not being for you it now all makes sense i totally get you and i know you well enough now you want to feel connected and a car that can put a smile on your face but we was the same when we had one arrive at our workshop we got in it drove it and wasnt as good as what you wanted to expect from a childhhod memory motor they was but keep up the great work josh loving your honest opinions its what makes your channel

Its a lovely looking car with a great sound Josh. Appreciate the toil you had with it. None the less, enjoy it man!

You gotta manual swap it All you need is a 530i manual to do the swap

I’d have to agree that the e31 just isn’t exhilarating to drive. It’s a beautiful and comfortable place to be. But with that tall rear gear and especially the early 4 speed slush box - just lacks a fun factor. Bet it would make an awesome cross country cruiser. Great build nonetheless Josh.

I have a ‘95 740i as my first car and I’ve been considering this hybrid engine for a while because of my budget, I’ve enjoyed this little series you did, it gives me all the smaller bit of info ive been missing from online. Only think stoping me now is the extended driveshaft for a manual swap

I’ll buy your e31 if you want to sell it

Manuals in these and e38s are not good at all. Theyre too big, heavy, boaty, etc. Automatic trans suit the car. If i had a money no object build for one of these v8 or v12 id source one of those old supercharger kits. And do an 8hp trans. Great highway cruisers. (Im a huge fan of m6x engines, especially 4.6 and 4.8)

You are just building an m62 out of 97/98 540 /740i non vanos obd1.Using 4.6 out of an x5 is 340hp 350lb-ft with non vanos heads, intake and exhaust manifolds will get you to the 350hp.

The viscous coupling needs to be removed and the electric fan can be installed, it can be installed from the Volvo 940 together with the power steering relay should be replaced with an electric hydraulic booster, from Opel Astra is suitable, the gearbox 5-speed ZF 310 or 320 from e34 530 v8