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Chassis stiffeners should be a priority, apparently making the new m3 touring not wobble around like jelly was a tall order for the factory R&D M-sport guys
Unfortunately, body panels are not a straight swap, and there is a LOAD of modification / welding, especially the front and rear fenders, and rear bumper.
@@seancorrigan3531 For which part? I do understand though,that no man will admit his wife is fat or ugly,neither that his Touring is actually a ugly car. I am fully aware of that. Human nature. If you say that one touring car has better shapes than a coupe or sedan....then you have serious eye and perception issues.
Taylor Taylorington of Taylor Made Cars from Tayloringtonhamshier is just the best guy you can ever meet at anytime, This man will make you smile, we love you too Alex!!!
Why not use the bumpers, front fenders, mirrors, exhaust etc? Sure the rear arches would have to modified on the touring but it would be a lot more of an m3 touring this way, especially if you have all the parts available anyway.
Front fenders and hood dont fit the touring from the coupe. The coupe and convertible E46 have slightly longer hoods and fenders than the limo/touring. Same goes for the bumpers, those are about 2cm wider on the coupe/convertible. Mirrors do fit straight to the touring, but the Exhaust is to short, and youd have to swap in a different rear floor beneath the trunk from the M3 to make the exhaust fit. Side skirts look the same on the M3 and a car with M-Paket II so you dont have to change them. Ive seen a couple of those swaps made, most people use repair panels or straight up cut panels from a M3 for the rears. Front fenders and bumpers are available aftermarket that look like M3 parts but fit the Limo/Touring body. Same goes for the hood but you could also cut up a M3 hood and make it fit to the body, but thats most certainly more expensive than an aftermarket hood.
Part of me was expecting this to happen, but I'm still kinda sad about what happened to the M3. There's not many of these knocking about anymore, so I was hoping to see it become something else. Still, an M3 Touring in that purple's gonna be mad.
If you're doing an M3 touring I would consider doing it on a 318i sport touring to begin with instead of the 330 as the 330 touring is special enough on its own!
This is going to be a great bulid, but I'm not sure if using your 330i for a swap is the best thing, these cars are getting hard to come by in a good condition
this chanel is like my friday relax after work, just take a couple of beers, chill and then find what the next video is, its kind of traditon for me for the past 4 months :D love it
DEFINITELY reinforce the subframe on the touring. I would go with a CMP Engineering Kit or you could hit up Redish Motorsport in the UK to make sure it’s sorted. The extra power of the S54 will accelerate cracking on the touring if it’s not reinforced too!
This is the build of the century, finally for all us to see. Amazing! How about having Auto Alex logo engraved on the rocker cover or intake, just like the brackets under the car?
I hope this is done properly, Calvin at Calvin's Car Diary has recently done this. Would be a great shame cannibalising an E46 M3 if the touring isn't 100% perfect.
You will love it when it’s all done. Here in the US we only get 325 tourings. I had a customer have me build him up two ZHP 330i tourings and a awd with the 3.0 and a 6spd that he dailies and prefers over his F31s
There is an E46 M3 swapped touring that runs at the autocross events that I go to. He did everything down to the body and it is excellent but it took so much work to get it to that point.
At least with non-M cars it is not a common problem. It is just something that happens to old cars when they rust. I have been into E46 3-series for already two decades and never seen or heard this happen to a car with the updated chassis. (cars built after February 2000) Personally I would not even buy an E46 with a "reinforcement kit", because then the car would not be original anymore.
I agree with Taylor maybe keep it more of a m3 engined touring rather than trying to make it an m3 touring. Calvin’s m3 touring build is almost finished but at a guess I’d say it’s cost him thousands!
I always skip ads in the videos like car vertical but i never skip on @AutoAlex videos just to support as much as I can. But they are quite fun to watch though.
You need to speak to Calvin from Calvin's Car Diary, he's already done it, but he went the whole hog, grafting in the M3 rear arches on the touring, M3 boot floor, etc. Link below to his last video when he had his red interior finished. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JR2-K0Pi2A8.html He might be able to give you some pointers.
Both cars have their own beauty, the 330i especially touring is already rare as it is, plus the m3 needs to see some love. I'd leave them the way they are and get the m3 to fresh condition
Should have just found a clean 4 cyl touring for this Alex. The M3 would have made a sublime track car too. Sreten on M539 Restorations would have restored the M3 to perfection and people would love him for it. I fear you’ve taken two ropey cars that need love and you’re going to turn it into one ropey Frankenstein that is far from perfect.
ive never been a fan of bmw or red cars. but that M3, i did really like. but, having a car that has more boot space and lots of power, is more preferable. really looking forward to the finished build :)
I'm truly sorry for your dream of being an e46 M3 owner , having gotten it for the cheap price you did. I know the emotions involved in it buying, planning, the surrealism of it. However, it those provide you with the opportunity to build a sweet M3 variant BMW SHOULD HAVE MANUFACTURED.... The touring with M3 flairs and everything. That being said, I wis you success with this build and may get a great E46 M3 in future. That way you'll have a touring and coupe. 🙏🏽🙌🏽
I would like this video multiple times if I could, but youtube does not allow this :( Wagons are my jam! Having owned 7 Nissan Stageas (so far) we need more fast wagons not SUV's in this world. Absolutely loving the channel!
Got to say hand on heart, there are not many you tube videos, if any, I have actually said out loud, " I cannot wait for this " , frankenbmw here we come.
I just recently saw another M3 E46 touring build. It was converted from 325ix and the guy kept 4x4 system. He had to cut off the spare wheel as he couldn’t put exhaust in.
M3 axles are beefier. You have diff differences as well, to a point that worth the entire rear drivetrain transplant from the m3. keep just shocks and springs from the touring. Worth mentioning brakes, brake master cylinder if you go crazy big, etc.
Hi Alex, Well you can call it an M3 Touring only if you weld the rear panels,, the whole m3 front, rear bumper (which needs to be custom cut and adjusted to fit), the whole inside of the trunk, so the exhaust will bolt on, front/rear subframes, etc. I have a feeling you won't do that. Still, best luck with the swap!
