Porsche big brakes sitting behind 17" Alpina wheels
"I also own a Porsche 928 S4," he told us. "And sometimes I use the 5-Series as a guinea pig before I put stuff into the 928, since they have similar weight distribution. And since I was happy with the Porsche brakes, I decided to use them on the Bimmer."
The front rotors are a massive 14" while the rears are 13.5". Porsche 993 Turbo calipers were then used, along with the 928 master cylinder, reservoir and brake proportioning valve.
It's taken Joe over two years to reach this stage as he works between the BMW and his Porsche. But he reassured us the 5er will remain a work in progress: "It's a rolling lab," he said. "It's not intended to be a showpiece, but to show what happens if you combine these parts."
The 570i only has 60 miles on the new motor but the owner intends to use it for club racing events this year. He's even considering the big block swap for more muscle. So whether you think Joe's BMW is sacrilegious or stupendous, his workmanship and ambition deserve respect from both Euro and domestic enthusiasts.
Tech Spec1975 BMW 530iOwner: Joe CainLocation: Lake Forest, CA Occupation: plant manager, knee brace manufacturers
Engine: seven liter Donovan Engineering aluminum stroker small-block V8, 11.3:1 compressionJE pistons, LA Billet 4" forged crank, Cosworth Engineering 5.85" rods, Dan Olsen oil pan and windage kit, AFR/Brownfield 220cc heads with spread-port exhaust, Ultradyne hydraulic roller cam and rev kit, SS roller rockers 1.6 ratio with stud girdle, MSD ignition, Victor Jr intake with Demon 850cfm carb, 2.5" stainless mandrel exhaust with bent x-pipe, '79 BMW side-fill gas tank grafted to MGB center-mount tank, Aeromotive A1000 fuel pump, regulator and four filters, upgraded supply and return lines, Ron Davis aluminum radiator with twin electric fans, carbon fiber duct in air dam, CSR Performance electric water pump, reverse-flow cooling system, crankcase evacuation system with reversed BMW E46 electric air injection pump, Mann-Hummel oil and air separator filter, MSD RPM sensor, adjustable FPR
Joe has upgraded almost every part under the hood to fit the 543hp V8 monster
Drivetrain: Tremec TKO-500 five-speed manual with aluminum flywheel, 11" Centerforce clutch
Suspension: front: upper and lower camber adjustment points, sealed roller bearing on inner lower control arms, urethane lower outer control arm bushings, sealed roller bearing on the front thrust rod to subframe mounting point, 27mm adjustable sway bar, shortened and relocated, G&B springs, custom Bilstein shocks with threaded collars, custom aluminum hubs, European E21 323i power rack and pinion conversion, bump-steer kit.
Rear: Jaguar Series 1 XKE Dana 44 diff with 3.54:1 final drive, 80% limited-slip diff, chromoly adapters, Jaguar stub axles, shortened and thicker steel axles, heat-treated stub axles and swing arms, camber and toe adjustable swing arms, 21mm adjustable sway bar, shortened and relocated, G&B springs, Bilstein shocks with ride height adjustment, notched trailing arms, inboard brake rotors for e-brake
Interior remains stock except additional gauges and new shifter for five-speed manual
Brakes: 14" front, 13.5" rear Coleman two-piece rotors with aluminum hats, Porsche 993 Turbo calipers, modified rotor radius, BMW 3.0 CS brake booster, Porsche 928 S4 master cylinder and reservoir, Porsche 928 S4 55bar proportioning valve, braided lines
Wheels & Tires: 17x8" front, 17x9" rear Alpina wheels with 225/45-17 front and 255/40-17 rear Falken FK-451 tires
Exterior: Mercedes metallic blue paint, Euro bumpers, spoilers and mirrors, shaved side markers
Interior: stock
Thanks: Bob McKray Performance