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The quick 507

Discussion in '507 roadster (1954-1959)' started by Autohaus, Jun 12, 2008.

    Autohaus guest

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    I always wondered if anyone has ever tried sticking an E39/Z8 engine/tranny into the beautiful 507. If I had the $$$$, I would do it in a heartbeat ;).

    BoostedE21 guest

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    Absolutely not. That'd be an extreme waste of an extremly rare and valuable car. I've seen 507's sell for close to a million dollars, and that kind of modification would cut the value in half at least. Keep it original.
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    az3579

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    +1!! If you're gonna do an engine swap, put that badboy M62 engine in an E30. :D:eek:
    Besides, E30's aren't worth that much anyway. ;)

    Autohaus guest

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    IMHO, that is what I would do if I had a 507. Like it or not, it would be my choice. I am not into "keeping it completely original or else the collector car people will look down at me, etc...". I figure it would be a neat/cool setup. Putting an M62 into an E30 would be a blast, I bet. Also, putting the M62 into the Isetta would be interesting, though I doubt it would fit in the engine bay! We all know that money is the main factor in doing such a job.......
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    az3579

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    Well if you've got the cash money to buy a 507 at all, AND to do a swap (if it's possible), then be my guest. lol


    Let me know how it turns out. :rolleyes:




    But would it work at all? I mean, it's an electronically complicated engine and the 507 is... well... simple (compared to what the M62 came out of). Is it even possible?

    BoostedE21 guest

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    IMHO, that is what I would do if I had a 507. Like it or not, it would be my choice. I am not into "keeping it completely original or else the collector car people will look down at me, etc...". I figure it would be a neat/cool setup. Putting an M62 into an E30 would be a blast, I bet. Also, putting the M62 into the Isetta would be interesting, though I doubt it would fit in the engine bay! We all know that money is the main factor in doing such a job.......

    Do you have a million bucks lying around? If not, I wouldn't worry about it too much...

    The V8 used in the 507 wasn't a V8 in a conventional sense - it was 2 I-4 engines linked together:

    [IMG]

    And here's the I-4 engine used:

    [IMG]

    It's not conventional because the two engines are set 90 degrees apart. It's an extremly rare and extremly unique engine - replacing it for some commonplace engine would be a real shame. The engine is half the value of the car.

    The e30 is fairly commonplace, go ahead and do whatever you want to one of those. The Isetta doesn't really have an engine bay at all - the motorcycle engine used in one of those is microscopic, there is absolutely no way you would ever be able to fit an M62 in it, ever.

    BoostedE21 guest

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    Anything is possible - you'd just have to transfer the engine control unit and all other emissions equipment and the transmission and the drive shaft, new cooling system, new suspension, new mounts, new controls, etc etc etc.

    It's not a revolutionary idea - people have been putting new Corvette engines in old rat rods from the early 20th century for decades. The issue is that the 507 is an exceedingly rare and valuable car. Putting a 540i's V8 in one of those would ruin the uniqueness and rarity of it. Plus, the V8 in the 540i is boring. The 2 x I-4 setup of the 507 is much more interesting.

    Autohaus guest

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    With enough $$$$$, anything is possible. That is why the tuner/modification process is big nowadays. I doubt I would ever own a 507, but I can dream about it, right? I still haven't seen one in person, though. Shoving the M62 into a car that is 50+ year old would be very challenging. BTW, I saw the "next 507", the Z8 drive past my house the other day :)
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    Brian A

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    Heresy: Burn him at the stake!

    You'd have to gut the shell and rebuild the frame/cage and reconfigure the entire suspension and drive train; basically build a new car under the body panels.

    The truth is that cars like that are "great" only in their historic context. A 50 year old suspension geometry/design is antiquated by modern standards. Likewise, a 50 year old frame and drive train just couldn't handle the stresses. A modern Hyundai would run circles around your M62 507.

    You'd be better off spending your million dollars cladding a modern chassis (a Z8?) with a knock-off 507 body. Then you'd have everything: all the show and all the performance. I guess one thing you wouldn't get would be the bragging rights that you were the one who consumed a piece of history. Heresy, I say!!!

    Arash2002tii guest

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    That, my friend, would be hilarious.

    Autohaus guest

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    It sure would be ;). The engine would take up 3/4 of the whole car. The exhaust would stick out 6 more feet from the car......
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    Brian A

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    az3579

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    :eek:


    What in all that's holy......?!!!
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    mooseheadm5

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    What makes the 507 V8 different? Does it have 2 crankshafts? If not, it is a V8 just like any other. That said, I would not put an M62 in a 507. Now a 501, that's a different story.
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    chicane

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    Are you joking? Why would anyone devalue a rare car like that?

    BoostedE21 guest

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    Like I mentioned, It's not conventional because the two I-4 engines are set 90 degrees apart, and they have their own separate blocks.

    2 Crankshafts? It's not an opposed piston engine. There used to be a diesel engine with three crank shafts - the engine was basically a big triangle...but boy was it cool.

    Edit: It's called a Napier Deltic engine, and it works like this:

    [IMG]

    Crrrrraaaaaaaaazy!!
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    mooseheadm5

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    If it does not have 2 crankshafts (i.e. they are not separate engines with cranks geared together) then it is a conventional V8. However, it sounds like you are saying they have a common sump, crank, and crankcase with separate cylinder blocks and heads set at 90 degrees. The M62 is just like that except that it has a single casting for the block, but still a 90 degree alloy V8. There are people that build motorcycle engines into V8s this way (crazy people.)

    There are diesel aircraft engines with 2 cranks geared together with opposed pistons, too. think flat 4 engine, except crankshafts where heads would be :eek: like one side of a deltec.

    Autohaus guest

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    Why in the world would I be joking? This whole thread started with an idea I had about putting that drivetrain into the 507. So what if it "devalues" the car. I wouldn't sell it. I wouldn't give a rats behind :eek: if everyone disagreed with me on the subject. I don't have A-Rod money to buy a 507, nor buy the drivetrain to install it in a 507. It is just a dream:cool:
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    az3579

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    Yeah, dreams are cool. Mine is entirely achieveable... an E30 M3 with an E90 M3 engine... just need a bucket load of cash. lol



    If it came down to old cars and I had the money, I would love to restore a classic Ferrari and modernize it, but not excessively. Put a more powerful engine in it, strengthen the chassis and other components to withstand modern equipment and drive around in a classic looking Ferrari with modern components. That would be my mid-life crisis... a looooooong way away though. :)

    BlueAngel M3 guest

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    I would use the word ''over engineered'' for its time. :rolleyes:

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