E34 Auto - Manual Conversion

[nexus]

Hi, I'm new to this forum, so I'll say hello first :-)

As per forum topic ^^ I am considering converting a 93 e34 540i to a manual gearbox.

I havent fully checked everything I require, but My list would be:

1. Donor Gearbox (5/6 speed?) - not sure whether something from a straight six would fit.

2. Flywheel/Clutch (to replace torque converter) - I'd hope from from a big six would fit.

3. Clutch cable and pedal box (for inside car) again a big six one should be fine, and any manual pedal box I'd guess would be fine from a e34.

4. propshaft? I'd guess i'd need a rear propshaft to match the gearbox I select. again, if its a big six box, then relevant prop should be fine.

5. Plastic trim, gear lever gaitor etc.

Thats the major mechanical parts I can think of. Now the tricky part would be the ECU - as I'd guess this would be designed to provide a different torque spread due to the auto box, and also have start inhibitor possibly built in and controls for kickdown etc.

Basically i'd love to hear from anyone who has done this or knows if the bolt pattern on the v8 is the same as the big six - I'd hope it was the same and bmw used gearboxes from the sixes at least initially.

I dont need a six speed, but I really dont like auto's!

Any advice/suggestions welcome (apart from telling me to buy a manual 540i as they are rarer than hens teeth - in 18 months i've seen a single example that had some major bodywork required - wing/door plus possibly needing a jig.

[nexus]

Ah well just been browsing etk and it looks like the box from a six is a no-no :-(

I forgot the big six is tilted so at the very least its a new bellhousing (if one is available and its not integral :-(

I seem to remember seeing 5 speed 530i's (on the v8 engine) and etk kindof confirms and denies this as a 95' M60 engined 530i seems to have a 5 speed box (S5D..Z) gearbox. This looks like a box desgined to the tilted big six, but the diagram of the 'mounting bolts' has a completely different looking box to 'gearbox diagram'.

Grrrr

[Torque]

For the cost of that swap you might as well sell that car and get a manual... or get a E39 540.

Besides, if you ever decide to sell a car after that conversion you can still sell it for the same price you would if it was auto and you just dumped like 2-3k into it.

Just my 2 cents