Hey everyone,
This is going to be my project thread for the ongoing restoration of my 1994 Defender 90. I'm building it as a tribute to one of the lost NAS 90 2.8i prototypes. It will be very similar to one of those original trucks that came out of BMW's Rosslyn plant in South Africa, except it will be left-hand drive, have a 3.2L S52 engine with all USA emissions equipment, and some other improvements such as ABS with traction control. It is being modeled after the later 2000 model year 2.8i.
Note: Before you continue reading keep in mind many decisions were changed as this build evolved over the years.
I bought this truck in 2012 and I've been fixing it up a little here and there since with the ultimate goal of returning it to it's former glory, but with some improvements.
I've always been a BMW guy and this is my first Land Rover. I've always wanted a Defender though. Before I was old enough to drive I remember sitting in one and dreaming at the auto show when they were new. My dad told me, "This is a real Land Rover." One of the biggest things that drew me to BMW though was their engines. I think they are great. And since I've had the Defender I've been thinking about putting a BMW engine in it. I've done an engine conversion before so I knew mostly what it would entail. I had a 88 325is that I swapped a S54 from a E46 M3. (Build thread here: Andrew's S54 Swap - R3VLimited Forums) The S54 is one of my favourite BMW engines, but as a high-revving motorsport engine I felt it wouldn't be appropriate for a 4x4 vehicle, so I decided that a 3.0L M54 should go in the Defender (I later changed my mind to the 3.2L S52 as you will see farther into the thread due to technical difficulties related to CAN bus).
Luckily most of the major parts to do the conversion from the V8 are factory items since Land Rover built the M52 powered Defender 2.8i in South Africa and the M51 diesel powered P38 Range Rover so very little custom work will be needed. I originally sourced an M51 P38 bell housing from the UK, but I discovered it is different from the 2.8i bell housing. I was able to find one of those in South Africa. (The clutch housing is the same, but the bell housing piece closer to the gearbox is different.)
I bought a new Valeo clutch kit and LuK dual mass flywheel from the UK.
Because my truck is left-hand drive the location of the steering box will be in the way of the power steering pump on the BMW engine, so I am installing a P38 steering box. I will also need to relocate the alternator higher up.
This week I started the work and yesterday I got the old engine out.
This is going to be my project thread for the ongoing restoration of my 1994 Defender 90. I'm building it as a tribute to one of the lost NAS 90 2.8i prototypes. It will be very similar to one of those original trucks that came out of BMW's Rosslyn plant in South Africa, except it will be left-hand drive, have a 3.2L S52 engine with all USA emissions equipment, and some other improvements such as ABS with traction control. It is being modeled after the later 2000 model year 2.8i.
Note: Before you continue reading keep in mind many decisions were changed as this build evolved over the years.
I bought this truck in 2012 and I've been fixing it up a little here and there since with the ultimate goal of returning it to it's former glory, but with some improvements.
I've always been a BMW guy and this is my first Land Rover. I've always wanted a Defender though. Before I was old enough to drive I remember sitting in one and dreaming at the auto show when they were new. My dad told me, "This is a real Land Rover." One of the biggest things that drew me to BMW though was their engines. I think they are great. And since I've had the Defender I've been thinking about putting a BMW engine in it. I've done an engine conversion before so I knew mostly what it would entail. I had a 88 325is that I swapped a S54 from a E46 M3. (Build thread here: Andrew's S54 Swap - R3VLimited Forums) The S54 is one of my favourite BMW engines, but as a high-revving motorsport engine I felt it wouldn't be appropriate for a 4x4 vehicle, so I decided that a 3.0L M54 should go in the Defender (I later changed my mind to the 3.2L S52 as you will see farther into the thread due to technical difficulties related to CAN bus).
Luckily most of the major parts to do the conversion from the V8 are factory items since Land Rover built the M52 powered Defender 2.8i in South Africa and the M51 diesel powered P38 Range Rover so very little custom work will be needed. I originally sourced an M51 P38 bell housing from the UK, but I discovered it is different from the 2.8i bell housing. I was able to find one of those in South Africa. (The clutch housing is the same, but the bell housing piece closer to the gearbox is different.)
I bought a new Valeo clutch kit and LuK dual mass flywheel from the UK.
Because my truck is left-hand drive the location of the steering box will be in the way of the power steering pump on the BMW engine, so I am installing a P38 steering box. I will also need to relocate the alternator higher up.
This week I started the work and yesterday I got the old engine out.