My Turbo.

[ron]

Looking better now that I've cut and polished it (at least from a distance).

Things to do:- Replace brake bomb and possibly M/C seals.
Get panel lights working.
Replace wheels.
Fan and power steering belts.
Manufacture a proper cold air intake.

[sharkfan]

Looks lovely

[M6smitten]

Very cool. What over-pressure do you run? Who did the turbo conversion/upgrade?

[Spasso]

Ha, another Diamond Schwartz.
Looks really good in the sun.
Where are your turbo bits sourced from. M106?

It's funny, while replacing the throttle module on the 530 I took the " Scheiß-Haufen" out for a brief spin today.
Running great. I need to get back after this thing and get an intercooler on it along with a rising rate fuel pressure regulator.

[ron]

Very cool. What over-pressure do you run? Who did the turbo conversion/upgrade?

I know very little about the car. It was modified from new by a company called AVA Turbos in Scotland in 1984 who were asked to keep the cost down! It still cost around £3,000! They had to cast their own exhaust manifold.

I talked to the guy who did the conversion (he is still in the same business) and he told me that they used the existing high compression engine and OEM ECU. He built 2 more E24s but they were much more highly modified. He remembered getting around 300 bhp from the engine. He also built quite a few E23s but can't remember how many.

[olympia57]

All that work has paid off Ron , it's looks lovely . A great colour combo on a rare car .
What wheels are going on it ?

Don

[ron]

All that work has paid off Ron , it's looks lovely . A great colour combo on a rare car .
What wheels are going on it ?

Don

Thanks Don. I've got a set of Alpina replicas to go on it. I want to keep the Racing Dynamics.

[GazM3]

Looks like a nice project u have there Ron.

What's the drivability / performance like with the auto and turbo combination?

[guido]

Looks good Ron, will be following this thread with interest.

[sharkfan]

What's the drivability / performance like with the auto and turbo combination?

Entertaining

[tschultz]

I imagine it drives like a 745i.

I am a little concerned that those hose clamps will not hold pressure... Any plans to change hoses/clamps and go with t-bolt style?

[Brucey]

Ron was kind enough to let me 'have a go' a few days ago and I can report that -especially considering the vintage and nature of the conversion- it drives rather well.

In use, it feels much like a standard 635CSi when you are driving it round normally. However, once you are using more than 3000rpm and more than half-throttle, the turbo does its stuff and there is 'a lot more than usual' pushing you down the road.

I doubt it is doing more than about 6lbs of boost but that is plenty (bearing in mind the stock fuelling, CR etc) ; remember that the stock engine loses torque in the upper third of the rpm range, simply because (presumably because of the plenum design in part) the cylinders don't fill completely. With the boosted intake, they do!

There is some lag (of course) but perhaps less than there would be with a manual gearbox; at low rpms the engine picks up quickly (because the torque converter isn't locked up) and this must help the turbo spool up a bit faster than it might otherwise.

There is a wastegate and a dump valve fitted. Most of the turbo parts fit in the space that is normally used for the washer bottle and the AC compressor, and it isn't an 'in your face' conversion at all.

I was worried about the strength of the inlet hoses but with the low boost available they seem to be OK; they are extended (and effectively reinforced) in places. OK, a partial vacuum isn't the same thing as a positive pressure, but in normal use they see more pressure than that in the reverse direction.

I couldn't get a really good look at the manifold (it is hidden behind heat shields) but it appears to be a 'twin log' design with a wastegate built into the rear half, and the turbo mounted at the front on a rising connection. The oil feed for the turbo is tapped off the oil pressure warning light sensor connection on a T piece. The intercooler inlet and outlet are on the same side, which makes for easy plumbing (not to mention minimal cutting of the front panel), but also means that part of the water radiator is obscured by the flow pipe at the top of the intercooler matrix. There is no AC or electric fan on the car, and fitting either with the intercooler in use would be very difficult.

If you were after 500bhp this isn't the way to do it. But back in the day if you wanted grunt comparable (but different) to an M-car with much of the usual comforts and conveniences offered by a 635CSi auto, this would do the job.

I reckon that (today) someone who knew what they were doing could put together a kit for a conversion like this for less than £2K and that it would be a couple of day's work to fit it. I think it might sell well, too!

cheers

[wattsmonkey]

I was in the passenger seat during the above: this car has enormous appeal! I wonder how a cheap manifold might be constructed? "Twin Log" might be the new "Stance Works" of younger retro charioteers! (We've been messing around with an E28 on coilovers with just such a sticker in the windscreen).

I really did fall in love with this car - it definitely had the feeling of something a bit special.

Thanks for letting us have a go Ron. I would say thanks for letting us have a spin, but that might be a bit too close to the truth if it were to kickdown mid bend!

[ron]

Thank you for the kind comments. I think "Pod" will be very happy with it.

I'm changing the fan clutch and radiator this week so hopefully it won't get TOO hot when "Pod" takes it home!!

[ron]

Turbo has now gone to it's new home. Hope he enjoys it!

[francoid]

Very nice. Hopefully a group member?

[ron]

Hopefully a group member?

Yes.Pod.

[Pod]

Turbo has now gone to it's new home. Hope he enjoys it!

Now residing chez Pod. Wonderful drive (or was I flying???) home. The most enjoyable car journey I've made in The UK for years!

I think I'll be doing quite alot with this car, so look out for a new thread