Post > Pre facelift swap

toddness · Post by **toddness** » Sun Sep 18, 2016 7:19 am

Hi,

my 80 e12 is fighting a battle with rust I think I'd rather resolve with a transplant of the powertrain and suspension++ into a cleaner chassis.

I live in California so all the dmv fun applies.

I think I've located a German 1975 525 that's already been DOT approved, which is very appealing to me.

Optimally, I'd swap the bits straight across from the 80 which has already had swapped In a dirty m30 with 265, HR and billies.

Is this as easy (relatively) as i am thinking ? Plug and play essentially - okay -'lots of plugging and playing or are there significant challenges going pre facelift I need to address?

Thx

hilux30 · Post by **hilux30** » Sun Sep 18, 2016 9:25 am

The only thing I can think of is the fuel lines and sending unit, going form carb to Injection requires more line pressure ... unless I'm wrong, never had a carb E12..

Mike W. · Post by **Mike W.** » Sun Sep 18, 2016 12:10 pm

Yeah, I think it would be pretty straightforward. Realoem is a resource like usual with those sorts of things.

RonDwyer · Post by **RonDwyer** » Sun Sep 18, 2016 12:25 pm

Should be an easy swap. What part of California?

toddness · Post by **toddness** » Sun Sep 18, 2016 1:00 pm

Thanks for the input. I'm expecting a challenge here or there. Good call on the fuel system- - Thank you!

Ron
I'm in NorCal. I came by and looked at your wheels a few Sunday's back.

RonDwyer · Post by **RonDwyer** » Sun Sep 18, 2016 2:16 pm

I gotcha! I sold them last week, then I scrapped the steelies. Same for the rear doors. Cut them up with the Sawzall and now they're gone. Are you going to drop the subframe to do the swap?

toddness · Post by **toddness** » Sun Sep 18, 2016 2:38 pm

That's pretty much the plan.

I want to believe l'll be stripping repairing and repainting the 525 before I do anything.

CabbageFumes · Post by **CabbageFumes** » Sun Sep 18, 2016 2:39 pm

Why not leave it original?

toddness · Post by **toddness** » Sun Sep 18, 2016 2:49 pm

I will (most likely) be restoring it to the original mintgrun. The car was painted something similar to agave by the original owners son.

There will be a little body body work required as well, like de-DOT the car.

So sad they had to butcher it up to get it in the states.

CabbageFumes · Post by **CabbageFumes** » Sun Sep 18, 2016 3:55 pm

You have the good early hood and small tail lights, that's all that matters.

toddness · Post by **toddness** » Sun Sep 18, 2016 5:18 pm

and no CA smog laws apply

toddness · Post by **toddness** » Mon Sep 19, 2016 9:26 am

So -- I've seen CabbageFumes mention of the Bilstein HD's - #34-000243, HD(B6) - being required for the pre-76 e12.

I assume I need to add this to my list or is there some magic bean with my suspension swap that will supersede this requirement?

Thanks all...

CabbageFumes · Post by **CabbageFumes** » Mon Sep 19, 2016 5:55 pm

You can make it a little easier on yourself if you swap out your front strut housings with later ones. 75-76 models had a lot of revisions and a lot of one or two year only parts for the front suspension and brakes. I took everything up front from an '80 because parts are much easier to come by, plus more choices for struts, including Bilstein Sport struts.

toddness · Post by **toddness** » Mon Sep 19, 2016 6:45 pm

Thank you