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Read the WELCOME ALL BMWFANATICS post.
BMW i8 Race Car Build
- Thread starter Marco-Swanepoel
- Start date
TBP88
Well-known member
Given the nature of this thread with talks of 2000hp I think some mild trolling is to be expected.
@OP first get the engine mounted and fitted, is Xdrive even doable in the i8 chassis? You'd have serious challenges as you'd need to route mechanical power to the front axle... I suspect you'll end up going RWD only, but again - has anyone mounted a B58 into an i8? That + gearbox just being *physically in* the car is challenge 1. Challenge 2 is getting all your electronics to talk nicely. Challenge 3 is getting your B58 to make big power mounted mid where it's never sat before (afaik).
Marco-Swanepoel
Active member
Xdrive would be very doable, The i8 has a motor in front with a huge tunnel to the rear motor so there is more than enough space for the propshaft and front diff
My biggest challenges
1. Mounting a looong inline 6 with gearbox at the back, might need to move the gearbox to the front axle for better weight distribution and space
2. COOOOOLING!!!
Every knows turbos need cooling especially big mid mounted turbos so cooling is probably the biggest challenge!
Plenty of aftermarket stand alone ecu's and gearboxes available
Marco-Swanepoel
Active member
TBP88
Well-known member
As has been said elsewhere, if you have enough $$$, then yes. Anything is doable. Just be willing to set aside *at least* a few hundred grand for this, all told I can't see how it can get even close to where you want it to be with a spend in total of under probably 1 or 2 million.
Marco-Swanepoel
Active member
I understand this is not going to be cheap !!!!
The i8 + B58 motor, gearbox and xdrive draintrain cost +- R600 000 then the biggest part of the car is BMW OEM
TurboLlew
Honorary ///Member
There are some things that money can't buy...
I would have agreed that maybe with enough cash and stupidity you could get this done for money if it was RWD. X drive? LMFAO I want to see how much defying the laws of physics and logic costs
You would need a different rear body, subframes, mounts etc to be created to accomodate the 6... whichever orientation you got it into... a means of converting the power from a transverse layout and getting it to the front custom gearbox (which doesn't break with hillclimb levels of power)... get this done <SOMEHOW? Magic?> by removing the batteries which are a structural component of the car as well as drilling into the carbon tub which is very much a structural component as well... assuming it is not already toast from those pics. You then have to hope to find a gearbox for the front that works, and again which doesn't break with the power and for the use case...
As for the tub, Apart from basically destroying it with the above exercise, you may not even know where the tub is cracked yet. There is no repairing a cracked tub in SA unless it is the most minor of damage. So what is the solution? Custom carbon tub? $100K for someone to design it and build it? At this point, you have a custom carbon tub, custom front and rear subframes, track changes, different body, different electronics - what is OEM?
Marco-Swanepoel
Active member
So I've got the car motor has been decided (B58)
Drive train
If you look at the construction of the i8 it is 4wd so retaining a 4wd drive train should be simple, if you look at everything it really would make sense to put the gearbox up front
Drive train
If you look at the construction of the i8 it is 4wd so retaining a 4wd drive train should be simple, if you look at everything it really would make sense to put the gearbox up front
Attachments
Marco-Swanepoel
Active member
So what would you say if someone wants to put a Ferrari 488 twin Turbo V8 into a lotus? Or a SLS Amg V8 into a lotus?There are some things that money can't buy...
I would have agreed that maybe with enough cash and stupidity you could get this done for money if it was RWD. X drive? LMFAO I want to see how much defying the laws of physics and logic costs
You would need a different rear body, subframes, mounts etc to be created to accomodate the 6... whichever orientation you got it into... a means of converting the power from a transverse layout and getting it to the front custom gearbox (which doesn't break with hillclimb levels of power)... get this done <SOMEHOW? Magic?> by removing the batteries which are a structural component of the car as well as drilling into the carbon tub which is very much a structural component as well... assuming it is not already toast from those pics. You then have to hope to find a gearbox for the front that works, and again which doesn't break with the power and for the use case...
As for the tub, Apart from basically destroying it with the above exercise, you may not even know where the tub is cracked yet. There is no repairing a cracked tub in SA unless it is the most minor of damage. So what is the solution? Custom carbon tub? $100K for someone to design it and build it? At this point, you have a custom carbon tub, custom front and rear subframes, track changes, different body, different electronics - what is OEM?
TurboLlew
Honorary ///Member
This is not what you are trying to do... you see that right?
TBP88
Well-known member
I wasn't sure about it so didn't respond, but I'm pretty confident the FWD aspect of the I8 is battery driven (while the engine powers the rears with some additional electrics).
Anyway, get the engine in the car, get it fitted and mounted, and then start seeing how much *just that* has cost you. By the time this thing is driving on base B58 power and with minimal cooling (which you'll be getting from???) then I suspect you'll already be in for north of R1m. By the time you have 2000hp, 4wd, some sort of custom gearbox and prop etc. and all the electronics working I'd imagine you're in a R3-4m hole.
At that price you can nearly get a new 911 Turbo S. Which I doubt you'll be materially faster than and which I guarantee you'll be materially much less drivable. (and you'll probably need to rebuild the entire drivetrain every few hundred kms). A B58 swap RWD i8 is on it's own a huge, huge job. What you're describing is just setting yourself up for failure.
Anyway, get the engine in the car, get it fitted and mounted, and then start seeing how much *just that* has cost you. By the time this thing is driving on base B58 power and with minimal cooling (which you'll be getting from???) then I suspect you'll already be in for north of R1m. By the time you have 2000hp, 4wd, some sort of custom gearbox and prop etc. and all the electronics working I'd imagine you're in a R3-4m hole.
At that price you can nearly get a new 911 Turbo S. Which I doubt you'll be materially faster than and which I guarantee you'll be materially much less drivable. (and you'll probably need to rebuild the entire drivetrain every few hundred kms). A B58 swap RWD i8 is on it's own a huge, huge job. What you're describing is just setting yourself up for failure.
TBP88
Well-known member
This is what I mean, a B58 from a crashed car is not expensive. A slightly damaged i8 is cheap as chips. The expensive stuff is gonna be machining mounts that actually work for the engine/gearbox. And again, that's before you even do plumbing for the cooling? Presumably you need a front mount cooling solution? All of this stuff is hellishly pricey. Anyway dude, if you have big money you don't like then this is one way to set it on fire. As I said. for the money you'll be in you can get some really great out the box sportscars that'll achieve 99% of the joy you want with 0% of the tears.
And if you don't have literally fuck you levels of cash, then even starting this project is wildly unwise.
Marco-Swanepoel
Active member
Just to recap
1st objective is getting a ome looking i8 with the B58 running on the road a very simple setup with everything working
After that I'll see if it every goes up a hill
2000hp never I'd be happy with just doing a full bolt on build
Money can't buy a car like this! Without the right guys you are stuck!
My cousin is a top engineer in SA and has a large engineering shop he has built a rear mounted 900hp Renault, custom pushrod suspension and widening the body with 600mm and a flat floor.
1st objective is getting a ome looking i8 with the B58 running on the road a very simple setup with everything working
After that I'll see if it every goes up a hill
2000hp never I'd be happy with just doing a full bolt on build
Money can't buy a car like this! Without the right guys you are stuck!
My cousin is a top engineer in SA and has a large engineering shop he has built a rear mounted 900hp Renault, custom pushrod suspension and widening the body with 600mm and a flat floor.
Marco-Swanepoel
Active member
Watching this year's Hillclimb you'd need about R10 million and 5 years of development to run with the top guys like the Scribantes and Joberts
922-ZN
Well-known member
LOL I don't think you can even fathom what 2000hp is, the way you're coming across, like it's a grocery getter
Marco-Swanepoel
Active member
Nah it Wil be a 800hp Sunday breakfast run and odd track day car
TBP88
Well-known member
What do you eat for breakfast that you need 800hp. LMAO
