# Newman's 1986 BMW 326rb build thread. **URL:** \ **Category:** Builds\ **Created:** [December 25, 2006, 8:54pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123 "2006-12-25T20:54:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![Anonymity](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/anonymity/32/7215_2.png) [@Anonymity](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Anonymity)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 12:19pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123/321 "2007-01-23T12:19:24Z")
> [@originalsin](#): > > lol that trans is huge, it prolly didnt clear > > haha That is FUNNY! I LOL at work. ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 12:22pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123/322 "2007-01-23T12:22:04Z")
> [@articzap](#): > > Looks damn good. Where are you guys building this? Any planned dates for when its running? This is being built at hybrid connection. I want to take it to winged warriors/carlisle. ---
**Author:** ![93dx\_hatch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/90ced4/32.png) [@93dx\_hatch](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/93dx_hatch)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 1:01pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123/323 "2007-01-23T13:01:52Z")
^ I hope you are putting seats out of a 7 series in it for the winged warriors drive ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 1:32pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123/324 "2007-01-23T13:32:17Z")
> [@93dx--hatch](#): > > ^ I hope you are putting seats out of a 7 series in it for the winged warriors drive lol. ---
**Author:** ![fairgentleman\_Z](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fairgentleman_z/32/7263_2.png) [@fairgentleman\_Z](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/fairgentleman_Z)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 2:59pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123/325 "2007-01-24T14:59:52Z")
triumph \> e30? [http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/76-triumph-spitfire-skyline-engine-tranny-race-rb20det\_W0QQitemZ130071420748QQihZ003QQcategoryZ6392QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem](http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/76-triumph-spitfire-skyline-engine-tranny-race-rb20det_W0QQitemZ130071420748QQihZ003QQcategoryZ6392QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) ---
**Author:** ![MPD47](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/mpd47/32/7383_2.png) [@MPD47](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/MPD47)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 3:06pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123/326 "2007-01-24T15:06:02Z")
RB26\>RB20 ---
**Author:** ![Anonymity](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/anonymity/32/7215_2.png) [@Anonymity](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Anonymity)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 3:06pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123/327 "2007-01-24T15:06:21Z")
> [@fairgentleman Z](#): > > triumph \> e30? > > [http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/76-triumph-spitfire-skyline-engine-tranny-race-rb20det\_W0QQitemZ130071420748QQihZ003QQcategoryZ6392QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem](http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/76-triumph-spitfire-skyline-engine-tranny-race-rb20det_W0QQitemZ130071420748QQihZ003QQcategoryZ6392QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) neat. i like the trans choice. ---
**Author:** ![93dx\_hatch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/90ced4/32.png) [@93dx\_hatch](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/93dx_hatch)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 3:11pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123/328 "2007-01-24T15:11:43Z")
No I/C running strait meth LOL Don just mentioned this yesterday ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 10:35pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123/329 "2007-01-24T22:35:22Z")
that spitfire looks kind of hacked. anyway, here’s today and yesterday’s updates. I apologize for typos. More on this later… Yesterday: Added another brace to the crossmember. This triangulates the subframe and i am convinced it is now strong enough. My welding leaves much to be desired… I need to work on this much more… Next, pulled the transmission back out of the car and unbolted the transfer case. I took everything out of it. This is what was left. ![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00380.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00380.jpg) Then i went home. Today: Went to the shop after work. I taped off the bearings to avoid contamination and bolted the gutted transfer case back together. I then used the horizontal band saw and cut the output case off of the transfer case. ![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00381-1.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00381-1.jpg) ![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00382.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00382.jpg) This step went remarkably smoothly. The result: ![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00384.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00384.jpg) Next i mounted the transfer case on the milling table I was only able to get 2 mounting points, one of which was a bit “shady” but I hit it with a rubber mallet after i bolted it down, and it didn’t budge. The tool in the mill is not the tool i used (i used a 2.5 inch facing tool) I used a level and shims to get the case mounted correctly. The location of the face didn’t need to be that precise, so a level was fine: ![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00385.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00385.jpg) Next, i made pass after pass on the part, taking off about .100 per pass. About an hour later I had a flat surface, about an inch shorter than the above picture. (sorry, no pic) At some point during this, the tape over the bearings gave way and a shit-ton of aluminum chips made their way into the front bearing. I will try my best to get them out of there with a parts washer/ air gun, but i may need to suck it up and buy a new bearing. Meh, live and learn, I should have taken it out first, instead of trying to take the easy way out and “cover” it. Also at some point during this, i somehow managed to crush my hand between the workpiece and the tooling. I had to pick bits of fingernail off the tooling. EW. ![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00387.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00387.jpg) Now that the face was complete, i chucked up a drill and drilled (11) #21 holes X .9 deep along the perimeter of the face. Then using a hand tap, i tapped the holes to 10-32 thread. A hand tap was a bad idea, i should have used the mill to guide the tap, as one of the bolts went in slightly crooked, not a big deal, though. It is not terribly off. The hole that looks like it is “falling off” is intentionally placed there, as it was necessary to avoid an internal bolt. ![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00389.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00389.jpg) All that was left was too make a cover. Since i had written down the X,Y locations of all the holes i had drilled in the case, it was relatively easy. I used a belt sander and the mill to make the outside perimeter, then after the holes and perimeter were complete, i made a few facing passes on the mating surface of the cover. Due to the fact that the cover was no longer in square, there was a tiinny bit of chatter on the final face, but nothing that wont be sealed with RTV or hondabond. The finished cover and assembly: ![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00391.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00391.jpg) ![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00392.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00392.jpg) ![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00393.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00393.jpg) Total time = 6 or 7 hours. Dollar amount saved (vs buying rb25 transmission) = $1500 Weight difference = negligable Now i just need to put it back together. Oh, I also plan on drilling a tapping a few holes on the cut-off portion of the tcase, then using a torque wrench to find out at what torque the threads strip, this will allow me to get a torque value to tighten the hardware to. I will leave you with this picture: ![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00395.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/DSC00395.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![boardjnky4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 10:39pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123/330 "2007-01-24T22:39:01Z")
man, so if u ever wondered why an rd25 transmission costs so much, this is why ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 10:49pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123/331 "2007-01-24T22:49:47Z")
> [@boardjnky4](#): > > man, so if u ever wondered why an rd25 transmission costs so much, this is why yeah. i should convert rb26s to RWD for a fee… ---
**Author:** ![turbociv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@turbociv](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/turbociv)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 4:38am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123/332 "2007-01-25T04:38:38Z")
looking good.:tup: I dont know how you manage to hurt yourself so much. ---
**Author:** ![Carnut](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/carnut/32/7590_2.png) [@Carnut](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Carnut)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 5:19am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123/333 "2007-01-25T05:19:01Z")
nice blood on the floor. ---
**Author:** ![Anonymity](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/anonymity/32/7215_2.png) [@Anonymity](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Anonymity)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 5:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123/334 "2007-01-25T05:43:36Z")
now, i can hug you. Since you have the tooling, why not cut a recess the same size as the t-case hole? Or put a hole w/ a plug in it so you can put oil in there, Or a check hole to make sure oil it there. ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 5:48am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123/335 "2007-01-25T05:48:03Z")
> [@fastandcheap](#): > > now, i can hug you. Since you have the tooling, why not cut a recess the same size as the t-case hole? Or put a hole w/ a plug in it so you can put oil in there, Or a check hole to make sure oil it there. cut a recess? yo mean thin out the back and leave meat on the sides? I suppose i could, but working in that plane would be better done with a CNC. I think the drain plug idea is good, I may do that, the fill plug is on the other side. EDIT: there are two drain plugs. I only cut off one: ![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/ctnewman2/transfercase.gif](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/3X/a/d/ad0906edba598e3f17b90364b480617ba1b9c29d.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Nikuk](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/nikuk/32/7254_2.png) [@Nikuk](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Nikuk)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 6:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123/336 "2007-01-25T06:01:20Z")
Nice progress. I’m jealous of Your tool access though. :redface: ---
**Author:** ![Viper966](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/viper966/32/7268_2.png) [@Viper966](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Viper966)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 6:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123/337 "2007-01-25T06:01:43Z")
i would def do a drain plug there, since you already cut off one, you dont want to find out that its a PITA to get all of it out from the trans with only the one plug when the trans is together, although i suppose you could always try to get that plate back off, but with hondabond on there it may be a PITA ---
**Author:** ![Anonymity](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/anonymity/32/7215_2.png) [@Anonymity](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Anonymity)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 6:02am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123/338 "2007-01-25T06:02:20Z")
Sorry, i mean remove about .5 mm out of the “plate” contact surface the t-case, so that the plate is recessed in the case. that way you can have a “better” chance with it sealing with more contact area. I would also recommend counter sinking the holes of the attaching bolts ~.3~.4 mm, this would also help with the bling factor. Also removing some of the material in the center would be nice to. ---
**Author:** ![Anonymity](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/anonymity/32/7215_2.png) [@Anonymity](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Anonymity)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 6:04am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123/339 "2007-01-25T06:04:47Z")
does the pic call out “VASELINE”…ha ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 6:23am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123/340 "2007-01-25T06:23:55Z")
> [@fastandcheap](#): > > Sorry, i mean remove about .5 mm out of the “plate” contact surface the t-case, so that the plate is recessed in the case. that way you can have a “better” chance with it sealing with more contact area. I would also recommend counter sinking the holes of the attaching bolts ~.3~.4 mm, this would also help with the bling factor. Also removing some of the material in the center would be nice to. hmm, i agree, maybe i will make a new one from scratch, so i don’t wreck this one, but i really think for what i am doing this will be fine… and, yes, it says “vaseline” [Previous page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123.md?page=16) [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/newmans-1986-bmw-326rb-build-thread/22123.md?page=18)