For years, the automotive aftermarket maintained a strict separation between various genres and points of origin. Japanese wheels, domestic muscle, and European cars were never intended to be merged but that’s exactly what’s happened as progression and performance advancements have overshadowed those aged, unwritten rules. Whether you’re on board with this cross-platform engine swap phenomenon, or shaking your fist in the air at the sight of GM’s 8-cylinder dynamo perched comfortably under the hood of this 2001 BMW M3, its owner, Alhue Gayle, isn’t too concerned either way.
With Him Or Against Him
Gayle’s focus on this long-term build is what’s next, but before we get to that, we should give you a rundown on how this build came to be.
About 12 years ago, Gayle picked this car up with plans to taking on a new build. A clean title and 98,000 miles on the clock had some of his friends second guessing his plans. He adds, “Some call me crazy for chopping up a perfectly fine and original E46 M3 but unlike a few others I’ve seen, I just feel it’s not top notch unless it’s an original M3 chassis.” Rather than building a rapport with the new purchase, it was immediately taken to his friend Suppy for a custom roll cage.
After the fabrication, the inline-6 was removed to make room for a 5.3L LS. The idea was to add substantial torque to the M3 using a power plant noted for its remarkable potential. The bonus of moving over to such a popular platform, especially when compared to the pricey goods required to keep an S54 in tip-top shape, are low cost and have unrivaled parts availability. Rather than extended waiting periods from a dealership, most parts can be found in stock at a local automotive chain store and in terms aftermarket attention, the LS engine family has massive support.
Hurry Up And Wait
Like any major vehicular surgery, unforeseen issues can often pop up and slow progression. “The car sat around through multiple setbacks for a few years, and the passion and drive had faded and were channeled into other builds and other things at the time,” Gayle recalls. Though the process was complete, the car was dormant for 7 years and wasn’t even on the to-do list any longer. Then, on a whim, the car was brought to Florida where it, and Gayle, would be set on a new path together.
“I had the experience of riding shotgun in a turbo LS drift build,” he recalls. “That ride-along was a game changer and I knew at that moment that naturally aspirated was no longer for me.” A surge of motivation prompted a return home where the original swap was removed to make room for a new set up that included CRC ported heads and upgraded valves, a Texas Speed cam, and FAST 102mm intake manifold topped with a GM throttle body. Fueling is handled by 1,200cc injectors fed by a trio of fuel pumps and a filter that sit alongside a swirl tank just above the Fuel Safe 16-gallon cell.
The main attraction of the Bavarian bay is a single 66-trim Borg Warner that lives just behind the passenger side headlight bucket, supported by a pair of TiAL wastegates and blow-off valve. The Treadstone intercooler is flanked by custom piping fabricated by UPFAB, who also created the 3.5-in. downpipe and complete exhaust system that terminates with four finishers for a factory-like appearance.
JDM Infusion
Those exhaust tips are about the only thing that carries an OEM vibe as the majority of the coupe’s exterior has been heavily worked over. The Pandem front and rear fenders dramatically widen the cars track and allow for a set of 19×12.5 Work Meister L1 rear wheels to fit without issue. No tire stretching or awkward camber settings in this instance, as 325/30 rear tires are tasked with trying to harness the car’s current 720 lb-ft. of torque metric. The juxtaposition of JDM wheels applied to a BMW is nothing new, but typically the attempt is based on a certain other lightweight Japanese wheel that appears on seemingly every build in existence currently. The grey face/polished lip Meister L1, criminally under-appreciated by the masses, looks right at home against Medio Grigio paintwork borrowed from a Ferrari color swatch.
Converted to a 2-seater, most of the M3’s original interior was ditched long ago when the custom cage was built. Today you’ll find little more than a chopped-up version of the OEM dashboard that now houses a AEM CD-7 digital cluster, Momo flat-bottom steering wheel, a pair of Cobra bucket seats with custom Jamaican flag stitching, and a plate that allows the old school Summit Racing shifter to poke into the cabin. Underneath is a tried-and-true T56 Magnum transmission loaded with McLeod’s triple disc clutch and lightweight flywheel combo. The BMW’s power is produced by a GM LS but transferred to the ground through an 8.8 Ford rear end – further stirring the melting pot of automotive genres.
Just The Beginning
Some will tell you that there’s absolutely no substitute for the intoxicating sound and feel of a an S54’s naturally aspirated song headlined by its individual throttle bodies, but Gayle isn’t at all interested. His intention upon purchasing his M3 was to put together a lethal performer and one that is far more real-world manageable than BMW’s native inline-6. With 715 hp on tap, he’s still not done, adding, “This car has come a long way but it is far from over – there’s a short list of things I still want to do to make this an even better build. I want an even more capable suspension system and I’ll also be traveling the road to 1,000HP.”
Photos Courtesy of Alec Coutinho
2001 BMW M3
Owner Alhue Gayle
Instagram @lsx_m3turbo
Engine Chevy LS 5.3L; custom engine mounts; Borg Warner 66 trim turbo; UPFAB custom turbo manifold, charge piping, exhaust system w/Vibrant 3.5-in. down pipe, quad-exhaust tips; GM electronic throttle body; FAST 102mm intake manifold; Treadstone intercooler; TiAL wastegate x2, blow-off valve; Canton racing oil pan, coolant expansion tank; Mishimoto radiator; Meziere electric water pump; Spal fans; CRC ported heads; upgraded valves; Texas Speed custom cam; relocated coil packs; Fuel Safe 16-gallon fuel cell w/3 fuel pumps; electronic fuel level reader; flex fuel; Holley fuel rails; 10AN fuel lines; 1,200cc injectors
Drivetrain T56 Magnum transmission; Summit Racing shifter and ball knob; McLeod triple disc clutch, lightweight flywheel; Seems Legit Garage Ford 8.8 rear end, custom subframe; G-Force axles; 3-in. steel drive shaft
Suspension TC Kline coilovers; Ground Control race front/rear anti-roll bars; Powerflex polyurethane bushings; Grand Turismo East alignment; custom roll cage with ties to rear shock towers and subframe
Braking 355mm Brembo front brake kit; steel braided lines; Motul brake fluid
Wheels & Tires Work Meister L1 19×10+2 R disk front, 19×12.5 +0 A disk rear; Toyo Invo 265/35 front, 325/30 rear
Exterior Medio Grigio Ferrari paint; Pandem aero kit
Interior Cobra bucket seats w/custom Jamaican flag stitching; Schroth harnesses; Momo steering wheel w/quick-disconnect; GM DBW gas pedal
Electronics AEM Infinity management, LS Pro harness, CD7 digital dash w/logger; Holley fuel gauge; ARC switch panel; PAC battery controller; Optima dry cell battery; Painless Performance turn signal kit
Thank You to my brothers at DriftHQ, Chris played a major part in this build and Duarte is simply a man of his word, which is hard to find from anywhere these days. Big Shout out to my longtime friend and partner Matthew Thomas because if it wasn’t for him I would’ve scrapped this project a dozen times but he kept pushing me to make it great. Last but not least is a shout out to the first company that decided to sponsor this build because although it has come a long way, there’s still so much more I want to do to improve on it.
Keyword: Power Hungry BMW M3 Build Gets Japanese and Domestic Upgrades