This immaculate modified BMW E36 looks great on the outside, but what makes it really special is the turbocharged M50 you’ll find under the bonnet, and it’s turned this 3 Series into a boosted beast.

Back in the day, when every BMW was NA, turbos were mysterious. Aside from the Turbo concept car, the 2002 Turbo and the turbocharged E23 745i, BMW’s road-going offerings remained unboosted. Even the early diesel offerings were naturally aspirated, and they really weren’t great…This meant that modders would spend £1000s on project cars to squeeze out an extra handful of NA horsepower or just add an aftermarket or homebrew turbo or supercharger kit to reap the benefits of forced induction.

It was only when BMW launched the E92 335i that Bavarian enthusiasts finally got to experience petrol turbo power firsthand – the performance, the toque, and then the incredible tuning potential. And while every modern petrol BMW is now turbocharged and a remap is all you need to enjoy a serious boost in performance, the appeal of forced induction has not diminished one bit. Seeing anything running serious turbo power is always impressive, and when it’s a car that wasn’t using forced induction in the first place and reminds us of those old homebrew boost days, then even better.

Which brings us neatly to Lee Mowat’s extremely boosted BMW E36 Saloon, and it’s just a bit special.

Lee’s BMW obsession

“I’ve been into BMWs since I was around 13 years old,” Lee begins as we chat, “watching my dad rebuild his crash-damaged E39, and from there, I just fell in love with the older BMW shapes and how well-built they were for their age,” he enthuses, and the appeal of the older BMW models is undeniable. “My first BMW was a blue E39 523i Saloon,” Lee continues, “which I bought because I liked my dad’s one so much, I just had to have one for myself,” he smiles. “It wasn’t the fastest BMW out there, but it made up for it just with the comfort alone.”

Lee also treated his E39 to a drop over some Style 66s, with other cars he’s owned enjoying an air and wheels combo, and while his E36 also has air and wheels, it’s fair to say this is his biggest project to date. “My E36 Saloon was originally bought to replace an E36 Touring that I had, which was unfortunately very rotten due to being sat in a field for a few years before my ownership,” he explains.

Sourcing the BMW E36

“The car was actually local to me. I found it on Facebook, but the pictures weren’t the best, so I thought stuff it, I will have a look anyway, and it turned out to be a very tidy example for its age,” says Lee. “The car was originally a completely stock 316i SE, and the original plan was to simply transfer everything I could from my old Touring, including the 2.5 engine and drivetrain,” he explains, but things have gone a lot further since those initial plans…

M50 engine swap for the modified BMW E36

“I first tidied and semi-smoothed the engine bay, moved the fuse box to behind the dash, tidied and hid the engine loom,” explains Lee, and then came the engine swap that would define this build. “The engine is an M50B25TU making 594hp and 526lb ft of torque, with a Link G4X standalone ECU. The original engine was built by a friend of mine in two weeks, and over two years, it has slowly been changed into what is now,” Lee tells us. “It has a K64 performance decompression plate with ARP head studs to be able to achieve decent power numbers. It’s got an M52 oil pump with an added oil pump chain tensioner because the M52 pumps are stronger, and the tensioner is to stop any slack in the chain, which is known to cause problems,” explains Lee.

“It’s got a top-mount turbo manifold with a Pulsar G30-770 turbo – I went for a G30 to achieve a bit less lag compared to the bigger turbos,” not that he’s exactly short on power, mind. “I’ve got a Turbosmart 45 wastegate with screamer pipe, FMIC Pro Performance intake manifold, full 3” turbo-back exhaust to a Scorpion back box, Siemens 630cc injectors, a bigger fuel pump, an S50 oil filter housing with a HEL external thermostat and oil cooler. It’s also got solid engine mounts, a Nissan S14 radiator as it’s great value for money and works perfectly, and a black intercooler, so it can’t be seen behind the bumper,” Lee says. That adds an air of stealthiness to a build that might not be a complete sleeper but certainly doesn’t let you know that there’s almost 600 turbocharged horsepower waiting to be unleashed.

Modified BMW E36 transmission

“The transmission is an E46 320d six-speed gearbox, and I’m running this because it’s a strong six-speed ’box that is a reasonable price,” explains Lee. “There’s a Driftworks Superfly flywheel, CG Motorsport 320d Stage 3 six-paddle clutch plate, an M3 clutch pressure plate, a custom gearbox mount to enable the six-speed to fit, a custom front propshaft that currently goes to a 2.93 welded diff, though that’s temporary, and finally solid medium-case driveshafts.”

The amount of work that has gone into the engine and drivetrain is seriously impressive, and this is an incredibly comprehensive build. The engine bay also looks spectacular, with that massive turbo just barely managing to squeeze in, and the work Lee did to tidy up the engine bay before the M50 swap means it looks that much cleaner and tidier, perfect for when you want to take the bonnet off and show it off.

Suspension modifications

As we mentioned before, Lee’s modding MO has always been wheels and air-ride, and this E36 follows that tradition, with a few extras beneath the surface. “The car is on a full Air Lift Performance setup with 3P management – I decided to bag the car because I didn’t want to run it static on the lovely English roads,” laughs Lee. “I’ve also got poly lollipop bushes, a poly bushed rear subframe, and Hardrace camber arms, which I had to run to allow the wheels to fit stock body,” he explains.

The brakes, meanwhile, are M3 3.0 items up front and 2.5 rears, with EBC pads and braided lines all-round, with a full ABS delete. “The ABS delete was done to allow for a better brake pedal feel, and the original ABS pump was on its way out; believe it or not, the brakes feel and work a lot nicer without ABS,” says Lee.

Choosing the right wheels for the modified BMW E36

With air on board, Lee needed the perfect set of aftermarket wheels, and he’s got exactly that with these stunning BBSs. “The wheels are custom three-piece RC041 splits, which are 9.5”-wide front and rear. I really like the RC041 styling, so I luckily managed to pick up a set that had been converted to three-piece,” grins Lee, and we’re not surprised he’s so happy. These wheels are simply gorgeous and suit the E36 so well. The 17s tuck perfectly under the E36’s arches, the white centres contrast perfectly against the red bodywork, and then the red centre caps coordinate with it, while the gold BBS lettering matches the gold hardware. It’s a match made in heaven.

OEM+ exterior modifications

While the wheels make a big impact in terms of aesthetics, Lee has added a few key elements that give this E36 a lot more presence, and it looks fantastic. “The exterior was an easy one for me if I’m honest; I love stanced stock-body E36s, so a nice simple Sport kit with some little extra details such as the fat lip splitter and some subtle side skirt extensions was perfect,” smiles Lee. “The fog light ducts are a small detail but were much needed to channel more air into the engine bay and to the turbo. Also, some AC Schnitzer parts are nice to have – the AC spoiler took me a while to find, the same goes for the mirrors, but it added the little bit extra the car was missing,” he enthuses, and we agree.

Honestly, this modified BMW E36 looks so good – everything about it just works so well, and all the additional elements that Lee has added make such a big difference. That carbon front splitter fills out the front bumper and touches the ground when Lee airs out, making the car look so much more dramatic, and the rest of it is just so clean and just so right. And, if you look carefully, you’ll realise just how big that turbo is because the bonnet has a little hump to accommodate it.

Interior modifications

Finally, we come to the interior, and, for now, at least, Lee has kept things nice and simple in here. “To be honest, I’m still not fully decided on what route I’m going with the interior, but for the time being, I decided to fit black leather Sport front seats and black leather rears to match. I’ve also fitted matching front door cards, armrest, shifter and handbrake covers, as well as black suede headlining and parcel shelf.

I’ve got a genuine Nardi wood steering wheel with an NRG boss kit, a carbon centre console, glovebox panel, steering column surround and handbrake handle,” and these additions make the cabin feel more special. In addition to that, Lee has added genuine BMW cup holders, a chassis-mounted short-shift, and in front of that sits a trio of AEM gauges for boost, oil pressure and AFR. While Lee hasn’t as yet done that much on the inside, what he has done is just enough to make the cabin feel that bit more special.

The E36 is rapidly becoming a fan favourite of the modern classic modded BMW scene. It’s starting to get a whole lot of love, and Lee’s awesome example is all the proof you need. It’s got that older custom turbo build vibe, that homebrew feel that you’d get with boosted E36s back when the car was new, executed in a modern way with an eager eagle eye for the period details that make all the difference.

What’s next for the modified BMW E36?

It’s taken Lee four years to get his E36 to this stage, and impressive as it is, he’s not done just yet. “I want to get a built LSD so I can bin the welded diff, getting the interior how I want it once I have decided is also on my list, and maybe more power,” he laughs, but we don’t think he’s joking. And it’s the power that makes this build so awesome. “I would have to say my favourite modification has to be the M50 turbo setup because it makes the car very exciting to drive and also keeps me on my toes as it can be a handful,” chuckles Lee with a grin. Delivering big-boosted turbo thrills, this is one of the finest third-gen Threes we’ve seen on the scene in a long time, and it truly showcases the E36 at its very best.

Photos: Wookshot Media.

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