This is definitely not your ordinary BMW 528i Touring – it’s a thousand times more awesome! Built by LS1Tech [1] forum member SWAGON [2], this long roof E39 is packing an LSX 427 mated to a Tremec [3] TR6060. At a quick glance, the wagon appears pretty stock, minus the lowered ride height and new wheels – that’s the beauty of deception.
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To start this build off right, a pristine 1999 Mojave Brown Metallic BMW 528i Touring was purchased as the perfect candidate for the heart transplant. Instead of ripping the car apart right away, SWAGON set out to finish off the exterior touches he wanted to add. This was done by purchasing M5 front and rear bumpers, lowering the car on a set of Fortune Auto [6] coilovers, and slapping on a set of Varrstoen [7] ES2’s.
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Up next was the interior, which got a complete conversion from tan to black. While that transformation was in effect, it allowed time to lay out wiring for the Aeromotive [10] Stealth 340 pump and also some stereo components. With the door cards switched out and the headliner wrapped in black suede, the finishing touch for the revamped interior was a pair of black leather sport seats out of an E38 BMW 7 series.
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With the engine and transmission already in possession, a new cam, rockers and valve springs from COMP Cams [13] were installed along with an Autokraft [14] oil pan for good subframe clearance. The Tremec TR6060 had some fitment issues relating to the position of the shifter, and was sent out to have a new tail section installed. After the transmission came back from the shop, it was time to get it in its new home along with the ZR1 clutch and flywheel.
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With the engine and transmission installed, SWAGON proceeded to install the starter, hydraulic clutch bleeder, headers, and got most of the engine connectors plugged in. The fuel system, coolant system, and starter situation were finalized and she fired right up. All that was needed after the initial startup was a driveshaft and some exhaust work; however, earlier in the build, SWAGON realized that the M5-styled quad-tipped dual exhaust idea would require some fabrication, as the spare tire well was in the way of where he wanted the exhaust routed, but that was nothing a little cutting and welding couldn’t resolve.
[17]SWAGON managed to get his hands on a modified BMW M5 driveshaft, installed it after the initial startup and ran the car for about 150 miles to make sure everything was working how it was supposed to. There were a few little bugs that needed to be worked out, but other than that, the car is a complete monster and we love it. After driving the car, it was taken to a friend for the custom M5-style exhaust, and damn does it complete the look of this build!
A build like this is something we love to see over here at LSXMag; it shows how rewarding time, patience, and a little elbow grease can be. Oh, and a little bit of money can’t hurt, either. SWAGON’s E39 wagon is one of the baddest BMW’s on the road at the moment and we can’t wait to see what else is in store for this build. To see a many more pictures of this build, head over to SWAGON’s build thread [1] and check them out!
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Here is a quick little video of a dyno run from when it was at the tuner where it made 475 horsepower and 477 pound-feet of torque – enjoy!
[17]SWAGON managed to get his hands on a modified BMW M5 driveshaft, installed it after the initial startup and ran the car for about 150 miles to make sure everything was working how it was supposed to. There were a few little bugs that needed to be worked out, but other than that, the car is a complete monster and we love it. After driving the car, it was taken to a friend for the custom M5-style exhaust, and damn does it complete the look of this build!
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