Guys,

I sold my '87 TII that I had restored about a year ago and bought a 2001 328i BMW. I've got the project car bug again and i'm looking at an '89 NA that needs some work. What I would like to know is what components are different on the S5 TII and NA. The engine/turbo obviously but what about the tranny, diff, brakes, suspension?

Thanks for the help. I've been gone about a year but i'm back baby i'm back!

Todd

 

Different.

Different.

Different.

Different.

 

hmmmm....I thought the S5s all had turbo suspensions and brakes. That info. makes me less enthusiastic about using an NA as a base for my project. I COULD give up the boost but not the handling/brakes.

Todd

 

Well, I could be wrong. It does happen very occasionally. Do a Google search for "beyond the redline". On that site, there is a page which explains the changes year by year. As far as I know, only the GTUs shares the TII suspension and brakes (but NOT the drivetrain).

 

All S5's use the same springs (except verts), and some use the same shocks, but those are really the only common suspension parts.

A base S5 (like a 89-90 GTU) does not even use the 4 piston vented front brakes...

 

Drivetrain is different, as Mazda designed a stronger drivetrain for the turbo.  So that covers the flywheel, clutch, PP, transmission, driveshaft, rear diff, and rear axles (and rear hubs?).


-Ted

 

What about things like the suspension arms, roll bars, etc. . Since I'd probably have to change out all the bushings, shocks, struts, etc., anyway, I was just wondering how much cost there would be to make an NA handle like a turbo.

 

NA outhandles turbo....if you got a GTUS.

 

Suspension components are all the same, as long as we're not talking about a base model here.

Even with the base model, the only differences are the brakes, hubs, brake lines, and sway bars.  Almost everything else is identical.


-Ted

 

Yeah.....because a GTUs has all the turbo stuff without the turbo, right? Unfortunately, it's not a GTUs though.

Todd