VAUGHN & CO.
TOOLS. SYSTEMS. RESULTS.
TWIN TROUBLE
TWIN TURBO
The car I learned to weld on, learned to fabricate on, and never stopped rebuilding—evolving from one ridiculous idea to the next.
WHERE IT ALL STARTED:
This car started as a way to challenge myself. I wanted something fun that would take a lot of work and force me to learn new skills along the way. I learned to weld and fabricate on this E46, and the build has continued to evolve as my skills have.
BMW E46
STATUS:
STAGE 2
IN PROGRESS
TARGET
COMPLETION:
2027
ENGINE:
3.0L
M54B30
HORSEPOWER:
550+ WHP
PARTS & TOOLS USED
ENGINE
14 PARTS
TURBO SYSTEM
14 PARTS
INTERIOR
14 PARTS
EXTERIOR
14 PARTS
DRIVETRAIN
14 PARTS
TOOLS & GEAR
14 PARTS
COMPANIES BEHIND THE BUILD
The companies whose products I actually use on the builds.
STAGE 1
BUILD SPECS:
ENGINE:
3.0L
M54B30
TRANSMISSION:
ZF 5HP19
X CLTUCH 9" TWIN DISC
DRIVETRAIN:
RWD
CONVERSION
HORSEPOWER:
550+ WHP
SUSPENSION:
TBD
FUELING:
...
WHEELS & TIRES:
TBD
BUILD ROADMAP
Follow the journey. Each stage is a major milestone in the build.
STAGE 1
SIX
SHOOTER
STAGE 2
TWIN
TURBO
STAGE 3
THE
SHAKEDOWN
STAGE 4
VISUAL
OVERHAUL
STAGE 5
SEMA
READY
The original six-pipe build to six dirt bike mufflers.
GOAL: Learn to mig weld.
Rebuilt 3.0L M54B30 swap & custom twin-turbo setup.
GOAL: Learn to tig weld
Sort, tune and refine the the car.
GOAL: Make it actually run
Body kit, exterior paint and a completely custom interior.
GOAL: Transform the aesthetics
Finishing touches, decals, & final testing
GOAL: Drive it to SEMA
100%
STAGE 1
CURRENT STATE:
Get the car running and driving
52%
COMPLETE
M54B25 Removed
Engine Torn Down
M54B30 Painted
VANOS Rebuilt
Oil Pump Welded
Engine Assembly
Turbo Fabrication
Engine Install
Clutch Install
Wastegate Fabrication
Custom Engine Harness
ECU Install
Fuel System
First Start
Tuning/Dyno
PROJECT SCORECARD
DIFFICULTY
COST
TIME
FRUSTRATION
SMILES/MILE
LESSONS LEARNED
BIGGEST WIN
LEARNIGN TO WELD
I learned to MIG and TIG weld on this build—and eventually gained the skills to rebuild an entire car from scratch.
BIGGEST WASTE
NOTHING, REALLY.
Even the mistakes cost me time and money, but most of them taught me something I wouldn't have learned otherwise.
BIGGEST REGRET
HOW LONG IT'S TAKEN
This build took on a progression of its own, and managing the scope has kept it off the road far longer than I ever planned.
BEST MONEY SPENT
THE NEW ENGINE
Replacing the neglected 2.5L engine and painting the new 3.0L one completely changed the build. It looks too good not to show off.
BIGGEST TIME SAVER
GOOD PARTNERS
Working with good companies means better parts, better tools and fewer headaches—which makes a massive build like this easier.
WHAT I LEARNED
DOING IT ALL TAKES TIME
Doing everything yourself teaches you an insane amount—but it takes 10x longer, especially when you're filming the entire process.
ENTIRE BUILD SERIES ON YOUTUBE
Real builds. Real problems. Real solutions.
