Since they guys I know and have talked to about this project are well versed in 'American Muscle' we'd use the motor and transmission and probably go 6spd manual. By going manual over auto, we'd cut a whole bunch of potential sensor issues out of the equation. I'm not appose to driving a manual X5 either for that matter. Mating the drive shaft up to the transmission can be fab'd up without issue and I'm sure the rear diff will handle 500hp. Once I track down the LS and have it rebuilt by one of my buddies, I'll wait till spring before pulling the X5 engine out and building motor mounts and aligning brackets etc. From what I've heard, these engines are so much more easy to work on with parts WAY cheaper than any on the engine I'm currently running.

__________________
If you can still see the disapointment on his face in your rear view mirror, he's not far enough behind.
98 M3 Sedan blk/blk Sold
00 BMW 540i Sold
03 BMW 4.6IS
98 BMW E36 M3 modified