A Bavarian premium automaker with a sporty flair and a knack for building some of the best inline-six engines in the world, BMW is not exactly the most frequent target for custom engine-swap projects.

There is no denying that certain automotive icons should not be touched. One such case might be the ‘E30’ generation of the BMW 3 Series – but that would be when looking from a single point of view.

You might be surprised to know that Clay Sanderson, the owner of this unassuming-looking E36 BMW, used to be an avid truck enthusiast. After owning a handful of modified Ford Rangers, he picked up a ...