takemetothepub Posted May 26, 2011 Posted May 26, 2011 Starting a new project this summer thats been stored away in the garage for a few years. An old rubber bumper MGB GT has been sat there gathering dust and rot and its time to get something done with it. Its actually the other halfs and she has always wanted it converted to a Chrome Bumper version with spoked wheels etc but costs were running into tens of thousands so its a non starter. We've decided to turn it into something a bit different and have fun with it instead of a traditional resoration project. So instead of an engine rebuild we are going to transplant a 1.9 engine and gearbox out of a BMW 318ti, should see 8 seconds or less to 60. Candy Apple Red paint Chrome modern style wheels Lowerd Retrim inside No bumpers. So it should end up something like this just in Candy Red. Gonna strip it down this weekend and see how bad the rot is. Quote
Gaz 300 Posted May 26, 2011 Posted May 26, 2011 Hope the rot is not that bad mate, sounds like a good project:thumbup1: and good choice of colour. Quote
leo-r32gts Posted May 26, 2011 Posted May 26, 2011 6 cylinders good, 4 cylinders bad.. Sounds like a good idea, good luck with the rot!! Quote
takemetothepub Posted May 26, 2011 Author Posted May 26, 2011 6 cylinders good, 4 cylinders bad.. Sounds like a good idea, good luck with the rot!! the 1.9 BMW lump is a 4 cylinder jobby an inline 6 wouldnt fit. Quote
takemetothepub Posted May 26, 2011 Author Posted May 26, 2011 If an inline 6 would I'd be fitting the 2.8 lol Quote
Gaz 300 Posted May 26, 2011 Posted May 26, 2011 6 cylinders good, 4 cylinders bad.. Sounds like a good idea, good luck with the rot!! Speed aint everything:)there's nothing like going slow in a cool car:cool3: Quote
daZvert Posted May 26, 2011 Posted May 26, 2011 Looks very nice, what a great project!! but I think a zed tt engine or a v8 at least!!:cool3: Quote
takemetothepub Posted May 26, 2011 Author Posted May 26, 2011 Looks very nice, what a great project!! but I think a zed tt engine or a v8 at least!!:cool3: All comes down to money again though, its a compramise/cheap as we can fun build and can buy a complete donor 318ti for £400. Quote
daZvert Posted May 26, 2011 Posted May 26, 2011 All comes down to money again though, its a compramise/cheap as we can fun build and can buy a complete donor 318ti for £400. wow, thats a bargain, and as Gaz above said, its a nice old sports car to go cruising in, so why waste expensive fuel money, nice one Quote
Kaza Steve Posted May 26, 2011 Posted May 26, 2011 the all alloy rover V8 ( ex buick ) fits nicely makes for anice lazy burbler or sraight line hooligan with the right carb set up ... Quote
takemetothepub Posted May 26, 2011 Author Posted May 26, 2011 the all alloy rover V8 ( ex buick ) fits nicely makes for anice lazy burbler or sraight line hooligan with the right carb set up ... And will blow the buget with the engine on its own lol Quote
Quavey Posted May 26, 2011 Posted May 26, 2011 All comes down to money again though, its a compramise/cheap as we can fun build and can buy a complete donor 318ti for £400. I'm sure you already know, but if you want to widen the search the 318is (not a 318i) which was a coupe only in the e36 range right up to the last year of production also has a 16v engine, it did change from a 1.8 to a 1.9 but the output was the same, 140bhp. Great project. Pitty a 6 won't fit though! I believe there are now several aftermarket turbo'ing kits for the M42/44 motor and they respond very well to it if you fancy a little more poke ;) http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TURBO-KIT-BMW-E36-4-CYLINDERS-318i-318is-TI-M42-M44-/170394523720 (Although I dont know if the ebay kit is any good!!!!!) Quote
takemetothepub Posted May 26, 2011 Author Posted May 26, 2011 Ah I didnt know they used to M44 in the IS version, that does help in our search. Turboing it would be tricky with the room in the bay and costs again would mean we leave it as stock, but even stock will be nice and nippy for an old motor :) Quote
Quavey Posted May 26, 2011 Posted May 26, 2011 Ah I didnt know they used to M44 in the IS version, that does help in our search. Turboing it would be tricky with the room in the bay and costs again would mean we leave it as stock, but even stock will be nice and nippy for an old motor :) Ah yeah I can imagine your quite restricted with space! Yeah means you can look for any 318is E36 coupe, if it helps they also had discs on all corners as well if your doing a running gear conversion? Is there an issue with using an M42 motor? 1.8 still 16v and 140bhp? Quote
Quavey Posted May 26, 2011 Posted May 26, 2011 An interesting site with bits of info about what was where at what year etc. http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk/bmw.html Fantastic site for searched for part numbers and what fits what etc http://www.realoem.com Good sounding engine http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BMW-318-TI-M44-ENGINE-64-000-MILES-/200610828800?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2eb5565200 Good sounding gearbox http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BMW-gearbox-318-M44-engine-E36-/330567132697?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4cf7562619 Complete and nice looking car, would be a shame to break that! http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201112383025357/sort/priceasc/usedcars/model/3_series/make/bmw/page/1/radius/1500/keywords/318is/postcode/la29pw?logcode=p Damit I almost wish it was me doing it now :D Quote
takemetothepub Posted May 26, 2011 Author Posted May 26, 2011 Ah yeah I can imagine your quite restricted with space! Yeah means you can look for any 318is E36 coupe, if it helps they also had discs on all corners as well if your doing a running gear conversion? Is there an issue with using an M42 motor? 1.8 still 16v and 140bhp? Not an issue as such, the M44 is ment to be the better engine with better head flow design etc. Yup will be taking the brakes, we decided to buy a whole donor car so we can get as much as we can from one place, engine, gearbox, ecu, wiring, brakes etc then we can sell it to the scrap man for £200 and its cost us not a lot at all. Quote
takemetothepub Posted May 26, 2011 Author Posted May 26, 2011 Complete and nice looking car, would be a shame to break that! http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201112383025357/sort/priceasc/usedcars/model/3_series/make/bmw/page/1/radius/1500/keywords/318is/postcode/la29pw?logcode=p Whoa FAR to expencive £400 tops for what we are after, will buy a CAT C thats been in a little knock that will do the job fine for our needs for £300. Quote
takemetothepub Posted May 26, 2011 Author Posted May 26, 2011 this is more like it :) http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1997-BMW-318-TI-Leather-MOT-until-December-full-electri-/250817138955?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3a65ddd10b Quote
Quavey Posted May 26, 2011 Posted May 26, 2011 haha have you just won that? Only trying to help:p To be fair that one I posted was a nice little car, no idea what I would do with it but almost felt like calling the guy and giving it a new home! Quote
takemetothepub Posted May 26, 2011 Author Posted May 26, 2011 No just looking at whats out there, that one was on my favs just seeing how much it would end for. Thought about putting the 200sx turbo lump in but would be five times the cost of the BMW lump. Quote
Quavey Posted May 26, 2011 Posted May 26, 2011 Yeah and would probably split its bottom end bearings out quicker than a 2 dollar hooker! BMW engine FTW, very strong and capable motors. There was a chap on e36coupe.com (i';m sure bigjim will be along to remind me who it was) that had a 318is coupe that had done 280k or something stupid by the time it died, he thought the cam chain had snapped... Turned out to be the water pump that had failed but he had already bought a new car, so he sold it and last I heard soemone else was running about in it. Never even had a head gasket! Quote
Steams Posted May 26, 2011 Posted May 26, 2011 Sounds like a great project mate, keep us informed :thumbup: Quote
Stephen Posted May 26, 2011 Posted May 26, 2011 i think the crome ruins it. a nice set of minilites or wellers or the like would make it look like a more perios style witha smooth twist as would blacking out all the chrome to give it a more clean appearnace. that was my capri, i removed teh bumper overriders and smoothed them out slightly tinted the rear lenses, and had clear fronts, mk2 grill crom trim painted over. side mouldings etc spoiler reomoved. dropped around 30mm all round and a subtle 2inch rolled exit exhuast. rolling on 13x7 ultralite minilites. Quote
takemetothepub Posted May 27, 2011 Author Posted May 27, 2011 i think the crome ruins it. a nice set of minilites or wellers or the like would make it look like a more perios style witha smooth twist as would blacking out all the chrome to give it a more clean appearnace. Nice but not really the look the other half wants, once she has her mind set lol :) Quote
mick1 Posted May 27, 2011 Posted May 27, 2011 Starting a new project this summer thats been stored away in the garage for a few years. An old rubber bumper MGB GT has been sat there gathering dust and rot and its time to get something done with it. Its actually the other halfs and she has always wanted it converted to a Chrome Bumper version with spoked wheels etc but costs were running into tens of thousands so its a non starter. We've decided to turn it into something a bit different and have fun with it instead of a traditional resoration project. So instead of an engine rebuild we are going to transplant a 1.9 engine and gearbox out of a BMW 318ti, should see 8 seconds or less to 60. Candy Apple Red paint Chrome modern style wheels Lowerd Retrim inside No bumpers. So it should end up something like this just in Candy Red. Gonna strip it down this weekend and see how bad the rot is. I like the look of that :rockon: Quote
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