* Free Advice. Give us a call Before you order! *
BMC is Known for our Top of the Line British Repair and Restoration Craftsmanship, but if you are Visiting our Online Store, you've found BMC Knows Engine Conversions.
If you are serious about an Engine Conversion, Call us at 651.400.0145 so we can Discuss your needs, then help to determine the components needed for your direction- even if it's not with us! If we can help, we'll start you with a list of parts needed, The Roadmap to getting things moving in the right direction.
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Before you purchase an engine, or get deep into the project, we Highly Recommend building a Roadmap for both your Engine project, along with a larger overview to what you anticipate the rest of the car will require. There's no reason to have a 400 Horse Power engine with an open axle and 185 series Tyres, and we doubt there is reason for flared wheel wells, 225/45R16 wheel/tyre combo with limited slip for a street car that is only going to have a anaemic and worn out 65 BHP 8:1 compression ratio MGB engine with a single Zenith Stromberg Carburetor. If you want to build something that makes sense, Speak to us first.
What to look at when building a Driveline:
How much power is desired?
How much do you want to spend? Buying parts will get the job done in a Far shorter amount of time, take the frustration out of steps plus give that added technical advice when ordering through the right sources.
How long will it take to get the funds for each part of the project?
Do you have the patience, time, and skill to Buy or Build ?Each part of the project?
What is your workspace like? A small garage with a single 40 watt bulb above your head, or the Air Conditioned Garage-Mahal?
Are you equipped for each part of the varying degree of work- do you weld, wire, have an engine hoist?
Whose your Go-to source for parts and information?
Besides for the engine, a conversion means a gearbox, propshaft, cooling system, change of fuel system, often gauge swap (and often dashboard!), electrical wiring, and more.
When the motor/gearbox is swapped, will you be modifying the body for suspension? What about the original suspension, axle, brakes, seats, interior, and even paint and brightwork?
Chicken or the Egg? What should you order first, and what items last? We always recommend starting by KNOWING what your project needs First. THEN, order the hardest to come by parts, usually this is a used or rebuildable motor and gearbox, after that, the basic conversion kits which will come with additional instructions. Finally, any speciality items that are custom built.
What is the car being built for? Local shows, long distance travel street/race, racetrack, mountain carving, Sunday afternoons to the park and Dairy Queen? (They're paying us big money to put their brand name here) Build the car to your needs. If you know that the car will have additional modifications at a later date, some things can be produced to line up with both the present ad the future requirements. Many times, we can help with this.
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Donor Engine Type:
Each engine type and model of vehicle is comes out of makes a Huge difference. There are no Silver Bullets to engine conversions. There are engine models that have many port shapes that effect which headers can be used. Front engine brackets effect what has to be purchased for the engine to function including the timing cover and pulley system- the wrong engine (especially if the engine was procured for FREE) often can cost thousands of dollars in Extra unanticipated parts. Don't bring home an engine until you have the maximum amount of information before you begin. This holds Very tru for any engine type in any non-native engine bay. The Ford 302/5.0 V8, the Buick/Oldsmobile/Pontiac/Rover V8, and the GM V6 engines all have this in common- but some are much better than others.
Car Model Year:
The model year of the car you are going to use may bring favor, or potential peril to your project. A great example is the MGB engine bay modifications from 1962-1980 give an engine bay that can be split into PRE-1968, 1968-1974, 1975-1976, and finally 1977-1980. The newer the car, the easier an engine conversion becomes- but we've worked with these, and many other British makes and models.
Overall Direction:
We advise engine conversions based on how far the project will go, and how quickly.
Is this a full restoration that is being torn down completely and built back until it's complete?
Rolling restoration? This is something that gets a little bit of work every year during the off season.
A running/driving car that is just getting a few items- such as just the engine/gearbox and any needed items now, additional items as you go?
A non-runner, similar to the runner above, but it will need brakes, suspension, and other maintenance before it is back to roadworthy.
Other Considerations:
We've heard from many who speak about various comfort factors that may appear to be a good way to go, but in reality, there are ways to go about things you have never tried.
V6 rather than V8? Sure, your Dad had the V8 and Mom had the inline six, but we can tell you that many of our V6 conversions are much quicker than Dad's V8 was!
Carb is easier or more cost effective than Fuel injection? Often, this is incorrect. Many of the carb re-powers we have seen have cost more than the factory Injection systems, have not performed as decently, and often require a lot more work- even for someone who has never had fuel injection experience.
During our conversation, we expect to touch on a lot of these subjects. Give us a call at 651.400.0145, or contact us through email and set up a time to discuss your direction.