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BMW into Ginetta
Olaf - 10/8/11 at 07:13 AM

Hi to everyone
I'm new to Locostbuilders but I've been building kit, rally and race cars for 30 years.
I'm hoping for some advice, please. I'm currently restoring a real basket case of a 1974 Ginetta G21. The standard Sunbeam Rapier 1725cc engine and gearbox are completely rusted up and siezed so I'm thinking of replacing them with something a little more modern without losing the essential character of the car - that is a lightweight, nimble sports GT.
I reckon that, as the engine bay and chassis were originally designed to take both the Chrysler 1725 engine and the Ford Essex V6, the BMW 318is (E36) engine and box would go in nicely.
Have any of you got any experience in fitting this engine to another car? Could I use the standard ECU and fuel injection? Are there any electrical pitfalls that I should be aware of?
Thanks and regards
Niall

Hector.Brocklebank - 10/8/11 at 10:16 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Olaf
I've been building kit, rally and race cars for 30 years.


With this length of experience I was expecting the post to continue on lower down with many pictures of how you used your apparent vast experience to takle the job and show us how you did it

There are a few who have BMW transplant experience who i am sure will be along shortly to assist you further, welcome and goodluck with your project.

zilspeed - 10/8/11 at 11:26 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Hector.Brocklebank
quote:
Originally posted by Olaf
I've been building kit, rally and race cars for 30 years.


With this length of experience I was expecting the post to continue on lower down with many pictures of how you used your apparent vast experience to takle the job and show us how you did it

There are a few who have BMW transplant experience who i am sure will be along shortly to assist you further, welcome and goodluck with your project.


Please take my post with the neutrality with which it is intended.

Niall, if I am correct (and based on ther username) used to manufacture kit cars, one of which I still have an early example of from the original manufacturer before he took over the project. If that sounds cryptic, it was meant to.

Niall welcome to the forum.

Yes, there are one or two people who have used the 318is engine (which I ver much like.)
try searching for builds of the GKD car, some of which I ma sure have used the 4 cylinder BMW twin cam.

Cheers

JF

franky - 10/8/11 at 11:38 AM

The m44 would be in ideal choice. you can run them on the standard ecu, RWD as standard and its a light/powerful engine.

Olaf - 10/8/11 at 12:18 PM

quote:
Originally posted by zilspeed
quote:
Originally posted by Hector.Brocklebank
quote:
Originally posted by Olaf
I've been building kit, rally and race cars for 30 years.


With this length of experience I was expecting the post to continue on lower down with many pictures of how you used your apparent vast experience to takle the job and show us how you did it

There are a few who have BMW transplant experience who i am sure will be along shortly to assist you further, welcome and goodluck with your project.


Please take my post with the neutrality with which it is intended.

Niall, if I am correct (and based on ther username) used to manufacture kit cars, one of which I still have an early example of from the original manufacturer before he took over the project. If that sounds cryptic, it was meant to.

Niall welcome to the forum.

Yes, there are one or two people who have used the 318is engine (which I ver much like.)
try searching for builds of the GKD car, some of which I ma sure have used the 4 cylinder BMW twin cam.

Cheers

Yes, that's right - I used to make the Sylva Leader back in the eighties. I still have a Leader 400 with a 2.0 litre Fiat Twin Cam in it which is tuned to around 180bhp
JF

Volvorsport - 10/8/11 at 05:58 PM

chap round the corner has a G21 with a rover v8 in- have you got any pics ?

MRLuke - 9/1/12 at 04:38 PM

Late bump perhaps but I am working on a Ginetta G28, would be more than interested to see evidence of people working on another front engined Ginetta.

Are there any build threads?