Cliff Jacobson's 1958 MGA with BMW 1.8L Engine
BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars2015
Read the full write-up at BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars ↗
Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports carsA 1958 MGA rebuilt with a BMW M10 1.8L engine and Cobra-style body
Owner Cliff Jacobson re-engineered his 1958 MGA around a rebuilt BMW 2002 M10 engine matched to a BMW 320i five-speed gearbox and an MGB rear axle, while reshaping the body and interior to echo a Shelby Cobra 289. The write-up documents the engine build, the chassis and motor-mount fabrication, and the exterior and interior styling, finishing with the car's completion date and early driving impressions.
Specs
As stated in the original write-up.
- Engine
- 1976 BMW 2002 M10 1.8L inline four, bored, balanced and rebuilt to Korman Racing Phase II spec, 10.5:1 compression, ported and polished head
- Camshaft
- Schreck 292 camshaft with KAW hardened rockers and Korman dual valve springs
- Fuel system
- Korman intake manifold with twin Weber 40mm DCOE carburetors, K&N air filters and a Spectre fuel pressure regulator
- Ignition
- Pertronix electronic distributor with Taylor Spiro-Pro plug wires
- Oil system
- Remote-mounted NAPA Gold oil filter
- Cooling
- Aluminum radiator with electric cooling fan
- Exhaust
- Stahl header into a single BMW muffler
- Gearbox
- BMW 320i (Getrag) 5-speed manual with 0.85:1 fifth gear
- Clutch
- Performance balanced clutch with Wilwood clutch master cylinder
- Driveshaft
- Two-piece driveshaft with center support
- Rear axle
- Early MGB banjo axle with 3.909:1 gears
- Front suspension
- Stock MGA
- Rear suspension
- MGB
- Brakes
- Wilwood master cylinder
- Wheels
- Dunlop wire wheels with knockoff hubs
- Tyres
- Sumitomo HTR A/S P01
- Interior
- Custom dashboard styled after a Shelby Cobra 289, with a steering wheel from an original AC Cobra
- Instruments
- Speed Hut gauges: speedometer, tachometer, oil temperature, fuel level, oil pressure, voltmeter and water temperature
- Electrical
- Converted to 12 volt negative ground, Delco-style 110 amp alternator, Painless wiring harness
- Body
- Fenders glassed in, front and rear reshaped, Factory Five Cobra hood modified and reversed
- Weight
- Approximately 1800 pounds
Parts used
Parts named as used in the original write-up, grouped the way the Parts page groups them. Where one of the shops we index lists the same thing for this car, it is shown underneath with a link to the shop.
Engine 7
- BMW M10 1.8L engine (1976 BMW 2002)Korman Racing
Bored, balanced and rebuilt to Korman Racing Phase II spec with 10.5:1 compression and a ported, polished head
In the shops
TTV 4 Paddle Clutch Plates 184x7.2mm BMW Spline for Drenth Box (Pair) ↗
C Bradley Motorsport· £299.90 GBP
Club Performance Coilovers - Subaru Impreza / WRX 2002-2007 & STi 2004 (GD) ↗
JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $1,900.00 USD
BMW 2002 Minilite Wheels 14 inch ↗
Sports & Classics· $1,395.95 USD - Schreck 292 camshaftSchreck
Fitted as part of the engine rebuild
- KAW hardened rockersKAW
Used with the performance camshaft
In the shops
Rocker Shaft-378mm Tuft hardened ↗MGbits4U· £60.66 GBP
Rocker Shaft 356mm Tuft Hardened ↗ - Korman dual valve springsKorman
Installed during the head rebuild
In the shops
Dual Valve Spring Set (MGA/MGB to 1971) ↗
bpnorthwest.com· $28.99 USD
Dual Valve Spring Lower Collar (MGA, MGB 63-71) ↗bpnorthwest.com· $3.99 USD
Valve Spring Set, Dual Heavy Duty (MGA, MGB to 1971) ↗bpnorthwest.com· $71.95 USD - NAPA Gold oil filterNAPA
Remote mounted on the engine
In the shops
Oil Filter, Cartridge Type, Felt (Classic Gold) ↗
Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $9.99 USD - Stahl headerStahl
Exhaust header feeding into the muffler
- BMW mufflerBMW
Single muffler completing the exhaust system
Fuel & Ignition 6
- Korman intake manifoldKorman
Mounts the twin Weber carburetors
In the shops
Intake Manifold ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $305.25 USD
Intake Manifold ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $0.00 USD
Intake Manifold to Head Gasket ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $6.40 USD - Weber 40mm DCOE carburetors (twin)Weber
Primary fuel delivery for the BMW engine
In the shops
Linkage Kit, Weber DCOE, top mount, twin cable ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £163.25 GBP
Linkage Kit, Weber DCOE, bottom mount, twin cable ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £163.25 GBP
Carburettor, Weber DCOE, 45, road ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £660.25 GBP - K&N air filtersK&N
Fitted to the Weber carburetors
- Spectre fuel pressure regulatorSpectre
Regulates fuel pressure to the carburetors
In the shops
Fuel Pressure Regulator with Filter ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $153.25 USD
Spectre Air Intake Kit (09-14 Corolla) ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $211.99 USD
Spectre Air Intake Kit for 1.8L 4-Cylinder (06-09 Civic) ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $210.99 USD - Pertronix electronic distributorPertronix
Replaces points-type ignition
In the shops
Pertronix Flame Thrower Electronic Distributor ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $356.50 USD
Pertronix Electronic Ignition for Mallory Dual Point Distributors ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $188.50 USD
Pertronix 6-Cylinder Distributor Cap ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $22.99 USD - Taylor Spiro-Pro spark plug wiresTaylor
Ignition wiring for the engine
In the shopsTaylor Hi-Pro Spark Plug Wires, 84-89 300ZX ↗Motorsport Auto (The Z Store)· $89.95
NGK Spark Plug ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $3.29 USD
Spark Plug Holder ↗
Cooling 2
- Aluminum radiator
Cools the BMW engine
In the shops
Aluminum Alloy Radiator ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $348.50 USD
NC Aluminum Race Radiator ↗
Flyin' Miata· $549.00 USD
Single Pass Aluminum Race Radiator (ND) ↗Flyin' Miata· $549.00 USD - Electric cooling fan
Paired with the aluminum radiator
In the shops
Cooling Fan ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $17.99 USDCooling Fan ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $8.55 USD
Cooling Fan ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $178.83 USD
Gearbox & Drivetrain 5
- BMW 320i (Getrag) 5-speed manual gearboxGetrag/BMW
Installed with a 0.85:1 fifth gear, required chassis brace modification to fit
In the shops
5-Speed Gearbox Conversion Kit ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $6,714.00 USD
Five Speed Gearbox Unit, ford T9 ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £3,185.75 GBP
Seal Kit, five speed gearbox unit ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £38.00 GBP - Wilwood clutch master cylinderWilwood
Operates the performance clutch
In the shops
Clutch Master Cylinder, 5/8" Bore ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $32.99 USD
Clutch Master Cylinder (5/8" Bore) ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $98.99 USD
Brake/Clutch Master Cylinder, 7/8" Bore ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $442.00 USD - Performance balanced clutch
Matched to the BMW engine and gearbox
In the shops
ND Performance Clutch Kit ↗Flyin' Miata· $569.00 USD
FM NC Performance Clutch Disc (6-Speed) ↗Flyin' Miata· $199.00 USD
Clutch Disc (1.8 NA/NB Performance Clutch) ↗Flyin' Miata· $179.00 USD - Two-piece driveshaft with center support
Connects gearbox to the rear axle
In the shops
BMW Driveshaft Center Support ↗Sports & Classics· $59.95 USD
Two-Piece Anodized Aluminum Timing Cover ↗
Good Parts· $399.00 USD
Wilwood Two-Piece Slotted Rear Rotor Set ↗Flyin' Miata· $529.00 USD - Early MGB banjo rear axleMGB
Fitted with 3.909:1 gears as the rear end
In the shops
Front Pinion Bearing (MGA, MGB Banjo Axle) ↗bpnorthwest.com· $44.99 USD
Side Banjo Axle O-Ring (MGA, MGB Roadster 63-67) ↗bpnorthwest.com· $1.69 USD
Differential Carrier Bearing for MGA/MGB Banjo Axle ↗bpnorthwest.com· $40.85 USD
Suspension & Steering 1
- MGB rear suspensionMGB
Used in place of the original MGA rear suspension
In the shopsWasher thrust suspension MGA/MGB ↗Motaclan Limited· £0.59 GBP
Major Suspension Kit with MGB-GT V8 Bushings ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $168.50 USD
Brakes 1
- Wilwood master cylinderWilwood
Brake master cylinder for the conversion
In the shops
Wilwood Rotor Hat ↗Flyin' Miata· $179.00 USD
Brake Master Cylinder ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $262.75 USD
Master Cylinder Repair Kit ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $17.99 USD
Wheels & Tyres 2
- Dunlop wire wheelsDunlop
Fitted with knockoff hubs
In the shops
Wire Wheels (MWS Dunlop Style) ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $347.25 USD
Dunlop 72-Spoke Black Wire Wheel ↗Sports & Classics· $429.95 USD
60-Spoke Dunlop Wire Wheel (Used) ↗Sports & Classics· $195.00 USD - Sumitomo HTR A/S P01 tiresSumitomo
Tyres fitted to the wire wheels
Body & Trim 1
- Factory Five Cobra hoodFactory Five
Modified and reversed to resemble an original Cobra hood and scoop
In the shops
Factory Works Hood & Trunk Straps ↗Sports & Classics· $52.95 USD
Factory-Style Leather Hood & Trunk Straps (Pair) ↗Sports & Classics· $69.95 USD
Interior 2
- Custom Cobra-style dashboard
Built to mimic a Shelby Cobra 289 dashboard
- AC Cobra steering wheelAC
Original AC Cobra wheel fitted to the car
In the shops
Dished Cobra Leather Steering Wheel ↗
Moto-Lita· £285.00 GBP
Dished Split Cobra Wood Steering Wheel ↗Moto-Lita· £330.00 GBP
Cobra 6-Bolt Dished Wood Steering Wheel ↗Moto-Lita· £285.00 GBP
Electrical 3
- Speed Hut gauge setSpeed Hut
Speedometer, tachometer, oil temperature, fuel, oil pressure, voltmeter and water temperature gauges
- Delco-style 110 amp alternatorDelco
Charges the 12 volt negative ground electrical system
- Painless wiring harnessPainless Performance
Used for the 12 volt conversion
In the shops
Wiring Harness ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $0.00 USD
Wiring Harness Tape ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $12.75 USD
Wiring Harness Dash Clip ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $1.75 USD
Photos
30 pictures collected from the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.
How it was done
Engine and drivetrain installation
The rebuilt BMW M10 engine was fitted into the MGA chassis with custom motor mounts made for both sides, and the steering column area was adjusted for clearance. Fitting the Getrag five-speed and routing the exhaust required removing and later trimming and lowering the passenger side chassis brace (the 'goalpost') to clear the pipework, with a temporary brace used in between.
Interior work
The dashboard was custom built to resemble a Shelby Cobra 289 layout, fitted with a full set of Speed Hut gauges covering speed, revs, oil temperature and pressure, fuel, voltage and water temperature. A steering wheel from an original AC Cobra was installed.
Body and exterior work
The body was reworked with a Cobra influence: front fenders were flared with added side vents, a Factory Five Cobra hood was modified and reversed to mimic an original Cobra hood and scoop, body seams were removed, the boot lid enlarged, and the rear fenders flared.
Completion and driving impressions
The conversion was completed on 6/1/2013 and had covered about 2000 miles by October 2014. The owner describes it as responsive with smooth gear changes and close ratios, turning about 2800rpm at 75mph in fifth gear, with the rev limiter set at 7000rpm.
A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is in the original write-up: read it at BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars ↗