BE engine swap

[59frite]

g'mornin folks.

the frite is running now, even went over to the O.S.H.I.T. meeting a couple of weeks ago. -thanks for all the info and tips guys-

so here is the question. the 948 is tired. low oil pressure, and blows some oil out the tailpipe and through the rear seal. im thinking it will soon be time to put another motor together. i have a 1098 in the shop but it will need to be machined and rebuilt. however, i also have been given a 1500 out of a 57 nash met. this motor has only a couple hundred miles on a rebuild. the reason it in on the floor and not in the car is that it has a rattle, has since the beginning. it sounds like a spark knock but isnt. might be a thrust bearing, might be a wristpin. not sure and wont know till i look close at it. but thats not the question.

i'm wondering if anyone has made this swap before. i believe its a b series engine? i know the engine is longer, and taller. i'm not real interested in doing any major chasis or body modification to make it fit, but if i can do it in a way that will allow the 948 to go back in at some point, its all good.

i also have a fresh ribcase that is ready to go. but again dont even know it it will bolt on to this block.

the reason for looking at this is the budget of course (somewhere between nothing and zero). i figure it will be much less expensive to fix the problem with the 1500 then built a new 1098.

any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated.

thanks
chris

 

[jaegzie]

I have a 59 BE that was raced with that motor in it at one time, know it has the 1275 in it. I will have to look a little. The thing is the way the chasis was modded you can tell by looking at it that it was modded pretty easily; however, i know what it is supposed to look like, anyone else coming up to it probably wouldnt notice it unless they knew the cars. Ill get some good pics of the way it looked without an engine in it.

 

[Ohiobugeye]

Back about 1972 or 1973 I bought a 59 Bugeye that had a 1500 cc MG engine in it. The Nash Metropolitan used the same engine. In order to install it they had cut away the heater portion of the battery shelf.The engine had a single up draft carb and they cut a hole in the bonnet and made a crude hood scoop. The engine did bolt up to the smooth case transmission. Other than chopping up the car to get the engine in it go in. The thing rode like a Semi, shocks and springs were really over loaded. The brakes were over taxed. And it wound up tight in forth gear with no place to shift to. I found a 948 cc engine for it and it rode lots better, had better braking and the gearing was also better. Had to sell the car in 1984 as my Daughter needed braces and my dental insurance wouldn't cover them at that time. I would recommend doing a rebuild on your 948cc engine or looking for a decent 1275. Wouldn't recommend the 1500 in the Bugeye.
Don

 

[JPSmit]

you couldn't make braces out of old parts? seems a no brainer to me? a bumper? extra throttle cable?

 

[Billm]

Chris
Engines (even 1275's) are moderately cheap and I would do just about anything to avoid chopping up that car to put in a "B" block.
I have a spare (probably tired) 1275, maybe we could trade stuff?
BillM

 

[Pythias]

I have a 1098. Every time I consider changing it for a 1275 someone with WAY more experience with these cars asks ... WHY?

unless your going to be driving like a boy racer, the 1098 is a great engine. Loads of torque in the bottom end and so smooth that it doesn't need the harmonic balancer. It doesn't have the top end that a 1275 does but with a 4 speed and 3.9 I can motor along just fine.

 

[59frite]

hey thanks for the input.

starting from the top...

i would be interested in seeing pictures mike. its always good to see what i might be getting into before i start.

don, i take it you werent real happy with the way it handled haha. your post is exactly why i started the thread. thanks. i'm an old school mopar guy and have a bit of the "big blocks r better" attitude, but have learned over the years that a good whoa pedal is pretty high on the important list. oh, and just a point of interest, from the bit of reading i have done over the last few days, this motor is actually the one used in an mga. it seems there are some out there that have a better opinion of the mga 1500 over the mgb 1500. i dont know either way, im definately not an expert.

maybe bailing wire jp?

billm, i did make sure that the guy who is donating this motor knows that if i dont use it, it will get sold or traded.

billl, i guess the why in this case would be using what i have, very small budget, and maybe a bit of doing the unusual. i would use the 1098, but only because it is what i have. the 948 might be the best way to go, as it might not need as much machine work. we'll see what works out.

so again, i do appreciate the feedback. it seems that the a series motor will be the ticket.... anyone restoring a met and need a motor? hehehe

thanks
chris