Cliff Jacobson's 1958 MGA with BMW M10 1.8L Engine

Cliff Jacobson's 1958 MGA with BMW 1.8L Engine

Owner: Clifford Jacobson
City: Paradise, California
Model: 1958 MG MGA
Engine: BMW M10 1.8L inline four
Conversion by: owner

Features and Specifications

Engine: 1976 BMW 2002 series M10 bored, balanced, and rebuilt to Korman Racing's "Phase II" specifications. 10.5 to 1 compression ratio. Ported, polished cylinder head. Schreck 292 camshaft. KAW hardened rockers. Korman dual valve springs. Korman intake manifold. Twin Weber 40mm DCOE carburetors. K&N air filters. Spectre fuel pressure regulator. Pertronix electronic distributor. Taylor Spiro-Pro spark plug wires. NAPA Gold oil filter, remote mounted.
Cooling: aluminum radiator. Electric cooling fan.
Exhaust: Stahl header. Single BMW muffler.
Transmission: BMW 320i (Getrag) 5-speed manual. 0.85:1 fifth gear. Wilwood clutch master cylinder. Performance balanced clutch. Two piece driveshaft with center support.
Rear End: early MGB "banjo" axle with 3.909:1 gears.
Front Susp.: stock MGA.
Rear Susp.: MGB.
Brakes: Wilwood master cylinder.
Wheels/Tires: Dunlop wire wheels. Knockoff hubs. Sumitomo HTR A/S P01 tires.
Interior: custom dashboard to mimic Shelby Cobra 289. Steering wheel from an original AC Cobra.
Instruments: Speed Hut gauges, left to right: speedometer (0-160mph), tachometer (0-8000rpm), oil temperature (140-300F), fuel level (E-F) oil pressure (0-100psi), voltmeter (0-16V), and water temperature (120-260F).
Weight: approximately 1800 pounds.
Body: All fenders glassed in. Front and rear modified. Factory Five Cobra hood, modified and reversed to look like Cobra.
Electrical: converted to 12 volt, negative ground. Delco style 110 amp alternator. Painless wiring harness.
Completed: 6/1/2013. Driven 2000 miles since conversion, as of October 2014.

Comments: Very responsive. Smooth transition through the gears with close ratio between shifts. 2800rpm at 75 MPH in fifth gear. Red line rev limiter set at 7,000.

Engine Installation

1976 BMW 2002 series M10 bored, balanced, and rebuilt to Korman Racing's Phase II specifications.
1976 BMW 2002 series M10 bored, balanced, and rebuilt to Korman Racing's "Phase II" specifications.

Korman intake manifold. Twin Weber 40mm DCOE carburetors. K&N air filters.
Korman intake manifold. Twin Weber 40mm DCOE carburetors. K&N air filters.

Aluminum radiator.
Aluminum radiator.

Pertronix distributor.
Pertronix distributor.

Wilwood brake and clutch master cylinders.
Wilwood brake and clutch master cylinders.


Chassis

Rolling chassis.
Rolling chassis.

Custom motor mounts.
Custom motor mounts.

Steering column clearance.
Steering column clearance.

Driver side motor mount, assembled.
Driver side motor mount, assembled.

Passenger side motor mount bracket.
Passenger side motor mount bracket.

Passenger side motor mount assembly.
Passenger side motor mount assembly.

Removing the passenger side goalpost brace for exhaust clearance.
Removing the passenger side goalpost brace for exhaust clearance.

Temporary brace.
Temporary brace.

Notched goalpost.
Notched goalpost.

Joy ride!
Joy ride!

Original brace trimmed and reinstalled, lower.
Original brace trimmed and reinstalled, lower.

BMW 320i (Getrag) 5-speed manual transmission.
BMW 320i (Getrag) 5-speed manual transmission.

Delco style 110 amp alternator.
Delco style 110 amp alternator.

BMW 320i (Getrag) 5-speed manual transmission.
BMW 320i (Getrag) 5-speed manual transmission.

Floorboards and transmission tunnel.
Floorboards and transmission tunnel.

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Interior

Custom dashboard to mimic Shelby Cobra 289.
Custom dashboard to mimic Shelby Cobra 289.

Steering wheel from an original AC cobra.
Steering wheel from an original AC cobra.


Exterior

Custom front end treatment.
Custom front end treatment.

Front fenders flared. Side vents added.
Front fenders flared. Side vents added.

Factory Five Cobra hood, modified and reversed to look like an original Cobra.
Factory Five Cobra hood, modified and reversed to look like an original Cobra.

Cobra hood scoop, viewed from below.
Cobra hood scoop, viewed from below.

Seams removed. Boot lid enlarged.
Seams removed. Boot lid enlarged.

Rear fenders flared.
Rear fenders flared.

Before.
Before.

Photos by Cliff Jacobson for BritishV8.org. Copyright 2015. All rights reserved. Use by written permission only. (Do not print, copy to your hard drive, or post these online without permission.)


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