Engine Swap (front clip or not?): Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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June 11, 2008 12:33 p.m. captainkarl New Reader

Let me briefly explain my project...

(95 318is that I have owned for 4 years and 125k miles totalling 250k miles) - m42 engine + 1JZGTE = (FUN after a lot of time and understanding wife)

Right now I got the engine ready to pull and I am looking online at several Japanese engine importers and debating if I should get the engine/tranny with harness and all accesories or just go for the full front clip? The first option benefits is that it is cheaper and takes up less space and would make the wife probably more happy not having the whole garage taken up by non-working cars. In the end though, would I wish that I got the whole clip for better understanding of the structure and receiving all the little parts?

Let me know what you think!
June 11, 2008 1:09 p.m. Capt Slow New Reader

whats the price difference?

I would be really tempted by the whole front clip for any incidentals that could be usefull.
June 11, 2008 1:15 p.m. Dr. Hess SuperDork

If you're getting the electronics too then I would go front clip. You never know what little sensor or something isn't there if you just get the engine/tranny or the condition of the harness when they yanked it out. For example, the IAT sensor might be on the air filter. Is it with your engine/trans? Dunno. Buying one will be another expense and PITA.
June 11, 2008 8:52 p.m. Tyler H Dork

Always go with a clip. If you don't need it, you can sell it to recoup some cash.

The front sheetmetal tends to be the best packaging possible when the engine is making the rough voyage over the sea. Usually skid engines have cracked valve covers, bent oil pans, etc.
June 12, 2008 5:22 p.m. captainkarl New Reader

Thanks for the input guys! Heres one problem though, I am searching and I can't find a 1JZ clip only plenty of engines. Any recommended sources?
June 13, 2008 9:25 a.m. captainkarl New Reader

I think I can get the clip for about $3250 or the engine/ecu/tranny/wireharness for around $1900. Is it worthwhile?
June 19, 2008 7:33 a.m. captainkarl New Reader

Well, I am still searching for the front clip and nobody seems to have one. I tried jarco, jhot, tiger japanese, royal japanese, driftmotion... Nobody has one. Any reccomendations or should I just settle for an engine/trans/ecu setup?
June 19, 2008 9:50 a.m. Dr. Hess SuperDork

$1350 pays for a lot of PITA and chasing down parts. And, if you can't find the clip anyway, I'd say go with it. I think a 1JZGTE with trans, uncut harness and ECU for $1900 is a pretty decent deal. Last I bought, a 1zzfe by itself was a grand. Where are you getting it? My JDM motor supplier went under (Watanabe). I don't need any right now, but I have this Europa sitting in my garage....
June 21, 2008 7:47 a.m. Pinche_Chingadera New Reader

I say just go with the swap itself it if comes with a full harness and ecu. You should be set on just that stuff. The little sensors and stuff aren't rare oddball stuff and should be able to be bought right from the yota dealership or hell the junkyard. Alot of the times people get front clips is if they are doing a rhd conversion or like the 240sx there have a different front ends available. So people buy a clip so they can get the engine and different front end. You could also try Soko.com as I purchased a honda engine from them. Clean facility and I was actually able to walk around the warehouse and picked out the engine that I wanted. They only list the California location but they used to have a location in Chicago also which is where I picked up my engine from. You might also want to check out venus-auto as they have a few 1JZ front clips. Good luck.
June 21, 2008 9:16 a.m. Rumnhammer New Reader

I've done 3 different engine swaps now, and I always get the whole front clip. Like has been mentioned the bodywork makes great protection for the componets, and you can pull everything yourself so you make sure you get all the parts, and the wiring will be uncut. I can't tell you how many times people have asked me questions about various componets that were not included when they bought an engine on a pallet, or the wiring has been compleatly butchered, requireing the purchase of a whole new harness etc etc. Getting rid of the leftover carcass is not too hard either, a sawsall with a big metal cutting blade is your friend here, then you can just take all the cut up bits to the metal recycler.

Chris Rummel