Ascari Ecosse- engine blown

A friend of mine has an Ascari Ecosse, and the engine has blown, seems like it dropped a valve and both bottom and top end are destroyed. His car is the later model with a 400bhp BMW V8 4.4 liter motor. The engine is specially built for the car by Hartge. They have quoted £45000 for a new engine--OUCH. Anyone any idea on a way around this. ? I have been thinking that maybe the later BMW M5 5.0 liter V8 would be a good option as one could probably find a low mile engine quite easily. Thing is this is a mid engine car with a different transaxle type gearbox and bellhousing. Its a long shot I know as they are very rare but just thought i would ask.
Cheers
Steve

 

Why can't the engine be repaired? seems like that could be done for a lot less than 45k. Is the block itself cracked? If it's the crank, pistons, bearings, valvetrain, etc... all of that can be repaired/replaced no matter if its' a special engine or not.

$45k for an engine is highway robbery. Especially a BMW 4.4L

 

Even more so considering they are quoting $90,000.

 

Yes the block is damaged, along with the crank as far as I know. He was driving at speed when it happened. Thing is he had noticed a ticking noise in one head for a few days before but decided to leave it for a while, his fault really. He has a Pantera also and blew the motor in that too three years ago.!!!
The V8 is not a standard motor, Hartge rebuild them and very little is carried over, they use their own pistons bearings, conrods, crank heads and valve gear and reprogram engine management etc. Even so it is crazy money,

 

They say you shouldn't buy an expensive car if you can't foot the bill when the time comes.

 

So how is power output of the Hartge compared to the standard M5 engine?

If it really is 45k for a new Hartge engine and he doesn't want to spend that, then I'm sure the standard 400hp unit from a second hand BMW M5 will be just as much fun and a lot less '000's

 

The standard 4.4V8 was rated at 286BHP when Ascari started making the Ecosse in mid 90s. Hartge rebuild the engine for Ascari also enlarging it to 4.7 with a 400bhp output. At the time the M5 had a 3.8 straight six. Now howver i thought that the 1999 onwards M5 which is a 5.0lit 400bhp V8 might be suitable. Just dont know as the Ecosse is a mid engine car and Hartge also modify the motor and manufacture a custom bellhousing to mate to the transaxle.
Steve

 

for those who dont know here are a couple of pics
Steve
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Ahhh all clear. I misread you post Steve, thought it had a Hartge tuned 5.0 V8 from the last M5.

 

Didn't lee Noble have something to do with this car initially?

 

My guess is you can buy a standard motor and modify it in the same way for way less..

 

Wow that car is low!

 

He designed it.

 

Proof that you shouldn't try to be original and buy these backyard shed built wonders. Get a GT3 or a Modena and sleep tight at night.

 

I could not agree with you there. The Ascari is a brilliant car and much faster than a 360 or GT3. The engine is also one of the best. And anyone can blow an engine if they ignore unusual noises like my friend did.

 

For over $60,000 less why not just drop in a 505hp Corvette Z06 LS7 crate motor? No I'm not kidding. The Ultima GTR makes great use of the LS-series aluminum small blocks. It can't devalue the car $60K...

 

Pretty sure it's possible to get a adapter plate to fit the old bell housing to the M5 motor. It can't be that hard. I think this would be a good thing to ask some of the more reputable tuner shops. There is always custom work involved there.

 

Looking at it, that's what comes to mind!!

Anyway, overpriced car, so overpriced engine. It figures!

 

Ascari not having much joy these days. My friend Andy races them in the GT cars and first two races palgued with problems, the third on at the w'end there but I'm not sure how he got on!

 

There's a plethora of engines of equal or superior power that can be mated to the Getrag 5 speed. Drop a built LS series in there. Even with all the supporting components/systems to go with it, he'd still come out WAY under the extortionist price he was quoted.

 

Its funny you guys should mention the chevy motor, I think the very first Ecosse cars had a chevy 6 liter. He is investigating the 5.0 400bhp BMW V8 which would give him the same power as before, but he also owns a Pantera and a very good GT40 rep and has a soft spot for the Ford windsor V8 engines and is currently looking at the possibility of using one and ditching the fuel injection.. In fact when he blew the motor in his Pantera he bought my original motor as I changed to a 392 stroker.
Personally speaking if it was my car I would not go down the road of a carb motor.
Steve

 

What about the E60 M5 Engine? 507HP, 5.0L, V10 or is that too big?