Buying a half cut import – a ‘half cut’ or ‘front cut’ as they’re commonly called – has many benefits for those wanting to do an engine transplant or conversion. A Half cut is your ‘Plug & Play’ solution to engine conversions. No need to fuss around with fiddly cut wiring connections as it all comes with the half cut.
“But is it economical? Or should I just buy a used car engine which is lighter and easier to transport?” you might ask.
Good questions. And the answer is: It depends on what you need and what you have access to.
Click here to view our current stock list including Front Half Cut Cars.
The Benefits of Buying A Half Cut Import
As mentioned they are the easy ‘Plug & Play’ solution for engine conversions because you get everything you need for the engine transplant in the one purchase including all your wiring connections, radiator and more.
Second hand half cut cars are more economical if you also need to replace the components connected to the engine. You may also need other parts like suspension, drive lines, brakes, cooling system and more which also come with a half cut import.
When buying a front cut you get all the auto parts in that half of the car.
The majority of front half cuts available include;
- Engine
- Power Steering
- Gearbox (and Driveshafts in 4WD)
- Air Conditioning Set UP
- Pedal Box
- Dashboard and Switchgear
- Radiator including Intercooler, Oil Cooler, Air Condenser
- Complete Steering System including Hydraulic or Electric Power Assistance and usually the Steering Wheel
- Complete Engine Bay Wiring Loom
- Front Suspension
- Brakes
- Exterior Lights
- Bumper
- Complete and Assembled Underbody – valuable!
The reason it’s cheaper to buy a half cut than each individual component is because you are also paying for the wreckers’ time. It takes far less time for the wrecker to saw a car in half and ship for sale, than to carefully take all the components apart and sell individually.
You will of course be paying larger shipping costs for a larger item. Although if you went down the engine pathway, you may need to buy separate components from multiple suppliers requiring you to pay multiple shipping costs which will quickly add up. So its worth calculating.
If you happen to be transplanting a larger, more powerful engine into your car, buying a half cut will also supply you with the larger front brakes to match.
If you don’t happen to need these second hand car parts for your current project, you can always sell them (as long as they are in good working order) to offset the cost of the half cut.
Things to Consider When Buying A Half Cut Import
They are big and very heavy!
You will need to make sure you have the space available to store your half cut and the right equipment to help you transport and lift it.
To give you an idea, our Mazda RX-7 half cuts weigh approximately 700 kilograms each, are 1.7 metres wide, 2 metres long and 1 metre high. To successfully pull apart the car and get into all the nooks and crannies to get the parts you need, you will require a forklift or engine crane to easily manoeuvre it once in your workshop.
The best thing about buying an Engine City Imports half cut is that we freight it directly to you (additional quote supplied) so you don’t have to worry about finding a trailer big enough to transport it safely to your work space, or in some cases hire an expensive crane truck.
We also recommend that when purchasing a half cut from anywhere else that you research the car you are buying first (if different to your own) as some make and models have parts in different areas of the car and therefor may not be included in a front cut. If you are unsure of what may be included in our Mazda RX7 half cuts feel free to ask us.
At Engine City Imports, engines are our specialty. So if you are considering purchasing one of our Japanese half cut imports – due to arrive in approx 2 months – it is important to note that while they may come with many other second hand parts and components, we cannot guarantee the quality of the additional parts not included in an engine conversion.
The Findings
If you want an easy engine transplant complete with all the bits and bobs for a relatively simple ‘Plug & Play’ approach, have the equipment needed to move the half cut and can make use of (or even sell off) additional second hand car parts, then a half cut is a good solution for you.
Although if you have done a few engine conversions and have no issues with the re-wiring process involved, but don’t have a lot of space or access to essential warehouse equipment and only require the engine itself, then a used car engine would be best for you.
We hope this information has been helpful to you! If you still have questions, feel free to call our Engine Specialist on 3282 2995.
Check here to see if the engine you require is one we can supply.
Click here to view our current stock list including Front Half Cut Cars.
