Crazy swaps? (attn Bob-o)
 

Since I'm bored as hell, let's talk about motor swaps for racecars.

Specifically, something cheap, light, and fast. Doesn't have to be pretty, doesn't have to have any creature-comforts... just a fast-ass track car that's cheap to operate.

My gut tells me that a Chevy small block 350 motor swapped into a RWD Japanese car is the way to go... Datsun 240/260/280's are popular, RX-7's too. What about an old Corolla? Bob, you've had a few, what sorta room is there under the hood of those things? You think the chassis would be able to handle all that twist... not that it would matter too much, since I'd cage the whole thing...

http://www.brand-new-engines.com/chevy350.gif

+

http://www.driftsession.com/gallerie...2/stanford.jpg

=

http://www.car-accidents.com/pics/ca...ad_on_fire.JPG

?

Anyway... someone entertain me w/ ideas.

Don't you have a gaming cockpit to be building or something? :lol:

I actually L'ed O L at your math equation there Scott... :D

The 240/260/280 small block swap is SUPER common, simply because there's TONS of room in there. Hell, often more than in some of the vehicles Chevy put that motor in! (see: Corvette)

I think the trick would be to put it into something that wouldn't WAY F* up the balance of the car. The Nissan straight 6 is a BRICK, so it's not a huge issue in the 260/280 shell, but would a Trueno suffer from too much weight over the front tires? The SB isn't THAT heavy by comparison to some motors, but I'd guess much more than what the car was equipped with...

I don't really have any better ideas off the top of my head, but there's MY input on the current one! :D

http://autosclasicos.espaciolatino.c...guar-xj601.jpg


:twisted: Imagine this bitch with a wide body...!

http://www.sportsimports.ca/images/datsunroadster2.jpg

Old Skool Datsun Roadster!

There's a guy running around with one of these here in town... it's kinda hacked tho...


Sorry for the 3 posts in a row, I'm kinda bored today at work too...

Back in my country we use Toyota engine 1J or 2J Series on almost any engine swap car. Cheap engine with ton of parts. My friend have a BMW 325 with 2J turbo. Too bad that not the case here and I know nothing about Ford or Chevy engine. I only know cc not ci.

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the oil sump on a 350 located on the rear of the engine? If that's the case I don't think it'll fit in the car with the stock crossmember. The 4ag has a front sump, just like a Ford 302.:)
Without a proper cage, and structural reinforcements that amount of torque would tear the unibody to shreds.

So a 302 will fit then? Cause that means a 351 will fit too. :devil:

I think Cory's right though, you'd have to really beef up the front suspension on a Corolla to handle the extra weight. Then you're messing up the handling balance that the car is famous for.

One of my old room mates had a 240Z, and there was tons of room under the hood. It felt like I could lay down in there and close the hood still (with the engine removed).

I've heard of people putting Ford 302's into Ford Pinto's before. One article said it could out accelerate an original AC Cobra.

My old Celica had plenty of room for a V8 swap (or 2JZ with NAS :lol: ) but it was heavier than a Z car, so I dunno if it would be worth it.

One sweet one is a highly modded OG Morris Mini with a Type-R swap or whatever... but really, any of the tiny fwd econoboxes from the late 80s and early 90s would do, like a Metro or Fiesta or Swift. You could strip and cage one down to probably 1700 pounds, and a mild FI'd ~2 liter I4 would make it plenty fast.

Okay here's one- 4 rotor into a StarQuest. :twisted: That one should be fun... if you're a chassis designer and builder who can actually pull it off. :lol:

Gsxr1100/Toyota 8"/Honda chassis

My vote is for something rotary, just because the thought of a wankel-powered AE86 makes my pants tight.

I had that problem with the FX, the added wieght of the 20 valve made the front end sit much lower than it should.

Is there a car in there somewhere? All I see is a patchwork quilt flapping.

What I'm starting to see alot of is the F20 out of the early S2000s in the 86s.

Yeah, that video is even worse quality than what I had on my hard drive. But it's still worth it for the engine noise at the end, and 4 Japanese nerds screaming their heads off. :lol:

260 hp, 300 ft/lb tq, 1,500 pounds

http://www.bruntonauto.com/Builders/builder.htm

510 with a Buick V8. Some folks had a rad one in the bay when I used to autocross. Probably still run it.

My dad used to roll around on a chevy small block Z car. Really fun on the straights and really retarded around the corners (unless your keen on destroying your tires and setting up the car to drift properly).

I've heard of a place called Wagonwerks, where they prep VW beetle bodys for Chevy 350s. Then mod it to look like an old Hot-rod.

So they've completely alienated 3 distinct camps of enthusiasts. Well done! :lol:

My vote goes to some type of motorcylce engine, preferably an older carb'd one, and my dad's Austin healy sprite. While not super car fast, 10,000 Rpm at every shift would make it seem a hell of alot faster than it is.