I know a fella who is restoring a MGA coupe but is planning to drop a Buick Grand National V6 into it. The thing should go like stink, but I can see the purists rolling their eyes already. Also knew a guy who put a hotted up Chev 350 into a Vega.
What oddball hybrids have you guys come across?
Too many to list. I've built a couple. My first was a 302 into a '71 Pinto station wagon.
The second was an Olds Toronado engine and transaxle into the back of a '32 Ford truck. That one was cool, with the headers turned upside down like a boat and the engine in the bed. I had to put a 327 in the front to keep from pulling wheel stands all the time.
I drove a 350 Vega all through college in the 80's. I've done a few Honda engine swaps, but those are no big deal. My next project will be an LS1 into my '77 Chevy C-20.
Keith on the GRM board is building a MGB GT with an LS1 right now. That's a wild car!
If you want to see or hear about wild engine transplants, there's no lack of them if you look. Here's one pretty outrageous one:
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Supercharged V-6 into a '68 Cortina.
SBC in a Corvair wagon.
FWD V-8 Caddy in a Metro back seat.
Mid engine VW Bus.
At the Spring Carlisle event I once saw a Tunnel-rammed, SBC wedged into a Saab 900!
Yes it had been converted to RWD.
A guy at school put a Turbonique gas turbine in a two stroke Saab 93. The gas turbine drove the back wheels for drag racing. He kept the two stroke engine in the front, so he could still use it for his daily driver.
Dave
Acquaintance put an Infiniti Q45 V8 into a '72 240z mated to a T56 transmission that linked to a R230 rear end... he just sold it this week...see http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-classic-cars-1973-Datsun-240Z-Coupe-W0QQAdIdZ235596471 and another friend is finishing the installation of a Ford 5.0 litre V8 into his 240Z....should be a fun street ride...
TR8owner wrote: I know a fella who is restoring a MGA coupe but is planning to drop a Buick Grand National V6 into it. The thing should go like stink, but I can see the purists rolling their eyes already.
I'm rolling my eyes, but in part because using a 90 deg. engine almost ensures a barbaric chop job. The frame reinforcements that run from the 'goalpost' heater shelf area to the front shock area are important for structural rigidity on these cars, and there isn't room for a wide engine in there, so most oif the people that stick in V8s or 90 deg. V6s (the Buick is just a small block GM V8 with a couple of cylinders lopped off) just chop out these necessary frame pieces.
I was involved in an MGA with 215 Olds engine years ago and vowed never again. When I was in a position to swap a modern engine into an MGA chassis (on the Jamaican) I opted for the 60 deg. V6 which itself poses a few challenges (unlike the MGB chassis which has more space).
I kind of hate to see anyone chopping MGAs (why not destroy rubber bumper MGBs which no one will miss?) but if they have to it would be nice to see a 4 cylinder swap, simply because doing one means less violence to the structure of the car. There are some lovely Honda S2000 and various Jaopanese DOHC 4 cylinder swaps around. A GM LNF engine would produce more power than the Buick and take up less space.
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I don't know if this really qualifies as a strange project but here's a picture of my 1969 Lotus Europa project. It's a Toyota 4AGE engine with set of 40mm flatslide snowmobile carbs.
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Another picture of my Europa as it sits today.
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This is from the Fathers Day Car Show in Hyannis, MA. This 2002 had a few touches...
Stu
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