Bench build thought exercise.

An E36 would be a great choice.  Plus the 4.8 likes boost...

Yeah, I've thought more and more lately that when the trans on our '06 (4L65E)finally pops, I'm going to swap a 6.0 long block and 4L70 back into it. Then what do I do with the 4.8? I mean, I guess I could stuff it into my 78 C10 but I just built something decent for it. 

If the ergo's of the C4 weren't so god-awful, that would be an easy button swap. Maybe a late C3? Turd gen is a great option. Love those for some odd reason (must be my pre-teen Knight Rider fixation). Miata is a little too small IMO. 944? I got a friend with one of those..... 

bobzilla said:

Yeah, I've thought more and more lately that when the trans on our '06 (4L65E)finally pops, I'm going to swap a 6.0 long block and 4L70 back into it. Then what do I do with the 4.8? I mean, I guess I could stuff it into my 78 C10 but I just built something decent for it. 

If the ergo's of the C4 weren't so god-awful, that would be an easy button swap. Maybe a late C3? Turd gen is a great option. Love those for some odd reason (must be my pre-teen Knight Rider fixation). Miata is a little too small IMO. 944? I got a friend with one of those..... 

Ergonomics in a race car is easily fixed.  Especially on a C4 where you know the interior is junk anyway.  Toss it all and replace it with better fitting solutions.

Same with the space issue for a Miata (especially if you go Exocet as that frees up space), lowering the seat and removing the bits of interior in your way tends to help quite a bit.

A 944 isn't bad.  The suspension itself isn't exactly the greatest as it dates from the seventies and earlier (Rabbit front and Super Beetle rear).  That said, they are well developed cars with lots of improvements available and their balance and ergonomics are hard to beat outside of a C5 or ND Miata.  A 928 has better suspension design, but is a more complicated car due to the luxury electrics.  Again for a race car or weekend fun car, much of it can be tossed or replaced.

I did recently look at what it would take to graft the suspension from a C4 under a 944 to get ride of the struts up front and the widths are pretty close, especially when you put an LSx in there.  Less weight, better ergonomics with better brakes and suspension from a C4 and cheaper wheel and tire options, etc.

The problem with the C4 can't be fixed with ripping the interior out. The foot wells and door sills are just too big and too small. manual trans you can't have a dead pedal and if you have real feet, well it's over. 

In reply to bobzilla :

Ok, I'll take your word for it.  I've only seen them from the outside, I've not had the opportunity.

An Exocet is still a hell of an option for a 4.8 and they seem to have less fitment issues for, um, "real" sized people than a Meotter.

Note: there are times I hate not being a little taller, but at 5'8 and 200lbs (granted I need to work on that) and size 8.5 shoes, I don't seem to have much issue fitting into nearly anything.

In reply to Stefan :

Yeah, the door sills are extra large to make up for the lack of a roof and basically create a 6" tall wall you have to climb over to then drop into a seat, general practice for getting in is position yourself over seat, fall in. Getting out it's easiest to plant your hands on the door sill and climb out.  The foot well is positioned such that you basically have the tunnel hump partially in front of the accelerator and only have half a dead pedal.  Spacing on the pedals is close enough that with my size 9 kicks I can't wear regular new-balance cushioned sneakers I have to wear something narrower.  I love my C4 but the ergonomics are silly, I let people climb in and out at get togethers for the hilarity of it.

the 1964 Mercedes 190D camper for sale on Boulder CL is the answer.

In reply to dclafleur :

i wear 11.5 EEE shoes and I’m 6’. The C4 was just not comfortable to be in. Don’t get me wrong they are a hoot to drive but not something I enjoyed as a car 

I've been looking at what it takes to put the 5.3 I just drove home in to the '02 S10 I dragged home a while back.  It looks like it's not too bad.  The Truck accessories supposedly fit.  F-body Manifolds (if you don't want headers) apparently work (maybe with minor modification...not sure).  Oil pan is an issue and if you want stock-location a/c you notch the frame.  

I looked into a GenIII swap into a 944 a long time ago.  Seems like it would be a fantastic car to drive.  

bobzilla said:

Yeah, I've thought more and more lately that when the trans on our '06 (4L65E)finally pops, I'm going to swap a 6.0 long block and 4L70 back into it. Then what do I do with the 4.8? 

I've been thinking the same thing with my truck. Realistically, I've gotten 210k out of an AFM 5.3. There's probably not enough life left it it to warrant a new transmission, certainly not a good one, but upgrading the whole shebang kind of makes sense. 

mazdeuce - Seth said:

bobzilla said:

Yeah, I've thought more and more lately that when the trans on our '06 (4L65E)finally pops, I'm going to swap a 6.0 long block and 4L70 back into it. Then what do I do with the 4.8? 

I've been thinking the same thing with my truck. Realistically, I've gotten 210k out of an AFM 5.3. There's probably not enough life left it it to warrant a new transmission, certainly not a good one, but upgrading the whole shebang kind of makes sense. 

I'd considered building a turbo kit on the 4.8, I just see all the room the truck has and it seems a shame I don't fill it up with junk to give it more power.