Bench racing: 300hp, lots of torques, 5 speed compatable, light weight, $3000?

So I have been doing some brainstorming: Maybe "bench racing" as it were. I am looking for about 300hp (more later, max 400 hp) about 275 torque and smooth shifting transmission for my 3000lb old car.

I can do all the fabrication so being a bolt in is not necessary. Junk yard scrounging I am ok with, I-4 or I-6 preferred, but willing to branch out. I am not a huge electrician... but willing to learn but not MS3 learn.

Here is what I have been thinking:

Rb25det from Japan or Canada. (some initial buy in but it's 'sealed') and a lot of potential, but parts can get spendy, need a custom rear sump pan.

SRT-4 2.4 with Ma5: Its hard to find one not beat and there is a lot of "figureing" to get it all to fit... 420a head, liberty bellhousing, s-10 clutch yada yada yada.

Maybe N/A 2.4 Mopar with similar set up: I am ok with 200 hp for a now until I get the stuff I really want.

2JZ: too expensive

BMW stuff: IDK

Wrx with rear drive: Neat, just a brainstorm and have no idea on pricing and parts.

Turbo Colorado engine: see above, and possible low revs...

As you can see I am open to ideas... but until I get the suspension sorted I will just keep the 318 and 904...

My must haves are FI, aluminum head, 5 speed.

Shoot me some input on my out loud thinking...

Thanks

4g63t and toyota r154 with a bill hincher adapter http://www.billsautofab.com/

vg30et or vg30dett and RS5R30A

1jz maybe, not sure what they go for

Why not 5.0. I'm not a Ford fan but for an inexpensive engine at 300 hp w torque it doesn't get much easier.

Probably have to come a little out of pocket for an aluminum head.

LT1 has aluminum heads and 275 hp with like 340 to at 2600 rpm. A t5 might live behind it without drag launchs.

The trailblazer atlas engine has like 270 hp. Have no idea on its engine designation (thinks it ll5 bit too lazy to Google it). I've seen a turbo one ran ms, bit don't have any info. Pretty sure the factory pcm is tune able with hp tuners. So I bet 300/300 is a tune and decent exhaust intake away. Plus it will be dead nuts reliable in near stock form. As far as trans I bet a bell housing from a 4 or 5 cylinder Colorado with manual would work since they are the same engine family.

4g63, ls1, F20 or a 2jz have tons of parts support and can make power like mad if you are going for a front engine rear drive set up. If you're wanting a fwd, either for FF or midengine setup then a 4g63, 2zz, turbo ecotec or a turbo B or K series motor would go well.

What vehicle is this going into?

A buddy of mine recently finished swapping a Ford 5.0 into a TR7. He wanted to do the usual Rover V8 swap, but compared the cost/HP of the Rover to the 5.0 and it was a no brainer. Looks like a TR8, sounds like a TR8, but it's faster and 1/2 the cost of doing a real TR8. My vote is the 5.0.

How about Nissan VQ35? It's torquey, and the aluminum block adds lightness. There are rear drive manual applications.

Downsides? I don't know of a non drive-by-wire application. The one I owned wasn't particularly "smooth shifting" with its six-speed.

4G63

Why not an LS with a carb setup. It will get you everything you need with the stock truck engine, it is rear sump already and weighs just a little more than a 5.0L. I am not a "LS EVERYTHING" guy but dollar/weight/power combo usually points that direction. A number of the options listed (RB25) are at least as heavy when you take the turbo parts into consideration and hang more of the weight out front.

I am guessing that you might be putting this into a Mopar, if so, I think that an NA 2.4L built with turbo parts might be the winner. There is a bit of parts scrounging but it is probably your lightest choice.

Mazda F2T with Ebay turbo things, B2600i transmission, or if you don't like the truck trans, use the B2600i bellhousing on an FD RX7 transmission.

Only "problem" is that with 300hp, you'll probably get closer to 400ftlbs than 275ftlbs. But that's a problem most people wish they had, right?

Swank Force One wrote: Mazda F2T with Ebay turbo things, B2600i transmission, or if you don't like the truck trans, use the B2600i bellhousing on an FD RX7 transmission. Only "problem" is that with 300hp, you'll probably get closer to 400ftlbs than 275ftlbs. But that's a problem most people wish they had, right?

I shouldn't tell you I know where there's a really cheap single cab short bed right now, should I? If I wasn't about to bury myself in an AE101 project like a dumbass, I'd probably be buying that.

Brokenbrakes wrote: but until I get the suspension sorted I will just keep the 318 and 904... My must haves are FI, aluminum head, 5 speed. Shoot me some input on my out loud thinking... Thanks

For a $3000 budget, you could probably get that on the 318...

mndsm wrote:

Swank Force One wrote: Mazda F2T with Ebay turbo things, B2600i transmission, or if you don't like the truck trans, use the B2600i bellhousing on an FD RX7 transmission. Only "problem" is that with 300hp, you'll probably get closer to 400ftlbs than 275ftlbs. But that's a problem most people wish they had, right?

I shouldn't tell you I know where there's a really cheap single cab short bed right now, should I? If I wasn't about to bury myself in an AE101 project like a dumbass, I'd probably be buying that.

MY plate is full, but you should probably consider buying that thing so you have a vessel for your motor after the car gives up the ghost around it.

LL8 swap in a Supra... interesting... This is seriously challenge fodder I bet a guy could get a Ma5 from a colorado (solstice)for about $500 and a LL8 for about $6-800 and make 300hp and 300 torque all day long... However it is a tall motor and has a long stroke (low redline).

You could always just pick up an LNF Ecotec out of a wrecked Solstice/Sky. Might have to detune it a bit to get down to your power and torque targets if anyone has applied a non-factory tune to it though......

Forgot linky...http://forums.trailvoy.com/showthread.php?t=51636

LL8 Supra swap

Also I am mostly looking for a 5 speed, I really don't care for automatics and even junk yarding a mopar 4 speed is $1500.

Brand new

You're welcome.

M50 bmw 2.5L with a massive turbo bolted to the side of it?

You could probably get a RB30ET from australia if you are thinking RB25 from japan. Then eventually, later down the road, you could dohc swap it if you wanted. RB30ET sell for like $300 or some ridiculous low price like that and will make the power you want.

If you are thinking BMW engines M30 + turbo is the way to go but I would go for something already prepped for turbo. Mid 80s M30 already has the compression you would want to run the psi needed for 300hp safely

Brokenbrakes wrote: As you can see I am open to ideas... but until I get the suspension sorted I will just keep the 318 and 904... My must haves are FI, aluminum head, 5 speed. Shoot me some input on my out loud thinking... Thanks

Easy Button. I have been planning a similar swap for a while.

Junkyard 5.9 magnum-$500.00

MA5-I see them around here for $250-350 in usable shape. Figure another $300 for the Dakota 3.9 bellhousing, clutch, flywheel, and throwout bearing.

Used Edelbrock aluminum Magnum heads - can be found for $1,000.

eBay chinese knock-off Magnum dual plane intake - $150.00

Hughes engines cam, springs,etc. - $600.00

Done. (see how easy that was? ) Okay, you''ll have to do some fabrication, but WAY less than you'd need to do with any of the other options. Engine mounts, exhaust, etc. will bolt up. For that matter, you could keep the 904 for now if you don't wanna mess with swapping in a manual trans and figuring out all the crap that comes with it-pedals, linkage, speedometer drive, etc.

As an added bonus, you'll be able to sell the car after you're done with it. You're gonna have a hard time doing that if you put a non-Chrysler motor in it.

7MGTE's are pretty cheap, and 400hp and 275#/ft shouldn't be an issue with the right turbo

Pste: I just learned of the Ma5 tranny and how pretty decent it is for the price and it pretty much swaps to just about anything. I did not know it bolted up to the LA or Magnum pattern. Can you give me shoot me a link for a swap with the Magnum (or LA, same thing)?

I do love me some V-8 rumble... and already have a decent 318 and good carb setup which would work until I got bored...Cam and some aluminum heads are an easy 320...

Shoot, You don't even need all that to get to 300HP with a magnum. Cam it and give it a good intake/exhaust. All done for $1500-1800 and figure out the tranny options.

Why not an lt1 with a t56. Buy a crashed z28 with a 6-speed pull motor and tranny, sell everything else. You can buy one for 2k ish and sell off the shell, extra parts etc. Slap a cam in it and some long tubes and you will make well over 300 hp.

If you want a dohc V8 how about a vh45de out of a q45, 290 hp stock. Would fit your needs with a 300zx tranny, the adapter plate to make it work is like $300 dollars. You can get the motors for around $600, and the Trannys are about $350.

bmw88rider wrote: Shoot, You don't even need all that to get to 300HP with a magnum. Cam it and give it a good intake/exhaust. All done for $1500-1800 and figure out the tranny options.

Aren't the LA motors externally balanced? If you take the OEM torque converter off doesn't it cause balance issues.

Depends on the year. mid 72+ are external balanced including the magnums. I put a 1966 273 internally balanced crank in my 73 340 so I didn't have to worry about all of those issue because everything I had was for the internally balanced motor.

Not possible to do with the magnums but the 273-340 LA cranks all interchange. If you use a 273/318 crank in a 340 it sometimes needs a little metal added to balance depending on the pistons you choose. The balance weight is the same for all 73+ LA and magnum motors.