Mazda K8 or KLDE swap?

Just daydreaming, but I was thinking of a suitable modern, Fuel injected, lightweight, slightly more powerful engine that would fit nicely in the bay of older junk Fiat, Alfas, etc. I came up with these options for the aforementioned solutions as well as the potential for some nice song and high revs, I know they weren't originally mated to longitudinal transmissions but that's nothing a bell housing couldn't fix. I think I've found mention of a KLDE with a Miata trans behind it.

Thoughts? Links? Counter-points?

13b 4 port carb'd

Raze wrote: Just daydreaming, but I was thinking of a suitable modern, Fuel injected, lightweight, slightly more powerful engine that would fit nicely in the bay of older junk Fiat, Alfas, etc. I came up with these options for the aforementioned solutions as well as the potential for some nice song and high revs, I know they weren't originally mated to longitudinal transmissions but that's nothing a bell housing couldn't fix. I think I've found mention of a KLDE with a Miata trans behind it. Thoughts? Links? Counter-points?

I know of at least three KLs with Miata transmissions behind them, and one with a T5 behind it, so.... go for it!

KLDE vs K8 (160hp vs 130hp) More Torque, and more plentiful (here anyway). 30hp for the same amount of $..... KLDE all the way ;-)

dansxr2 wrote: KLDE vs K8 (160hp vs 130hp) More Torque, and more plentiful (here anyway). 30hp for the same amount of $..... KLDE all the way ;-)

what's the size/weight difference?

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:

Raze wrote: Just daydreaming, but I was thinking of a suitable modern, Fuel injected, lightweight, slightly more powerful engine that would fit nicely in the bay of older junk Fiat, Alfas, etc. I came up with these options for the aforementioned solutions as well as the potential for some nice song and high revs, I know they weren't originally mated to longitudinal transmissions but that's nothing a bell housing couldn't fix. I think I've found mention of a KLDE with a Miata trans behind it. Thoughts? Links? Counter-points?

I know of at least three KLs with Miata transmissions behind them, and one with a T5 behind it, so.... go for it!

Links? contact info, MOAR INFO!

ls1

Raze wrote:

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:

Raze wrote: Just daydreaming, but I was thinking of a suitable modern, Fuel injected, lightweight, slightly more powerful engine that would fit nicely in the bay of older junk Fiat, Alfas, etc. I came up with these options for the aforementioned solutions as well as the potential for some nice song and high revs, I know they weren't originally mated to longitudinal transmissions but that's nothing a bell housing couldn't fix. I think I've found mention of a KLDE with a Miata trans behind it. Thoughts? Links? Counter-points?

I know of at least three KLs with Miata transmissions behind them, and one with a T5 behind it, so.... go for it!

Links? contact info, MOAR INFO!

You could contact this dude. I'm pretty sure he has the first "KLiata" ever made.

http://www.destinationssm.com/?p=29

That said, he did NOT build the car, but he's very knowledgeable in general about it, and he's a geniunely nice guy. If he knows, he'll help you out.

The other ones with Miata transmissions are UK-based that i know of. There was another one being built in Wisconsin, but the build was abandoned. I'll see what he was doing for trans, think it was just an adapter plate.

This is the car with the T5: http://www.absurdflow.com/klde.html

Tim is also a nice dude and willing to help.

Then there's this: http://forums.probetalk.com/showthread.php?p=1924100045#post1924100045

Dan MIGHT sell you the plate and stuff separately if you ask nicely.

andrave wrote: ls1

Too big, I'm thinking most compact and shortest to keep handling as is...

Oh, and if you want to go the K8 route, i have a mostly complete one sitting in my garage i'd like to get rid of. Missing valve covers, timing covers, and probably some other miscellaneous crap, but the bottom end and heads are complete.

Yours for a 12-pack.

In reply to 92CelicaHalfTrac:

"Then there's this: http://forums.probetalk.com/showthread.php?p=1924100045#post1924100045

Dan MIGHT sell you the plate and stuff separately if you ask nicely."

I need 15 posts to see this one.

singleslammer wrote: In reply to 92CelicaHalfTrac: "Then there's this: http://forums.probetalk.com/showthread.php?p=1924100045#post1924100045 Dan MIGHT sell you the plate and stuff separately if you ask nicely." I need 15 posts to see this one.

Try this one....

http://forums.probetalk.com/showthread.php?t=1701310615

He's selling the RWD Probe