Motor swap: easiest/hardest

I'd like to hear from you guys on various motor swaps and how difficult or easy they were. For the sake of simplicity let's leave out the stuff where you are simply putting in a different version of the same engine. (Ex: d15 to d16 swap)

As well, let's avoid the ridiculous. So only known swaps that have been completed. (Ex: don't say "putting a submarine engine in a geo" lol) What's the easiest engine conversion you've done (or read about) as well as the most difficult?

I don't know exactly how it ranks in difficulty, but the one i would be least willing to attempt is the oft-mentioned V12 jag engine into the NA miata:

Looks like it required major firewall surgery, and i can't imagine tuning 6 carbs.

I've personally done none, payed for one which is arguably a version of the same engine (4AF to 4AGE).

Hardest would be any modern non-crate DI engine with an ECU that will freak out if it can't talk over CANbus to every other system on the car down to the window defroster controller (which may very well be a real thing), into another modern car that has systems that will freak out if they can't talk with the old engine's ECU. Seems like a fairly mundane swap on the surface - a modern engine into a modern car - but you'd wish you were swapping in a submarine engine instead.

In reply to Rufledt:

Good lord... I'm not sure if that idea was genius or crazy... both?

Rufledt wrote: I don't know exactly how it ranks in difficulty, but the one i would be least willing to attempt is the oft-mentioned V12 jag engine into the NA miata: Looks like it required major firewall surgery, and i can't imagine tuning 6 carbs.

Why note, there are several Jag powered Sprites.....

-Rob

Any E36 engine into a late-E30 chassis (older chassis will work, but some of the wiring is slightly more difficult IIRC).

It's ridicously easy.

I once swapped a SBC into a C10 that came with a 250 I-6. I can't imagine there are many swaps easier than that.

Any engine conversion that is available as a complete PROVEN "Kit" is going to be the easiest to do. The Miata V8 conversions for LSx or Ford 302 would fall under that heading. So would the MGB to 3.4 60 degree GM V6 with a T5...all just nuts and bolts and $$$ for the most part, and if you do get stuck there is both supplier and peer support.

The "Hardest" is going to be one that has not been done before. Easy to identify because the post starts with Yo..anybody ever thought of stuffing a (fill in the blank)into a (fill in the blank) cause I like got a free engine! Chinese Turbo!

Complicating this scenario is who you are and where you are in life... what was hard for me to do at 19 is not a big deal now. My Fiat 124 into an MG Midget was "Hard" cause I had no clues,no shop, no tools and no monies. The Molvo by comparison is a pleasant walk in the park; only thing I lack is the time.

The two most insane ones I've heard about are radial airplane engine in an MR2 (this was a LeMons car) and the helicopter jet turbine into a new Beetle (AFAIK just a street car).

57 Chevrolet 2 dr post, removed stove bolt 6 and power glide and installed SBC 3 spd. As I recall, everything bolted/connected including exhaust. Most difficult part of swap was installing Hurst floor shift (cutting hole in tunnel).

Ford 302 into Mazda bseries is allegedly fairly easy.

Apparently Fox body convertible mounts swapped left to right allows it to bolt to the original chassis mounts.

Anything LSX into a TR7 is fairly simple. In my case it was a 2010 Camaro's LS3 and 6 speed that was used as a donor. Lots of room in a TR7 engine bay. Actually looks smaller in there than a Rover V8. Installing a Ford Ranger 2.3L/5 speed driveline into a Hillman Husky was real easy.

How bout the hard stuff? Cummins in a Miata?

There's plenty of hard ones out there. Do you want hard like shoehorning a fat girl into skinny jeans hard? or hard that would seem easy untill you realise that there was way more to it than meets the eye hard?

For the skinny jeans, Merlin v12 into a 55 chev, Spitfire 27 liter engine into a bently or how about a radial aircraft engine into a motorcycle?

If you want hard but seems easy, there's plenty of those. Mazda g6 from a b2600 into a b2000 or b2200 is ridiculous. Engine mounts on the chassis are different and in a different position, gearbox is different, heater hose cutouts in the firewall are different, radiator and radiator support are different, need to upgrade fuel lines, engine and body wiring loom on the b2600 are integrated so require much stripping and reworking. Im sure there's a few other small things I'm forgetting.

For the same series truck, that swap is so involved that you're better off swapping in pretty much anything else.

Having performed exactly zero motor swaps but having worked on cars to a modest degree I have little of use to add. Except that the phrase "just throw a xxxxx in there" irks me to no end. I know darned good and well that it's NEVER that easy and the flippancy with which it's tossed around is just silly.

I have no first-hand knowledge, but I'm going to go ahead and put the Viper V10 into a Karmann Ghia on the hard list. Bring your fab skills.

Tablet is not letting me link a pic in, but a quick Google search brings up plenty of pics and details.

i put a LT1 in a 90 240sx and it was easier to service than in the firebird. i thought about that as i built it.

i put a 5.3/4L60E into a 90 grand prix, along with a mn12 thunderbird IRS. that was pretty complicated.

easiest was a 4.3 to 305 swap in a 92 chevy truck.

In the Jeep world (AMC timeframe) their V8 would usually swap into anywhere their I6 lived with very little trouble. 258 to 401 was usually easy peasy. My brother in law and I swapped a 360 into a YJ over a weekend with just hand tools and some generic mounts. That weekend included pulling the 360 from its former home as well.

NorseDave wrote: I have no first-hand knowledge, but I'm going to go ahead and put the Viper V10 into a Karmann Ghia on the hard list. Bring your fab skills. Tablet is not letting me link a pic in, but a quick Google search brings up plenty of pics and details.

I'm picturing the ass end of that car would be longer than the front, which is already about equal on both ends stock!

I put an SR20 into a US spec 1991 240SX. That was pretty darn easy.

My M119 into 1972 280SE... Not so much, but there is A LOT more to my current attempt.

Easiest? How about a 305 SBC to a 350 SBC?

In reply to G_Body_Man:

In a truck.

I swapped a 1200cc suzuki engine into a 600cc chassis, everything bolted up the same except the speedo.

Grtechguy wrote: I swapped a 1200cc suzuki engine into a 600cc chassis, everything bolted up the same except the speedo.

Bandit? If so, that is probably information I would have been better off not knowing...