What Fits Into What? What Engines, Gearboxes And Equipment Fits Into Other Cars?

[pattayadingo]

Reading some old and some newer topics about cars with non standard engines such as Ford Escort, Ford Cortina, Ford Mondeo with a Nissan 2.0 engine. Jaguars and other none Japanese type cars like Honda and Toyota.

What engines / gearboxes and ancillary parts can be dropped into what cars? There must be obvious limits to what can be replaced with what.

Are these 'conversions' worthwhile?

I'm not so much thinking of souping up a car. More as a way of reducing future costs on repairs. Or do you feel that other parts like suspension, brakes, wheels, body trim, lights and other parts would still make them expensive to repair?

I'm a curious soul at times and would love to hear the thoughts of those that know

(If this has been covered before can someone post a link, please? I have looked but cannot find.)

[BlackArtemis]

Anything, as long as your wallet holds out.

Cars that I have considered

BMW E30's with 1jz, SR20DET, 1UZFE

Toyota Celica (first gen) with the above options

The old Datsun 120's, 510's and 620's can fit SR20's and I think the 510 can handle a 1uzfe

Ke30's can fit a 4AGE

So can old Mazda 323's

Quite a few modern Japanese sports cars like an MR2, Celica, etc can fit a 3gst

Older jags can fit a Chevy 350, good luck finding one and affording it.

As for worth it? That's a personal opinion. You will never get close to what you put into a modified car. Building cars is a money pit, a very very fun money pit.

[sotsira]

Usually modifications are made to improve reliability and efficiency to vehicles that have known to be problematic

from stock.

An example that comes to mind is the Triumph Stag engine being replaced with the 3.5 Rover V8 engine by many owners due to overheating problems the Triumph engine had.

In my opinion though it's always better to keep a car as standard as possible with the engine and running gear this will keep the car's appreciation better.

Brakes & suspension etc can be improved though by using better modified after sales parts, that's why there's such a big global market in this field.

[transam]

If the hole under the hood is big enough, you can fit anything . I put a 5.8 litre V8 Chevy with TH350 Auto in a VW LT camper . Great fun. Also a 6.4 litre Chevy with TH350 in a wee Vauxhall Ferenza.

[eTiMaGo]

with enough time and money, you can make anything fit... Though I wonder how a Smart with a Dodge Viper V10 would handle

[Daewoo]

Even Easier if you start off without an engine bay...

I would love to do a 240Z with an RB25/30DET coversion in a rally car... but for dam_n sure it would have to be a race car to start with, because I wouldn't want to butcher one of the few 240Zs still remaining...

I would love to have an early Mercedess SL Convertables like this one

with a Toyota V8 Turbo/transmission and upgraded suspension - classic looks with modern reliability and economy...

[Semper]

[transam]

Anything is possible with a little thought.

[pattayadingo]

I can imagine it could get very expensive doing some cars up and turning them into something special - as they do on those tv shows.. Yet I was thinking of more practical applications like those I mentioned in the topic especially as it seems expensive to repair many other makes apart from Toyotas, Hondas and other Japanese models where the parts are cheaper.

[Spoonman]

Ive built a few V8 bugs.

[bino]

The old Datsun 120's, 510's and 620's can fit SR20's and I think the 510 can handle a 1uzfe

My first car was a Datsun 510. I always had the fantasy of taking the two stroke 235HP V6 from an Evinrude outboard and stuffing it in! By my eyeball estimation it would have fit easily. Unfortunately the teenager's budget never saw it to completion. I made do with changing the original L16 / 4 speed to an L20B / 5 speed from a 200SX obtained at the auto wrecker, which bolted right in.

One of the most incredible cars I ever saw was an 80's vintage Jaguar XJS. Jaguar used transmissions from General Motors, so the owner of this car changed the TH400 automatic for the six speed manual from a Corvette. He kept the original V12, but stripped off all of the fuel injection and replaced it with 6 Weber DCOE carburetors on a "cross ram" manifiold. The exhaust system was a 6 into 2 header on each side. Probably the most exquisite sound I have ever heard.