V8 Swap

[rollingstock]

Resurrecting the thread, 'cuz I have experience in radical engine swaps.

If I were to swap a V-8 into mine, I'd go for a 5.0 H.O. Several reasons, really, but mainly because of the engine height, location of ancillaries (dizzy, alternator, etc) and the injection setup is pretty much self-contained. Plus it's way lighter than an equivalent SBC. I did a 5.0 into FC3 RX-7 swap, and it fit beautifully. They also fit into Miatas with little modification (none external, viz. Monster Miata), so that should tell you something. For a car the weight of the S12, it makes more than enough power, and there are many performance parts available. Also, because the diz is on the front, you can push the engine way back into the bay for better weight distribution -- which suits the short T-5...

Transmission-wise, just go for the T-5. Early ones can be a little fragile, but later ones are built like tanks. Since they were also used in the S130 Turbos (bolted to an L28ET), there's a Nissan connection too. The T-5 is compact, light, almost infinitely variable in configuration and available just about anywhere from Mustangs and 280ZXs to pickup trucks. With the Monster Miata swaps, the shifter was actually in a better position than the stock unit. Pushing the engine/tranny combo further back should cure one annoyance with the S12: the stock shifter is too far away.

Upside here is that all the important parts can be sourced from one car. Find a wrecked Fox-body 5.0 and you have everything you need. There are a number of different oil pans as well, and some really nifty dry-sump setups for it in case you don't want to hack up your crossmember. If you want to go super-exotic while retaining stock short-block bits, there was once a flat-crank conversion available for them that changed the engine to a 180ÂÃ,° firing order for that Ferrari sound and rev-ability. Might still be around.

And as I said, with the stock intake they're not very tall. Even with the GT40 heads the engine should fit under the stock hood, and with shorty tube headers and brown-top injectors that should give you around 300hp and 400-500 lb/ft of torque all day long while retaining everyday driveability.

When I swap out my CA20 next year, I'm seriously thinking of doing this swap. Shouldn't cost much more than doing the KA24DE, just more fabricating.

i started swaping a small block chevy.. i had a hard time finding a oil pan.. also finding a cheap 4-5-6speed was really hard.. i hit hard times and sold the built motor.. iv been thinks about this alot latey(last 4 months).. 5.0 or even the 4.8 parts are really easy to find here.. 5 speed trans are all over crags for 200-300bucks.. but id do like you said but a whole car. then just sell the shell or strap it and get some money back.. from what iv seen mustang are front slump so already head of the game!