Candidates for a v8 swap

Me and a friend and thinking of v8 swapping a car for a project. He has a 6.2L LS motor from a corvette (idk if he has a transmission but we plan on pairing he motor with a Borg Warner t56). What cars or trucks will make a good candidate for a easy swap? My ideas were a ford ranger/s10, nissan pathfinder, Datusn/nissan Z or S cars, or maybe an infiniti.

The proper answer is The Answer; A Mazda Miata: https://www.flyinmiata.com/miata-performance-parts/v8-conversions.html

How about a C3 or C4 Corvette?

http://www.brphotrods.com/products/68-82%20Corvette/index.html

http://www.vetteworksonline.net/catalog/index.php?cPath=9_70

The RX7 is a good candidate.  http://www.grannysspeedshop.com/

There's also the Porsche 944, but that would require selling the transmission as they use a rear mounted transaxle, but there are kits with all of the parts you need available.  http://www.texasperformanceconcepts.com/

Stefan said:

The proper answer is The Answer; A Mazda Miata: https://www.flyinmiata.com/miata-performance-parts/v8-conversions.html

How about a C3 or C4 Corvette?

http://www.brphotrods.com/products/68-82%20Corvette/index.html

http://www.vetteworksonline.net/catalog/index.php?cPath=9_70

The RX7 is a good candidate.  http://www.grannysspeedshop.com/

There's also the Porsche 944, but that would require selling the transmission as they use a rear mounted transaxle, but there are kits with all of the parts you need available.  http://www.texasperformanceconcepts.com/

I want to try another car besides a miata as they go for 6 grand and up in my area. Rangers and pathfinders start at <1000 to 3 grand. RX7's are also expensive AF

Something old in order to beat the emissions cut-off date.

Escort, TR6, TR7, MGB, MG Midget. Hillman, Fiat 124, Fiesta, Chevette, Vega, Monza, Honda, Rabbit, or best of all, Porsche 914.

Two_Tools_In_a_Tent said:

Something old in order to beat the emissions cut-off date.

Escort, TR6, TR7, MGB, MG Midget. Hillman, Fiat 124, Fiesta, Chevette, Vega, Monza, Honda, Rabbit, or best of all, Porsche 914.

 

im in illinois, USA so anything older then 96. These cars excpet the monza, chevette, porsche and vega are fwd. I want to switch from either a 4 cylinder or v6 to a v8.

If price is an issue and you already have the engine/transmission I can't think of a more simple and cost effective chassis to swap than a 86-91 RX7. They either have or support a factory diff that will survive. The swap mounts are cheap. They have plenty of room to put the engine back and low. The chassis drag races and autocrosses well. The gauges are easy to make work or its a dead simple dash to put aftermarket gauges in. To top all of that off the process is extremely well documented.

I'm actually thinking of a older chevy tahoe or suburban as i can get one for 3 grand or less. pull the TBI motor and put in the corvette engine. 

IMPORTANT: If the vehicle has 4wd, i want to keep it 4wd.

MrJoshua said:

If price is an issue and you already have the engine/transmission I can't think of a more simple and cost effective chassis to swap than a 86-91 RX7. They either have or support a factory diff that will survive. The swap mounts are cheap. They have plenty of room to put the engine back and low. The chassis drag races and autocrosses well. The gauges are easy to make work or its a dead simple dash to put aftermarket gauges in. To top all of that off the process is extremely well documented.

I want to get the car as cheap as i can. He has an engine but idk on the tranny. I want to keep the budget around 10-15k at most. If I get a 2000 dollar car, I will have enough to get a trans if he doesn’t have one, suspension, wheels/tires, etc. 

MrJoshua said:

If price is an issue and you already have the engine/transmission I can't think of a more simple and cost effective chassis to swap than a 86-91 RX7. They either have or support a factory diff that will survive. The swap mounts are cheap. They have plenty of room to put the engine back and low. The chassis drag races and autocrosses well. The gauges are easy to make work or its a dead simple dash to put aftermarket gauges in. To top all of that off the process is extremely well documented.

Rx7’s in my area go from 5 grand and up. Rx8’s are a bit cheaper 

Two_Tools_In_a_Tent said:

Gag ! Another truck thread . . . have you noticed that there's a "motorsports" mentioned in the forum title?

I didnt realize that. It’s a build I’m planning and I might want to try a bit of off-roading if it is a 4x4. I know a place where I can try that

In reply to Honda4life :

Go to another area.  Seriously, Fly and Drive.  Done.  You'll get a better product to start with and a great story to go along with it.

Its not as if the engine and transmission are going to expire anytime soon.

Well, OK then ! A little four wheeling is ALWAYS a great idea. Ignore my prissy comment(s) and build away (like anything stupid that I posted could influence you either way,) looking forward to the pics ! ! !

The engine he has is good. And I want to stay within the Chicago/southern wisconsin area 

I think trucks are welcome here, motorsports or not! As for your pricing, you will just have to travel a bit to get a better deal. Watching Craiglist like a hawk and have a wad of cash ready helps tremendously. You should be able to find a decent Miata under $3k. I bought and sold my last one for that, and I am only 3 hours from Illinois.

As for different cars: find anything rear wheel drive that trips your fancy.

If you want the easiest and cheapest swap, anything setup for a small block chevy engine will make putting the 6.2 in a breeze. It will physically go in with minimal effort.

Old pickup trucks, and basically anything offered by GM with a V8 before the LS engine was released. It will also go in big block cars and trucks with very little changes.

RossD said:

I think trucks are welcome here, motorsports or not! As for your pricing, you will just have to travel a bit to get a better deal. Watching Craiglist like a hawk and have a wad of cash ready helps tremendously. You should be able to find a decent Miata under $3k. I bought and sold my last one for that, and I am only 3 hours from Illinois.

As for different cars: find anything rear wheel drive that trips your fancy.

You in Madison, Wi?

AwesomeAuto said:

If you want the easiest and cheapest swap, anything setup for a small block chevy engine will make putting the 6.2 in a breeze. It will physically go in with minimal effort.

Old pickup trucks, and basically anything offered by GM with a V8 before the LS engine was released. It will also go in big block cars and trucks with very little changes.

I think I’m gonna try an old suburban or Tahoe which came out before the LS and would be a pretty sick swap. 400+ hp at 5000 pounds. Will the transmission of a early 90s Chevy Tahoe or suburban mate up to an LS with some sort of adaptor plate without grenading it?

All of the older Chevy automatic transmissions bolt up fine. TH350, TH400, powerglide, 700R4, 4L80, etc.

You can either get an adapter flexplate, or a stock 4L60e flexplate from an older LS engine and enlarge the holes where it bolts to the converter. Either way, you'll likely need a $22 hub adapter that goes in between the converter snout and the center of the flexplate. I usually just order the hub adapter, drill out the flexplate, and bolt the trans right up.

Two_Tools_In_a_Tent said:

Well, OK then ! A little four wheeling is ALWAYS a great idea. Ignore my prissy comment(s) and build away (like anything stupid that I posted could influence you either way,) looking forward to the pics ! ! !

its gonna take a lot of planning and time. Could be a few months before i start.

AwesomeAuto said:

All of the older Chevy automatic transmissions bolt up fine. TH350, TH400, powerglide, 700R4, 4L80, etc.

You can either get an adapter flexplate, or a stock 4L60e flexplate from an older LS engine and enlarge the holes where it bolts to the converter. Either way, you'll likely need a $22 hub adapter that goes in between the converter snout and the center of the flexplate. I usually just order the hub adapter, drill out the flexplate, and bolt the trans right up.

so it should survive 430 hp knowing GM transmissions are used in a lot of heavy duty applications.

In reply to Two_Tools_In_a_Tent:

Wheeling is a motorsport also. 

Honda4life said:

Two_Tools_In_a_Tent said:

Well, OK then ! A little four wheeling is ALWAYS a great idea. Ignore my prissy comment(s) and build away (like anything stupid that I posted could influence you either way,) looking forward to the pics ! ! !

its gonna take a lot of planning and time. Could be a few months before i start.

So, you have time to find yourself a good deal further away from home and into less-rust prone areas of the world?

Nah, why ask for help from experienced people and then ignore or poo-poo much of their experience and willingness to help?

Also, wouldn't this thread work better in the main forum, since there's no project yet, just soliciting (mostly ignored) advice?

Meh, kids these days.... :)

Stefan said:

Honda4life said:

Two_Tools_In_a_Tent said:

Well, OK then ! A little four wheeling is ALWAYS a great idea. Ignore my prissy comment(s) and build away (like anything stupid that I posted could influence you either way,) looking forward to the pics ! ! !

its gonna take a lot of planning and time. Could be a few months before i start.

So, you have time to find yourself a good deal further away from home and into less-rust prone areas of the world?

Nah, why ask for help from experienced people and then ignore or poo-poo much of their experience and willingness to help?

Also, wouldn't this thread work better in the main forum, since there's no project yet, just soliciting (mostly ignored) advice?

Meh, kids these days.... :)

Not ignoring your advice, all your advice is great, This would be my first build and I’m open to ideas. When the time comes, I will build it

Honda4life said:

RossD said:

{..} and I am only 3 hours from Illinois.

As for different cars: find anything rear wheel drive that trips your fancy.

You in Madison, Wi?

Appleton/Green Bay area.