Sticking an LS3 in a Solstice might be awesome, but that's not easy what I'd call a "friendly" swap. You may hate the idea of an LS1 in an RX-7 FD or a Z31 300ZX, or an RB25DET in a 260Z, or a 5.0 in a 924, but if you had to pick one car as the best candidate for a swap, what would you argue for?
That's one big ass can of worms!!!
The "best" car for a swap is the one you're mostly likely to finish AND still like at the end of the day. If you don't like it or you don't finish it, it's not much good to you.
Bryce
Nashco wrote: The "best" car for a swap is the one you're mostly likely to finish AND still like at the end of the day. If you don't like it or you don't finish it, it's not much good to you. Bryce
That's quite a political answer 
We'll hear the same old ideas, maybe a few creative ones (old TVR Tuscan, anyone?), but who knows, maybe it'll get the creative juices flowing. Every time I see a sweet lookin' engine just sitting around, either by itself or in a busted up shell, I'm thinking of what it deserves to be dropped into. Besides, this board likes worms.
Im going to say anything that has good bolt in options. Like subarus are easy to swap other subaru engine into, vws are easy to swap other vw engines, hondas, etc. Most of the time engine swaps of a different brand from the car (especially chevy small blocks in other brand vehicles) arent that impressive. Its alot more interesting when you can do it and make it look factory.
How about a Harley V-twin in a Crosley stationwagon ?
I want an LS in a Merkur body with an E30 M3 suspension.
But like everything the answer is always Miata.
Porscharu.
Find yourself a nice cheap 77 911 with a bad engine and have at it.
The guy that put the skyline engine in the old Z in Readers Rides-That's real nice. the 914 subaru idea's cool. Suzuki Swift in a Spridget. Heck, The list is endless. However, yeah, the Flyin miata LSx Miata rules.
Probably the E30.
The M30 is a pretty easy swap, motors are cheap. Only real negative is that you can only keep A/C or PS, one or the other due to space. If building a purely fun car, not a big deal.
The M5x/S5x motors are well documented swaps, and are completely plug and play. All the work has been done for you, and if you aren't crafty with wiring, you can even buy the harness adapter that connects the engine harness to the chassis harness.
You even have a bunch of options on trans/flywheels/diffs.
A good running, and well tuned (good intake, exhaust, chip) OBD-I S52 will be in the 225-235whp range. Mine put down 233whp on a weak headgasket. Cams/injectors/tune can put the S52 up around 255whp. In an E30, it's nuts.
The LS1 swap has been well documented for one build, and you can buy a CD giving you a parts and fabrication list for everything you need. INcluding keeping the factory brake boost setup and A/C.
There have been numerous other swaps as well, 5.0; BMW V8s, BMW V10s, BMW V-12s.
You can bolt in an E36 steering rack for a quicker ratio. You can swap E36 parts on to the suspension for 5 lug and easier to find offsets/wheels. If you're a baller you can buy E30 M3 stuff (but its outrageously pricey).
If you want BMW big brakes, you can use E36 M3 up front and M COupe roadster trailing arms out back.
Cheap, robust, blast to drive.
But that's just this mans opinion.
Go get yourself a nice cheap TR7. Convertible or coupe- you decide. When your done, you'll have a 2500 pound car with more power than you can use.
I'm a fan of the SBF into RX-7. Been done a million times, so not unique, but the conversion parts are cheap, it's literally a bolt-in swap, donors are cheap and available. You wind up with a very entrtaining machine for low bucks. I had a 240z with a SBC for a couple years and was happy with it even if the engine was a stock lump. Very easy to work on, lots of room in the engine bay. Again, to embark on a job like this, make sure it's something you can finish. Keith is a master fabricator and a genius at making things fit. Most of us do not have his talents, shop, or money.
I'd say anything old with enough room to stuff it in. You don't have to worry about smog controls, and you have something much more unique than yet another hopped-up modern car. The only real negative is that you'll likley have to upgrade the brakes to match the new power output.
I've done a couple of swaps, B6T into festiva, RB25DET into 280Z, SR20DET, into S14 etc. All were completed and successful. Best advise is keep it in the family, ie mazda/mazda/ford nissan/nissan etc.
Mainly because they may have had similar engine configurations overseas already, many bolt right in without clearance issues using proper mounts etc.
The wiring will have the same colors on the harnesses for making the wiring easier. And you don't get a lot of flack from marque purests. (brand nazis) LOL.
My favorite so far was the RB into Z I even posted a complete wiring guide on HybredZ to make it easier for people to follow. It makes over 300 hp at the wheels and sounds fantastic! The only problem with RB swaps though is the price of all the stuff, done right budget ~$8 to $10k
Chris Rummel
The real answer: it depends. 
Honestly, from the standpoint of best performance in both handling and acceleration, I have to go with the RX7 (any year from '79 to '93) or the Miata. The suspension development for those platforms is probably the best out there and swaps aren't that hard.
There's plenty of other good candidates (then aforementioned E30, Datsun 510 and Z car all come to mind) but the Mazdas just seem to offer the most bang for the effort and $.
Having done more than one old Brit car swap, I can attest they too are good candidates but meaningful drivetrain, brake and suspension upgrades generally mean you gotta roll your own.
kreb wrote: I'd say anything old with enough room to stuff it in.
I'm with Kreb on this. You need room
In terms of the best platform for any swap - old Land Rovers have probably seem more different engine swaps than anything else out there. Of course, most of them come from need instead of want, but how many other platforms have seen anything from a Peugeot diesel to a Holden engine to a rotary? You can take the entire front of the truck off for easy access and the whole vehicle was built with basic hand tools in the first place. Sure, they don't have brakes to speak of, but they're not racetrack refugees.
Now, if you're talking about what the best engine/platform combination is, that's a different matter...
Suby awd and engine in a spridget!
Andrew
Jeeps, too, like different engines planted down in between their fenders. Out of the three Jeeps I've personally owned one had a Pontiac 3.8, the second had first a 350 Buick (actually the stock engine from a different year) then had 400 B mopar big block, and the last just had the stock engine.
The question asked is not well defined enough to answer. Not sure how a swap is friendly or not? So, to narrow it down, lets assume 20k in the budget and a shop full of tools and no skill limits as a common denomitator.
First thing is to decide what the purpose of the swap is. If we are swaping drivetrains because orignial repairs are stupid expensive, the neither Jag (any jag) or BMW M3 are great canditades for an LS engine.
If we need to have cobra performance but dont want to buld a cobra, then the Miata with LS1 or ford 302 or the MGB with the same options are a good choice.
If you must have some asian flavour to the conversion, then I would take the 240Z or RX7 with the V8 of your choice. LS1 would be mine.
If you need to lark about like a squirrel on speed, then keep the rotary and stick it in an MG midget.
I have kept the answers "low Tech" in an attempt to meet the "friendly" criteria. That is to say that they have been done already by someone and with a proper budget and skills should provide reliable transport (and entertainment) when finished.
I want to swap a rotary into a TR7 or a Cummins diesel in an old Dodge.
I didn't consider trucks and off-road vehicles when I started the topic, but those are a lot of fun too. I'm hoping to pick up a 5.9L Magnum V8 to stick in the Wrangler.
I've been wanting an Alfa V6 for some time. I've been running through lists in my head of what it ought to go in. More outlandishly, I've also been wanting an AJP V8. Man, I wonder what it would cost to get one of those. Heck, I can dream.
Swapping just to swap kind of misses the point of most swaps. ;)
You do swaps because you think it would be cool, you want a specific outcome, or you happen to have a car or engine laying about that needs a new reason to exist.
Which means the best candidate for a swap is something you already have laying around and/or like.
When I did my V8 RX7, there weren't other ones around to follow how it was done or buy pre-made swap parts for I just happened to have both the car and the engine. Doing the swap in my '63 Comet is the same.
bmw m20 motor in a 2002
american v8 in a 70s/80s ferrari (with broken ferrari engine) - very good for annoying ferrari people - that's gotta be worth something. I'm still thinking about that 308 gt/4 at auction
JeepinMatt wrote: I didn't consider trucks and off-road vehicles when I started the topic, but those are a lot of fun too. I'm hoping to pick up a 5.9L Magnum V8 to stick in the Wrangler. I've been wanting an Alfa V6 for some time. I've been running through lists in my head of what it ought to go in. More outlandishly, I've also been wanting an AJP V8. Man, I wonder what it would cost to get one of those. Heck, I can dream.
Alfa V6s fit into Alfa spiders nicely.....
Personally, Mid engine a truck. Current idea is to drop a FWD LS4 into the bed of an S-10.
Or a turbo rotary into a TR-7, creating a TRX-7.
Chris_V wrote: Swapping just to swap kind of misses the point of most swaps. ;) You do swaps because you think it would be cool, you want a specific outcome, or you happen to have a car or engine laying about that needs a new reason to exist. Which means the best candidate for a swap is something you already have laying around and/or like.
Of course. A Rotary in a Spitfire makes sense because it's cool, it's light, it's fast and it's doable. When I was looking at old TVR 2500s and the like, there are all kinds of swaps out there. The stock engine is fine, but it's nothing I'd shed a tear over if I yanked it out. That's where I got the idea for an Alfa V6 swap. Lightweight engine, block and heads are aluminum. It sounds beautiful. They made tons of them. Might not be as powerful as an LS1, but it puts out good power and in a car that light already, I'd be looking for something to keep it light.
Similarly, I'd love an '88 Fiero. But I'd yank that Iron Duke sidewalk log out in a heartbeat. Find an Alfa V6, this time from something FWD, and stuff it in there transversely.
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