Cheap Engines + Gearboxes for 250-300 BHP / EU and JAP engines

Honda J-series 3.5 and a BMW Getrag?  Not sure how prevalent.  The Jag V6 might make more sense.

Audi 4.2 V8, 18" long and light. 

I vote 1uz + w58. There are kits to mount both the eaton m112 and m90. Here's one such site: https://bulletcars.com/superchargers/toyota/ , but if you have the fab skills it doesn't look like it would be too hard to make your own manifold. 

chaparral said:

Audi 4.2 V8, 18" long and light. 

The cylinder liners also tended to last about 100k kms before the super long OCIs that Audi specified would cause the coating on the aluminum bores (forget if it was Alusil or Nikasil) to get eaten away due to acids in the oil, and the result is an engine that fogs for mosquitoes.

Kind of a shame, really, as those engines on a more sane OCI (never more than 8000km) would last a very, very long time.

Hang on... Why hasn't the SR20DET been mentioned yet? Or RB series?

andykauf said:

great options guys, thanks for the input! the car will be for the occassional track day / autox / time attack and it will be a daily driver (i don't do much daily driving but when i do i want it to be fun). has to be decently reliable. having 4 seats would be a huge plus (and i'm kinda tall - so also headroom should be decent) now based on your suggestions, here are some extra qs :

- miata 1.8 > pocket rocket, great for track day (might buy one eventually) but only 2 seats and not enough headroom for me with the top up

MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION : WHICH ONE IS THE CHEAPEST (and cheapest to run > parts, maintenance, etc)

So are you looking for engine and transmission combo recommendations (for a swap or custom build), or are you looking for a car to drive/build that is already equipped with the particular drivetrain? Those are two very different questions.

clutchsmoke said:

Hang on... Why hasn't the SR20DET been mentioned yet? Or RB series?

In the first post he said nissan engines were too expensive.

I would agree though that 250-300hp from an SR20 is probably worth the upcharge of many of the other engines listed as its going to be reliable on track at those power levels.

In reply to andykauf :

Jaguar XJRS. 

ALL aluminum 4 valve per cylinder 6 in a row is the way to go, 5 speed manual transmission available although would require visiting a junkyard.  

ztnedman1 said:

Old jag V12?  We have a guy in this forum that is very knowledgeable about them

 

Ford V6?  Early 2000s jags, not sure about European availability

V12? 

Not really suitable for this application  for the following reasons.

 First the tiny few with manual transmissions are hens teeth and would be impossible to find on The American side of the Atlantic. ( At one point could be assembled cheaply but that point has been over for decades now.) 

Second the fuel injection system on them is analog not digital ( with a tiny few exceptions which again are hens teeth this side of the Atlantic.). While that can be corrected easily enough by using  bits from its American SUV cousin,  it hasn't yet been done on U tube.  So for today's mechanics who rely on that media to figure things out it's a non starter.  
Finally,  designed to go out to 500 cu in, it's heavier than more modern offerings. 

frenchyd said :

 

 First the tiny few with manual transmissions are hens teeth and would be impossible to find this side of the Atlantic. 

Second the fuel injection system on them is analog not digital ( with a tiny few exceptions which again are hens teeth this side of the Atlantic.). 

You must have missed the part where he's on that side of the Atlantic. 

I was thinking the 3.0v6 out of a lincoln ls here in the states. I think it was a ROW or at least a Euro ford platform. The same motor was in the Jags. I think it was in the S type and a transvers version was in the X type. Those make good power. 

In reply to newrider3 :

engine + gearbox for a custom build is the main thing. if there's a car already equiped with them (or at least one of them), that's an even better option. main thing - has to be the cheapest option on the market.

Stampie said:

frenchyd said :

 

 First the tiny few with manual transmissions are hens teeth and would be impossible to find this side of the Atlantic. 

Second the fuel injection system on them is analog not digital ( with a tiny few exceptions which again are hens teeth this side of the Atlantic.). 

You must have missed the part where he's on that side of the Atlantic. 

 

Yes I did,  well then Forget the V12 completely.  Good ones command a very steep premium in England.  Unlike here where I can still ferret out a few in my $300 range. 

In reply to frenchyd :

So let me get this straight. You're not recommending a Jag V12 if he's in the US nor if he's in Europe?  Who are you and what did you do with frenchyd?

Stampie said:

In reply to frenchyd :

So let me get this straight. You're not recommending a Jag V12 if he's in the US nor if he's in Europe?  Who are you and what did you do with frenchyd?

The V12 is only a no go in Europe. 

In reply to Stampie :

There is a real premium on V12's inEngland. First 1/2 of Jaguars production was sold in California. Add  global sales and relatively few stayed in England. most of those that did suffered from the dreaded tin worm. 

If you remember how few were made and sold in the first place. The first few years total sales was right around 1200 a year and one year barely 1000. Sales really didn't take off until 1981