What engines can be transplanted the easiest?

So, I am talking with a buddy about our plans to field a Challenge car next year. I have a few options for engine options already. Some of you might remember the SHO motor I was collecting parts for a few years ago. There is always a cheap LS variant. 1UZ. What else should we consider? I would like to be able to buy an entire wrecked (or whatever) donor for under a grand.

Short hand list already in consideration: SHO 3.0L (Already own, Cool noises, but heavy for power output) LSX (Well known, wiring should be easy, but also heavy and no real manual options) 1UZ (pretty well know, also easy wiring, no manual off the shelf but the $75 Toyota W58 I have can be made to work easily).

I should mention that my primary concern is electronics. We can fab most other things easy enough so finding a motor set that doesn't require a PHD electrical engineering would be nice but the more modern the better. Is that falling into the whole cake and eating it too situation?

What car is it going in?

I think of it more in terms of power to weight and that some of the really fast folks are in the 1:6, or 1:5 range. As far as fitting, anything goes with a saws all and a welder. The Nelson formula seems to be put together a wicked drivetrain then find the lightest hulk of a car you can

A lot of it depends on the age and make of the vehicle being used. It's almost always easier/cheaper to use an engine from the same manufacturer as the vehicle. The same applies to vehicle/powertrain age.

2.3T Fords are pretty cheap and easy into OBDI Ford vehicles, so are 5.0s.

LS swaps are the easy button in just about anything now, but it may not be challenge level cheap unless you're starting with a vehicle that was available with one.

SBC are the older version of the LS, so silly cheap and swapped into everything by now.

dean1484 wrote: What car is it going in?

I agree, the car is the biggest determining factor. Engine factors are drive by wire, CAN bus, and immobilizer schemes. Some of the newer V6s have the exhaust manifolds cast into the head, with cats hanging off a single port. If there isn't an aftermarket, then you end up being stuck with the weight/restriction of the cats.

Basically anything turbo or supercharged from the factory is a good start as more power is as close as more boost production. Many of the 80's and 90's turbo/supercharged engines could be had with RWD manual options either from the factory or by mixing and matching factory parts and the EFI systems were usually pretty basic and simple.

FC RX7 but as was said above anything will fit anywhere with enough persuasion.

The "EASIEST" button for the least money would have to be either the ford or the GM old school small block V8s running a carb and points-distributor ignition. Three wires and you are running.

Endless supply of parts for cheap both new and used.

If you can think of it, someone has done it and documented on the webs. Ford front sump can be a nuisance but the engine is smaller and lighter than the GM.

Did I mention no computers involved? You can actually have gauges that work.

There are manual trans options for the LSx, the sbc/bbc bellhousing will bolt to an LS engine. LS just have one extra bolt at the 12 o'clock position. Doing the LS on a challenge budget may be tough, but not impossible. Cheap option is sbc and wiring is silly easy unless you put EFI on it.

For an FC I'm thinking 5.3 and a cheap trans like maybe a t5 or a 4-spd is the easy button to 300+ hp. I would think offhand engine width would be the constraint to work around. Start with a running donor and transfer the wiring/engine mgt needed to make it run

Yeah, finding a donor in my area seems impossible. There was one wrecked tahoe last year for $1200 that was gone in an hour that I missed. That is about it.

We would both prefer to run EFI as neither of us are that familiar with tuning carbs and if we are starting from a point of no knowledge, I would prefer to learn about EFI more. Plus boost is way easier on fuel injection (from what I have seen).

NOHOME wrote: The "EASIEST" button for the least money would have to be either the ford or the GM old school small block V8s running a carb and points-distributor ignition. Three wires and you are running.

I would have said a diesel with a mechanical pump. All you need is the wiring for the starter

Isn't SBC or SBF into RX-7 a well-trodden path? Don't reinvent the wheel, some swaps are popular for a reason.

The main issues I have with those, Keith, are that they are on the heavy side. The 302 is definitely a better option than a 350 from the weight side and I had forgotten until just now that I know where a 302 sitting that can be had for cheap.

302W

Sbf or sbc, short deck windsors (302) are alot cheaper then a tall deck (351) though.

Pushrod V8 is almost always easiest, I think Ford is the most documented in that car.

Just for reference, any trans that fits a SBC will fit a LSx with the right flywheel, which was a factory truck part for a while. I'd recommend a Muncie or Super T10, the 4 speed OD A833 out of a 80s chevy truck (cheap!) should hold up too after you toss a bearing kit at it. You can even run a Ford toploader with an adapter plate between the trans and chevy bell housing.

In reply to singleslammer: actually, if you want easy, buy something like an LS400, and manual swap it. It's super technology maximum in build quality and you can just turbo the darn thing and have so much power it's insane. Plus, you can hack a LOT of weight out of that chassis. About 500lbs just in removing things. You could get another 300-500 just by doing FRP or CF panels. Overnight parts from Japan...

In reply to Trackmouse:

I might just have to do that and we can bring 2 cars!

In reply to singleslammer:

There will be a really stripped ls400 for sale after the challenge.

In reply to Andy Neuman:

PA is a ways from Missouri

singleslammer wrote: In reply to Andy Neuman: PA is a ways from Missouri

True it would be a long way out of my way on the way home.

In reply to Andy Neuman:

Pmed you anyway!

Sounds like a match made in challenge. Lol b