jpsmit
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,254
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Nov 30, 2012 14:38:05 GMT
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I'm not sure if I am posting in the correct place - Moderators feel free to move me if you need to. My real question is, "what logical/economical rear wheel drive engine transmission combinations are out there for swaps? here's my story. I have a '76 MG Midget with a stock California (detuned) 1500 engine and 4 speed. It produces about 56 screaming horsies. At this point I have no plans for a swap but I can dream over the winter. As I read Reader's Rides, I see these really imaginative swaps - (latest being the Kitten with the Swift engine retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=readersrides&action=display&thread=138223 ) and before that the Viva with the coming V6 ( retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=readersrides&action=display&thread=93269 ) How do you people know these things match? (engine to transmission that is) Obviously there are "complete drivetrain swaps" Miata/ RX7 etc. and I am aware of a few others Focus/Type 9 transmission but, can we list/ describe other combinations? Am I making sense? thanks all. |
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Nov 30, 2012 15:27:49 GMT
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The real answer to this question is, "you can fit any engine you want, depending on how much of the body you want to cut." An MG Midget is a pretty small engine bay, but here's proof that a Rover V8 will fit if you really want it to:   What else could you fit? Any other engine which is smaller. Starting with a rear-wheel-drive engine and matching box is usually easiest, but with enough effort any transverse engine can be 'turned around' and adapted to a suitable gearbox. There is often a gearbox from another car which will bolt on and work correctly. If not, it's pretty easy to make an adaptor plate. Honda S2000, Mazda MX5 (Miata) and Nissan Silvia/180SX are a few obvious options. Any BMW four cylinder from a 3 series would also make sense. A stripped-out Midget would even be light enough to use a motorbike engine if you wanted to. A Japanese four-cylinder superbike engine will give it plenty of power from a very light package. The best thing to do is to find out what is easily and economically available in your area. For example, I live in Australia, so Japanese donor cars are relatively easily availabe, compared to Europe. In the UK, people often use front-wheel drive engines from the Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra/Vectra and turn them around using different gearboxes. In Sweden they tend to fit Volvo engines and gearboxes to pretty much everything. You get the idea. |
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Nov 30, 2012 16:17:04 GMT
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1953 Minor (Long term project)
PT Cruiser
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Copey
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,845
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Nov 30, 2012 16:34:36 GMT
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zetec on an MT75, set of bike carbs or twin 45's, could go TBs depending on budget, RWD conversion parts available off the shelf, loads of tuning bits available, service parts are cheap, engines are cheap to get, will fit no problem, can make decent power and can be pretty frugle! you can also add a turbo  |
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Last Edit: Nov 30, 2012 16:35:12 GMT by Copey
1990 Ford Sierra Sapphire GLSi with 2.0 Zetec
1985 Ford Capri 3.0 (was a 2.0 Laser originally)
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Nov 30, 2012 16:55:57 GMT
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Do you mean economical to buy, economical to fit or economical to run? Personally i would go for a Duratec over a Zetec but it will cost more to buy and fit, but will give you more power and better economy. stayig with an injection setup will also prove cheaper to run but requires you to buy an ECU and associated pumps and wiring, although generally its not that much different to carbs if you buy them new.
I'm pretty much always skint and my projects are daily drivers, so with me the purchase cost always comes first, closely followed by running costs, and then i look for the maximum power I can find for what i can afford.
If you're in the US only you know whats cheap to buy, I don't know if an old 8v Volvo turbo will fit the MG, but over here they are dirt cheap, easy and cheap to tune and come already set up for rwd which cuts costs, not great on fuel though.
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Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
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Nov 30, 2012 18:00:49 GMT
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M42 BMW 16 valve four cylinder 1800. Smallish, lightweight and better than the standard K series engine swap.
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Last Edit: Nov 30, 2012 18:01:26 GMT by cecotto479
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v8ian
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,763
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Nov 30, 2012 18:01:26 GMT
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BL Tomcat turbo engine with a LT77 from a O series engined sherpa, all bolt together, Vauxhall Omega blacktop, 20,or 2.2, or bolt a redtop turbo onto the omega gearbox, again all bolt together, Honda s2000 running gear, My mate has a 1600 toyota 16v, (4age)?? with a type 9 on the back, in a MGA
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Last Edit: Nov 30, 2012 18:02:26 GMT by v8ian
Atmo V8 Power . No slicks , No gas + No bits missing . Doing it in style.
Austin A35van, very different------- but still doing it in style, going to be a funmoble
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jpsmit
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,254
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Nov 30, 2012 22:43:26 GMT
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Thanks for super suggestions! and yes, I am aware of some of the conversions. I particularly love this Jag engine conversion. www.coupers-cars.com/sprite_restoration.htmI guess what I am really asking is, how do people know what mates with what? So, how do I figure out that a Swift Engine mates with a Samurai transmission? So, for instance, is there a RWD transmission that bolts to a 3 series Mazda? or is there a Hyundai combination? I hope I'm making sense with this - I guess I really am after the source of secret knowledge of figuring out what bolts on to what. BTW I am in Canada so Vauxhalls ain't gonna work. |
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The cost effective way would to hunt a rwd engine box combination down.
Mating a FWD engine to a rwd box tends to extra costs because parts (sump, bellhousing, starter, flywheel, clutch) need to be changed to get them fit together.
But in theory you can made everything fit together.
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 Click picture for more |
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I guess what I am really asking is, how do people know what mates with what? So, how do I figure out that a Swift Engine mates with a Samurai transmission? So, for instance, is there a RWD transmission that bolts to a 3 series Mazda? or is there a Hyundai combination? I hope I'm making sense with this - I guess I really am after the source of secret knowledge of figuring out what bolts on to what. There is no secret source of knowledge, you just have to do your research and figure it out. Usually, you want to look for other cars by the same manufacturer, as often the same or very similar engine is used in both front-wheel-drive and rear-wheel-drive cars. For example, the Suzuki Swift engine is from the same engine family as the Samurai/Sierra engine. However, not all of these swaps necessarily work. The Mazda 3 engine is strongly related to the MX5/Miata engine, and also the Ford Duratec from the Focus. According to the guys on the Mazda Talk Forum, the Mazda 3 engine will bolt on to the Miata transmission. As far as Hyundai goes, I don't think there would be any bolt-on RWD transmission. It is still possible to make a custom adaptor plate to mate any suitable transmission to any engine, but this adds cost and effort. Not really worth it for a Hyundai engine. |
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What donnor cars are cheap, rear wheel drive, and local to you?
GM ecotec engine perhaps?
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1988 Mercedes w124 superturbo diesel 508hp
1996 Mercedes s124 e300 diesel wagon
1990 BMW E30 V8 M60 powered!
1999 BMW E46 323ci project car
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