V6 Swap into Kadett

[Kaconna]

I'm looking to do a V6 motor swap. i know i'll have to change out the tranny rear end etc. but i would like to see how someone else did it. if anyone has pictures or post or websites that could help me out with ideas , please post them.

[RallyBob]

Originally Posted by Kaconna I'm looking to do a V6 motor swap. i know i'll have to change out the tranny rear end etc. but i would like to see how someone else did it. if anyone has pictures or post or websites that could help me out with ideas , please post them.

Car model?

Engine size/brand?

Just trying to narrow it down a bit. Quite a few have put 60° GM V6's into Opel GT's, but not many other swaps are documented. I haven't seen a Model 50 (Manta/Ascona) swap shown here, nor have I seen any Kadett swaps other than a pseudo-drag race 4.3 swap.

[Kaconna]

69 kadettL 1900 2 door wagon. wondering what i can fit in the engine bay with out chopping it up. i was also looking into mazda miata motors. small and still is rearwheel drive and the rearend is small.

[blancojp]

Originally Posted by Kaconna 69 kadettL 1900 2 door wagon. wondering what i can fit in the engine bay with out chopping it up. i was also looking into mazda miata motors. small and still is rearwheel drive and the rearend is small.

If your engine bay look like the engine bay of an Ascona, then my answer would be just about anything.

I have installed both 60 degree and 90 degree V-6 engines on GT's and the cutting is not as bad as people think. I got the conversion down to one weekend on the 60 degree V-6, two weekends on the 90 degree. The best bang for the bucks would be either a quad-4 or a Zetec engine coupled to a T-5 tranny. You can buy most of the parts required and can be done in little time, making your conversion driveable after just a few days.

I have not done a Kadette but if you post a picture with a few dimensions, I might be able to help you on it.

[oldopelguy]

Without cutting up the body of the car the Kadett is very limited for installation of v-shaped motors because of the starter. Any starter that runs along the oil pan and hangs below the centerline of the crankshaft is limited to <7" in length before it would hit the front suspension crossmember. Cutting the firewall and setting the engine back some would remove this concern, but then you're stuck with something you can't undo.

Best bet, then, is a motor where the sterter is mounted up high, like the one on the Opel engine is. Most 4-cylinder imports fit this bill, and a few v-6s like the one in the Catera.

If your Kadett has the 4-speed transmission there isn't much of anything that's going to fit in the transmission tunnel. The Miata trans in particular is way too long. An auto trans tunnel is more forgiving, but still pretty short.

[Kaconna]

it's an automatic. the engine bay's pretty big for what's in it.

[First opel 1981]

That engine bay is screaming for a V-6. You could just move the engine forward if you needed to clear the trans tunnel.

[Kaconna]

i'm getting ideas on motors but what about trans and rearends?

[namba209]

You requested some info on installing a V-6 in an Opel. Here's the link to a 6 part Article on the 3.4L V-6 engine I installed in my GT. It may give you some insite on what it takes to do the deed. HTH.

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