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Engine swap listings *See Inside*

7648 Views 15 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  gtzero
In all my searchings for information on different engine swaps, there are very many posts with just some tantilizing tid bits about various swaps, but nothing definitive.
Can we make a nice concise thread on all that have actually done the swaps of different engines? That way, if someone is interested in the same swap, they can contact that person for some info.
It will also be a nice list of what has, and has not been done.

In order to keep this concise, maybe a format?
Example:
Year of opel: 1973 GT
Engine swap type: 1991 Miata 1.6l inline 4 cylinder (B6)
Tranny Swap: Miata 5 speed
Rear end: Stock Opel
Misc. Info: (whatever issues were involved)
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thats an awesome idea, but i think there should be a bit more on the engine type, like displacement and cylinder arangement, ex. Opel 1.9L I-4
There are some that have actually done engine swaps although not many have documented them. The one documented swap that got me started on doing mine was Mike Pilkenton putting a 3.1 V-6 in his GT convertible. He did a very nice 3-part document on the swap that was published in the Blitz and is in the classicopel site in Yahoo and I believe also in the OMC site. I have documented everything I did during my 3.4 V-6/T-5 swap and it was destined to go into the Articles section of this site, but the new Articles section never made it out of Beta. Gary has very graciously given me a webpage on this site for the Phases I've done and am doing. As soon as I get literate enuff to generate the site what I have done so far will be put on that site. In reality, the Willit? thread was supposed to be the restoration part of the car with the swap being covered in the Phases, but now it's kinda all jumbled together. Now to get your date base generated, here's the info requested in that format:

Year of opel: 1972 GT
Engine swap type: 1995 Camaro 3.4L V-6
Tranny Swap: 1992 S-10 T-5 5 speed manual
Rear end: ZF Posi-traction 3.44.1
Misc. Info: (whatever issues were involved) You'll have to read the Phases when available. There are too many variables to put in a single paragraph to be of any help.
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yoo: 1970
type : gt
engine swaps :lotus 2 litre twin cam type 907 4 Cylinder, Inline from jensen healey /lotus esprit with vauxhall viva/chevette 1.8 slant 4,4 speed gear box stock opel front & rear end , twin 40 dcoe weber carbs
:ford 1.8 cvh 4C,I with ford type "n" 5 speed gearbox , SOF&RE ,23/26 pierburg carb
:BMW 2.8 6C,I with ZF s4 4 speed gearbox ,SOF&RE ,twin didta solex carbs
:jaguar 3.4 6C,I with moss 4 speed+overdrive gearbox ,jag front and rear end ,mg b gt steering rack and custom track rod ends and coupling , triple 45 dcoe weber carbs

health permitting next (looks good on new stuff :D )
:jaguar 5.3 V12 ,I with auto box ,jaguar floor shortened 5" narrowed 4",SJaguarF&RE, full removable 2 piece front bodywork with space frame to carry front suspension , injection to be announced at a later date
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In the works is Mantissan and I do have the engine, and most the parts to do it now.. Just have to strip the two motors (one is a blown block and will be the mule for mocking up the mounts and such). I plan on rebuilding the other and having it done BEFORE I start tearing my perfectly good running Manta apart.

That way we will be down to fitment and that shouldn't take long..

Got my own thread on it as well.. well co-oped one. BUt will probably do my own from scratch as I go along.. with dimensions and pictures and such.

The tempting thing is I saw a turbo kit for only $500 on Ebay for the motor... Hmmm....

Year of opel: 1974 Manta
Engine swap type: 1993 Nissan I4 2.4L DOHC 16V
Tranny Swap: 1993 Nissan 240SX 5 speed
Rear end: 1985 Isuzu Impulse w/ 3.90 gears

Misc. Info:

The Impulse rear diff is a fairly easy swap, and not only provides a 3.90 rear, it provides rear disc brakes as well.

It would seem the center console for a 240sx, will fit nicely between the seats and even work with the Opel Ebrake. Allowing you to have a modern looking center console.

Only Mods look to be a engine wiring harness and engine motor mount support, although I plan on using the 74-75' factory rubber mounts.

Oil Pan although a front sump looks to be able to clear the front suspension.

Exhaust doesn't look to be a problem again once I get into it I will know more.

For brake master I am using a early 71-73 booster with a 23mm Opel Commodore Master Cylinder.

For the clutch hydralic, that is the one thing to be tought out.. but shouldnt be too hard.
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Well this thread died a slow agonizing death... :rolleyes: :( :eek:
Tim240Z said:
Well this thread died a slow agonizing death... :rolleyes: :( :eek:
Nothing slow about it..
guess i could put myself in here, even though i'm just starting it.

Year of opel: 1972 Manta
Engine swap type: 1989 Ford Probe GT, 2.2L Turbo (F2T)
Tranny Swap: 1989 Mazda B2200 5 speed (bolts right up)
Rear end: Probably going with a mid 80's BMW 325 IRS
Misc. Info: i'm still in the opel tear down process, pretty much done that, i've taken alot of measurements and it looks like the only body or frame mods i'll have to do for the engine & tranny is motor/tranny mounts (obviously) and the shifter will be a few inches further back so i need to cut a new hole and mod the center consol, which is ok since the manta's shifter is a little far forward for my liking. this is taking a while because things keep comming up like friends breaking their cars and me offering to fix it, my goal for this week was to have the motor and tranny mounts made and the engine to be sitting in the car, but then about 3 hours after i decided that, my friend managed to blow up the tranny in his talon, and i offered to let him use the shop and to help him replace it, grrr.
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We will have to compare notes on the IRS..

What kind of HP and Torque in the Ford motor.. ?

Charles
GoinManta said:
Rear end: 1985 Isuzu Impulse w/ 3.90 gears
Due to the availability of the BMW IRS verse the rarity of teh Impulse, I too am looking at the BMW IRS for my project now.

Charles
1970 GT
Mazda 12a rotary
Mazda 5 speed
Opel rear end
GoinManta said:
We will have to compare notes on the IRS..

What kind of HP and Torque in the Ford motor.. ?

Charles
stock, its something like 140hp & 175tq at the wheels, i'll be doing a few things to it like converting from distributor to electronic ignition with a powerful coil, megasquirt & spark ecu, bigger injectors, a better intercooler, comressor side of the turbo will be from a 2.3L thunderbird, boost around 18psi eventually, not that much at first, and a 2.5" turbo back exhaust so it will be more like 230+ hp and 300+tq to the wheels when i take it to full boost. i have a buddy with an '89 probe gt, he has basically those mods, minus the electronic ignition, megasquirt, different intercooler, and he has a cat in his exhaust, he dyno'd 227hp & 302tq at 18psi... not bad for a car he has $2000 sunk into, including purchase, lol

and yeah, we'll have to work together with the IRS, any idea when you're going to start to tackle that project?
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Depends on funds and time.

I have the mule, I thin my next step is to get the IRS from the local junkyard.

So far i found that the spring perches and shock mounts are all within a few inches of the manta. enough that the only thing i may have to fabricate will be the pumpkin mounting.

I am sure once my son starts driving his Manta next year, I will start on teh next project full force. Still debating motor, although having the KA24DE in the garage makes it the top vote getter. But considering the cost of a total rebuild on it.. I am keeping my options open.
what you could do is put the ka in and get everything put together and all the fabricating done and fitting properly, then find a japanese engine importer and pick up an sr20det, awesome engines from the japanese 240sx (silvia over there) from what i've read it just bolts in, only real work is wiring, intercooler & intercooler piping... but don't hold me to that, its all internet talk that i've read. the sr is a little wider than the ka though due to the fact that theres a turbo on the side of it.

that was what my origional plan was before i decided on the probe motor because i could pick it up for much cheaper, the sr20's cost a bit more, but you always get them with low mileage from the importers.
Hello all, I am new to the Opel world, and am trying to get into it. I am fresh over from the Nissan department and I think that I can answer some of your questions.

The Sr20 is a good deal wider than your avg. KA due to the turbo. After looking at some pictures of the GT (I havent seen any manta engine bays) engine bay, I would say that unless you switch to a top- mounted manifold your are going to see major clearance issues. The SR is better than the KA in many respects, but not all. the two biggest are wieght (SR~400lbs vs. 540lbs for the twin cam KA and 490 for the single cam KA, all with trans.) and stock power (170whp vs 125-130whp). The KA will make considerably more torque at lower levels and has a much smoother power band than the more peaky SR. internals are both equally stout, going out about 300whp on both motors.

honestly in your quest for a good motor that makes good power and is as light as your stocker, I suggest the NA SR20. It can be had (in RWD form) from Japan for maybe 1500 shipped, wieghts in at a mear 350lbs and makes 160 crank HP stock and is easily supped up in NA form.

BTW the SR20 turbo motor sells for more like 2500 plus shipping from a reputable source (dont buy ebay or from canada, you wont get all that you need)

I hope this was a good first post. I also hope one of you is selling a good condition GT in the midwest in the near future. :) Thanks, Jordan
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Here's a picture of mine

in my dreams. :)

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