Your ideal powertrain swap?

[UltArc]

Originally Posted by secaturbo

2000-2006 Honda Insight 5spd in an Elio

You've taken this out of the realm of possibility.

[cosmick]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

I've got stuff sitting around already that could be arranged into.. uh... interesting combos.

Escort diesel drivetrain into Tempo (easiest- practically a bolt-in worth 45+ mpg). Or make a fwd '68 Chev C10 worth what- 35-45 mpg?

'89 Park Avenue with one of the all-time greatest engines, the 3800 V6... stretch the pan and put the entire chassis under my spare '59 Biscayne body; the floor on that is gone anyway. A 30 mpg full-sized fwd daily driver classic with more snort and handling than the original... I like that idea.

Metro 1.0 5speed m/t into Fiero. Take some weight out, convert to m/t, and chop the top too. Would it fit in front? If so, then the car would have an enormous and useful trunk. Nice small frontal area and sporty good looks the Metro simply doesn't have. (sorry)

The '96-up 3.8 is excellent, that it did 35 mpg in my dad's 96 Bonneville is why i swapped the RWD-configured version from a 96 Camaro into an 83 RX-7. No regrets, but in a Biscayne you want the supercharged version. Then sell the supercharger and turbo it. Google FieroX for how this idea runs 9s in the standing quarter mile while still passing emissions and getting 40 mpg.
The Fiero lacks headroom and has too much chassis twist, those are the main reasons why i sold both of mine, but they also need a lot of help with the brakes, and if you can't score an 88 for the corrected suspension geometries front and rear, with the v6 and 5 speed, for the best transaxle, then skip Fieros entirely.

[cosmick]

Originally Posted by UltArc

You've taken this out of the realm of possibility.

Dunno what an Elio is, or why this is impractical, but given an adequate budget, i have the skills to make it happen. Who has the money?

[cosmick]

Originally Posted by vskid3

Sane swap: Camry hybrid powertrain into a Prius. Would almost double the power and be a few hundred pounds lighter than the Camry.

Less sane swap: Sane swap plus a rear engine LS setup (similar to what guys do with Fieros). 200hp and 40+MPG most of the time, 600+hp AWD when you crank up the V8. Ultimate hustler-mobile at the drag strip.

Just do a RWD conversion and an LSx conversion to the Prius. The are are no transaxles that will work, for under $5k, at 600+ HP, but there is NO reason you can't have 30 MPG with 1000 RWHP, emissions legally. And with a proper suspension, you can hook it, plan on needing wheelie bars and needing new Mickey Thompson Sportsman Pros every month.
Or do it AWD, like a fake Syclone. Those boxy little S10s arent bad for mpg because they are so narrow, i got mine to 38 mpg.

[cosmick]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

A "power" dome on the hood would work too. And be easy.

I just loooove this chopped Fiero. Mine wouldn't be a wide-body though.

Not actually a wide body above the belt line, just reducing how much the lower body curves under could be changed to reduce drag. But again, these cars already lack head room.

[cosmick]

Originally Posted by 19bonestock88

Purely for economy, I could entertain doing a Mercedes OM616 diesel in an old Ranger like I used to drive, but for all around performance, I'd almost rather a 4.8LS/T56... Plenty of power, and probably decent mileage with proper gearing...

Because the 4.8 isn't enough displacement for its heads, it has less mpg potential than the 5.3, especially with a t56, 4.8s need more cruise rpm. If you are going to waste its potential by not turbocharging it, a t5 would be better.

[cosmick]

Originally Posted by UltArc

AM 5.9 V12 into the Mustang.

Because V12.

BMW 850s are cheap donors, but better to do an F250's Triton V10, the later 3-valve version, with the TR3650 and a 2.73:1 axle. Then add a pair of turbos.

[cosmick]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

Well see that opens up maybe too many doors haha, because you can use stuff that isn't really mass produced yet. For example I would want an electrically assisted turbo, which only F1 cars use, or a CVT drive turbo.

My ideal would be 4 cylinders, 86mm stroke or shorter so it can get near 9000rpm, using the lightest/smallest block that can be bored out to around 1.6L, with switchable cam profiles e.g. VTEC so it can have an Atkinson cycle mode. Add a mild hybrid system, and if the car is a little heavier add a small amount of boost, no more than 0.4 bar for minimal lag.

The boost pressure has little to do with lag. Being a 1.6L you want all the boost pressure the engine can hold. Choose accordingly. GM's 2.0L Ecotec can be built to 1200 horsepower.

[freebeard]

Originally Posted by cosmick

Dunno what an Elio is, or why this is impractical, but given an adequate budget, i have the skills to make it happen. Who has the money?

Who has the Elio?

I count 6 posts in 16 minutes. You can hit the edit button within five minutes of posting with no penalty.

[Gasoline Fumes]

I test drove a Ford F150 with a Mercedes OM617 5-cyl turbodiesel in it. Great swap!