I have a nice E36 that I have thought I might swap a 5.3 or 5.7 LS and T56 into using the Vorschlag kit. I figure I'll have around $15k to $18k into that machine. I have noticed that 996 911s are getting almost "affordable". I see several in the $20k - $25k range.
I have never driven a 911. Are they more of a driver's car than a well set up E36?
Go test drive a 911
mr2peak wrote: Go test drive a 911
This is good advice. Any predictions on what I'll find?
I prefer the driving dynamics of the 996 to my E36 M3, but at the time I bought my car they were selling for triple the money and I wanted a real back seat (kids). A V8 swap is a totally different beast though--lots more effort, but lots more reward.
E36; faster, more reliable, equivilant interiors
A 996 is a fine car - but it is oddly not as "sporty" as you think in stock form. They are transformed by a set of KW Clubsports and a set of bars though so a good choice if you plan on updating the suspension.
When I look at ebay... $25-30k is licking at the heels of a decent 997. IMO better looking. In everyone's opinion, a better driver.
I like both better than a hot rod E36 for a street driven car but I do want to build a naturally aspirated 450wHP E36 someday. I just won't be bothering with making it street legal.
I think the 996 would be a lot nicer to live with daily, but an LSE36 would make every drive a berkeley yea! experience which is a pretty nice way to go through life.
Drive the 996 and see if you like it. The seats are oddly narrow, I have a tough time fitting in them. The interior is also garbage unless it came with all the optional leather packages. Motor is entertaining but not overwhelmingly powerful.
Lots of issues with the early cars, make sure the IMS/RMS/Spin on oil filter yada yada has been done.
Swapped cars are fun, but it can be a chore to truly get one debugged for daily driver usage...
For reference:
1999 BMW M3 coupe
- 0–60 mph: 6.0 sec
- Standing ¼-mile: 14.6 sec @ 95 mph
- Curb weight: 3230 lb
1999 Porsche 911 Carrera
- 0–60 mph: 4.6 sec
- Standing ¼-mile: 13.2 sec @ 107 mph
- Curb weight: 2900 lb
I was thinking I may want to do this swap with the Vorschlag kit in 3 or so years too. I would test drive the 911 too to make sure which car you like the best. If you're going to do some auto-x events and track days, I would use the LS1 from the Camaros or Corvettes due to 25+ more horsepower and, most importantly, an aluminum block. I'm not sure if the 5.3s have iron or aluminum heads. For just daily use, the 5.3 may be better because it would be cheaper to purchase.
I've had my 996 (2004 C2) since January, and love it. Both kids fit in the back just fine; they're 2 and almost 6. Our family of 4 can ride in the car comfortably for a couple of hours before the kids wish they had more room to move around. The wife's Acadia serves road trip duty, so that isn't an issue.
Like others have said, the LS E36 would be a fun driver. My opinion, though is that a vehicle designed by the OE to be driven every day will be more reliable than a car that you extensively modify (I'd consider an engine transplant an extensive modification), no matter how good the quality of work is.
There is a 5.3 aluminum block. It came in 07 and 08 4x4 trucks. They also have the good heads. I need to drive a 911 and see it I fall in love with it. I sure do like my Miata even though it is "slow."
docwyte wrote: Swapped cars are fun, but it can be a chore to truly get one debugged for daily driver usage...
Truer words are rarely spoken. Plus you now have a bastard that neither Chevy nor BMW people have a lot of interest in. So if you do that swap, you're making a pretty long term decision.
Like drastically overbuilding your house for the neighborhood it is in. Make real sure you will like the results. Because it will never give you nearly the return on your investment you can get today, changing nothing.
I'd be all over the 911.
I've never actually witnessed a LS swap project that was ever truly "completed" with properly working DD features like A/C, ABS and such.
there's at least one on here that came out beautifully. JakeB I want to say? Can't exactly remember. He's got a couple other builds going on as well (v10 or v12 e30 and a couple others I can't recall.)
amg_rx7, my LS swapped 951 is probably that unicorn then. Cruise control works. Radio works. A/C works. All gauges/power windows work. However I've been working on it for 4 years now, slowly getting all the gremlins out of it.
If I put a larger muffler on it and had the stock seats in it, it would be a pretty comfy road car. Right now it's a track/street car, emphasis on the "track" being first. So with a set of Recaro fixed back seats and a straight through exhaust it's not the greatest car to be in with heavy traffic.
It is, however, still a work in progress. Right now I'm on revision #5 on it. Added the Porsche Boxster/996 ABS pump/brain and redid the oil cooler recently. Waiting for my rebuilt motor to come back and then, and then, and then...
amg_rx7 wrote: I'd be all over the 911. I've never actually witnessed a LS swap project that was ever truly "completed" with properly working DD features like A/C, ABS and such.
Hrmm.. My LS1/M3 sedan has fully working ABS, full OBD2 diagnostic, stock interior/gauges, heat, and soon to have A/C. I got it running about 2 weeks ago. Took about 9 months to build since I also have a race car I managed smack into a wall at Summit Point right as I tore apart the daily driver.
I drive mine everyday to work. Honestly, I Am surprised there is not more sorting. The A/C I didn't add yet since it wasn't really a priority for me, but I hooked all the wiring, made room for the compressor, and have the Condensor/drier in place.
I even added E46 M3 seats for power and heated seats 
.
Drives and looks like a stock E36 m3, but with a LOT more noise, some more vibration (the vorshlag mounts are poly), and a lot more acceleration. 6th gear double overdrive is awesome. My girlfriend loves driving it around.
It cost less than $20k, (around 15-18k but I have Ohlins shocks $$$, Forgeline wheels etc).
bluej wrote: there's at least one on here that came out beautifully. JakeB I want to say?
All his stuff in build threads comes out nicely.
In reply to D_Eclipse9916: It looks really good. Do you have a build thread on it? How do you like the swap compared to adding a turbo or a supercharger(unlikely for me) to the S52?
In reply to D_Eclipse9916:
Why was it so expensive? I'm not doubting you - but I had always assumed I could pick up the LS/trans combo for about what I could sell a good S52/ZF combo for making the cost layout just the buy in for the car itself and the fabrication for mounts, exhaust, driveshaft, maybe a stronger diff/axle combo, etc.
Am I missing some critical part of the equation or did you pay someone to do the install or buy all the pre-fabbed components from a vendor?
A decent used LS1 goes for $2500+ for just the motor, add another $1000 for the T56...
In reply to docwyte:
Thank the swap fad for those insane prices.
yamaha wrote: In reply to docwyte: Thank the swap fad for those insane prices.
Seriously. I priced out the aluminum LS truck motor with 65k on it for $850 at a local junkyard with a 6 mos "bring it back if it doesn't work" warranty two years ago when I was looking at doing this. I guess the way to do it now is buy a running Camaro and sell what you don't want.
Dunno about that, when I bought my LS1 about 4 years ago I paid the same. Guess the prices just haven't dropped, but that's not surprising. Lots of demand...
D_Eclipse9916 wrote:amg_rx7 wrote: I'd be all over the 911. I've never actually witnessed a LS swap project that was ever truly "completed" with properly working DD features like A/C, ABS and such.Hrmm.. My LS1/M3 sedan has fully working ABS, full OBD2 diagnostic, stock interior/gauges, heat, and soon to have A/C. I got it running about 2 weeks ago. Took about 9 months to build since I also have a race car I managed smack into a wall at Summit Point right as I tore apart the daily driver. I drive mine everyday to work. Honestly, I Am surprised there is not more sorting. The A/C I didn't add yet since it wasn't really a priority for me, but I hooked all the wiring, made room for the compressor, and have the Condensor/drier in place. I even added E46 M3 seats for power and heated seats
You made really good time. Most of these builds I've seen are more like docwyte - multiple years of work to get to a finished product. Or at least finished enough that you just want to drive it instead of taking up space in the garage. Congrats to you both.
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