Trying to come up with a list of vehicles where the stock motor can be swapped with relative ease for one of much higher hp. Examples: small block into an S10 or 4g63t into a dodge colt. Something with substantially more cheap hp potential than the stock motor.
LSx into anything. /thread
In reply to thatsnowinnebago:
Not generally an easy swap in most cases. The two examples I gave are nearly bolt in swaps, not a complete re-engineering of the engine bay.
So far my number one choice in an ls into a basic S10, light, rwd, cheap, and readily available.
Small block Chevy into fc rx7.It is fast, handles well, easy swap.
A "B" series engine into a Honda Civic (depending on the year) can be easily done and usually results in at least 40-50% more horsepower without much increase in fuel consumption. With Civics built between 91-95 a B16 or B18...depending on the iteration of the engine and the model Civic, is almost a "plug and play", with engine mounts and a few rewired plugs your biggest "headaches".
Slightly more difficult is an "H22" or "F" series (forget which one at the moment) into a '90-'97 Accord. The "H" series was known as the Type R in other markets, and some of the Accord Type Rs for overseas markets were built in the U.S. (Instead of the Type R, Honda U.S.A. figured we would prefer the V6 with automatic in our Accord. So they built them here, but never sold them here.)
Swap a 4.6 from a newer Land Rover in for the weezy emission restricted 3.5 that came stock in a TR8. Add a four barrel, headers, and a cam and you have nearly doubled the horsepower. While your at it shed the AC, air pump, cast manifolds, etc. and you end up with a 2300 pound beast with something north of 260 WHP. What could be easier. We like to call it the weekend swap.
Zetec SVT into anything that had a Ford Kent/Crossflow/CVH/SPI.
Pull the straight 6 from a Nova and drop in a 396?
5.4 in a Crown Vic was relatively easy. Thanks to some help from a fellow forum brother...
5.0 FB RX7 works and it is bolt in. 
pinchvalve wrote: Pull the straight 6 from a Nova and drop in a 396?
Pull straight six and drop in 454, 502, same outside dimensions, bigger innards.
Loony one I thought about trying - DOHC 4G63 Turbo into SOHC 4G63 powered Dodge D50. Requires modifying the intake manifold to put the throttle body on the other side, otherwise pretty straightforward.
7MGTE or 2JZ-GTE into a Toyota Cressida.
3SGTE into 5SFE powered Camry.
3800 Buick supercharged V6 into a Fiero. Not sure how bolt in it is but I know the transmission bolts up.
4age into a geo.
We had a car in town - 4 (FOUR) cylinder Chevy II with a hot 327/4speed. Must have been 1963? The first time he banged third gear the whole rear end fell out (single leaf rear suspension) on the Hwy in front of the gas station where I worked. freakin' hilarious! It was pretty much a bolt in deal and the UBER sleeper for about 10 minutes.
pinchvalve wrote: Pull the straight 6 from a Nova and drop in a 396?
KLZE into a base model Escort.
I'll second Matt's notions of 3sgte wherever a 5sfe exists.
7mgte/2jz into a MKii Supra.
4agze into a geo lol
Turbo II into NA FC.
Easy=cheap? if so, 4.8/5.3 LS truck motor+Chinese T76+Chinese A2W IC+car manifold+Z06 cam=O M G power for well under 4k in cash outlay. Then install into whatever vehicle you wish. Then just pick up the pieces when everything else breaks. 
Rymel wrote: 4age into a geo.
That was already done for you in the GSi.
5.0 into an e36 318i - should about double power
i thought i remember reading the 5.0 swap into miatas was pretty straightforward?
and festivas have an easy upgrade motor too dont they? a mazda FE3 or something, i dont even know the name
Beta into an MC Accent with the anemic SOHC 90hp Alpha. From 90hp/97tq and 2300lbs to 140hp/135tq and 2300lbs. Only thing different is swapping the MAF plug to a MAP plug and shorteningthe passenger engine mount a half inch. everything else is bolt in, plug-n-play.
ohms wrote: i thought i remember reading the 5.0 swap into miatas was pretty straightforward? and festivas have an easy upgrade motor too dont they? a mazda FE3 or something, i dont even know the name
FE3 wouldn't be "easy" per se, but not much harder than a BP/1.6GTX which are the common ones.
FE3 would require different mounts and they're taller.
KLZE in a Festiva has been done as well.
FM II turbo into 1990-05 Miata Hey, it's an easy thing to do and gives you at least double the horsepower.
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