Model Car "Quick Build" Round 4: Motor Madness!

I figured I'd start this now instead of waiting until morning. Don't worry, I'll obnoxiously bump it several times, I'm sure. 

The model builds have been going great. For this round, I'm calling it "Motor Madness" because I think it's one of the most fun parts of model building: engines! Engine swaps are highly encouraged (though not required) and feel free to think outside the box on this, in more ways than one.

No time to source an alternate engine? Maybe you can saw that V8 in half and shorten it to a V6! Looking for something to grab "off the shelf" and build? Lots of hot rod kits already come with a custom engine swap in the box. Wanna stick to a curbside? Put some custom badges on the fenders to show that your hot hatch has a turbo V16 stuffed in there.

If you aren't feeling that, well, just shine that engine up and make it look purty with lots of chrome. Or dirty it up and make it look all greasy and old. Build the engine by itself and put it on a stand for display. It's all good, as long as you're having fun!

We're going to let this round go for 3 weeks, one extra week just in case some you need some time to source an engine or to get tools or supplies needed to chop some plastic up to make things fit.  That means the end date will be Saturday, June 6th.

I'll start this off with my planned build:

RANGER SHO. Nuff said.

Edit: almost forgot about the giveaway, I've got at least two kits to give away to randomly selected participants! A "Rescue 911" Taurus SHO and a SnapTite Ford Raptor. I might dig up some other stuff to give away too.

P.S. feel free to post updates on any unfinished builds from previous rounds here too!

In reply to slowbird :

Oooooh! SHO drivetrain in the bed of the Ranger, or longitudinal in the engine bay?

I'm so looking forward to this one!

First step: feasibility study. Will this engine fit in this truck?

Looks like it's about the same size. Less than a millimeter difference at most.

Now, the billion dollar question: how do make FWD transaxle into RWD transmission? You could use some plastic to construct a transmission case and make the transaxle into the bellhousing. You could hack off the back of the Ranger transmission and stick that on there. Me? I kinda want to see if I can saw them both off from their respective engines without totally ruining them. (Then later I can put the Ranger V6 into the Taurus, or similar nonsense ideas that I have.)

I have this small saw that cuts pretty thin. I think I can do it without losing too much material. Probably.

Hmm. This side might be tougher to save. Might have to score it repeatedly with a razor knife.

In reply to slowbird :

You seem to have a math problem. One half of a V8 equals????? I thought about that one though, as I have only one tiny V6 at Model Auto Wreckers. Not the direction I am going though.

I have an extensive inventory of 1/24 scale engines, and a good inventory of potential swap receipiants. Could make a rotary Lotus Seven, but I just built another Seven, so not this time. Could convert a Heller Brabham BT6 into a BT3 or a Formula Ford, but I have several other formula car projects going, so nah. Something traditional perhaps, sure. But with a twist! A V8 Healey. Not a Chevy Healey, and not a Ford Healey, how about a Nash Healey? Donald Healey made a few Nash Healeys before the Austin Healey, so there is even a tie in. About 10 years ago I parted out a well built Javelin Trans-Am car and there is a Gen2 AMC in the bin complete with plug wires and a coil. The cutting has started, I hope the driver has small feet. 

In reply to TurnerX19 :

There is a good chance I bought that Javelin stuff from you! 

An AMC Nash Healey sounds awesome. Need a cross ram intake for it for maximum insanity?

In reply to Javelin (Forum Supporter) :

I think the Javelin body went to one of my slot car buddies for a proposed 1/24 class that never got going here. I think I will stick with the T/A legal 4 barrel and make a duct up to the opening in the front of the Healey bonnet, which really was there for radiator clearance. A big cross flow Cobra radiator and remote header tank is "planned".

I'm in: posting so I can follow this more easily.

I have a few different ideas, but now that I'm remembering this is GRM I might try to think a little further outside the box than I originally planned.

To the Batcave! I mean basement where the models are!

Oh yeah, if anyone needs some more inspiration: here's a VERY rough build from my youth. I not only hacked up a VW Beetle body to make it a Baja bug, I also shoved a NASCAR V8 into the back and used copious amounts of cutting, glue, and *cardboard* to make it somewhat mate up to the rear wheels. Key word is "somewhat" 

I'm cautiously optimistic that I could do a better job of it today, what with my years of experience and all. Hmm, maybe I should restore this old heap.

In reply to slowbird :

yes, you should!

Scott

Inspiration time!

Over a decade ago I built this 1956 Ford Thunderbird with an 87 Turbo Coupe swap. I swapped the engine, trans, suspension, rear axle, and half of the interior.

Another view of the engine bay. Notice the funtional intercooler duct in the hood and the TC radiator and fans.

Inside is 87 dash and seats, 56 floor and door panels.

Undercarriage

You don't need to have a different engine to swap an engine. Back in 2017 I created a scale GRM challenge car from a Shelby Charger model by putting the motor in the back.

I did add a single V8 drag car headed and a much bigger turbocharger to make it a monster.

Another view

Then there's the definition of "shoehorn" in this custom Lincoln Mark VI LSC pro street. The kit came with a 351 Windsor SBF. I put in a 500ci Shotgun Hemi Ford Pro Stock motor, backed by a C6!

You can also go smaller. About 25 years ago I turned a 69 SC/Rambler model into a "junk car" 67 American and put an inline 6 in place of the 390 V8.

Hopefully that inspires you!

If you need an engine to swap, let me know. I've run across quite a few that I'm willing to ship out free for use in the build.

Many moons ago I started to put a 4 cam Porsche engine in the front of a Rabbit set up to drive the rear wheels. Bad idea all around.

In reply to Javelin (Forum Supporter) :

That T-bird is really cool. I would like to see that done in real life. As well as the 1/24 scale challenge car.

Hmmm? 

At first I thought "OK but what about the reverse, a supercharged Y-block V8 into a Turbo Coupe" then I thought "ok well how about a flathead into a foxbody?

Seems to make for a good land speed racing combination.

https://engineswapdepot.com/?p=52745

I could not find the resin 12V71 so I have to see what I have floating around for a swap. 

I have a C4 LT1, Mopar 440+6, Shelby 289, and a Boss 429 on offer.

Scientific progress goes boink! Or something.

I actually ended up cutting both apart with just a really sharp razorblade. Careful wiggling and not too much pressure, and I got them both apart in fine condition.

Next: mating them up. Honestly since it's just plastic I could just glue the different engine and transmission together and it would be fine. However, in my slightly obsessive way, I've decided to build an adapter plate. The first reason is that there's a very tiny margin for error in lining them up, and I could end up with the hole on the back of the block showing slightly.

I could fill that easily, but since this is the 4.0-powered Ranger, I'm not 100% sure if the bolt pattern would be the same as the 3.0 Vulcan engine that Rangers also came with. (I looked it up, but I'm still not sure.) The Vulcan is the one that I know shares a bolt pattern with the SHO (theoretically), so if this one might be different, I might as well lean into it and build an adapter plate.

Rough outline:

Work in progress:

In reply to slowbird :

Dude, dedication!

This thread should be required for all the guys who think swapping X engine into Y chassis of a 1:1 scale car is easy. LOL

In reply to slowbird :

Looking good! Extra points for the Calvin and Hobbes reference. 

In reply to ddavidv :

Understatement at best. V8 Healey swaps have been pretty common for 60 years. They are one of the easier ones. Photo below shows the modified firewalll next to a stock one. This was about an hours labor for the model. Now think about doing it full size working inside an engine room or interior below the dash

I've done engine swaps before, including a fairly convincing small block Chevy in a Pinto, and a less successful Chrysler Hemi into a Sunbeam Tiger. Both of those cars are at mom & dad's place so I can't get pictures.

I looked through my stash of kits and nothing really spoke to me for motor swaps. I was going to go my own way and build one of the Miata kits I had just to build something, but that's not the spirit of the thread. So I looked further.

On a dusty shelf near the floor I found my second attempt at building a street stock. This was a Winston Cup chassis with a body from a street Monte Carlo SS. It came out ... OK. But time has not been kind to it. The nose is half broken off, and the rear axle has fallen out with the nub where one of the rear wheels attaches broken clean off. The chassis overall is pretty well done; the engine is nicely detailed. But, overall, I don't really care for the result.

So that engine is available assuming it'll come out of the chassis nicely. Out of the kits on hand, the only one I'd really consider doing a motor swap in is the '53 Ford that was runner-up in the round 2 build sweepstakes that wound up being the yellow El Camino. So as of right now I will attempt to build a sleeper '53 Ford with a NASCAR Chevy engine under the hood. Wish me luck.

In reply to Claff :

Nascar engines make for great swap material!

P.S. make it a super custom road-racing '53 Ford 

slowbird said:

In reply to Claff :

P.S. make it a super custom road-racing '53 Ford 

You grossly overestimate my fabrication skills!