Interracial Engine Transplant?

Ken I hate being a hater, but somebody has got to reply.  I can't be the only one thinking this.

 

The motor is twice the cost of other swaps. (I got my 4.9 complete starter, alternator, fuel injection ECM and wiring) from a state side shop for $550

All parts were easy location, and buy online.

 

I got 220hp and 290-300lbs of torque.  The torque amount alone would eat a Honda Powered Fiero and spat it back out.

 

If your idea is not for the sheer performance of it, and more for the much higher tech and frankly a better engine than most domestics. I will give ya that and you can even get good gas mileage.    The car should be moderately quick and get 30mpg.   Kinda like the person that was going to throw a Turbo Diesel motor into a base coupe 4 banger car and see just how good of gas mileage you could get out of it.  I think they had estimates of 45mpg.   

However for me, a bigger motor, is a better motor.   When you run out of room, Boost the Hell out of it.   If the new super car listed on the episode of Top Gear, (can't remember the name) However top speed was 275mph (440kph) can do those insane speeds making 1100hp. Yes eleven hundred hp, from a big motor and several turbos.  There is no reason people can't built a mild turbo SBC and make 600hp daily drivable and street able.

I have rebuilt or had rebuilt a total of 5, 2.8 V6's.   If you do the labor yourself and your block does not need to be bored out, you can rebuild a 2.8 for about $400.   Thats the cost of bearings, rings and gaskets.

That is re-using your pistons, lifters, crank, rods and cam.  If you want new parts in your motor you can add about $1000 for parts, machining and assembly. 

Now if you can do all your own labor you save a ton.  Labor on a complete Remove, dismantle, rebuild and re-install is about 40hrs.   Even a cheap shop rate of $50 that would be $2000.   

For the record, my car ran 15.2 with a modded 2.9 hyperutectic pistons, molly rings and all sorts of other goodies.  I blew the motor, did a cheapo rebuild with a used block, stock pistons cheap rings, re-used my performance cam and lifters. 

 Took the car out to the track and ran 15.0.   The motor however only lasted 12 months of abuse before I lost another bearing. 

After building so many 2.8's and one 2.9 and they seem to become unreliable around 200hp and 200lbs of torque I decided to better spend my money on a big motor that I did not have to beat on it to get acceptable performance for daily driving.  The caddy motor did it for me.  

The total cost of converting from a 2.8 4spd to a 4.9 5spd was just a tick over $3000   That price includes every nut, bolt, hose clamp and even the fuel cost of driving to go and get the motor in Washington.  I have an excel spreadsheet of all the parts if you want to see the real cost of a conversion.

 

As for being able to find good deals, all you have to do is look around. There is an online database of wrecking yards and who has what, I can't remember the link off hand or I would post it.   

I love the tech in the import engines, it is absolutly awesome what they manage to get out of them, but it is just so hard to get good ol north amercian torque out of a small displacment engine.   Boost helps, but with boost no matter how you cut it, you can't get the right off idle power you get from a big engine.    Don't get me wrong, 600hp Turbo 1.6l Honda motor will make a much faster car than a 200hp Caddy motor, but I just love the feeling of yanking me into the seat starting at 800rpms.