Possible lemons donor found

"Santiago of Escuderia Boricua" (sdiglesias)
10/15/2014 at 08:39 • Filed to: None

A coworker is selling his 99 suburban. 2wd 5.7. Looks petty well taken care of. I'd take the whole drive train out and put it in the Fury. How hard would it be?

Tldr, can this (not actual car)

into this ?

DISCUSSION (8)

505Turbeaux > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
10/15/2014 at 08:42

not hard per se, but you need a few things. Motor and tranny mounts fabbed up, the whole wiring harness with computers swapped over, or a carb and manifold...just some sort of fuel and spark management. Driveshaft that is the right length, rear end gearing to match what the tranny does for revs. Not hard, but alot of work

Rock Bottom > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
10/15/2014 at 09:06

To be fair, that 350 boat anchor will probably be fairly unhappy as the SBC has a spotty LeMons record. It should have a flat enough torque curve to make things work just fine with any rear-end ratio you have, so you got THAT going for ya! If one is hell-bent on running this engine, the smartest thing to do with it would be to keep the fuel infection intact and lift the whole engine harness from the donor. Just add 12v power and Voila! That'll get you a working trans too (I think the 4L60E gets pissy without it's computer).

I would think you can find a running slant 6 (or three) for not much coin and run that in your Mopar? I'm pretty sure they were still being put in cars into the mid 80s, so you might be able to find a rusty Diplomat or light duty Dodge truck with one? Sure the Slant won't be as quick as an SBC, but they're damn near impossible to kill. Remember, to finish first, you must first finish!

Last point: the LeMons judges like weird shit. Slant sixes are kinda weird. If you show up with another SBC swap they might hit you with some lap penalties just because they're bored. And by that, I mean they might not be so willing to believe any creative accounting practices you employ to justify your $500 investment! Just something to consider!

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > Rock Bottom
10/15/2014 at 09:20

Leaning tower of power. Whatever I get, I need the engine, transmission, and probably rear end. I still don't really know what I'm doing, so I want to get something relatively simple just to get it drivable and racing

Rock Bottom > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
10/15/2014 at 09:37

You have the right idea about keeping it simple! To me, it's smartest to focus on finishing your first race. Speed can come later.

Still thinking of engines, something else to consider might be a 302 Ford. They're super small (so they're easy to get in and out, which will be important) and seem to stand up relatively well in LeMons. You might be able to find an engine and trans for cheap. Mustangs and some other stuff got nice roller lifters after like the mid 80s, and those are probably a better bet than the earlier engines for durability.

If you want to get really weird (read: awesome), look for a Jeep 4.0. Another engine that is almost impossible to kill. Plus, they make pretty good power right out of the box (190hp from 1991 to the end). It's fairly common to find Jeep guys that pulled a perfectly good 4.0 from a rock crawler or trail rig to swap in an SBC or a diesel. Not sure if your car needs a front or rear sump to get around the front crossmember, but I'm pretty sure AMC built both styles of pan for the 258, which may install right on a 4.0...

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > Rock Bottom
10/15/2014 at 10:49

Where would I find the trans for the 4.0 to bolt to? Getting the engine, trans, and rear end out of something with a 302 does sound easier. It's a 64 B body, so I imagine not much that is easy to find will bolt right in

Rock Bottom > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
10/15/2014 at 11:36

Expect to fabricate all the mounts unless you can find a stock-type engine. So pretty much anything from a 273 to a 440 should slip in without too much work, if fabrication bothers you. Hell, maybe a 318 or 360 from a newer Ram would be the ticket here? I have no idea what those are worth or how well they stand up to the tortures of LeMons...

As for the Jeep transmission, pretty much anything with an AMC bolt pattern will work but if it's a stick, be mindful of the pilot bushing diameter. They changed in the late 80s or early 90s. I'd look for a complete vehicle like a 2wd Cherokee and grab the whole enchilada from it. If it's an auto, it'll be the AW4 which is a great trans as long as you keep it cool. Get the biggest, baddest trans oil cooler you can for it and make sure that cooler is out front getting clean air flow! If it's a stick, it'll be the AX15, which is plenty sturdy.

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > Rock Bottom
10/15/2014 at 12:58

Thanks! That's very helpful. 2wd stick Cherokee would be sweet.

jkm7680 > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
10/15/2014 at 16:35

It seems that you'd break the price limit probably though.