Advice Needed, Best Donor of Compact Light RWD Engine and Transmission That I Can Find in a Self Service Junkyard

Kinja'd!!! "My X-type is too a real Jaguar" (TomSlick)
09/18/2015 at 10:02 • Filed to: None

Kinja'd!!!0 Kinja'd!!! 21

I have a friend selling a Datsun Fairlady Roadster Rolling chassis, no interior but very rust free, I’m considering this as a fun cheap weekend car, but the question is, what do I do about the lack of engine? I know there are some insane folks here who will have ideas. The Pull-a-Part junkyards around Atlanta will sell me an engine and transmission for around $300, and the Computers will be another $100 or so. Plus I’ll need cooling systems and all that. So before I dump cash on the chassis, Is a there a good junkyard engine available?

I need Suggestions here is the website for Vehicles available there are 3 around Atlanta and I will go to any of them.

http://www.pullapart.com/


DISCUSSION (21)


Kinja'd!!! crowmolly > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
09/18/2015 at 10:10

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Might take heat for this but a GM 3.8L V6/T5 5 speed combo is probably pretty cheap. 1996 and up F-body.


Kinja'd!!! RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
09/18/2015 at 10:10

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The FWD wave went through Japanese/etc. passenger cars in the mid 80s, but left mini-trucks unscathed. Since that time, compact RWD *car* stuff in junkyards has gotten a lot more rare. It might be possible to find a Mazda B or Toyota Truck or something of that nature ditched for body or other issues with an engine and trans surviving. Would it be cheaper than a junkyard engine at the rate quoted above? Eh... questionable.


Kinja'd!!! Bullitt Ride > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
09/18/2015 at 10:10

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If you’re looking for compact and want to stay true to the brand an SR20DET swap is a good way to go, it’s been well documented on the internet, some places even sell kits with the parts you need.


Kinja'd!!! Berang > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
09/18/2015 at 10:11

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Toyota and Nissan both made FR cars for a very long time, even the common corolla was RWD until 1983.


Kinja'd!!! DasWauto > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
09/18/2015 at 10:11

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I hate to say it but Miata is probably the answer for the most available, reliable, modern rwd drivetrain. Alternatively you could use a bike engine like the Honda S600 another Oppo, Matt Brown, built: http://oppositelock.kinja.com/my-64-honda-s6…


Kinja'd!!! My X-type is too a real Jaguar > crowmolly
09/18/2015 at 10:12

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Really not a bad idea, if it will fit between the fenders, good tourque good HP a Datsun Roadster isn’t exactly heavy and I forgot those existed.


Kinja'd!!! My X-type is too a real Jaguar > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
09/18/2015 at 10:13

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This is the south a running pickup is always worth at least $2000


Kinja'd!!! My X-type is too a real Jaguar > DasWauto
09/18/2015 at 10:16

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I thought about the Miata, but I hate to waste that in a Datsun, If I’m buying a Miata donor car (They don’t show up in junkyards often and a pick clean very quickly if they do) I’m going to swap it into a TR6


Kinja'd!!! crowmolly > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
09/18/2015 at 10:17

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Yeah, plus parts are pretty cheap and plentiful. You never know what a junkyard engine might need.


Kinja'd!!! Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
09/18/2015 at 10:18

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There are a bunch of Lexus LS400s, do a 1UZ swap!
http://www.pullapart.com/inventory/sear…

Bolting up a W55 or 58 is pretty easy, just an adapter plate. Although it’s a little pricey, around $400, but you could likely find one used.

The transmission themselves can be had for a few hundred. Granted you’re around $1,000 overall at this point though.

The Toyota to Nissan swap might be more difficult, but I’m sure it’s been done a few times probably. It’d be awesome.


Kinja'd!!! uofime-2 > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
09/18/2015 at 10:21

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heres a video guide...


Kinja'd!!! Meatcoma > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
09/18/2015 at 10:22

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3.0 v6 from a ford ranger or explorer? They are pretty cheap. Heck you can buy one off ebay for ~400 or reman’d for 1400. Prob get transm/engine for $200 at a pickNpull.


Kinja'd!!! My X-type is too a real Jaguar > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
09/18/2015 at 10:24

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Insane I love it, another one to add to the deminsions list thanks


Kinja'd!!! DiExMachina > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
09/18/2015 at 10:28

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Starion or Conquest. 2.6 in line turbo, 5speed, decent rear end too.

If you get lucky, a Merker xr4ti.

Older Volvo bread box.


Kinja'd!!! RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
09/18/2015 at 10:37

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True. I perhaps should have specified that by “other issues” I meant disabling ones. Like, say, being totaled in a rear-ender. I’m in the NC mountains, which can be a little more borderline - rust attrition around here has laid waste to the 80s Japanese hatches to a degree, but not on par with the rust belt.


Kinja'd!!! Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
09/18/2015 at 10:39

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Kinja'd!!! BorkBorkBjork > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
09/18/2015 at 11:21

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You know, I actually tend to see at least 1 or 2 Infiniti Q/M45s at my local junkyards. When I do, they are almost complete. That would be a helluva swap.


Kinja'd!!! wantafuncar > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
09/18/2015 at 11:38

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do a bike engine swap, like this: honda s600


Kinja'd!!! Grindintosecond > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
09/18/2015 at 11:47

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Don’t forget, that engine in the Pontiac Bonneville SSei had a supercharger, so you could charge it and get 350tq or much more. Dropping the bonneville SC engine into an automatic fiero makes for an instant sub 13 second car. So, the parts are there to mkae a ripping car with that engine combo.


Kinja'd!!! Tohru > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
10/03/2015 at 12:04

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I need to list my truck for sale down there. I can’t get $1000 for it.

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Kinja'd!!! richrdbowen > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
11/14/2018 at 05:59

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