Engine Swap options

[DANK-KAGE]

Hey all,

I am in great need of advice.

I just bought a Ke30 and I'd like to create a sneaky street car with the possibility of a bit of drifting.

What would be the easiest engine swap to make good power for the cash?

I know there's a lot on 4age and sr20 builds, of which I am inclined toward the sr20.

If I were to go with the sr20,  are there any transmissions with the length to get into the stock diff?

I've not done much mechanics of this sort so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks.

 

 

[SloRolla]

you'd blow up the stock diff in half a lap of drifting. Sr20s are not cheap to put in ke30s, 4ages are more "bolt in" 

[DANK-KAGE]

Yeah, the idea was mainly to be able to get it rolling before I replace the diff.

The 4age is beginning to seem like a better idea after doing a bit of research.

Especially with a budget.

Thanks for the reply,

[altezzaclub]

The budget better be $10,000 or you will be disappointed!

On a 5hour drive Steve & I worked out what it is going to cost a mate of his to have us build a weekend drifter KE70 for him.  4AGE, T50, Tseries diff, OS Geiken LS, suspension, shocks, brakes...  a drive in-drive out package if he bought us an AE71. There's about $3000 in labour in there, which you'll probably need unless you've done engine swaps before, the rest is buying parts.

Hunt down "How to do an engine conversion" on here and have a read. I haven't got it bookmarked.

He did buy a RWD 4AGE for $1500 over the weekend, so $8500 to go, and an AE71 for about the same price. Being an AE71 means he gets the hydraulic clutch, the pedal box, the crossmember and the T50 gearbox, and some of that you will need to buy on top of the parts in the price list.  No tyres or rims in there either...

[DANK-KAGE]

You make a mighty good point.

I guess I'll just see how I go and evaluate what I can do with my budget and decide from there.

Thanks.

[ke70dave]

How long do you want the project to last? 

 

I spent about 10k on my ke70. But over abkur 4yrs. Started 100%stock and finished id say extensively modified. Never once had it off the road.

Upgrade things over time. Enjoy driving it for what it is and develop the car. Sooo mant people have a project cat in the shed, spend 10k in 1yr never driver it, get disheartened and part it out. 

Each to their own but cars are meant to be driven not sat in the corner with a load of parts piled up.

[DANK-KAGE]

It's currently unregistered.

But its definitely a long term project as I have other monetarily diminishing responsibilities.

So I was thinking of doing it very slowly over the next few years.

and I just want to have fun with the process.

[altezzaclub]

Quote

Sooo many people have a project car in the shed, spend 10k in 1yr never driven it, get disheartened and part it out. 

So true!!  If you can use it as a daily, get it registered and warm up the K motor while you do the suspension.  Then chase motor, g'box & diff in a couple of years while you drive it.  If you won't be using it as a daily, do the same but use it for gymkhanas or sprints or any sort of trackwork you can find.

A decent DCOE Weber, extractors & a cam can all be sold on afterwards, and if Tommy can pull 120bhp out of one you can too.

[DANK-KAGE]

Yeah, I'll give that a try I reckon.

Unfortunately I can't really daily it but they run khanacross and alike relatively close to me so should be easy.

Thanks for the sound advice.