Easiest cars or old trucks to LS swap on a budget
06-15-2017, 02:51 PM
#1
Staging Lane
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Easiest cars or old trucks to LS swap on a budget I'm selling my car for hopefully 6-7 grand and I need to know the easiest way to get a roller or soemthing that I can LS swap that isn't a pain . Also I need some ideas on what kinda vehicle would be the best . Also the best transmission for whatever the car is and the parts I would need for it.
Thanks
Thanks
06-15-2017, 05:14 PM
#3
Engine swap Do NOT get just anything. What will happen is you will get half way thru a build and stop. There are garages FULL of half done vehicles just for the reason that's not what they wanted to begin with. My advice is to ask a few questions such as: will the family be riding with me? Will I be using it for trips? Will I be using it for drags? What do I like? If you get a 1955 Chevy p/u and have 3 children that's not practical. If you get a 65 Mustang and hate Fords that project will never see the road. Settle on what you want and put out feelers, maybe you can steal a half done project. Don't jump quick.
06-15-2017, 05:24 PM
#5
GM trucks are the simplest and cheapest,parts are the most readily available and usually the least expensive,lots of room underhood for easy access to work on and front accessory/intake clearance.It still is a lot of work,but there are hundreds of swaps and thousands of pages of info on the googler machine to guide you along.
06-15-2017, 05:41 PM
#6
Think of a car you would want to drive and see if anyone has done it yet, if so then do what they did. There is no point in buying a crappy car just because it's cheap and you can put an ls in it.
Without knowing what car you are swapping it's kind of hard to say what trans or other parts you would need.
Without knowing what car you are swapping it's kind of hard to say what trans or other parts you would need.
06-15-2017, 10:13 PM
#7
I chose 95+ 240sx nissan for a few reasons that were important to my budget considerations:
1. They tend to go up in value. This was #1 important one because I like to build a car, and have it be worth more than the parts I put into it, especially over time as I drive it.
2. Every swap part is made on the aftermarket, and there are multiple versions of each, so quite a bit of competition to drive prices down.
3. they are lightweight (2800lbs originally) which means great economy (30mpg~) is possible with any engine (sr20, 2jz, lsx, etc...)
4. Roomy engine bay, plenty of room to work on an LS
5. Not to difficult to squeeze an 4l80e into one in my experience (if I can do it, anyone can)
6. easy to install OEM differentials from Q45 nissan cars are very strong, wheelstand strong, and very cheap.
7. very powerful brake upgrades from 300ZX or Silvia are also very potent and very cheap
8. They handle very well, regardless of what engine you choose, even with mostly stock parts. Probably due to low weight and reasonable OEM shape parts.
To sum it up, the car brings to the table great brakes and great differential choices for low prices, and the chassis is lightweight, easy to work on, enormous aftermarket, and overall becoming rare so the price of the car tends to increase over time as you drive it and keep it nice.
It has cons,
1. its not a big car interior, put 1 thing even just a piece of paper in it and it looks full.
2. hard to find in good shape, and any 240 with a sunroof has a rusty leaky sunroof.
3. advanced age means you also need to replace alot of the suspension parts for it to be reliable (any old car)
4. heater core often leaks and is impossible to find. I had to epoxy mine.
If interested I wrote a little how-to buy a 240sx
http://www.freshalloy.com/showthread...buying-a-240sx
although, this only applies from the collecting-resale value perspective. If you are going to buy one to cut it up for racing or to fit a 4l80e I wouldn't bother worrying about the frame rails or pinch welds which are primarily cosmetic. It would, however, be possible to install a six-speed/LS1/2/3 with minimal chassis modifying, and maintain that value.
1. They tend to go up in value. This was #1 important one because I like to build a car, and have it be worth more than the parts I put into it, especially over time as I drive it.
2. Every swap part is made on the aftermarket, and there are multiple versions of each, so quite a bit of competition to drive prices down.
3. they are lightweight (2800lbs originally) which means great economy (30mpg~) is possible with any engine (sr20, 2jz, lsx, etc...)
4. Roomy engine bay, plenty of room to work on an LS
5. Not to difficult to squeeze an 4l80e into one in my experience (if I can do it, anyone can)
6. easy to install OEM differentials from Q45 nissan cars are very strong, wheelstand strong, and very cheap.
7. very powerful brake upgrades from 300ZX or Silvia are also very potent and very cheap
8. They handle very well, regardless of what engine you choose, even with mostly stock parts. Probably due to low weight and reasonable OEM shape parts.
To sum it up, the car brings to the table great brakes and great differential choices for low prices, and the chassis is lightweight, easy to work on, enormous aftermarket, and overall becoming rare so the price of the car tends to increase over time as you drive it and keep it nice.
It has cons,
1. its not a big car interior, put 1 thing even just a piece of paper in it and it looks full.
2. hard to find in good shape, and any 240 with a sunroof has a rusty leaky sunroof.
3. advanced age means you also need to replace alot of the suspension parts for it to be reliable (any old car)
4. heater core often leaks and is impossible to find. I had to epoxy mine.
If interested I wrote a little how-to buy a 240sx
http://www.freshalloy.com/showthread...buying-a-240sx
although, this only applies from the collecting-resale value perspective. If you are going to buy one to cut it up for racing or to fit a 4l80e I wouldn't bother worrying about the frame rails or pinch welds which are primarily cosmetic. It would, however, be possible to install a six-speed/LS1/2/3 with minimal chassis modifying, and maintain that value.
Last edited by kingtal0n; 06-15-2017 at 10:33 PM.
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06-15-2017, 10:25 PM
#8
GM trucks are the simplest and cheapest,parts are the most readily available and usually the least expensive,lots of room underhood for easy access to work on and front accessory/intake clearance.It still is a lot of work,but there are hundreds of swaps and thousands of pages of info on the googler machine to guide you along.
06-16-2017, 06:35 AM
#9
Restricted User
Anything that had a small block chevy in it originally.
Trucks will be cheaper than cars because of oil pan and intake options.
if it came originally equipped with a small block chevy, a pair of $30 adapter plates and those stock small block mounts are all it takes to drop an LS into the engine bay and have it bolted up. Cars will need an LS car pan, trucks can obviously get away with a truck pan.
If it originally came equipped with a small block chevy and still has the transmission, bolting your LS engine to that will take a drill or carbide bit, and a $20 adapter bushing.
Basically, you're looking at $50 to physically drop an LS truck engine into a chevy truck that was equipped with a small block.
Trucks will be cheaper than cars because of oil pan and intake options.
if it came originally equipped with a small block chevy, a pair of $30 adapter plates and those stock small block mounts are all it takes to drop an LS into the engine bay and have it bolted up. Cars will need an LS car pan, trucks can obviously get away with a truck pan.
If it originally came equipped with a small block chevy and still has the transmission, bolting your LS engine to that will take a drill or carbide bit, and a $20 adapter bushing.
Basically, you're looking at $50 to physically drop an LS truck engine into a chevy truck that was equipped with a small block.
06-16-2017, 08:30 AM
#10
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Another vote for a C10 of the square body variety. I have worked on swaps in 50's trucks, a 50 chevy, 60's and 70's chevelle's, a 70's camaro, CJ YJ and TJ Jeeps, and a coupla street rods and rat rods. By far the worst swap was the 50 chevy because you needed to change everything.
And the easiest/cheapest has been the square body truck.... because you only have to change the motor. Most of the transmissions will bolt to LS, some came with EFI tanks, the oil pans fit, and there is a **** ton of room for whatever under the hood. 2WD's are not too heavy either, I am hoping for 3700-3800 wet weight on my 84' short box 2WD
And the easiest/cheapest has been the square body truck.... because you only have to change the motor. Most of the transmissions will bolt to LS, some came with EFI tanks, the oil pans fit, and there is a **** ton of room for whatever under the hood. 2WD's are not too heavy either, I am hoping for 3700-3800 wet weight on my 84' short box 2WD
06-16-2017, 09:03 AM
#11
Staging Lane
Depends on your skill set. Can you weld? If so, this is much easier to do cheap*er*. Otherwise, find something that already has a lot of off the shelf parts to assist with the swap. Things like motor mounts, transmission mounts, cross members, headers (if necessary), etc.
06-16-2017, 09:25 AM
#13
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I chose 95+ 240sx nissan for a few reasons that were important to my budget considerations:
1. They tend to go up in value. This was #1 important one because I like to build a car, and have it be worth more than the parts I put into it, especially over time as I drive it.
2. Every swap part is made on the aftermarket, and there are multiple versions of each, so quite a bit of competition to drive prices down.
3. they are lightweight (2800lbs originally) which means great economy (30mpg~) is possible with any engine (sr20, 2jz, lsx, etc...)
4. Roomy engine bay, plenty of room to work on an LS
5. Not to difficult to squeeze an 4l80e into one in my experience (if I can do it, anyone can)
6. easy to install OEM differentials from Q45 nissan cars are very strong, wheelstand strong, and very cheap.
7. very powerful brake upgrades from 300ZX or Silvia are also very potent and very cheap
8. They handle very well, regardless of what engine you choose, even with mostly stock parts. Probably due to low weight and reasonable OEM shape parts.
To sum it up, the car brings to the table great brakes and great differential choices for low prices, and the chassis is lightweight, easy to work on, enormous aftermarket, and overall becoming rare so the price of the car tends to increase over time as you drive it and keep it nice.
It has cons,
1. its not a big car interior, put 1 thing even just a piece of paper in it and it looks full.
2. hard to find in good shape, and any 240 with a sunroof has a rusty leaky sunroof.
3. advanced age means you also need to replace alot of the suspension parts for it to be reliable (any old car)
4. heater core often leaks and is impossible to find. I had to epoxy mine.
If interested I wrote a little how-to buy a 240sx
http://www.freshalloy.com/showthread...buying-a-240sx
although, this only applies from the collecting-resale value perspective. If you are going to buy one to cut it up for racing or to fit a 4l80e I wouldn't bother worrying about the frame rails or pinch welds which are primarily cosmetic. It would, however, be possible to install a six-speed/LS1/2/3 with minimal chassis modifying, and maintain that value.
1. They tend to go up in value. This was #1 important one because I like to build a car, and have it be worth more than the parts I put into it, especially over time as I drive it.
2. Every swap part is made on the aftermarket, and there are multiple versions of each, so quite a bit of competition to drive prices down.
3. they are lightweight (2800lbs originally) which means great economy (30mpg~) is possible with any engine (sr20, 2jz, lsx, etc...)
4. Roomy engine bay, plenty of room to work on an LS
5. Not to difficult to squeeze an 4l80e into one in my experience (if I can do it, anyone can)
6. easy to install OEM differentials from Q45 nissan cars are very strong, wheelstand strong, and very cheap.
7. very powerful brake upgrades from 300ZX or Silvia are also very potent and very cheap
8. They handle very well, regardless of what engine you choose, even with mostly stock parts. Probably due to low weight and reasonable OEM shape parts.
To sum it up, the car brings to the table great brakes and great differential choices for low prices, and the chassis is lightweight, easy to work on, enormous aftermarket, and overall becoming rare so the price of the car tends to increase over time as you drive it and keep it nice.
It has cons,
1. its not a big car interior, put 1 thing even just a piece of paper in it and it looks full.
2. hard to find in good shape, and any 240 with a sunroof has a rusty leaky sunroof.
3. advanced age means you also need to replace alot of the suspension parts for it to be reliable (any old car)
4. heater core often leaks and is impossible to find. I had to epoxy mine.
If interested I wrote a little how-to buy a 240sx
http://www.freshalloy.com/showthread...buying-a-240sx
although, this only applies from the collecting-resale value perspective. If you are going to buy one to cut it up for racing or to fit a 4l80e I wouldn't bother worrying about the frame rails or pinch welds which are primarily cosmetic. It would, however, be possible to install a six-speed/LS1/2/3 with minimal chassis modifying, and maintain that value.
06-16-2017, 01:00 PM
#15
Staging Lane
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06-16-2017, 01:14 PM
#17
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do u think you or someone could send me some links to an ls swap kit for a decent price for like the 2nd gen 240's? (95-98)? that would be great thanks.
06-16-2017, 01:29 PM
#18
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This took all of 2 seconds when searching for S14 240sx LS1 swap kit.
https://www.sikky.com/product/240sx-s14-ls1-swap-kit/
06-16-2017, 01:30 PM
#19
Staging Lane
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Don't know how to use google?
This took all of 2 seconds when searching for S14 240sx LS1 swap kit.
https://www.sikky.com/product/240sx-s14-ls1-swap-kit/
This took all of 2 seconds when searching for S14 240sx LS1 swap kit.
https://www.sikky.com/product/240sx-s14-ls1-swap-kit/