Hey y'all, my budget is $8,000, and I want to buy a station wagon that I can daily drive in stock form and later convert to RWD w/6SPD manual and 500+ HP (obviously not on stock driveline - I will upgrade differential, cooling, etc.). I see CTS-V wagons going for $50K. I would rather build something similar for cheaper. I am willing to dump money into this project long term ($30K+), but I just want the car in stock form for now. I need a good starting point. Can you help me narrow down this list, please? Pros and cons of each? What models am I forgetting?

-Cadillac CTS: Can be had in RWD (I think), but these are like $10K. A bit more than I want to spend. How easy is it to convert a 3.6 to an LS? Did the 3.6 ever come with a manual? Electronics easy to mate to an LS? Maybe worth it to spend more up front and avoid the hassle of some of the cars below?

-BMW (5 series touring, E34 or E39): I hear the 6-cyl models are best for LS swaps because of their steering rack (i.e. 528 > 540)? These are hard to find (not many to choose from), and I worry that they will be unreliable and expensive to run as a daily driver in stock form while I am waiting to start my build. I love the look of these cars.

-Volvo (240, 700 series, 900 series): How easy are these to LS swap? Hard to fit a manual transmission? Lots to choose from here, but might be very expensive to run in stock form, like the BMW.

-Mercedes: Not even sure which model would work, too expensive for my $8K budget? Too expensive to run?

-VW Passat: How easy to convert AWD to RWD?

-something FWD: Mazda 6, Mazda protégé, Honda Accord, etc. - are any of these practical to convert to RWD/LS power?

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Non-LS ideas:

-Dodge magnum: Very cheap, plenty to choose from, really cool looking, already RWD! There is a company (Silver Sports or something like that?) that makes a 6SPD swap kit. Cheaper/easier to swap a V6 magnum to 5.7 or other hemi than to swap it to an LS, right? I hear the build quality of these is terrible.

-Subaru (outback, legacy): How easy to convert from AWD to RWD? Difficult to LS swap? Better off with a different engine platform? (2JZ or some other Japanese setup?)

-Nissan Stagea: Very cool, but RHD would be a pain in the dick. Import process is scary. Could be very expensive to make big power with an RB. LS swap feasible?

Thank you all

 

Volvo is done fairly commonly. Look up Michael Yount in these forums.
The VW Passat is a FWD with rear drive added on. Engine sits crossways. You really should look at the cars you mention before even considering them.

 

GM 79-87 G-body wagons are out there cheap and all the swap components are readily available.

Andrew

 

see - https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...p-volmaro.html

ls1/4l60e into 1998 volvo v90. I'm into this for somewhere between $4k and $5k, i couldn't tell you exactly.

A few notes on this one:

1) it can be converted to manual but that's obviously extra work, and of course more expensive since a tremec 6 speed is pricey. It was done by a user named mikezohsix
2) engine mounts can be purchased. I used the stock transmission crossmember and adapted the volvo trans mount and 4l60e trans mount together
3) the t56 or similar will actually fit better than the automatic
4) it would be difficult to get enough tire on this thing to effectively put 500hp to the ground. not impossible but you're definitely not tucking 15" wide drag radials under this car without some major surgery. That said, its not struggling for traction too much with a bone stock ls1, the volvo ALD (automatic locking differential) is a decent piece
5) i re-used the stock cooling system ( replaced all the components with new, but did not change anything). So far i have had no issues with cooling. Being able to do this was really nice because it saved a lot of time,cost, and fabrication.
6) i was able to use off the shelf block hugger headers and so far haven't had any issues

All in all, i wouldn't say that it was a "hard" swap per say. I noodled on the driveline setup for way too long because it wasn't practical to match the factory transmission angle. I ended up getting the factory 2 piece driveshaft modified with a double cardan at the front. This was expensive, maybe 2 or 3 hundred extra than just getting the driveshaft shortened, balanced, and a 4l60e yoke out front, but overall didn't add a ton of cost to the swap as other things were much more expensive.

I've got about 1500 miles on the swap so far and i like it. Its a nice car, handles well, rides nice, and it has enough room that i can fit two car seats and take my kids along for the ride. Would like another 1 or 2 hundred horsepower but maybe down the road. The biggest issue with these volvos is their rarity. Its much easier to walk into a junkyard and find parts for an american car than it is a sweedish car that not too many were made of. That said, so far i have been able to find parts when i needed them.

Hope that helps. Good luck with your swap, i hope you're able to build it and have just as much fun driving it as I do mine

 

Don't forget about the GM A-body platform 64-72. Lot of wagons still out there. Ford Fairmont wagon too (Fox body platform)

 

it sounds like you are ambitious but still have a lot to learn, id suggest looking at either a g-body wagon or a fox wagon.

 

There are...
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Lots of 240 wagons out there with swapped LS's - automatics and manuals. And quite a few with turbo LS running in the high 9's/low 10's on 235 series drag radials which fit under the stock rear fenders without much trouble. Plan on swapping the rearend - Ford 8.8" is most common. This approach likely to be less expensive than swapping an E39, Benz or anything FWD.

BTW - all the Caddy CTS's are either rwd or awd....so, skip the "conversion" costs and just buy a rwd model.

 

Fellow Longroof Society member here. 63 Chevy II wagon

 

After some deliberation, I have decided to go with the Lexus IS 300 sportcross. I don't think I am ready for the LS swap yet. I will try to manual swap the 2JZ Lexus instead. I appreciate everyone's advice here.

 

Let us know how you end up on that $8k budget with the 2JZ and the Lexus.....

 

I know you said you decided on a Lexus.

But I had my LS swap/Manual swap GM B-body wagon up and running for about $7000 all in. Granted, i am $10K deep now, but that is after a transmission rebuild , general maintenance stuff not really in the "swap" budget etc. Started as a v8/auto/rwd car as all B-bodies were and dropped in a 6.0/T56 and upgraded the rear end slightly.