Engine Swap Cost

[das internet]

approximately what would it cost (labor hours) to perform an engine swap given the following criteria:




classic car



crate engine





figure crate 350 ~$2k labor ~$2k, can it go much over that? can you get it done much cheaper than that?

thanks

[Noisyninja]

I once heard a good rule of thumb is to figure out a reasonable estimate...

and then add $10k.

[MightyDSM]

If you must ask...

[200HP4dr]

Any chance you could be more vague? Assuming the classic car is that impala, and the engine you want to put in is a 350, it would be a simple swap if the car started life as a 283. Exhaust will be simple as well.

I'd budget $6k for the swap, assuming you want things like Serpentine belt, OD trans (used) fuel pump, water pump, intake carb, etc.

Chris

[Broduski]

If you have to pay a shop to put a small block Chevy into a Chevy car.

Stop. Just stop.

[Eightysixturbo]

these responses

[BattleRabbit]

Well, I'm going to assume that the classic car you want to use is a Borgward Isabella, and you want to drop the engine out of a Ferrari 458 into it.

If you budget for all the fabrication, the custom transmission, rear axle, and suspension... It should run you about tree fiddy.

[bringtheshred]

If you have to pay a shop to put a small block Chevy into a Chevy car.

Stop. Just stop.

Pretty much this right here.

[das internet]

Any chance you could be more vague? Assuming the classic car is that impala, and the engine you want to put in is a 350, it would be a simple swap if the car started life as a 283. Exhaust will be simple as well.

I'd budget $6k for the swap, assuming you want things like Serpentine belt, OD trans (used) fuel pump, water pump, intake carb, etc.

Chris

thank you for the response, 200HP4dr.

If you have to pay a shop to put a small block Chevy into a Chevy car.

Stop. Just stop.

you have got some nerve.

Well, I'm going to assume that the classic car you want to use is a Borgward Isabella, and you want to drop the engine out of a Ferrari 458 into it.

If you budget for all the fabrication, the custom transmission, rear axle, and suspension... It should run you about tree fiddy.

good joke. is that from South Park, season 11?

[Murderface]

Ever consider a 2JZ swap? Might have to go to France to source one though

[dubin']

Ever consider a 2JZ swap? Might have to go to France to source one though

not helpful...but funny ^ i cant belive ive never seen this before hah

[EUROTHRASH]

good joke. is that from South Park, season 11?

Now I'm going out on a limb here, but were you trying to be funny?

[BattleRabbit]

Now I'm going out on a limb here, but were you trying to be funny?

You know how if you edit your response soon enough after you make a post it shows up without the little italicized "edited at: 97865893425" thingy? That's what he did. The first time I refreshed this thread after he made that post it just said "good joke "

I do believe, my fellow TCL'ers, that we are in fact dealing with a bada** over here.

[Vamped]

Try asking your local shops, or friends..........these douche loungers in here only talk miatas and hyundai's!

[Noisyninja]

Try asking your local shops, or friends..........these douche loungers in here only talk miatas and hyundai's!

Your troll-dar is broke.

[Vamped]

Your troll-dar is broke.

I am kind of disappointed here. the guy posts the jay-z pic and now I'm guaranteed to not get any legitimate responses. yeah, I get it, that engine has jay-z's rap handle in its name it's like a play on words. maybe because my original post was just posting pictures with no effort to show any enthusiast cred, so it's my fault, I brought this on myself, what's done is done. Make no mistake to those who are reading, this is a serious question, I merely wanted to see what would be considered a ballpark fair price.
I used a bel-air and a small block in my example in order to provide for the efficacy since I wanted to control for any of the complications that always arise when doing swaps on more modern cars. Perhaps someone has experience with such a swap, and, because it's relatively simple, someone has experience having it done on the cheap. However it is clear that I have erred in my judgment in asking this car forum for information on cars.

Sucks man, good luck with your build!

[das internet]

Sucks man, good luck with your build!

thanks.

Now I'm going out on a limb here, but were you trying to be funny?

was he?

Is there any reason you couldn't have said "I want to swap X-model of crate motor into Y-model of car. Including all the necessary ancilliary parts, approximately what should this cost? My budget is Z-dollars. Can I do this within budget?"

Instead you post two pictures. If you wanted serious responses you would have put more effort into your original post. You came here asking for BS, and you got it.

I don't know the rules as well as you do, battlerabbit. There are plenty of message board on the internet where you can ask a simple question without having to prove that you are worthy to have a question answered, perhaps by someone with real-world experience instead of just the same regulars who post in every thread regardless of whether it's relevant to them. I am aware of the error in my ways and am rectifying this issue by asking people who don't post on message boards for all my car advice going forward.
However perhaps there is a reason that there are no threads already existing on this matter. The knowledge base isn't there with this board. You only see build threads made by non-regulars.

[clutch_dust]

I had a '69 Impala a long few months ago, and I swapped a 350/350 in there for about $750. Do your own research or you'll just look like a dumbass when you come here asking simple/vague questions such as this.

[BattleRabbit]

I don't know the rules as well as you do, battlerabbit. There are plenty of message board on the internet where you can ask a simple question without having to prove that you are worthy to have a question answered, perhaps by someone with real-world experience instead of just the same regulars who post in every thread regardless of whether it's relevant to them. I am aware of the error in my ways and am rectifying this issue by asking people who don't post on message boards for all my car advice going forward.
However perhaps there is a reason that there are no threads already existing on this matter. The knowledge base isn't there with this board. You only see build threads made by non-regulars.

These aren't rules. If you walked into a shop would you just say "how much would it cost to swap a crate 350 into an old car?" You'd give them details. You didn't even tell us if the "classic car" in your original post was indicative of the car you wanted to use, or if you wanted us to assume that it was what sort of engine it started with. These aren't rules, they're courtesies. If you wanted us to extend to you the courtesy of a good answer, then you should have extended the courtesy of a good question. It's not a matter of proving enthusiast cred, it's a matter of being a reasonable human being.

You didn't do that, and you're wondering why we're treating your thread as a joke. You posted something laughable. We're having a good time laughing at it.

Now, I'll be reasonable, just to humor you. The cost of the crate motor really depends on what you want. There are a ton of options when it comes to crate motors. Are you looking for a fresh motor with similar power to what your car(I'll assume the Impala at the top) would have come with stock? Are you looking for something that puts down 400 horsepower at the crank? That sort of thing dictates the cost of the crate motor. As for the labor, it depends on the labor rate at the shop you choose. I'd BUDGET for 40 hours of labor(I'm not saying it'll take nearly that long). Take their cost, multiply it by 40, and wha-bam! You have your labor cost. If the car is going from a 283 to a crate 350, it's not a lengthy swap. It's better to over estimate than underestimate on the labor. The worst thing that will happen is you'll be left with spare money at the end, and the shop won't hold on to your car.

[das internet]

Try asking your local shops, or friends..........these douche loungers in here only talk miatas and hyundai's!

I am kind of disappointed here. the guy posts the jay-z pic and now I'm guaranteed to not get any legitimate responses. yeah, I get it, that engine has jay-z's rap handle in its name it's like a play on words. maybe because my original post was just posting pictures with no effort to show any enthusiast cred, so it's my fault, I brought this on myself, what's done is done. Make no mistake to those who are reading, this is a serious question, I merely wanted to see what would be considered a ballpark fair price.
I used a bel-air and a small block in my example in order to provide for the efficacy since I wanted to control for any of the complications that always arise when doing swaps on more modern cars. Perhaps someone has experience with such a swap, and, because it's relatively simple, someone has experience having it done on the cheap. However it is clear that I have erred in my judgment in asking this car forum for information on cars.

[Aonarch]

What engine, what car?

[BattleRabbit]

Is there any reason you couldn't have said "I want to swap X-model of crate motor into Y-model of car. Including all the necessary ancilliary parts, approximately what should this cost? My budget is Z-dollars. Can I do this within budget?"

Instead you post two pictures. If you wanted serious responses you would have put more effort into your original post. You came here asking for BS, and you got it.

[lorge1989]

Is there any reason you couldn't have said "I want to swap X-model of crate motor into Y-model of car. Including all the necessary ancilliary parts, approximately what should this cost? My budget is Z-dollars. Can I do this within budget?"

Instead you post two pictures. If you wanted serious responses you would have put more effort into your original post. You came here asking for BS, and you got it.

Yep.

[MKVmyfast]

Well, I'm going to assume that the classic car you want to use is a Borgward Isabella, and you want to drop the engine out of a Ferrari 458 into it.

If you budget for all the fabrication, the custom transmission, rear axle, and suspension... It should run you about tree fiddy.

Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using Tapatalk

[Deezy]

If you have to pay a shop to put a small block Chevy into a Chevy car.

Stop. Just stop.

simple swap. Just show up in short shorts and wear lip stick.

[das internet]

simple swap. Just show up in short shorts and wear lip stick.

good post, i liked the part where you accused me of being a homosexual for prospectively considering one of several avenues available. if your parents saw this post they would probably remove you from their car insurance.

Because your WORDING implied "something similar to this era car and something somilar to this kind of engine"

And that leaves a HUGE range of variables. The fact that you are upset about this shows you don't KNOW the variables involved and are pissed that we DO know that there are too many variables to give you a pat answer.

So for your initial post, it could be free, and it could be $10k. Depends on those variables.

unless you have an over-analysis problem of OCD proportions, this is mere backwards rationalization of your innate desire to act disrespectfully and sanctimoniously within this community. people that bring actual knowledge to the table do not get pissy and holier-than-thou like this. they don't disparage others at the drop of a hat. you don't see vwlarry in here posting pictures of homicidal butterflies, you see chris_v and battlerabbit and protzel, that's not exactly a coincidence.

[Chris_V]

unless you have an over-analysis problem of OCD proportions, this is mere backwards rationalization of your innate desire to act disrespectfully and sanctimoniously within this community. people that bring actual knowledge to the table do not get pissy and holier-than-thou like this. they don't disparage others at the drop of a hat. you don't see vwlarry in here posting pictures of homicidal butterflies, you see chris_v and battlerabbit and protzel, that's not exactly a coincidence.

Hey buddy, **** off.

I even tried to show you the variables and how much it might be. You obviously have a stick the size of a California redwood up your ass. So again, **** off and die.

[Corbic]

Hey buddy, **** off.

I even tried to show you the variables and how much it might be. You obviously have a stick the size of a California redwood up your ass. So again, **** off and die.

If you read his posts he is clearly Roadtripper.

[Air-over-water]

Are you asking for the cost of just putting the motor in a vehicle or the total cost of motor and car?
As for putting it in the vehicle are you doing it yourself or paying highway robbery for a shop to install suck a simple motor?

[rpmk4]

if you are reusing accessories, intake, carb, and exhaust stuff i can't imagine you would have over $500 in new engine mounts, misc gaskets and hardware, etc. should be pretty straight forward.

[B_artman]

Am not familiar with American cars, but for reference here are some thoughts based on my knowledge of classic minis.
- Honda vtec conversions make use of subframe kits,custom axles, wiring, suspensions etc. Costs easily exceed 10k for diy.
- 1275cc swaps: figure 900-5000 for engine core to a mild build. Easy weekend swap utilizing majority of existing components . Figure 30-50 bucks per hour for shop Labour.

Big factor will be the conditions of the auxiliary parts. Wiring, carb, intake and exhaust manifolds, alternator, starter, distributor, water pump, gearbox, etc etc all may require replacement or upgrade. The engine core could be a small budget line item once all said and done.

[bringtheshred]

.

Ban?

[gti_matt]

good post, i liked the part where you accused me of being a homosexual

Actually that was analogous to a cross dresser, not a homosexual. Big difference.

[tasty danish]

Hey guys, hey hey hey,

Remember that time some dude came in a car forum LOUNGE and asked a technical question and had absolutely NO sense of humor and acted like a douche that had never seen the internet before?

Yeah... That was cool.

[Juiced6]

with what you picked out
malibu and 350 - easy

buy tools and a cherry picker and do it yourself.