This is topic V8 swap cars in forum Tech Talk at Northern California Ford Owners  .


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Posted by 88bird (Member # 1424) on :
 
From reading some of the posts, why are some people not interested in 4cyl to v8 swap cars?

Is the value really that much less? Why?

Does it have to do with not upgrading the drivetrain and suspension to the v-8 parts?

I would think it would be better to have a 4cyl body that hasn't been subjected to the abuse that the v8 car has for the last +-20 years.

Just looking for some opinions. Thanks.

Yes I did search and came up with nothing.
 
Posted by 925GT50 (Member # 2683) on :
 
http://forums.corral.net/forums/showthread.php?t=795562
 
Posted by 302oons (Member # 8105) on :
 
the v8s have more power. which means the body and its components are also spec'd for more power. so yes, if you swap the 4cyl engine to v8 youll need to replace some stuff
 
Posted by MR. R.P.M ^__^ (Member # 6371) on :
 
SOME PEOPLE DONT WANTR THEM BECUZ "MOST" PEOPLE HALF ASS DO IT OR SOME PEOPLE PREFER A REAL V-8 VERSUS A 4 CYL. SWAP, OTHERS LOOK AT THE VALUE IF THEY EVER PLAN ON SELLIN IT LATER ON OR COULD BE JUS PERSONAL PREFERENCE... I DONE HAD BOTH AND I CURRENTLY OWN A 90 NOTCH THAS A 4 CYL. CAR. I DID A 4 CYL BECUZ I KNOW HOW TO DO ALL THE WORK MYSELF AND REAL V8 COUPES ARE GETTIN PRICEY ESPECIALLY KNOWING IM CHANGING "EVERYTHING" ANYWAYS. I.E MOTOR, TRANNY, REAR, SUSPENSION, ETC. SO Y NOT DO A 4 CYL. SWAP...? PLUS I DONT PLAN ON SELLIN IT SO THE VALUE AND IF ITS A REAL V8 CAR COULD CARE LESS TO ME. I DID IT CUZ THERE A DIME A DOZEN TO FIND AND YOU DONT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE TORQUE BOXES BEEN BEAT ON AND MY INSURANCE IS CHEAPER CUZ ITS A 4 CYL.. [Big Grin] JUS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RECIEPTS TO GIVE EM IF SOMETHIN EVER HAPPPENS LOL GOOD LUCK IF YOU PLAN ON DOIN A SWAP. JUS MY .02 [patriot]
 
Posted by Blind (Member # 3052) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by 302oons:
the v8s have more power. which means the body and its components are also spec'd for more power. so yes, if you swap the 4cyl engine to v8 youll need to replace some stuff
it would appear you do not know what the hell you're talking about.
 
Posted by kingmoochr (Member # 5834) on :
 
besides all the work? the fact that it needs to be ref'ed after to pass smog, and to be reffed it needs to be bone stock with all components attached, and who here wants a stock 5.0?
 
Posted by MR. R.P.M ^__^ (Member # 6371) on :
 
THERES WAYS AROUND THAT [Big Grin] I SMOGGED MINE AS 4 CYL WEN I 1ST BOUGHT AND 2 YRS LATER.... YOU NO THE REST [Cool]
 
Posted by Blind (Member # 3052) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by kingmoochr:
besides all the work? the fact that it needs to be ref'ed after to pass smog, and to be reffed it needs to be bone stock with all components attached, and who here wants a stock 5.0?
it doesn't need to be ref'd, it just needs to pass like any other 5.0
 
Posted by kingmoochr (Member # 5834) on :
 
it does need to be reffed. no smog station is going to pass a 4 cylinder car with a v8 in it. it can be legally done if its taken to the ref, all the smog equipment is verified, and its issued a new vin identifying it as a v8 car. then it just has to pass as a v8 car.
 
Posted by totalkaos92 (Member # 5750) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by kingmoochr:
it does need to be reffed. no smog station is going to pass a 4 cylinder car with a v8 in it. it can be legally done if its taken to the ref, all the smog equipment is verified, and its issued a new vin identifying it as a v8 car. then it just has to pass as a v8 car.
NOT TRUE YOU CAN TAKE ANY 4 CYL TO V8 CONV. TO ANY SMOG STATION AND ASLONG AS YOU HAVE ALL THE SMOG SHIT HOOKED UP YOUR CAR WILL PASS, EVEN WHEN THEY PUT YOUR CAR IN THE CPU UNDER A 4CYL.

IF YOU DONT BELIVE ME I GOT THE PAPERS TO SHOW IT [Big Grin] [patriot]


SO TO ME, SOMEONE THAT DOES ALL MY OWN WORK, GIVE ME A 4CYL BODY, AND LET GUYS LIKE HIM [Roll Eyes] KEEP PASSIN UM UP SO I CAN KEEP GETTIN DEALS ON THEM
 
Posted by kingmoochr (Member # 5834) on :
 
just because you had it done doesnt make it the law. im not gonna argue it anymore, read the carb site.
 
Posted by Blind (Member # 3052) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by kingmoochr:
it does need to be reffed. no smog station is going to pass a 4 cylinder car with a v8 in it. it can be legally done if its taken to the ref, all the smog equipment is verified, and its issued a new vin identifying it as a v8 car. then it just has to pass as a v8 car.
I took my car to the ref at skyline college and he LAUGHED at me for going there, and told me to take it to a normal smog station, which I did, and it passed first try.
 
Posted by Luke87GT (Member # 21) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by 88bird:
From reading some of the posts, why are some people not interested in 4cyl to v8 swap cars?
IMHO the number one reason is because they are trusting a total stranger that the work was done right and corners weren't cut in the process.

I don't know about you, but I tend not to put too much trust into people I just meet.

Unless I have had a chance to really look the car over and I know the owner, I'd prefer to hold off and get an original V8 car.
 
Posted by totalkaos92 (Member # 5750) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by kingmoochr:
just because you had it done doesnt make it the law. im not gonna argue it anymore, read the carb site.
rules are ment to be broken!!! [patriot]
 
Posted by kingmoochr (Member # 5834) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Blind:
quote:
Originally posted by kingmoochr:
it does need to be reffed. no smog station is going to pass a 4 cylinder car with a v8 in it. it can be legally done if its taken to the ref, all the smog equipment is verified, and its issued a new vin identifying it as a v8 car. then it just has to pass as a v8 car.
I took my car to the ref at skyline college and he LAUGHED at me for going there, and told me to take it to a normal smog station, which I did, and it passed first try.
did you make it clear to him the motor in the car wasnt the same as the one it came off the assembly line with?
 
Posted by kingmoochr (Member # 5834) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by totalkaos92:
quote:
Originally posted by kingmoochr:
just because you had it done doesnt make it the law. im not gonna argue it anymore, read the carb site.
rules are ment to be broken!!! [patriot]
i have a 89 with a carburated 408, so you know how that goes, i was just trying to comment on the op's question [burnout]
 
Posted by jordan_0806 (Member # 5888) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by kingmoochr:
just because you had it done doesnt make it the law. im not gonna argue it anymore, read the carb site.
wrong....it only needs to have the same engine and pieces on a vehicle that came on the same vehicle that year...so if an 88 4 cyl is converted to a V8...it just has to be 100% like a stock 5.0 of that same year.....
 
Posted by jordan_0806 (Member # 5888) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by 88bird:
From reading some of the posts, why are some people not interested in 4cyl to v8 swap cars?

Is the value really that much less? Why?

Does it have to do with not upgrading the drivetrain and suspension to the v-8 parts?

I would think it would be better to have a 4cyl body that hasn't been subjected to the abuse that the v8 car has for the last +-20 years.

Just looking for some opinions. Thanks.

Yes I did search and came up with nothing.
most V8 swap cars are half assed...so that's the fear that most people have....also, most swappers forget to do the interior and just get the drivetrain done...small stuff though...like most 4 cyl coupes didnt come with sun visors and shit like that...

when you have someone who knows what they are doing...it's WAY better because the cars ( like you said) are 10 times nicer....

I almost purchased a 4 cyl swap from 514Mullet but i decided to so something else...

his was one the BEST swaps I've seen and the car rode nicer than my stock LX hatch did...i was surprised...his car was a good example of what a good 4cyl swap should be
 
Posted by Blind (Member # 3052) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by kingmoochr:
quote:
Originally posted by Blind:
quote:
Originally posted by kingmoochr:
it does need to be reffed. no smog station is going to pass a 4 cylinder car with a v8 in it. it can be legally done if its taken to the ref, all the smog equipment is verified, and its issued a new vin identifying it as a v8 car. then it just has to pass as a v8 car.
I took my car to the ref at skyline college and he LAUGHED at me for going there, and told me to take it to a normal smog station, which I did, and it passed first try.
did you make it clear to him the motor in the car wasnt the same as the one it came off the assembly line with?
of course, I had the pink and all numbers from my donor car with me.

you only need to ref a motor swap if that motor you used wasn't an option for that year, IE if you stuck a 5.0 into a jeep, then you would need to smog with the equipment that was stock on the donor for the motor, and have a paper trail to show where it came from.

I don't even need to see a ref for my DOHC swapped 97 GT, as it was an option (cobra) for that year...

does this make sense yet?
 
Posted by kingmoochr (Member # 5834) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by jordan_0806:
quote:
Originally posted by kingmoochr:
just because you had it done doesnt make it the law. im not gonna argue it anymore, read the carb site.
wrong....it only needs to have the same engine and pieces on a vehicle that came on the same vehicle that year...so if an 88 4 cyl is converted to a V8...it just has to be 100% like a stock 5.0 of that same year.....
could you please point out where i said any different than that?
 
Posted by kingmoochr (Member # 5834) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Blind:
quote:
Originally posted by kingmoochr:
quote:
Originally posted by Blind:
quote:
Originally posted by kingmoochr:
it does need to be reffed. no smog station is going to pass a 4 cylinder car with a v8 in it. it can be legally done if its taken to the ref, all the smog equipment is verified, and its issued a new vin identifying it as a v8 car. then it just has to pass as a v8 car.
I took my car to the ref at skyline college and he LAUGHED at me for going there, and told me to take it to a normal smog station, which I did, and it passed first try.
did you make it clear to him the motor in the car wasnt the same as the one it came off the assembly line with?
of course, I had the pink and all numbers from my donor car with me.

you only need to ref a motor swap if that motor you used wasn't an option for that year, IE if you stuck a 5.0 into a jeep, then you would need to smog with the equipment that was stock on the donor for the motor, and have a paper trail to show where it came from.

I don't even need to see a ref for my DOHC swapped 97 GT, as it was an option (cobra) for that year...

does this make sense yet?
it does now, im used to looking at it in the import perspective where they were never an option, i see what you are saying
 
Posted by 514 Mullet (Member # 7402) on :
 
EVERY 4 cylinder swap car I have looked at was missing the smog equipment and had dumped exhaust on it. The reason for this was that they had put the engine, transmission, and engine wiring harness in the car and left every other part out. The dumps were there because a 4 cylinder cars brake lines interfere with a factory V8 exhaust and they didnt change it. I know some people have done them correctly but most do only what they have to to start the car. This is where the bad reputation comes from.

As for the correct parts needed to do a conversion, you need to change these parts.
Brake booster(larger on V8 cars)
Rear brakeline(comes apart at firewall and runs the length of the car to the rear rubber hose)
Crossmember and mounting brackets(unbolt from 4 cylinder chassis and V8 crossmember slides right in)
fuel lines(run on driver side rear for 4 cylinder cars and front exit passenger side for V8 cars)
H pipe, tailpipes, passenger side exhaust hangers(bcause you have 2 pipes now)
headlight harness(alternator lead is short for a V8 alternators location)
engine harness and any V8 mustang computer
V8 rack and pinion(4 cylinder rack can get dead spots)
8.8 rearend, quad shock frame brackets, and swaybar(or deal with obscene wheelhop and a broken 7.5)
V8 driveshaft due to length
The front strut and brake assembly from a V8 car is larger also. I dont change the fronts though because V8 coupes ride harsh. I leave the 4 cylinder struts and springs in the cars because of the ride quality.
Thats off the top of my head. I may be forgetting a few things since theres not a car directly in front of me that Im working on. Anyways not many people know about changing these things or are too lazy to do so.

As far as smog goes I checked the laws of this before I ever started converting these cars. The 87-93 mustang came from the factory with a 2.3 liter or a 5.0 engine option. As long as what I put in that car is one of those two engines with the appropriate smog equipment then I am perfectly within my legal rights. It smogs as any other mustang will. There is no going to a smog ref. Ive been through this 3 times.

My personal reasons for building them are because you can get a great shell for a reasonable price that is not hurt. I like the sedan bodystyles also and am not willing to pay 6000 or more for them. I have not found a single 4 cylinder car with flexed floorpans, ripped torqueboxes, or a million squeaks and rattles from coming apart over the years of abuse. I drove mine 200 miles today at 85mph and the only noise coming out of it was annoying 2 chambers. I find them to be fun projects to do. I actually enjoy making decent drivers out of mustangs. Anyways, hopefully this crap helps out your topic at hand. On a sidenote, someone who is interested in dong a swap can contact me for exact questions pertaining to them if they get stuck.
 




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