[DML] Re: Chevy Engine swap

["content22207" <brobertson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

David is right about not underestimating the amount of work involved
in an engine swap. I've done two. Even though both vehicles were
repowered with more or less the same block they were designed around
at the factory, they were a pain nevertheless:
- 1969 460 and transmission into a 1979 Lincoln Mark V
- Carbureted PRV (Puegeot lineage) into a DeLorean
DeLo was a treat because I only had 3 weeks to pull it off before
Pigeon Forge (trip to DCS *WAS* the test drive). I'm still working
residual bugs out.

While indeed true that just about any prime mover can be engineered
into any vehicle, be aware that the two won't simply fall together.
Problems WILL ceaslessly pop up, one after another. 

99% of the complaints about PRV maintenance revolve around access.
Parts availability is not a problem. Parts costs are no higher than
contemporary vehicles (they are higher than older domestics however).
Biggest difficulty is getting them in. That's the most significant
reason I swapped fuel injection for carburetion (and re-routed my
exhaust). Otherwise I'm very happy with the engine.

FWIW: Even though performance was not a primary consideration in my
DeLo repower, resultant drivetrain is very quick. 8 seconds 0-60
(stock vehicles are 10 plus in real world tests). I'm burning a 2
barrel Motorcraft/Holly carb on what is basically a low compression
B28. Renault squeezed 160 HP out of a high compression version of that
same engine WITHOUT TURBOCHARGING (dual carb setup). Yielded 7.5
seconds 0-60 in the Alpine GTA (same gear box as ours, but I believe
ratios were smaller). B280/3.0 is advertised at 170 HP -- WITH full US
emissions, again sans turbocharging (10.5:1 compression, multi-port EFI).

Bill Robertson
#5939

>--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "David Teitelbaum" <jtrealty@xxxx> wrote:
> 
> 
> You can't blame the PRV for the broken fuel gauge and say it is too
> much to maintain. I submit that an engine swap is going to cost you
> way more than you think and may not improve the relibility. IMHO you
> could get the "most bang for the buck" by staying with the PRV and
> making it run as well as you can and if that isn't enough then
> consider adding the turbo kit from Elenor Rodgers or one of the
> Delorean venders. At least if you go that route there is more history
> so you should get more reliabilty (up to a point) and you haven't
> "bastardized" the car by removing the PRV. IMHO a Delorean that
> doesn't have a PRV can't really be called a Delorean anymore and it's
> market value will reflect that. It is now a Delorean with an engine
> swap. Any future owner would have good cause to wonder who will he get
> and how will he maintain the car and where does he go for parts and
> service. Of course it is your car and you can do whatever you wish,
> just consider that someday you may want to sell the car and what you
> do to it may affect it's value. There is a whole lot more to an engine
> swap than the price of the engine. A custom bell housing comes to mind
> first of all. Motor mounts, wiring, plumbing, instuments, all this
> will cost money to design and fabricate, and install. And you don't
> always get it right the first time! With time and $$$money you can do
> almost anything but consider what you will wind up with in the end.
> From a purely economic viewpoint an engine swap doesn't make sense.
> BTW if you do pull the PRV you can recapture some of your expenses by
> selling it.
> David Teitelbaum
> vin 10757
> 









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