Rickady88, on eoption I bet you have not thought of yet is in finding a donor engine, use the WHOLE car - under the skin. In other words, if you want the Caddy CTS under the hood, just use the chassis and drivetrain along with vin from the Caddy. Fit Solskins to the outside and go pass your test.
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Rickady88, one option I bet you have not thought of yet is in finding a donor engine, use the WHOLE car - under the skin. In other words, if you want the Caddy CTS under the hood, just use the chassis and drivetrain along with vin from the Caddy. Fit Solskins to the outside and go pass your test.
To make new cars pass smog now days , you practically have to do that
I am on the "look out" for an entire donor car. (a CTS or a 2005+ GTO, 6 speed of corse) Just the engine/tranny wont do. It is WAYYY to much work to try to build up a custom wire harness to convert all the stuff and then try to find some one to hack your PCM. Then you get the engine in just to find out you need more stuff from the donor car to shut up the check engine lite
This is funny, I will probobly get a donor car for an engine swap before I even get a KAPPA My wife dont talk much when I bring this stuff up
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I will own a V6 Kappa even if GM does not offer one as an engine upgrade. I have made my mind up, I want the Cadillac CTS 3.6L V6 with a 6 Speed manual tranny. And I will do the conversion my self if I have too :)
I still like V-6 motors. The in-line 6 on my trailblazer was very smooth and powerful (but is it right for the Solstice?).
The 3800 III Supercharged V-6 has around 280 lb ft of torque at 3600 RPM as opposed to 200 lb ft 4400 RPM for the supercharged four banger and about 400 lb ft for a corvette V-8 at 4400 RPM(!) - like having two four bangers!
The V-8 would probably feel like a "tractor" motor. The V-6 seems like the best compromise - especially if it could be found in a compact lightweight version (the 3.6 CTS version?).
The point about the actual cost and time spent trying to save money is probably correct though. If Mallett can do it for $15K and give you a reliable, legal machine, then that is probably the best way to go.
I must confess - If I win a Solstice or someone gives me one - then I'll have Mallett do the conversion. Untill then, I'll probably wait for the higher performance version from GM.
Wow, page 3 and I didn't even get an honorable mention.
Yes, I'm putting a 3800 supercharged in my Sky. It's going in my chevette at the moment. Yes I'll be producing low cost kits for those who want to DIY. Yes I will even be doing turn-key kits for a moderate fee (nothing even approaching the Mallet package).
The 3800 is an amazing motor. For those who don't think so, you need to take a look at what the Grand National aftermarket has accomplished in the past, and what the GTP aftermarket is accomplishing right now. It is smaller, physically, than the LS V8 motors. This will make forced induction systems easier to adapt. It's center of gravity is lower and farther back than even the four cylinder, so even though it weighs slightly more the balance of the car is not sacrificed (just ask the MGB and sprite guys who swap v6's into their originally 4 cylinder cars). Those who just look at the stock power numbers are fooled by GM's insistence to keep the numbers lower for the sake of the weak fwd transmissions. The base 3800 makes 215hp, the supercharged version makes 240hp. That's only a 25hp increase, even though mainstream line of thought on forced induction says 50% increase in horsepower from forced induction is easy to obtain. And it is. Once you bolt on an intercooler to the 3800 SC, it's rather easy to obtain numbers in the 350hp range - and the guys who are really into it take it far over 400whp without breaking a sweat. Even the base version of the motor has bolt on forced induction packages that put it over 300hp. Other than the chevy smallblock v8, there is no other chevy motor with the aftermarket that the 3800 has. Don't even get me started comparing gas mileage. My modified GTP still gets 33mpg on the highway pulling my 3500 pound car with four people and a trunk full of luggage.
For those who want to run numbers with the Mallet cars on 1/5 the budget and have great gas mileage to boot, stay tuned.
And just to add fuel to the fire, if you just gotta have a v8 rumble and v8 OMGWTF!? factor, I suggest you keep an eye on V8Archie. I haven't seen a sparkle in his eye like this since the fiero was announced...
P.S. The firebird never had a forced induction version of the 3800.
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Last edited by SkyCaptain : 09-29-2005 at 08:50 AM.
...And just to add fuel to the fire, if you just gotta have a v8 rumble and v8 OMGWTF!? factor, I suggest you keep an eye on V8Archie. I haven't seen a sparkle in his eye like this since the fiero was announced...
I wonder why nobody seems to be chomping at the bit to do 2006 MX-5 conversions?
Intresting info there about the 3800sc SkyCaptain, but what kinda rwd tranny will bolt up to the 3800? I believe the stock one is simply too weak so it'll have to go.
Pontiac Firebird and Chevrolet Camaro used the 3800 Buick engine for
their base models during the years 1995 thru 2002. These were, of course, rear wheel drive vehicles. I also remember seeing a blown 3800 in one of
the last Firebird Trans Ams, but can't find anything that documents
that fact. The 3800 is not an aluminum engine - I guarantee that it weighs
a whole lot more than the ecotec 4 cylinder. To my knowledge, no one has ever made a 3800 aluminum engine block. I have the engine in my Buick, and I love it. I remember reading reviews of Camaros with this engine, and
no reviewer felt the car was underpowered at all. The Camaro weighed
around 3300 to 3500 lbs, as I recall. It would be wonderful in a Solstice or Sky
with an automatic. It can be supercharged up to 300 HP with no problems for
dragster types. My Buick runs 0-60 in around 7.5 secs. In a 2900 lb
Solstice I would guess less than 6.5 seconds.
I wonder why nobody seems to be chomping at the bit to do 2006 MX-5 conversions?
Because it is BUT UGLY Why put all the time and money into something like that?
toddwcarpenter, the BOP V8's were also used in the TR8's. They were junk and died. That is why you don't see them anymore. But there are some die hards that will build them up. The bottom line is they just aint that good. Rover did improve on them but not enough.
SkyCap. The 3800 is a 90* V and you will loose valuable room for the headers because of the wide V. That and the fact that they don't have an aluminum version is why I would not use it in a KAPPA. BUT the 3.9 IS a better option. It makes more power than the 3800 and has aluminum heads and has a 6 speed tranny. So you could bolt it to the 5 speed without the PCM reprogramming.
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I will own a V6 Kappa even if GM does not offer one as an engine upgrade. I have made my mind up, I want the Cadillac CTS 3.6L V6 with a 6 Speed manual tranny. And I will do the conversion my self if I have too :)
Again, I am in awe of those with all this usable knowledge.
I have some compatriots out there who also would really enjoy a V-6 with about 300 ponies. 300 seems to be the magic number - at least in the car magazines.
This car would be the "Discount Corvette"!
Humor me:
3.8 - 90 degree? The GM crate motor site says it cranks out 260 HP - where did 240 and 300 HP come from?
If a V-8 will fit (Mallett), then why won't a V-6 fit?
3.9 ?? - sounds bigger than 3.8?
3.6 ?? - smaller but better?
Dodge Dakota parts!!??
Could you install the new motor and keep the rest of the car stock?
How about all the wires and hoses? Will they match up?
Intresting info there about the 3800sc SkyCaptain, but what kinda rwd tranny will bolt up to the 3800? I believe the stock one is simply too weak so it'll have to go.
GM rates the Aisin AR-5 transmission up to 225 lb-ft of torque.
However, Mallett seems to think that it will handle the LS2's power in his conversions. Since he is handing out a warranty, maybe he thinks the transmission is underrated. Either way, we should know after Mallett gets a couple conversions done. Either these trannies will handle the power, or they won't.
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My wife dont talk much when I bring this stuff up 
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