V 8 neon.........

08kgraves · Post by **08kgraves** » Fri Aug 05, 2011 11:14 pm

ok so i bought a 96 2dr neon with a messed up trans so i could pull the motor and put it in my 97. i was originally going to just strip everything i wanted and scrap it but then i figured i may as well do something that you dont see that often. i decided im going to put a V8 in it. now i already know i can beef up the engine in it and turbo it and what not to out run a v8 so please dont lecture me about that anyone. i just want to know what you guys think of the idea and if you have seen them before or info on one that has been done. i found like 3 short youtube videos of a yellow one that was all done up but it didnt show under the hood,car, inside or anything.

2drSRT4 · Post by **2drSRT4** » Fri Aug 05, 2011 11:22 pm

If you really have the fabrication skills, or the checkbook to pay for all of it, then go for it. But you're going to end up with a car that has an extremely short wheelbase and makes insane power. It won't go straight for very long (I estimate it might stay straight for the first 60 ft) and I would be extremely scared of driving it over 100 mph. If you wanna be different, take a 2.4, have a known good machine shop off-set grind the crank for you, get some custom rods/pistons and make a 2.6, toss it in with a good tranny, and have some real fun. But even that would be too much for FWD. FWD sucks for traction. If you really did do a V8 swap, it'll be cool.

08kgraves · Post by **08kgraves** » Fri Aug 05, 2011 11:29 pm

well, im all about building custom. im currently going to one of the highest rated schools in the country for high performance automotive. my true baby is a 200 gmc sonoma wich is bagged and body dropped. from ground to roof is under 4 feet tall. i did the majority of the work myself. but thats a diffrent story. it wouldnt be a fast build at all. its going to take a while and im not trying to go all crazy and put down like 400 hp cus i know its bad news. i just want to put a stock 350 or 318 or something in it. i havent decided the exact motor yet though. and im going to tub out the rear end and put street slicks on it to so its not just instantly sideways lol. along with build a full frame and probly do a roll cage to. but im going to be doing most of this build on a budget type deal where i buy decent parts from a junkyard, or from a fried. probly about the only thing i will buy new is the steal for building the frame and the 4 link setup for the rear end.

2drSRT4 · Post by **2drSRT4** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 2:15 am

You sound like you're going to UTI or WyoTech or something. I was going to, but honestly I know a guy from there and I know more than him... You can't exactly just junkyard this build together. It's going to take a lot of research and time and patience and you need to be able to weld frames together well and D.O.M. tubing, and be able to weld onto an axle, have an axle shortened, or shorten it yourself, and it's very involved. If you don't think you could fab this up, or you don't know anyone that would be up for doing all of this work, you shouldn't be looking into trying to drop a V8 into a neon.

08kgraves · Post by **08kgraves** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 3:21 am

yeah, i hear what your saying and no im not going to whyotech or uti. those places are a joke. you cant learn anything when they try and rush you through it way to fast to begin with and then dont have much hands on work. so im not surprised if you did know more at all than them. i go to the university of northwestern ohio otherwise known as UNOH. check it out www.unoh.edu there way way way better, and as i said one of the best in the country. there is actually alot of people here that started out at wyotech and uti and left to come here cus it was a joke to them. i wasnt just trying to say that it was going to be a junkyard build, guess that did come out wrong lol but no it will be done right. i have teachers that i have become friends with in multiple areas that will hook me up on prices for stuff i either dont trust myself doing or physically cant do. one teacher just builds engines more or less for a few race teams. and another builds chassis and engines and basically can fabricate anything and everything. he actually grew up racing with tony stewart back in the midgets before he went to nascar. he knows all the big shots like stewart, schreader you name it. all he knows is racing. i was just trying to say that i was going to get a engine from the junkyard, and a rear end from a junkyard. might just see if i can find some empty cases for mock up so its lighter taking it in and out over and over again lol

2drSRT4 · Post by **2drSRT4** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 3:33 am

I got a scholorship offer to there. I turned it down. I'm not doing tech school at all. I'm going to do my mechanical engineering degree. For mocking this up, you need to look at what people are using for some sort of RWD swap. Honestly, a 4 cyl would be a great RWD power and it will still "sound" like a neon if you use a 2.4 or something. You could make a 2.6 turbo and have it send power through a Wrangler/Liberty 2.4 RWD trans and use a Ford 9" that's been narrowed. Hell, if you did it right, you could use an 8" tire and it'll look completely stock from the outside, but it'll lift that front end off the ground so quick it's not even funny.

08kgraves · Post by **08kgraves** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 3:38 am

i honestly never even thought about doing something like that. then again i completely forgot they have a 2.4 rwd setup. ill probly look into it some more but i still really like the idea of a V8 just because...... if you know what i mean.

2drSRT4 · Post by **2drSRT4** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 3:38 am

I share a similar passion for V8s. But the neon has way too short of a wheelbase to put a V8 in safely.

08kgraves · Post by **08kgraves** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 3:44 am

lol, i didnt say it was gonna be safe to drive handling wise............ i just thought it would be cool lol. more of just a toy than a driver. but thats also why i was just going to put a stock motor in it to so i could keep the power down. look at it this way. a stock 350 chevy motor has 280 hp at the crank. people are putting over 300 at the wheels after a 15% drivetrain loss. and i dont plan on building the motor it purely for a wow factor more or less and the fact that i have another neon just kinda chilling. and the fact that i really hate the torque steer and push of a front wheel drive car. but at the same time i love neons. lol

08kgraves · Post by **08kgraves** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 4:06 am

i seen a link for a full guide basically on a srt4 swap, but i dont remember where it was..... do you know by chance? because now im kind of debating on either that or just building the crap out of the 2.0 sohc motor thats just sitting outside that i already own.

Ianguilly · Post by **Ianguilly** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 10:25 am

Don't waste your time on a SOHC , if you wnant to go for high power, you gotta get a 2.4..easier for making power.

08kgraves · Post by **08kgraves** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 1:51 pm

i wasnt going to try and make it the fastest in the world or anything. ideas i had so far for it would have included a rebuid with the dohc pistons, 95 hot cam, port n polish the head, and i would really like to do a turbo setup around 10 pounds of boost

2drSRT4 · Post by **2drSRT4** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 11:48 pm

Ha, Ian is just a SOHC hater. The SOHC is a good platform that can make plenty of power on a budget. Great street engine. He's also under-age and has only had 2 neons before.

08kgraves · Post by **08kgraves** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 3:00 am

lol its all good, but yeah i really dont want to have to buy and install a new wire harness and everything if im going to just keep a 4 banger lol thats why im thinking either full on v8 or just build up the 2.0 sohc. but then again i forgot the wiring in my coupe is all jacked up....... hmmmm idk i got other stuff i gotta do first like get my minitruck done and get my silverado on the road. oh and get the motor back in my sedan so i have my own car again

2drSRT4 · Post by **2drSRT4** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 3:24 am

The SOHC with the auto is kinda of sluggish, but if modified well, it will be fun. Just put a small turbo on it! =)