[Driver_WT]

I am working acquiring on a project that will get a four cylinder engine and RWD transmission. Anyone building a four cylinder hot rod or anyone have any recommendations for an four cylinder engine that has RWD transmission options. Unlike my other projects, hoping to make this one a budget build, so nothing exotic please (at least not for recommendations - I always love to see what other people are working on).

HP target is around 200 (project vehicle will weigh around 1500 lbs so big power is not required). Working with Fuel injection and ECU is preferred for power and efficiency.

 

[joe_padavano]

GM Ecotec as found in Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky, available with both AT and MT, with optional turbocharger.

The more popular engines (Ford 2300, Toyota 4AGE) are getting tough to find these days.

 

[BadWally]

You have options, A ford 2300 is a really good, reliable powerplant. However, I would use a GM 153 chevy. There are a lot of these engines out there. They were used in early chevy II 's. great reliable engine. They were also used for many years in U.S. Mail trucks and FORKLIFTS, yes Forklifts as well as boats. Mercruiser had the displacement increased to 181 inches and I beleive they are still being built and used today as well as for industrial applications. Very good torque for a small engine and it is super strong. many components (lifters/rockers, valves etc) from a 230 and 250 chevy six will fit these engines. They also have a GM HEI ignition on many applications. The trans bolt pattern is the same as a SBC/BBC, so you can use a powerglide, T350/t400 and other Gm transmissions. Just my opinion. Dare to be different.

 

[Driver_WT]

GM Ecotec as found in Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky, available with both AT and MT, with optional turbocharger.

The more popular engines (Ford 2300, Toyota 4AGE) are getting tough to find these days.

Thanks, I will check out that option.

 

[Driver_WT]

You have options, A ford 2300 is a really good, reliable powerplant. However, I would use a GM 153 chevy. There are a lot of these engines out there. They were used in early chevy II 's. great reliable engine. They were also used for many years in U.S. Mail trucks and FORKLIFTS, yes Forklifts as well as boats. Mercruiser had the displacement increased to 181 inches and I beleive they are still being built and used today as well as for industrial applications. Very good torque for a small engine and it is super strong. many components (lifters/rockers, valves etc) from a 230 and 250 chevy six will fit these engines. They also have a GM HEI ignition on many applications. The trans bolt pattern is the same as a SBC/BBC, so you can use a powerglide, T350/t400 and other Gm transmissions. Just my opinion. Dare to be different.

I am looking for a manual transmission, as this will mostly be a track car, with some street use.

 

[evintho]

Been there, done that.
All steel '27 Model T roadster
'88 Turbo Coupe 2.3 turbocharged 4cyl. 300+ hp.
Computer controlled and fuel injected.
T5 five speed and 8" Ford rearend.
$4800 invested start to finish. A blast to drive and runs like a raped ape!
Oh yeah.......30mpg!

 

[Driver_WT]

Been there, done that.
All steel '27 Model T roadster
'88 Turbo Coupe 2.3 turbocharged 4cyl. 300+ hp.
Computer controlled and fuel injected.
T5 five speed and 8" Ford rearend.
$4800 invested start to finish. A blast to drive and runs like a raped ape!
Oh yeah.......30mpg!

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That's great. 88 Turbo Coupe might be kinda hard to find in my area. All of the older cars seem to have been crushed and hauled away (anything more than 10 or 12 years old is gone from most junk yards). When did you build this vehicle?

 

[BadWally]

I am looking for a manual transmission, as this will mostly be a track car, with some street use.

Any SBC/BBC trans will bolt to the back of a 153 chevy, pilot bushing and bellhousing are the same as a SBC/BBC.

 

[rdscotty]

You talk about not finding anything in the wrecking yards. I would look at buying an older running & driving small car or pickup with a 4 cylinder/manual setup you are looking for. There's tons out there. Another option might be an insurance salvage auction.

 

[evintho]

When did you build this vehicle?

Finished it in 2018.

 

[AutoGear]

There are ways to convert the 4G63 to RWD; it was used in the D50 pick up.
:: Project Zero G :: - Transmissions

Not sure what your budget is, but BluePrint Engines just released a 4cyl LS derivative.

 

[joe_padavano]

The Colorado/Canyon trucks came with DOHC four cylinder engines based on the Atlas inline six architecture. Those may be the most plentiful RWD four cylinder vehicles in wrecking yards today. 2004-2006 were 2800 cc, 2007-2012 were 2900 cc. The 2900 was factory rated at 185 HP/190 ft-lbs net. And just to be quirky, there was also a five cylinder version of this (3500/3700 cc) that put out up to 220 HP.

 

[BadWally]

Another choice would be a Toyota 22r or 22RE four cylinder with a 5 speed manual. These were built in the millions in 2 wheel drive trucks. Great engine, very solid powerplant with tons of parts availibility. They may be down on power but rock solid reliability. Also the 2wdr rear toyota axles are very tough, most 2 wdr toyota truck rear ends were a 5 lug with 4 1/2 inch pattern, that lots of custom wheels will fit. The 4WDR axles are six lug. The toyota 22 series four cylinder is also very easy to work on and parts are reasonably priced. .

 

[cerial]

22re is a great option and buying a entire(rusted or lightly damaged) truck may be option.

While the 22re is a great plan B.

It does not hold a candle to a miata setup.

Now a running bashed(underside), stripped(project stopped), or just rusted miata is going to run you around $3500. If your willing to do some drivetrain work like head gasket etc then you may find them for 2500ish.

So miata has its own race deal. So you can run these engines standalone or build them into turbocharged beast by following exactly what others have done.

Now the frontend of a miata is setup with easy alignment and suspension adjustments. You can add a set of coilovers and you have a very adjustable race setup.
Out back you have easily adjusted IRS and a diff that can once again be upgraded or left alone depending on how wild you want to get. You can take the light car and make it lighter with a lightweight body and basically cutting out the middle of the structure placing a X frame attaching the front and rear unibody. One of those once you see the underbody you will get it. You can loose alot of miata weight easily. Just respect thats probally going to loose ridity so from a safety and ridgid standpoint adding a roll bar might be a good idea to avoid headaches.

But if your just talking a (traditional) transverse double wishbone i beam front with coil sprung solid 8.8 out back. Then just a miata engine/transmission can be used.
They are not terribly hard engines to find in cars. But partouts can be a bit harder.

Still within 10 mins I found a "turbocharged" partout. The frosted side of me to snatch this up for myself as it is 30mins away. But being 4 projects deep the whole wheat side knows I need to finish up at least 2 of those projects before starting more. So here you go a "cheap low mile miata setup" . Your local results may vary.

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[Ohmthis]

May I ask why a 4 cylinder specifically? A 4.3 would fit (length wise at least), has same bell housing as the SB/BB so transmissions are easy, are plentiful, has a following in the aftermarket, and makes really good power. I’m not a Chevy guy, but to me this would be a no brainer.

 

[joe_padavano]

May I ask why a 4 cylinder specifically? A 4.3 would fit (length wise at least), has same bell housing as the SB/BB so transmissions are easy, are plentiful, has a following in the aftermarket, and makes really good power. I’m not a Chevy guy, but to me this would be a no brainer.

The iron 4.3 weighs 425 lbs. Most modern aluminum 4 cylinders weigh half of that or less. 200lbs is nearly 15% increase in the weight of his car. Power-to-weight is what matters.

 

[Ohmthis]

Ahh, I get it. I’m curious on what you want to run for induction. Some of the more modern engines above may be more difficult to package with the EFI, or programming might be difficult without custom EFI (like a mega squirt or similar). Power wise most of the older engines are pretty weak. The ford 2300 (came in lots of vehicles, mustang, tbird, ranger to name a few) was only 130-140 hp or so. The 3.0 Chevy (an industrial engine that was also adopted my mercury marine) is 130hp. These would be cheapest and maybe easiest, but fairly difficult to get to 200hp (a power adder helps, but adds to the difficult). I’m just thinking out loud here.

 

[S10xGN]

If you like it really spicy, there are numerous 10 second 4-bangers running the streets on Youtube. Might get some ideas on what it takes to get partway there, and also what to avoid watching some of those.

Russ

 

[Racer-X-]

The iron 4.3 weighs 425 lbs. Most modern aluminum 4 cylinders weigh half of that or less. 200lbs is nearly 15% increase in the weight of his car. Power-to-weight is what matters.

There's an all aluminum Gen V version of the 4.3 in the 2014 and later GM trucks. Much lighter than the old one, much more powerful and fuel efficient as well.

I have an old Miata here that's begging to become a "Miata cart" (it has some severe body damage at the rear bumper and trunk are), and I've been seriously considering a 3.6L V6 from a Camaro or Cadillac (Engine code LFX). Some of the Colorados from the early 2010's decade also got this engine. DOHC, VVT, Direct Injection, 325HP. Manual transmissions for it were available, and more common in the Camaro, also in the Colorado pickups. The block is the same in the FWD versions that were in a ton of other vehicles as well. There's some folks out there making outrageously expensive kits for this swap in a Miata (like $8K for the mounts and subframe pieces last time I checked). Honestly, the fabrication for it doesn't look that daunting to me.

 

[d.b. cooper]

If i had more money and time (which i don't, so this won't happen soon...), i would want to try the GM/chevy "122" engine. This came largely in the J-bodies from 82-ish to about 2003.

But remember, it also came in the s-10's for a while, so you've got plenty of RWD transmission options.

There was a turbocharged version in the sunbird for a while which made 150hp, so i'm thinking 200hp shouldn't be a stretch either super/turbo or N/A.

Iron block / alum head. i don't think there was an alum block (although not 100% certain). i think around 300-320 lbs.