Is it possible to swap a v8 in these?

dubson · #1 (**permalink**) 05-06-09, 01:56 PM

Hey, I am sorry for the ignorant questions as I dont know much about cars.

But would it be cheaper/better to buy a v6 mustang and swap a v8/cobra motor in it?

Is that even possible?

I know nothing about the new 05-09 mustangs.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you, in advance.

**bigcat** · #2 (**permalink**) 05-06-09, 06:54 PM

yes, it can be done. will it be cheap? probably not depending on what motor you want to put in.

also, you will still have the stock V6 suspension and brakes. if you plan on swapping them to aftermarket anyway, that may not be an issue.

dubson · #3 (**permalink**) 05-06-09, 09:55 PM

I meant by cheap by, spending less on a v6 stang than a gt, then by spending what i saved putting that into a better motor than a 4.6?

also i forgot about the suspension and brakes, and probably the drivetrain? which i assume wouldnt come in your average swap

sounds like it would just be easier to get a gt?

**QUICK91LX** · #4 (**permalink**) 05-06-09, 09:58 PM

Absolutely not. Buy a GT.

d.r.moss · #5 (**permalink**) 05-06-09, 10:05 PM

Buy a GT. Plus resale would be better on a GT then a V6 to V8 swap anyways. GTs look alot better as well. Just out of curiousity, were you planning on doing this swap yourself, because it is not an easy task for someone with experience, let alone a noobe.

dubson · #6 (**permalink**) 05-07-09, 02:08 AM

No way, I would not do it myself.

**QUICK91LX** · #7 (**permalink**) 05-07-09, 06:31 PM

Wow, it would cost as much if not more to pay for the parts and someone to do the swap as it would to just buy a GT.

**bigcat** · #8 (**permalink**) 05-07-09, 10:48 PM

if you cant/dont want to do it yourself, then i would not even consider this an option.

dubson · #9 (**permalink**) 05-08-09, 12:07 PM

Well a very close friend of mine would do it, and for next to nothing.

Would say a cobra swap be easier in a gt? Because of everything already being "v8 ready" ?

**bigcat** · #10 (**permalink**) 05-08-09, 02:44 PM

the S197 motor mounts are not the same as previous generations, so if by cobra swap you mean 4V motor, then you would need adapters to be able to get the motor in there. also, you will need some form of engine management. if you can get the stock computer from the donor car, then you can run the engine with that. however, the airbag system may not work properly. thats one of the downfalls of swapping engines. everything is meant to work together, and when you start changing things, you need to see how that will affect the other components of the car.

i would say just buy a GT and add a blower to it.

thats the best bang for the buck.

dubson · #11 (**permalink**) 05-08-09, 07:15 PM

thanks for the replies bigcat.

so what about say a 5.0 motor? has anyone messed with those on this generation of stangs yet?

swapped in a 5.0 in this generation of stangs?

**QUICK91LX** · #12 (**permalink**) 05-08-09, 07:36 PM

What is this engine swap fetish all about? What do you think you are gaining by doing an engine swap? Why not just go out and buy the car you want, the way you want it.

There is no cheap/easy way to do a motor swap in the S197 Mustang. Anything can be done, it just comes down to how much you want to spend, how many parts you want to fabricate and how much work you want to put into it.

If your friend is so capable, he should be able to tell you that the whole idea is kinda hair-brained...

dubson · #13 (**permalink**) 05-08-09, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QUICK91LX

What do you think you are gaining by doing an engine swap?

How about horse power?

Quote:

Originally Posted by QUICK91LX

Why not just go out and buy the car you want, the way you want it.

Well, that is what I am trying to do. I like the body of the s197, but I am trying to get more information. After all this is a website devoted to mustangs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by QUICK91LX

There is no cheap/easy way to do a motor swap in the S197 Mustang. Anything can be done, it just comes down to how much you want to spend, how many parts you want to fabricate and how much work you want to put into it.

This has been stated. I am just trying to figure out what specifically needs to be done, and how much. There is no way that every person with an s197 just wants to stick with the 4.6, why would they? There are so many options with ford.

Quote:

Originally Posted by QUICK91LX

If your friend is so capable, he should be able to tell you that the whole idea is kinda hair-brained...

How about not assuming things? What was this, just one huge flame bait? Real professional.

bigcat has been helping me just fine, and patiently I might add. I don't know if you just didn't eat lunch today or what, but I did nothing to you to deserve this rudeness.

Like I said, I am a noob, and am just trying to get more information. This is a freakin mustang site after all. If you are just gonna harass every new person that doesn't know as much as you, you should just shut the site down.

**bigcat** · #14 (**permalink**) 05-09-09, 11:41 AM

search for jon kaase because he did a big block swap into an S197. read some of the article and it will show you many of the things he needed to fabricate to make things work.

here is the overview if the project: Jon Kaase Racing Engines - Kaase Boss Nine 589 c.i. 2008 GT Mustang

**bigcat** · #15 (**permalink**) 05-09-09, 11:43 AM

also, specific engine used for the swap will depend on what needs to be fabricated. a 5.0 swap would be different from a chevy LSx swap for example. same thing for a 4V swap or V10.

**QUICK91LX** · #16 (**permalink**) 05-09-09, 08:55 PM

Sorry for coming off like a jerk, but the fact is that it is impossible to know what would need to be done to swap things the way you are thinking, because it hasnt been done. Purpose built race cars have been built using bare bodies and whatever motor the builder was using (usually not a stock 4.6) but as far as taking apart an S197 and making a frankenstein...not so much.

There are TONS and TONS of electronics in these cars that would have to be addressed, plus the chassis is completely different from the 79-04 cars that pretty much established the Mustang as the great performance car that it is. There has been plenty of time for people to figure out all the different things that can be changed and modified...people are still trying to figure out what can or cant be done with these new stangs.

I guess if there is something constructive that you can get from my previous posts, it is that the reason I make it sound like a "Duh, why the F would you even think that" situation is because there is just SO much that would need to be done to make it work that it really doesnt make sense.

The 05's can be had for some very attractive prices these days...and are a whole lot of fun to drive and can be hopped up really good...use aftermarket parts to gain horsepower, dont worry yourself with a motor swap. If it was an old fox body with a 4cyl that you wanted to swap a 5.0 into then by all means...but the new ones are just too involved

dubson · #17 (**permalink**) 05-10-09, 11:36 AM

No problem Quick91, you have been absolutely right anyhow.

I just read that article bigcat posted with him putting the 429 in an s197, and man he had to do so much work.

I think it just comes down to the persons time and dedication, and a lot of cash. None of which I have at the moment.

But yeah, the 05's aren't even that expensive right now which is why I was looking into getting one. Now I am just looking at what else I can do with it.

**QUICK91LX** · #18 (**permalink**) 05-10-09, 09:49 PM

The aftermarket is massive for these cars, and in the 4 years that the S197 has been out, the aftermarket support has grown exponentially. Whatever you want to do can be done, the parts are readily available. You can see 600hp easily if you set it up right, on the stock 4.6 motor.