Engine choice for a future Hot Rod build

onanysunday

onanysunday

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Figured the sandrail world could apply here. Some here have been following my Dodge A100 hot rod build.  Been dreaming about my next car and want to build a 52-62 Metropolitan Nash for my wife. Autoweld Chassis in Pennsylvania built this chassis for a company that builds Metropolitans.  Super cool and they only built one. Tons of design and I like everything they did. He said they spent a lot of time designing everything. He could not remember the engine but I think it could be the GM 3.6 V6.  He remembered it was from a Cadillac and 305 HP.  Maybe someone here can tell what that engine is by the pics? I like everything about that chassis and setup. He still has all the drawings and a Complete roller from them is $16k. My thought was to put a small turbo on it with mild boost and bump it from 300 to 400 HP. These cars stock are 1800-1900 lbs. I would think a light v6 or 4 cylinder and that chassis you would end up around 2600-2700 lbs. (I heard a V8 car was 2800 lbs) Might be cool to mount the turbo and intercooler in the back of the car and run piping. Although the fuel tank would have to go back there and not sure about a turbo close to the fuel tank. What about an Ecotec with some boost? Other engine options? I don't think a Subie would fit? These cars are very narrow. The setup they did looks to have a 6l80e trans which is crazy. He said there was going to be room for a foot box.  I would think with something like that you could put 411 gears in it for the 9".  Maybe run a 4l60 instead? Not sure what adapters are out there for different engines.  I am thinking 400 hp on Pump premium gas. I did mention an LS to him but he thought that engine was to big. Although I have seen these cars with V8s. 

Dimensions




Wheelbase


85 in (2,159 mm)




Length


149.5 in (3,797 mm)[1]




Width


61.5 in (1,562 mm)




Height


54.5 in (1,384 mm)[2]




Curb weight


1,785–1,890 lb (810–857 kg) (base)
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I sat in real nice v8 car the other night and my head was 1" from the roof. Of all things he had bought and used Acura NSX seats in it. I am thinking it might be hard to run exhaust and turbo tubing through that frame to the back. Maybe have a 4cyl with the a shorty muffler and dump out next to the trans. Intercooler still might be tricky. Or just do a V6 like they have shown. Maybe built it naturally aspirated with some upgrades. Depends on the engine I guess. I am pretty sure he said they moved the firewall back 18".

 
an ultimate engine for me would be the Scat V4

c95c65398b62894b614b2fa9a4ddfae9.jpg


They have LS versions now

 
The scat engine would be cool as hell. 

 
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LF4.  It's the factory high perf TT version of the same V6.  464/445 HP/TQ bone-stock in an ATS-V on 91 octane w/ cats etc.  In a hot rod build, no reason you couldn't have 500+ without even pushing it. 

-TJ

 
tjZ06 said:
LF4.  It's the factory high perf TT version of the same V6.  464/445 HP/TQ bone-stock in an ATS-V on 91 octane w/ cats etc.  In a hot rod build, no reason you couldn't have 500+ without even pushing it. 

-TJ
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That sounds pretty cool. I wonder how often one of these motors comes up out of a wrecked car. The other thing that scares me about all these new motors is if we run a Holley standalone system dealing with variable valve timing and variable oil pumps for emissions. That stuff all is a pain in the ass.

 
Dune-Track-N said:
2010 Camaro
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So that motor in that car is 305 horsepower. The Edelbrock supercharger kit bumps it to 376. So it sounds like a turbo added would be pretty easy to do the same thing. I'm guessing there's a lot of these motors out there.

 
I will say I would not want a naturally aspirated V6 just because I don't like how they sound no matter what you do with the exhaust.

 
Kraut_n_Rice said:
Honda K24 with something like this.

https://mercracing.net/shop/mr2300-supercharger-kit/
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Says 500 horsepower on e70. I would not want to fool with any ethanol-based fuels and just run 91 pump. What is on that k24 engine as far as variable valve timing and variable oil pumps? So basically how hard is it to tune if you throw a turbo on it. I assume there's probably all kinds of k24 stuff out there.

 
GM V6 3.6 weighs 370 lb and the k24 weighs 283 lb. 87 lb difference between the two.

 
The nice thing about a LS is you can get pretty short,  to make 400-500 hp is easy, or 600 stroked,  if you stay around the 500hp, i would do a ls3 stock, with, if you need it really short like we do in the 914, you can run a remote water pump, and the front wheel drive balancer, i can get you a length on the motor remote mount,  then the factory intake sits super low, then if the motor stays stock, the Holley has a tune that is ready to go,  make is very simple,  and then you have something reliable and easy to drive, with the factory  EFI it can sit and the maintenance is very low,   

remote block link 

Water Manifold, LS-X | Meziere Enterprises

 
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onanysunday said:
Says 500 horsepower on e70. I would not want to fool with any ethanol-based fuels and just run 91 pump. What is on that k24 engine as far as variable valve timing and variable oil pumps? So basically how hard is it to tune if you throw a turbo on it. I assume there's probably all kinds of k24 stuff out there.
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They have another similar kit that says 400+ on pump.

No variable oil pump, but does have VTEC.  Lots of guys making that on a stock engine.  HUGE aftermarket support for them.



 
J Alper said:
The nice thing about a LS is you can get pretty short,  to make 400-500 hp is easy, or 600 stroked,  if you stay around the 500hp, i would do a ls3 stock, with, if you need it really short like we do in the 914, you can run a remote water pump, and the front wheel drive balancer, i can get you a length on the motor remote mount,  then the factory intake sits super low, then if the motor stays stock, the Holley has a tune that is ready to go,  make is very simple,  and then you have something reliable and easy to drive, with the factory  EFI it can sit and the maintenance is very low,   

remote block link 

Water Manifold, LS-X | Meziere Enterprises
Click to expand...
LS3 would be a no-brainer awesome. Easy peasy. When I talked to the frame guy he was very hesitant but really the motor isn't much longer than the V6. Nice to know about these other things to make it shorter.

 
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