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122 Engine swap 67'

thecraftypig

New member
Joined
Jan 24, 2018
Location
Colorado
I have a 1967 Volvo 122 that i was looking to engine Swap and i am on the fence on what to do. I want something cheap that can make good power and is reliably upgradeable . I was thinking a 5.3 Lm7 Or a 5.7 Chevy 350. Any other suggestions are greatly noted... Besides not at a ll:)
 
VW TDi motor - 40 mpg and gobs of torque (suitably modified)
Mazda 3-rotor turbo - boost goes in, apex seals come out
Volvo 16V redblock - still says 'Volvo' on the valve cover, it's 'stock!'
VW VR6 - it's a lot of motor in a tiny compact package
Teals drivetrain in the trunk - learn to program - ludicrous speed mode always on
Honda S2K drivetrian - 2.0L, 240 hp, it's a race engine before you touch it
4BT - the engine should be as HEAVY as the car, right?

If you go V8, why bother with the older engines? Go GenIII or better. And get an aluminum block - 100 lbs makes a difference in a small car.
 
Do you want to boost it, or run NA? Engine bay is tight on the 122. I have a 4.6l 3V, and a TR3650 in my 122. The LS is not as wide, so that'll help. Does it have to be a V8? IIRC, the 2004-07 2.4l T5, will hold up to a lot of boost. Another alternative would be the Mustang 3.7l V6...over 300hp stock, and about as wide as the LS.
 
Get ready to hack up the transmission tunnel to get any modern transmission to fit.
 
What about a jdm engine like a 4age or a sr20 or 4g63 6 bolt or even a 1jz would be pushing it in length? any thoughts maybe a swap a little different
 
Sr20, ka24 fit well, 1j or 2j would need firewall mods and radiator moved, rear steer rack maybe and probably want to move or slim down the battery.
 
Do an Axial swap.

Welcome to the Build Your Own Turbobricks Engine Swap Advice Post! Select from the options to create a unique and informative message that is sure to inform the decision of the OP!


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I might have some ideas! I've always {liked|hated} the {4|5|6|8|10} cylinder {gasoline|diesel} engines from {Ford|GM|Volvo|Toyota|BMW|Mercedes|Audi|Honda}. Parts are {reasonably priced|expensive but not crazy|unobtanium} and the aftermarket is {huge|alright|nonexistent}. There's {lots of|almost no} support and they {respond well|grenade instantly} with some boost. {Good luck on your engine swap! | Trying is the first step toward failure. | What am I doing with my life?}

There was another that was a little more fitting but you get the message.

Not trying to be mean or sound rude, but just about every engine from any road going vehicle save for a 7.3 IDI or something has been done already. If not in the Americas then somewhere in Europe. Hell, there's a 142 with a big block still running around somewhere in Sweden. That thing is loud as all hell in person...
 
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I have a 1967 Volvo 122 that i was looking to engine Swap and i am on the fence on what to do. I want something cheap that can make good power and is reliably upgradeable . I was thinking a 5.3 Lm7 Or a 5.7 Chevy 350. Any other suggestions are greatly noted... Besides not at a ll:)

Can you give us some idea of how much time and money you want to dedicate to this project and how much fabrication experience you have?

Anything can be put in anything if you really want it to happen. The 122 is not a particularly friendly engine bay when it comes to swaps especially if you want a V engine of any type. Both the steering and the upper a-arms have staked-out claims on a lot of the available space. The prow-like firewall also conspires against alien engines.

The 122 gearbox is small by comparison to anything you might be thinking of swapping in, so expect to do surgery to the tunnel also.

That said, I have done a 302 swap into a P1800 which is very similar so it must be do-able.
 
I right now dont have a lot of money but i have tons of time plus i dont need it running anytime soon i was thing a b5234 t5 what do you guys think and what transmission would be a good relatively available one im in the US Btw
 
If money's tight start by figuring out what the differential and custom radiator is going to cost. Might as well figure on a custom front suspension too, don't forget brakes.
Depending on your fabrication skills just getting the foundation right for the added power may or may not break the budget.
This comes as a shock to some people, but a couple years ago I used either a 66 122 with B20/M41 or a 5 series BMW for my daily commute, 40 miles to work. Needless to say the BMW is faster, handles better and what ever.
The shocker? Either car got me to work in the exact same amount of time! Speed limits are the great equalizer.
Just something to think about, before potentially getting into one hell of a project. But I don't know your limitations, maybe this isn't a big deal for you at all.
 
Super cool uber Volvo nerd B36 swap. Hardest part of that would be finding the B36.

From what I've read, the B36 was developed first as a 3.6L V8 for the Volvo trucks of the early 60's. And then they developed the B18 as half of the V8, which is why the bottom end is a bit overspecced for the HP it makes, which made it very durable. (The prior engine, the B16, only had 3 main bearings).

They went on to make huge quantities of the B18/20, but the B36 was never made in large numbers. There are some truck engines, some marine engines, but it's a unicorn for sure.

Another thing that would be cool as hell to see when you pop the hood - an old flathead Ford V8.
 
I was looking around for a bit and i was thinking of maybe a 4age 20v silver top since there are tons of parts for them any ideas?
 
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