LH car engine swap

Just curious, eh, Steve? ;-)

I think this is what you're looking for - documented with photos. Looks like a real pain:

Here's another thread that links to the first one: That second thread is probably not worth reading past the 5th post.

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my adddress with the letter 'x')

So what's it to ya? :-p

Yeah, just curious. I'm thinking ahead about options for replacing the wife's 93 Vision TSi. Its got 230,000 miles and is doing fine, but its no spring chicken anymore. One option is a used Magnum in another year or so, but I'm actually pretty concerned about the Magnum not having enough air-conditioining power (see another thread). The Vision is in great shape, and a complete engine/transaxle swap would replace almost all the wearing parts in one shot... and the idea of a 250HP first-gen LH car is definitely appealing :-) If the cost and hassle is comparable to a total rebuild of the iron 3.5, consider me very tempted... :-)

Probably a big obstacle, would be the different wiring involved.

I was hoping for a *tad* more detail... for example, will the later body-control module hook right up to the automatic climate control system? Will the engine controller drive the existing dash guages and idjit lights? A complete engine/trans "power egg" (to use a radial-engine airliner term) with controllers is no big deal, but the hassle might be the details like getting the guages and controls all working. Any theft modules would be summarily discarded- don't have 'em, don't want 'em.

tim bur wrote:

Somehow, I KNEW you'd have a link :-)

Looks like those guys are making it too hard- trying to reuse too much first-gen stuff rather than using as much second-gen stuff as possible. Not simple, but certainly doable...

Bill Putney wrote:

>

Where did you read that the Magnum ac is inadequate? I've never heard that complaint before and that would be a real problem for me, since I am still considering getting one.

I did not read it, I EXPERIENCED it. Two Magnum rentals (admittedly lower-end cars, one with the wimpy 2.7 the other with the surprisingly adequate 3.5) had useless A/C systems. One of them (the 3.5) was in Los Angeles and not really put to the test because the outside temp never got over 80, but the 2.7 was in Iowa during the recent heat wave and I had to keep it on "max" all the time and it STILL didn't blow cold enough to suit me. The 93 Vision (or my '66 Polara, or my '69 Coronet R/T) would have been blowing 35-38 degree air in similar conditions. I didn't have a thermometer on me, but I'd be surprised if the Magnum was blowing as cold as 40 degrees, more like 45, even on Max. Not near enough A/C power for that size car.

My hope, and I need to confirm it, is that the auto-temp A/C on a higher-end Magnum like an R/T is more potent. This would cross the Magnum off the potential car list for me.

It seems to me that the ducts are much bigger on the Magnum than my 300M so although I noticed the air wasn't blowing quite as cold during a test drive I figured that the total volume coming from the bigger ducts explained the warmer temperature of the blowing air. But the test drive wasn't long enuf to be sure the car could be cooled in the hottest temperatures..

Ruh? Why would you need to swap BCMs?

Exactly. Would you or wouldn't you? ;-) I presume you wouldn't, but I don't *know* that for a fact.