[...m...]

...this is a totally academic thought experiment, but excepting the esthi elise and secant ecotec builds, has anyone ever successfully swapped anything other than a honda k20 into an elise/exige chassis?..

...i realise that the power to be gained in building and boosting a 2ZZ-GE typically outweighs the complex economics and handling compromises of most engine swaps, but i'm sitting here looking at my unused beetle and pondering the benefits of 250 naturally-aspirated foot-pounds of lazy torque mated to a silky-smooth gearbox...

 

[Minnis]

I've been thinking about this lately too, but not something as heavy as a VR6 and with more power. It's funny the correlation between Elise's and Mr2's. Eventually Camry V6's found there way into some (not unlike the Evora!) and then were supercharged (Evora S). I know some people on here have done that to there previous Mr2s. I would love to put a small displacement 6 or even 8 but it would have to be similiar in weight and size with a high enough output to make it worthwile over a turbo- not going to happen cheap.
You would need to be starting over 300 hp to justify over a turbo setup.

 

[MattG]

Well, an Audi V6 has been stuck into an Elise, though it required lengthening of the chassis:
http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f3/lotus-esthi-414bhp-rs4-powered-elise-more-pics-12538/

In the MR2 world, a GM Northstar V8 was successfully put into I think both an MKI and MKII MR2.

 

[MattG]

Here's some good info on Elise engine transplants, listing Audi, Honda, and Ford as the common donors:
Engine Transplants

 

[Zippy_Slug]

ooh.. Looking for a VR6?

http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f162/fs-2000-vw-gti-vr6-futura-yellow-70859/

I'll throw the car in for FREE!

 

[dustylax]

K24, 280whp NA, lighter, better.

 

[...m...]

I've been thinking about this lately too, but not something as heavy as a VR6 and with more power.

It's funny the correlation between Elise's and Mr2's. Eventually Camry V6's found there way into some (not unlike the Evora!) and then were supercharged (Evora S). I would love to put a small displacement 6 or even 8 but it would have to be similiar in weight and size with a high enough output to make it worthwile over a turbo- not going to happen cheap.

...do you really think the VR6 drivetrain is significantly heavier than a camry?..i haven't run through the numbers, but i thought the whole point of its staggered layout was to develop a V6 compact enough to use in transversely-mounted front-wheel-drive applications, just a single head and set of camshafts driving both cylinder banks...

 

[cokey]

K24, 280whp NA, lighter, better.

yea but how much trq? trq wins most races..

 

[...m...]

K24, 280whp NA, lighter, better.

yea but how much trq? trq wins most races..

...exactly that - what the VR6 loses in high-end revs it makes up with 250 foot-pounds pulling from 2000 RPM...

 

[SweetDaddyD]

....sings a little song....."I know something you don't know...."

And that you should come to LOG29.

 

[...m...]

....sings a little song....."I know something you don't know...."

And that you should come to LOG29.

...you tease...

 

[...m...]

"I know something you don't know...." And that you should come to LOG29.

...so - what's the story, morning glory?..