The most ultimate and expensive part of a project car is usually the engine. But before you build your engine, take a look at what popular swaps might suit your car. For the ultimate build, people are not just building the engines given to them with their cars; they're doing a swap and building on top of that. These days the import scene knows no bounds. Tuners are doing swaps with engines from different chassis manufacturers and some are even going with domestic engines. Here are the top 10 swaps based not just on engine performance but also on the popularity of the swap. If it were up to just engine performance it would easily be just the three biggest engines on top. Whatever you decide is the right heart transplant for your car, there's nothing like having a more powerful, high-tech engine swap.
Honda B-Series
These engines were offered in all Civics and Integras in Japan. But here in the US, they only came in Integras and two different model Civics. And since the motor was available here, it made it that much easier for California residents to CARB-approve their swap. Just the sheer number of tuners that have done this swap make it the most popular swap of all time. With all the aftermarket products available, making over 200whp N/A or 300whp with a turbo is child's play. Realizing how easy it is to build a Honda B-series engine, other makes such as the older Lotus Elise S1 and Mini Cooper have found a way to do the Honda heart transplant.
Specs: 4-cylinder 1.6 to 2.0L, DOHC VTEC
Power: 160 to 200 hp
Engine Cost: $1000 to $3000
Originally With: Honda Civic EG/EK, Acura Integra DA/DC
Easy-Fit Cars: Acura Integra AV, Honda Accord CA, Honda Civic EA/EF
Custom-Fit Cars: Mini Cooper, Lotus Elise S1/S2, Lotus Exige S1/S2
Mount Kits: Arizona Race & Machine, Avid, HASport, Innovative Mounts, Mini Tec, Sun International
Nissan SR20DET
You'd have to be a hermit not to have heard of the SR20. Nissan offered this potent 4-cylinder in naturally-aspirated and turbo form. The motors also came as both transverse (FWD) and longitudinal layout (RWD), making them a candidate for so many different types of cars. Over the years, Nissan added VTC and then even Neo VVL to keep the motor up-to-date with technology. Just a few bolt-ons and you can easily have over 300whp on a SR20DET. The Nissan Pulsar/Sunny GTI-R even came with a set of factory individual throttle-bodies to make things even more interesting. We've seen the SR in everything from Toyota Pickups to Mazda RX-7s.
Specs: 4-cylinder 2.0L, DOHC Turbo, VTC, Neo VVL
Power: 140 to 245 hp
Engine Cost: $1000 to $4000
Originally With: Nissan Sentra SE-R, Nissan 200SX, Nissan NX, Infiniti G20
Easy-Fit Cars: Nissan 240SX, Nissan Altima
Custom-Fit Cars: Datsun (RWD), Mazda RX-7, Mazda Miata, Nissan trucks, older Toyota (RWD)
Mount Kits: JSP Fab, McKinney Motorsports