Ridiculous engine swaps provide for some of the most beautifully convoluted motor-and-car combinations. Here's ten you identified as the most truly bizarre.
This is Answers of the Day - a feature where we take the best ten responses from the previous day's Question of the Day and shine it up to show off. It's by you and for you, the Jalopnik readers. Enjoy!
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10.) BMW M5 Engine in a Volvo 240
Suggested By: anothervolvoguy
Why It's Bizarre: Just listen to this thing! And watch as the driver almost loses it immediately after starting his run. This is a beast few men good tame, but we're damn glad someone's trying. Also, interestingly, the car in the photo anothervolvoguy submitted is orange, while the one in the video is silver. Does this mean there are two of them? If so, we need to get both of these cars in the same place at the same time, and see if the universe explodes from the awesome.
Photo credit: E46 Fanatics
9.) Mazda Tri-Rotor Engine in a Delorean DMC-12
Suggested By: luisthebeast
Why It's Bizarre: The Delorean came from the factory with a puny 2.8 liter engine, good for a wimpy 130 horsepower in the United States. Some enterprising souls decided that wasn't enough. They swapped it out for a Mazda 20B. While the 1.9 liter motor may be smaller it's been known to put out upwards of 300 horsepower. On the car's website, its 0-to-60 mph time has been noted at 4.5 seconds with a quarter-mile run in the 13s. Not too shabby for a stainless steel block of cheese.
Photo credit: Youtube
8.) Radial Airplane Engine in a Goggomobil
Suggested By: CABEZAGRANDE
Why It's Bizarre: Here it is again, folks, the answer to all of the world's problems. It's everyone's favorite little Goggomobil with a huge airplane engine shoved in the back. 10 liters of awesome, wedged into about four cubic feet of Goggomobil. Four cubic feet of very rapid Goggomobil.
Photo credit: Youtube
7.) Fiero Engine in a Ferrari 308
Suggested By: spiegel1
Why It's Bizarre: I see what you did there. No stranger to irony, this backyard engineer is utilizing what those of us in the biz call "Bait And Switch." See, you're expecting to read about this car on eBay, and assume it's a Fiero with a bodykit. It is only later, once you've taken the bait, that it is revealed that no, it is in fact the body of a Ferrari with the soul of a Fiero (that's the switch). That being said, if this car is something you're interested in, have I got a great deal on a bridge in Brooklyn for you.
6.) Ford SHO Engine into a Lotus Esprit
Suggested By: Chief Pontiaxe
Why It's Bizarre: From the ridiculous to the fantastic, I think this is one of the better swaps out there. And holy mother of god is it loud. The person that dreamed this little slice of heaven up should be put on a pedestal and worshiped, because this car is flat out great. Replace the Esprit's 160 horsepower engine for the SHO's 220? Don't mind if I do!
Photo credit: Youtube
5.) Ferrari V12 in a Jeep Wagoneer
Suggested By: Mazarin
Why It's Bizarre: Once again making an appearance here is Bill Harrah's former 4x4 Ferrari: the Jerrari. Powered by the V12 from either a 365 GT or Daytona (there were two of these creations made) it certainly has more get-up-and-go than the Wagoneer's stock powerplant, though I can't say that I'm a huge fan of the 365 GT front end that's been grafted on to the Jeep's body. Oh well, I guess that means I just won't buy it.
Photo credit: Youtube
4.) Cadillac Northstar V8 in a Volkswagen Mk. II Golf GTi
Suggested By: Scotty_Beezle
Why It's Bizarre: We're curious exactly how they made this fit, but where there's a will there's a way — and this griffinesque VeeDub will kill you so get out of the way. When 2,137 pounds of Golf meet 300 horsepower of American V8 there's a glorious sound. Warning: There is some colorful language in this video while its creators express their joy at what they have brought into the world.
Photo credit: Youtube
3.) Pratt & Whitney J52 Turbojet in a Mercedes 500SEL Limo
Suggested By: Jagvar
Why It's Bizarre: Now, I know what you're saying. That dragster bears just about as much resemblance to a 500SEL as my grandma does to Megan Fox. But that's not the point. The point is that this car has an engine in the back of it formerly belonging to a Navy A-4 Skyhawk. It's been sold since then and repainted, but I'm sure it's no less impressive. Also, if the video doesn't put the biggest grin on your face, you're probably already dead.
Photo credit: Youtube
2.) Jaguar V12 in a Corvair
Suggested By: Nurburgringer
Why It's Bizarre: Unsurprisingly, it took the gentleman responsible for this creating quite a bit of work. Gee, I can't imagine why. Shoehorning a Jaguar V12 into the front of a Corvair can't possibly be that tough, right? Looks like he had to rebuild most of the car, adding Pontiac Tempest parts and custom fabricating other things. But the end result is beautiful, and something to be extremely proud of. Extensive info on the entire build can be found here.
Photo credit: Corvair Corsa
1.) Ferrari V8 in a Nash Rambler
Suggested By: Jokermanpaco
Why It's Bizarre: If you had an extra motor from a Ferrari 360 Modena lying around the house, collecting dust, what would you do with it? Coffee table? Lawn ornament? Cat toy? No, no and no. You put it in the back of your Nash Rambler hot rod wagon, of course! But you do so in such a way that it transcends mere Hot Rodding, and becomes art. This car is beautiful. It won the Riddler Award in 2008, and frankly, if it hadn't I would be mighty peeved. The car's got fitted luggage under the hood where the old engine would have sat, and features an amazing window-opening ventilation system. It's pretty much flawless.