Originally posted by deevergote
I paid $1750 for my swap labor... $2400 for the swap. Honestly, doing the work yourself if you have a garage (or at the very least a paved driveway and a weekend to dedicate to it!) it's not hard. Paying to have such a straightforward swap done is a waste, once you know how easy it really is! I kick myself every time I think about that money. $1750 is a full valvetrain and a set of nice cams!
Anyway, $3500 WILL NOT give you a 500hp F22. I know guys with built H22s that have well over 10 grand in their motors that are making about 400. Over 300hp the power isn't really that great anyway... traction issues become major issues beyond that point. $3500 willl get you a good turbo setup (not a DSM kit) and maybe some midrange rods and pistons... forget about paying for installation in that budget. Then you have to worry about electronics, tuning, and transmission parts (as 85gts stated already, your auto will not like the power made by turbo...) Plan on about $1000 plus your own wrenching for a 5 speed swap.
If you get the full H22 changeover from www.hmotorsonline.com, you're looking at about $2400 shipped (what I paid to NJ from CA, so I assume it's similar elsewhere). If you're in CA and can pick it up yourself, you can knock $200 off of that price. Now, with the full changeover, you get the axles, shift linkage, ECU, and a lot of other things. Then all you need to do is source the pedals, clutch master and slave cylinders, and (not necessary, but useful) a 5 speed gauge cluster. You'll probably also need to find a shifter and 5 speed center console (junkyards are full of our cars these days). For less than $3500, you can have a full 5 speed H22 powered CB7, as long as you do the work yourself! If that $1000 swap price was including the 5 speed conversion... then I would MAYBE say that's a good idea. The 5 speed swap isn't very difficult I'm told, but I hear it's rather frustrating. "pain in the balls" I think was the phrase cp[mike] used when describing it to me one day!
The H22 will give you stock reliability, and with a couple thousand more you can really make it scream (get some headwork done, add a valvetrain, some performance cams... LSD for the transmission... a good header and exhaust) Meanwhile, the extra 60-75hp will hold you over
Turbo isn't bad, but don't expect to make crazy power with it. If you want turbo in a budget, look around here for the DSM setup (search DSM* and you'll find tons of info!) With a 14b turbo and some cheap used parts, you can make over 200hp to the wheels. With a t3/t4 turbo (that's going beyond the basic DSM setup) you can make 250 to the wheels with stock internals... However, unless you build or swap your tranny, you won't be going anywhere fast for very long.
So... again... best bang for your buck? DSM turbo or nitrous (don't discount the juice!). A turbo build WILL prove to be far more expensive than you plan, however. H22 auto is probably the easiest and most reliable.
It's a matter of preference in the end. With careful planning and lots of research, you can make either setup work well for you.
Anyway, $3500 WILL NOT give you a 500hp F22. I know guys with built H22s that have well over 10 grand in their motors that are making about 400. Over 300hp the power isn't really that great anyway... traction issues become major issues beyond that point. $3500 willl get you a good turbo setup (not a DSM kit) and maybe some midrange rods and pistons... forget about paying for installation in that budget. Then you have to worry about electronics, tuning, and transmission parts (as 85gts stated already, your auto will not like the power made by turbo...) Plan on about $1000 plus your own wrenching for a 5 speed swap.
If you get the full H22 changeover from www.hmotorsonline.com, you're looking at about $2400 shipped (what I paid to NJ from CA, so I assume it's similar elsewhere). If you're in CA and can pick it up yourself, you can knock $200 off of that price. Now, with the full changeover, you get the axles, shift linkage, ECU, and a lot of other things. Then all you need to do is source the pedals, clutch master and slave cylinders, and (not necessary, but useful) a 5 speed gauge cluster. You'll probably also need to find a shifter and 5 speed center console (junkyards are full of our cars these days). For less than $3500, you can have a full 5 speed H22 powered CB7, as long as you do the work yourself! If that $1000 swap price was including the 5 speed conversion... then I would MAYBE say that's a good idea. The 5 speed swap isn't very difficult I'm told, but I hear it's rather frustrating. "pain in the balls" I think was the phrase cp[mike] used when describing it to me one day!
The H22 will give you stock reliability, and with a couple thousand more you can really make it scream (get some headwork done, add a valvetrain, some performance cams... LSD for the transmission... a good header and exhaust) Meanwhile, the extra 60-75hp will hold you over
Turbo isn't bad, but don't expect to make crazy power with it. If you want turbo in a budget, look around here for the DSM setup (search DSM* and you'll find tons of info!) With a 14b turbo and some cheap used parts, you can make over 200hp to the wheels. With a t3/t4 turbo (that's going beyond the basic DSM setup) you can make 250 to the wheels with stock internals... However, unless you build or swap your tranny, you won't be going anywhere fast for very long.
So... again... best bang for your buck? DSM turbo or nitrous (don't discount the juice!). A turbo build WILL prove to be far more expensive than you plan, however. H22 auto is probably the easiest and most reliable.
It's a matter of preference in the end. With careful planning and lots of research, you can make either setup work well for you.
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