Thread: Swapping a completely different drivetrain?

Hey guys, I don't really post much on here, I don't have a lot of input for people with questions, I just like to read. I am going to start saving up to do a lot of modifications (visually), and audio. Then once I have my car looking the way I want it to, I was hoping to start working on performance.

From everything I have looked at with the 3800 V6 it seems that they aren't very user friendly engines to work on and the transmission for these engines are pretty much useless, and by that I mean I don't feel like rebuilding a trans all that often.

My question is this, has anybody used a completely different drive-train? Like maybe a 4-cylinder/trans from a Dodge SRT-4? Or a Honda setup? (I know, I know, a Honda setup in a Pontiac... insanity) But you all should get my point though right? I want to look into doing something more performance based, easily accessible to parts, a more reliable transmission under much higher HP like in a turbo setup. I understand that custom mounts would be needed, but would there be any major drawbacks to doing this? Something that would just make this completely impossible? I would appreciate the comments very much, please and thank you.

Ok, ok, ok... I may have been misleading with my words... I have read that the 3800 Engine is bullet proof. I agree, I have read that a lot. My main gripe is the transmission, I feel like if I really wanted to go for it all and do a crazy turbo driven, nitrous injected engine, that there isn't a trans to hold it all together, or at least for a long time. Maybe I'm just hoping for too much on all of this? IDK

Bio - What about a complete FWD swap from a different car, like I said before, I meant swapping everything, the engine, the trans to the engine, the axles, the hubs, everything you mentioned. Basically for example, a Dodge SRT-4 that was totaled from the rear end and just take everything under the hood and then some. I know the mounts are all wrong, but could it even be remotely possible? Is the size of our cars just so uncommon that no car would match up size wise and things would just be stupid to line up correctly?

I'm asking this question because my visual mods are going to be very custom once I have the proper funds and when the time comes I want my performance mods to be one of a kind. Something that nobody else has, just different. I don't view paint and a body kit with an exhaust system to be enough, I gotta go the extra mile when I do things. I have to make it my own and I would love to see a grand prix with something completely original under the hood. I don't mind the money aspect, if I have to save up for it then so be it, and I don't mind doing the work. I just want to know if its possible, that's all.

Originally Posted by JoRoW99

do not swap a 4 cylinder into a grand prix, unless you want to make baby jesus cry. if you want, you could try a 5 speed transmission swap, its been done before.

LMAO, very well said, I understand that a 4 cylinder would make people upset, I was just throwing out examples.

You said a 5 speed? Are you saying a manual 5 speed? And if so, do you have a link to someone's page showing this? I would love to see it.

i know exactly what your taking about, i wouldnt mind doing a swap, ive been thinking of doing a swap with a nissan, like a 3.5 or a 3.8 then turboing it

Originally Posted by Bio248

making all the electronics work is going to be the 40000000% hardest part. think custom gauges and wire harnesses.

Uhhhhh oohhh.... You have a very good point. I forgot about the electrical part. That would be insanity. Damn. That might put the nail in the coffin.

Originally Posted by dpzelenak

i know exactly what your taking about, i wouldnt mind doing a swap, ive been thinking of doing a swap with a nissan, like a 3.5 or a 3.8 then turboing it

exactly, thanks for understanding, I just wanna know if its possible, it may take a tons of work, and money, but could it be done with another car, that's all

yea you could do anything to it and make it work, it'll just be very hard, and time consuming to get everything right

Originally Posted by dpzelenak

yea you could do anything to it and make it work, it'll just be very hard, and time consuming to get everything right

very true, but if it worked just how I wanted it to, I would love to see the looks on peoples faces when I pop the hood and I got something nobody has ever seen before. basically I want daily driver reliability with some serious power behind it. I know I could get the power out of the 3800, but would the trans hold up for a long time?

and will this getrag 284 stand the test of time with a lot of power pushing it?

idk about the 3.8 trans because i dont like them, the engine or the trans

yup thats why i like them, and there torquie little motors too,,even bigger plus