355 F355 GTS no engine or gearbox

I'm in the swap engines with another car camp myself not the 355. BUT Lots of people (mostly boomers) spend 150K to build a Pontiac worth 50K. For many it is not about the destination its about he journey. Not everyone gets that I suppose and its understandable. I suspect opinions on the subject of engine swap are ones personal opinion which may be their truth but ones truth is not always someone else's truth let alone the truth. We don't need to understand it only the builder need to understand it I imagine.

 

What about a 360 upgrade with manual gearbox, maybe enough in common ancillary components and connections to actually make it easy.

 

Will you be doing the swap work yourself or will be hiring someone to do it when the time comes?

is the entire project wanting to be complete under $20k? Or you don’t even want to even spend close to that?

 

I think using a Ferrari motor is the issue. Cost was a factor I think. If one were to use a Ferrari motor may as well put the 355 motor back in. You can get a used LS1 for VERY cheap

 

A few thoughts I just cant go without saying on this topic. We are all entitled to our own opinion, and I agree exactly how Eric said it above.

The car was crashed and bought back, and doesn't have the original engine or box in it anymore. To most it will never be worth too much money in the eyes of the Ferrari purists, and most who want to buy a Ferrari. I would look at it exactly how you are looking at it. You have a "FREE" chassis sitting outside that is an incredibly engineered well performing chassis with a badge that cant be denied. The rear cradles can be found pretty cheap and easily, so modifying one isn't that big of a deal and the car can always be taken back to original if desired down the road. I would love to be in your position. You can put something in there that never needs an engine out service and still maintains a screaming pitch. LS engines with 180 degree headers or 8 into 1 sound amazing. There are tons of adapters available for different engine trans packages for cheap as well. It's your car, put in whatever you want that you can afford, drive the **** out of it, and enjoy it.
My only real personal opinion would be to maintain a v8 of some sort

 

Turbo STI engine with unequal length headers and GT30 turbo. 500 reliable HP for almost nothing money wise and a ton of room to work.

 

Personally although I wouldn't touch this project for love nor money, I really hope the OP does because it's going to be the best train wreck I've read about in years.

Getting a third party engine/transmission into the rear tubular frame (or alternative) is going to be no mean feat. This idea will either fail to launch or it'll end up costing more than a replacement 355 engine is worth.

Oh and I'd also debate the 355's chassis is "brilliantly engineered". Even by 90's standards it was just OK. Beautiful yes, but brilliant? Not really. The engine on the other hand... That's the story. It's a peach.

I'm curious how many of you chaps have actually done any engine conversions or know much about car building? There's a lot going on, it's not as easy as bolting an engine and gearbox in.

There may also be chassis damage that's yet to be unveiled and who knows what other issues yet to be discovered. This is a job to be undertaken by people with deep pockets and deep passions, not somebody who simply wants to get a crashed Ferrari back on the road cheaply.

Sorry I really don't want to sound negative but I just can't see this being a good idea.

But please do it, and report back often

 

But is it though?

 

Assuming the OP is going to start a train wreck of a project with knowing nothing of his background or ability is just short sited. Is an engine swap a bolt in ordeal? Yes sometimes it can be. Will this one? No. That doesn't change the OP's potential to make it happen and be something awesome that he enjoys. He has a gifted Ferrari chassis. Possibilities are endless.

I don't think anyone would call an engine swapped Ferrari a train wreck if it was taken to pikes peak and broke a record or similar. The other hill climb 355 that's linked earlier in the thread is incredible. I would do this in a second if in the same position without a single care.

Do it!!!

 

I totally agree

 

I wouldn’t expect the cost of making any other respectable drivetrain work properly being less than putting a used 355 drivetrain back in.

Would be fun to piss off the purists though.

 

You mentioned the sentimental value because you drove this car back in the day. It would only make sense to me to put the Ferrari engine back in, as that is what really makes a Ferrari what it is. Imagine how many times you would have to explain to people that does not have an original engine, and then see that look on their face. At least when someone sees a Fiero kit car, they know right away what it is, but when you pull up with a 355 bodied car you will see a different reaction. But if any of that doesn't matter go ahead and put anything in it and have fun with it.

 

Its the opposite "I think". The american car crowd would love a Chevy powered Ferrari I suspect. Tell them its a Ferrari with a Ferrari motor and they go pffft, stupid highbrow. Tell them its a Ferrari with a Chevy motor and they will talk to you all day. You would get far more love with an LS powered 355 than an actual 355 all day everyday I would wager. I could be wrong but I don't think so.

 

Also have we discussed just how crashed this car was to be written off back when body parts were readily available?

How crashed is it? I assume it's not been repaired as he was breaking it for parts.

Might just want to sell it as is and someone would be interested in breaking it up.

 

That is a great point. Post some pics of the car as it is!

 

The body has been repaired - see post 1 ("I had a friend who works as a body repair guy fix the damage with a bit of jigging as well").

 

Engine swaps into ferraris don't get much love around here and its understandable. But given a (free) rolling chassis as a blank slate to create a mongrel/hot rod/exotic is interesting.

If you have the ability or very close buddies who will work for beer it could be a fun and challenge (in a good way project). If all you can do is write checks, then yes you will be upside down very quickly and the best thing to do is find and engine/trans from a wreck and bolt it up....You will be time and $ ahead. That being said if you do have time and ability to do much of it yourself IMO the key would be at least starting with a 355 gearbox. That way you don't have to reverse engineer half shafts/suspension/ suspension geometry/etc. You don't have to bodge up the interior/center console. Adapting enignes to gearboxes is done all the time, leaving properly mounting the engine, cooling and exhausts as your biggest remaing obstacles.

There are many interesting and well done swaps into ferraris out there, Turbine into a TR, longitudinal SBC into 308's, SBC transverse on top of a OEM 308 gearbox, 454 BBC into a 308 for bonneville salt flats, LS into a 360 and many more we have not heard of. The key is to do it cleanly and properly, no zips ties and shortcuts. IMO part of the appeal of a project like this is to piss off the traditional F snob. I've been a long time owner and appreciate a ferrari as OEM, but I also appreciate the outside the box thinking and skillful thinking and talent it takes to do something like this well

 

https://www.lsxmag.com/news/swap-insanity-ferrari-360-gt-powered-by-1000-horsepower-ls-engine/

 

The most intriguing swap idea mentioned is the Audi V10 swap.

Extra bonus points for doing an AWD conversion. It aint happening for under $20k, though.

 

Well said!

I’ve seen many people put more in than the vehicle is worth building ‘classic’ American muscle cars. For them it is the journey and building the vehicle they want.

Not everyone considers resale value as much as others.

Sounds like this car means more to him from a sentimental point of view, and that is hard to put a euro, pound, or dollar to.


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app

 

You said money was a large factor,
Create a click-bate YouTube channel, install an ls7 in the 355 documented over several dozen videos. Make a several hundred thousand dollars in ads then buy a 458 instead.

On the other hand, I've seen 355 gearboxes for sale here for like 3k, and motors on eBay around 9 or 10k

Realize a salvaged 355 once restored will only be worth a tad more than a salvaged 355.

 

The exact reason it should be enjoyed. This type of car is the most fun. You'll never feel guilty for driving it too far, or scared to drive it to the store and get a door ding.


This prime example of an engine swapped Ferrari. Seems people are getting too wrapped up in whats "right and wrong" without being able to have an open enough mind for what could be.

https://engineswapdepot.com/?p=56087

 

I only know of one Franken-Ferrari project. It's a 355 engine , gearbox, and cradle into a 308 chassis cut to look like a GTO. There is now a second or third mechanic on the project and he's never done a Ferrari 355 engine before. The first mechanic was a hack and a cheat. It was a rolling disaster, and has become a rolling unfinished disaster that costs a lot of money.

All this is meant to say, you will need an overall expert mechanic fabricator modifier, not just anyone. And you also need a lot of money. How much it is worth to you at the end is your business.

I, personally, like things stock because somebody else has already solved all the problems for you. Why create new ones?

 

As Mitchell has stated I never find these projects too be cheap unless you do not add up all your costs, or it ends up being a hack
I still think in the long run it’s cheaper to put a used original engine and tranny in.
You won’t have the expense of cutting, fabricating, and the worry if you do take it up to 180 it flies apart.

 

The 348/355 are probably the most difficult to do an engine swap on unless you use their gearboxes. Being transverse if you use any other normal type transaxle the driveshaft outputs will be way to far back to match the existing wheelbase/hubs/wheelarches etc. The 348/355 has the exact same wheelbase as the F40, which uses a conventional transaxle, and which is also why the first two banks of cylinders on a F40 are in the cockpit behind the drivers seat, which on a 348/355 is where the fuel tank is

Then you have the added problem that the 355 has no conventional flywheel behind the crank, so as well as an engine to gearbox adapter you would also have to fabricate a joint which sends the power directly to the 355 gearbox rather than the normal flywheel/clutch set up of any alternative engine used.

Even if the OP could do all the work himself, which looks doubtful given he is on her asking advise then the cost of components/fabrication alone would exceed the cost of just buying and fitting a 355 engine and box.

Electric is probably the only real alternative if you could find a suitable donor, but again would cost more than just refitting the correct engine and box.

The real world option is to sell it and buy another car you like.

355 engine and box in the UK is going to be £10k min then another £5k to rebuild both as they will be knackered and then probably another £5k to get it all installed and working.