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Engine swaps aren’t as cool as they were even a decade ago. That’s not to say they’re dumb, but I think you’ll agree that some are played out at this point. In a sea of LS and K-series swaps, few jobbies get me excited. I think the most surefire way to build an interesting car these days is to look outside the automotive sector.
That’s why I’m asking: What non-car engine would you put in your vehicle?
This question came to mind while thinking about that Kubota diesel-powered Honda Insight we featured yesterday. It’s slow, sure, but I’ll be darned if it isn’t sick. And it has a supercharger? Come on.
I kinda like the idea of putting tractor engines in automotive applications. I’ve written about a few over time, which have convinced me that if I ever lose my mind and actually do this myself, I’d swap a big-displacement diesel four-cylinder into my ’95 Ford F-350. It’s already slow thanks to the 7.3-liter Power Stroke, so I’m used to that. I’d be all for better fuel mileage, which has me thinking about a John Deere 4045HF. That’s a 4.5-liter inline-four that this person swapped into their ’69 GMC, and it still makes up to 170 hp. That obviously isn’t much, but hey, it’d be a cool conversation starter.
Tell me what hair-brained ideas you have for your daily or project car. I’ll be hanging out in the comments until it’s time for me to sign off!
