Engine swaps are crazy. Whenever you want to build a project car, this can be an absolute pleasure or your utter demise. All you have to do is take a chassis and drop in a motor that was never meant to be there. However, the results can shock anyone.
There are no rules to guide these swaps. A simple idea can create a wild machine once the engine runs. For your inspiration, this guide lists the 10 best engine swaps that push the limits of what can be done.
Overview
| Position | Swap Name | Donor Engine | Chassis | Notable Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota Corolla with Tacoma Turbo | Toyota Tacoma Turbo | Toyota Corolla | 450+ HP, Beadlocks |
| 2 | Dual-Engine Mazda | 2x Mazda V6 | Mazda MX-3 | Twin Engine Burnouts |
| 3 | S2000 Swapped Scarlet | Honda S2000 F20C | Toyota Starlet | High RPM Screamer |
| 4 | Hayabusa Turbo Smart Car | Suzuki Hayabusa Turbo | Smart Car | 400 HP Tiny Beast |
| 5 | LS7 Destroked Camaro | Chevy LS7 (Destroked) | Chevy Camaro | Lightweight Track Setup |
| 6 | Subaru Swapped Insight | Subaru SVX Flat-Six | Honda Insight | Mid-Engine |
| 7 | 1UZ Swapped Mazda RX-7 | Lexus 1UZ V8 | Mazda RX-7 FC | Quiet but Strong V8 |
| 8 | VK56 Swapped Nissan | Nissan VK56 V8 | Nissan Hardbody | Mean Truck Sound |
| 9 | 2JZ Swapped Saturn Sky | Toyota 2JZ-GTE | Saturn Sky | Long Gearing Pulls |
| 10 | VW Swapped Porsche 944 | Volkswagen 5-Cylinder Turbo | Porsche 944 (968 Conversion) | Budget Viper Vibe |
Top 10 Engine Swaps That Turned Stock Cars Into Absolute Monsters
Without further ado, here are the 10 craziest engine swaps that will really shock you:
1. Toyota Corolla with Tacoma Turbo Engine
This may surprise you, but down in Puerto Rico, the Toyota Corolla is still a very popular chassis for engine swaps. There is one there with a Toyota Tacoma engine that was built with a big Borg Warner turbocharger on it, so it now makes something like 450 horsepower at the wheels.
The car weighs like right around 2,000 lb, if not lighter. Riding in this thing is totally awesome, with the beadlocks and burnout everywhere, and this gives a very cool stance to this tiny little monster as well.
2. Dual-Engine Mazda MX-3
Here is another engine swap that sounds absolutely mad when you first hear about it. This Mazda MX-3 uses two turbocharged V6 engines, the kind you usually find in a Ford Probe or a Mazda MX-6. The car switches between setups.
It runs one engine for drifting and both for drag racing. With both engines on, this thing pushes forward like a rocket. This MX-3 leaves a lasting mark every time it hits the track.
3. S2000 Swapped Toyota Starlet
You would not expect this tiny tin can on wheels to give that raw, visceral feeling of danger. A Toyota Starlet got an S2000 swap that turned it into a rear-wheel-drive screamer.
The car is incredibly light, and when you get on it and rev it to 9,000 RPM, the whole thing squats hard and screams down the road. It is weird to hear that Honda VTEC screams, especially out of the F.S series engine inside this Starlet. The engine was later turbocharged, and it has become much faster now.
4. Hayabusa Turbo Smart Car
Next is the turbo Hayabusa Smart Car known as Milk Jug. Yes, the Hayabusa swap Smart Car is nothing new. It is kind of an Internet legend at this point. But what happens when you build the motor and turbocharge it?
Well, you get this. The first time this car ran, it made somewhere around 300 horsepower to the wheels in this tiny little smart car, compared to the Hayabusa’s factory 190 HP at 9,700 RPM. That was naturally crazy.
After that, it came back for round two after being reinforced with some extra rigidity. Then it was almost 400 wheel horsepower.
It is much scarier and one of the few cars that brings a little sense of arrogance. Without a basic understanding of throttle control, weight transfer, and all that kind of stuff, you would get hurt driving this thing. No ifs, ands, or buts. It is easily one of the craziest cars out there.
5. LS7 Destroked Camaro
Now, this is one swap that can leave your ears ringing in a good way. Under the hood of this Camaro, a destroked LS7 revs all the way to 9,000 RPM. It is not supercharged or turbocharged, just pure, naturally aspirated madness.
The sound is one of the best you could ever hear from a car. Once this Camaro starts screaming, you really never want to get out of it. Out of everything Detroit Speed builds, this one just stays unforgettable.
6. Subaru SVX-Swapped Honda Insight
A Honda Insight with a Subaru SVX engine sitting in the back. How crazy is that? So this thing isn’t just about the swap—it runs with a mid-engine layout.
The team that did this pulled this off on a super low budget and still managed something wild. They started with a cheap Honda Insight, tracked down an SVX, which isn’t the easiest car to spot, and dropped its motor in the rear. It drives like absolute chaos. A lot ot it is stripped and there’s no windshield, either.
7. 1UZ-Swapped Mazda RX-7 FC
Next is an RX-7 FC running a 1UZ swap; that’s the V8 pulled from a Lexus, and it actually fits into the bay cleaner than expected. You’d think the whole swap would be a mess, but it settles in like it belongs there.
The sound drops that rotary whine, and at idle, it barely whispers. But the second you push the gas, that tone flips, and the car responds instantly.
On the street, it behaves like any other sleeper, with no loud exhaust or rattly idle. But once you pop the hood and catch that Lexus lump under there, you know it’s something else. The power delivers smoothly and comes through with solid control right to the pavement.
8. VK56-Swapped Nissan Hardbody
Next is a Nissan Hardbody that’s been fitted with a VK56 pulled out of a Titan. The engine fills the bay and then some, and once it comes alive, the sound punches hard.
You see this clean, modest truck pull up, and nothing about it screams wild. But then you hear that deep growl, and everything flips. Hit the throttle, and the torque hits fast while the rear fights for grip.
There’s no fancy look to it, but the swap transforms it into something you wouldn’t expect from a small pickup. Every bit of the power stays raw, and when you’re behind it, the setup brings out exactly what you came for.
9. 2JZ Swapped Saturn Sky
This list couldn’t go on without a 2JZ swap, and this time, it’s a Saturn Sky with this motor in it. Many motorheads think of 240s, RX-7s, or Supras, but this one is a bit different.
It runs a T-56 manual transmission, and the gears in this setup stretch way longer than usual. Once the car shifts into second or third, it just holds on and revs.
The fourth gear doesn’t make sense on the street. The sound blasting from the center exhaust is just crazy. The entire build shows nothing but care, from the fit to the way it moves, so yeah, the 2JZ swap Saturn is one of the weirdest ones out there.
10. Porsche 944 with Volkswagen Five-Cylinder Turbo
The last is a Porsche 944 that went through a 968 conversion and ended up with a five-cylinder engine out of a Volkswagen Passat.
The turbo setup on top takes it somewhere else entirely. The engine alone costs around $300, but the rest of the swap kit is where your money really is. Once it fires, it sounds absolutely glorious, even with the cheap motor. Think of a cross between a Viper and a Huracán, but on a budget.
Conclusion
The best engine swaps don’t follow any rules. You’ve seen how wild they can get. It’s not about how flashy the car looks; it’s about what’s under the hood and how it all comes together.
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