Easiest engine/tranny swap?

[TG]

Picking up a 1995 SHO this weekend to put my 1994 engine in. The 95 engine is wasted but they said the tranny is good. My 94 engine and tranny are fine.

What would be easiest to do? Swap just the motor, the motor and tranny or the whole subframe assembly?

 

[93redATX]

When you say 'easy', I hope you know what you are getting yourself into. While the engine is out of the car, you may as well perform any maintenance that needs to be done as well, since it would obviously be much easier while the car isn't in the way

Assuming you aren't trying to go from an ATX to an MTX or vice versa, it won't be too difficult (if you've the tools, knowledge, and garage to do it in). Swapping the entire subframe would probably be the easiest thing to do, but you will have to remove more components that way. The absolute easiest way to get it out is to get the car on a lift, get a cart/table on wheels under the front of the car, and loosen the subframe bolts. The whole assembly will fall right onto your table for you. Of course, don't forget to first disconnect everything, including the top 6 nuts for the suspension (3 on each side).

If you can't do it the way described above, just take the engine out the top. No matter how you look at it, though, it's not a quick and easy job.

 

[TG]

I've done engine swaps on different FWD cars, just not a SHO. Swapping the whole subframe sounds like the easiest.

 

[93redATX]

I've done engine swaps on different FWD cars, just not a SHO. Swapping the whole subframe sounds like the easiest.

OK, good. At least you have an idea of what you are doing then

Yes, if you've got the access to a lift, swapping the whole thing would be easier. If you don't, though, you'd have to find a way to lift the car off of the subframe after it has been unbolted.

Either way, it's not exactly a difficult task, just can be very time-consuming. Pulling the motor out of the top isn't that hard either, just involves more work. Are these MTX SHO's or ATX's?

 

[TG]

The totalled one with the good drivetrain is a 1994 ATX. The transplant candidate is a 1995 ATX.

The 1994 can't be saved so I could just cut and hack whatever to make the removal job easier. Maybe I should just cut everything away from the subframe.