I have a 6cyl, 200ci, '65 Mustang and I am thinking of an engine swap for a V8. How do I calculate costs?

Answer 1

I suggest building that inline-6 up. be unique. don't build another generic V8 beast. you can easily build that I-6 up to spit out over 400HP, and it'll idle better and have a little more low-end than a comparable V8. also, they're even more durable than the V8s. Does the 6-cyl run now? if so, keep it. build it over a few years. you'll be able to pull 400HP out of it, and believe it or not, get better fuel economy than a V8 at the same time. you wont have to rebuild the suspension to support the extra weight, you wont have to buy new motor mounts, you wont have to get an entire new exhaust system, tho i do suggest finding a longtube header and a 2" pipe for it. if the inline does NOT run now, then you might look into getting a 302, but if it DOES run at the moment, by all means keep it. be unique, nobody else runs inlines anymore. be one of the few that do. another plus if you intend to show it is matching numbers. your car originally came with an I6, if you just build up said engine, it'll score better in a car show than a V8 conversion.

Answer 2

The first question is: is the Mustang currently modified or totally stock?

A compleletly stock Mustang mustang with its original engine is woth far more than a modified one with an aftermarket V-8.

That aside, in 1965, a Mustange chassis for a 6 cylinder used 4 lug wheels; a v-8 used 5 lug wheels, for starters

At a minimum, to convert a straight 6 to a V-8, you would need: motor mounts, radiator, front springs, wiring harness, throttle linkage.

To do the job properly, you would need a 5 lug rear end, 5 lug front spidles or rotors, a transmission (the V-8 used a stronger trans) and possibly a dash cluster.

Figure:

Motor mounts - $45 - $95
Radiator - $200 - $300
Springs +- $85

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Wiring - depends on wether you modify your existing harness or go to a company like Painless - $0 - $125

Throttle linkage - depends on new or used, and source - $30 and up.

As mentioned by a previous answer, hopping up the six is cheaper and far more unique - go to

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

It depends on how far you want to take the swap. At minimum you'll need to replace the front springs and motor mounts. Then buy or build a motor and tranny. You could do it for as little as 2000 if you have the parts laying around. But to do it right you'll be looking at around 5000 big ones minimum.

Answer 4

Add up all of the parts you think you need then multiply that number by two!