i want to put a 350 Chevy into a newer Chevy Cavalier, but still retain the stock look. in other words, I want the ULTIMATE sleeper!!! PRACTICAL OR NOT??  

oh ya its possible. there was a newer cavalier in i think it was superchevy. it didnt have a whole write up on it, just pictures. it was yellow and black and had a big block in it. it was either a 502 or a 454.  

its plenty practical if you have very good fabrication skills.  You'd have to cut out a tunnel for the trans and driveshaft...then fabricate an entire rear suspension for it.  Thats not to mention making the necessary supports for the motor itself.  Figuring out a cooling system will be another challenge as a radiator for a four banger is considerably different from a peformance V8.  If you got the skills, money, and time its plenty practical...but probably not practical for a teenager getting started.

I know of a kville close to where I live...Kirksville, MO...where is your kville?

no prob,

in SUPERSTOCK racing,the main man is FJ SMITH.

www.smithspecialities.com

NOSNERD

I agree with you and I know that you are talking from experience.  You can do anything with a mig welder and a tin bender but most guys like us lack one or the other.  I am kind of the cut to fit then weld it type which makes it hard to get a custom bent piece of tin made right the way you want it.  Custom bent tin from a fabricator isn't cheap either. 

I have no love for Mazdas, but my son's idea of an RX--7 with the Caddy engine would be more realistic because that is a rear wheel drive car.  Still, all the mods to the cooling system, scatter shield, fire wall, and third member have to be considered when doing something like that.  It sounds easy but it really can be a challenge even for someone who has worked on cars for years.

Bowser

I IMAGINE THAT FABBING UP A STEERING SETTUP WOULD BE A BTCH AS WELL, AND ALSO A RWD SPINDLE/SPRING/STRUT ASSEMBLY WITH THE PROPER GEOMETRY TO WORK WITH WHATEVER STEERING ONE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CONJURE UP.  ARE YOU SURE YOU'D REALLY LIKE TO INVEST ALL THIS EFFORT AND $ INTO A CAVALIER?  

Yea - That's what I'm getting at.  By the time you get it done the megabucks spent and time spent won't justify the end product.  My point was also that if you have the MEANS to do a project like this (AKA fabrication equipment and welders in your own personal shop), then OK.  Go for it.  But on top of that you have to have the hands on to do stuff like that.  It sounds easy but it ain't.  There are really way too many better conventional ways to make a "sleeper" if you really want one.  

sorry guys,

that link should have been;

www.smithperformance.com

FYI,Strange make the strut assembly for the front end.

later

NOSNERD

I think we are losing the point here.  I looked at your site and sure - if you have enough money I suppose you can build whatever you want.  That is a nitche - specialty company and I doubt that they are giving their stuff away.  Are they tayloring their business toward hard core racing teams or car crafters like we see here?

The point is if you were just wanting to build the ultimate sleeper there are vastly cheaper and easier ways to do it.  Doing it with a late model Cavalier is going to run you some money just getting the car.  Then you get to modify it with specialty parts that aren't going to help the budget.

Still, your point is well taken.  Maybe the parts are out there.  How much is too much to sink into a project like that?  It's just my opinion, but for someone just starting out with a limited budget, it's probably out of the realm of reasonability.  For someone who is trying to get into the hard core racing circuit, it probably isn't.  Ergo - it's all relative.

Bowser