So for an axle + trans + engine, you'd end up at $2750 + fluids. That's beyond nuts. I know I say this in almost every swap thread, but you can literally go buy a running, driving GTP for that kind of money that has those components plus an entire car to go with it.

I got my donor car off the forums (clubgp to be exact). I picked up a totaled GTP with about 60k miles for $1500, and that was 10+ years ago. Other places you can search are ebay, craigslist, local junkyards, and even various W body car forums. Don't limit yourself to what is super local- you should really expand your search. For example, the donor car I bought was in NY, when I lived in IN. I couldn't get a truck + trailer lined up at the same time, so I just drove my 00 Impala out there and put all the parts I needed in the trunk. Upside is that I got all the parts I wanted for cheap, and the previous owner still got a nice chunk of money for scrap value with all the steel left.

If you didn't know already - keep in mind that the Grand Prix GTP is going to be the most abundant source of these engines. No reason to hold out for a S/C'd monte, it's literally the same engine.

$250 for an axle you can build yourself is crazy too. If you get a donor car, it's literally a $15 boot/grease kit + $10 crimp tool. The labor really isn't that hard.

I think $3k is crazy for just parts. I just looked through the local craigslist out here in PHX and found the following in just a few minutes:
-02 GTP, 170k miles, $2800
-00 GTP, 130k miles, $2900
-98 GTP, ? miles, $1700
-97 GTP, 150k miles, <10k on rebuilt enigne $2700
-98 GTP, 175k miles, $2000
-00 GTP, ? miles, salvage title $999

I get that some of this stuff is too high of mileage to swap in, but it's just a matter of finding a car with lower miles with some other major problem (ie totalled / stolen / etc). I don't see how some of these places think they can still charge thousands for these engines when they're a dime a dozen. Plus, you can't really verify mileage anyways on an engine from the scrap yard, so who knows how many miles are really on their "50k" mile engine?


I think a $3k budget for the swap is a good target though- but I really think you need to find a better deal on the engine/trans.


As far as a shop wanting to charge $6k+, that isn't crazy at all- especially if the shop has never done this specific swap before. Some normal mechanic shops are easily $75+ an hour for labor, and they won't even touch custom work- that's stock for stock replacements. Custom shops will charge a good deal of money because they know how labor intensive some swaps can get. They don't want to get halfway into a project and have burned through most of their profit with no end in sight.

If you're trying to save money, why not reuse your stock trans if it's ok? That means a custom PCM tune (custom in that it will need to be reflashed, not in that there is a lot of custom work), but solves your axle issue and gets you better performance from the higher gearing and lighter converter. Then you'd only have to find an engine which should greatly simplify things.

IMO, I wouldn't worry about any of this for now, especially since it sounds like you aren't very experienced with engine swaps on newer engines. I'd get the engine in and running, then worry about modding later. Rather than goof around with a stock airbox, I'd just slap an elbow and a cone filter on the end of the TB and call it good until you get the car running and all the bugs worked out. Sure you could make 0.5 hp by going with some special ducting and airbox construction- but don't let that kind of stuff drag you down on your swap- you're better off to focus on getting it up and running first, especially for mods that are easy down the road like this. Your research time is better spent finding a cheaper / better condition engine.

Now if you were dead set on doing a cam some time later, I guess I might make an exception for that since it is so hard to install later, but besides that - I wouldn't touch anything outside of required maintenance until you get the car up and driving.

 

Thanks for input Chad,i think that clears about everything up that I needed to know about this swap,im Glad I joined this forum or I would've just ended up scrapping the car lol,im just going to sit back for awile and do some interior work until I stumble across a good engine,my transmission has 130,XXXk miles(that I know of) right now so hopefully it will hold up for a little while longer

id just like to do the swap because ive never done anything like it,if I never do it il never know how,

I know I wouldn't be able to do it without if it wasn't for everyone who have gave me the info and knowledge ive gained from here

 

Have a 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix engine and transmision from a 2003 GTP. Supercharged 3800 L67.

Motor and trans has 160,000km.

Can be heard running. Currently installed in a 1989 Cutlass Supreme.

Will not come with any wiring or ECU.

I do have the engine cover

Has following new parts installed:

Oil Pan and Gasket
valve cover gaskets
Upper and lower rad hoses
spark plugs and wires
Axle seals
Motor mount
O2 sensor
Idler pulley x 2
supercharger coupling
intake manifold gasket set
serpentine belt and tensioner
supercharger belt and tensioner
Thermostat


I found this on kijiji.com for $1000 out of an 03 gtp,would this be a good drop in for my 01 monte? I don't know how much 160,000 km is? I go by miles lol

 

Honestly this is about as simple as it gets for engine swaps. Some platforms/swaps have to build custom engine mounts, custom length driveshafts, custom wiring, all sorts of black boxes to make the computers talk to each other, etc.

Our swap physically bolts with very few issues and 99% plugs in also. I think some people just get nervous when they hear the words custom swap- but if you really think about it, this is really almost no worse than just replacing your current engine with the same one. So as long as you're comfortable with what is involved with that, then you're pretty much good to go.

That's definitely a lot more reasonable. 160k km is about 100k mi, so not terrible. Since it has been swapped into something else, I would worry a little that the engine was modded (I would avoid engines where the SC pulley has been swapped without being able to inspect the pistons first)- but that should be easy to find out. As with any 4t65, 100k miles could be good or bad- certainly some last 200k without issues, but many fail earlier. The upside for you if you save your current trans is that one could be your 'backup' in case the other fails.

 

yea the back up trans would be a great idea,and I heard its not good if you drop the pulley size with out checking for knocks,thats what I was worried about to when they said its swapped into something else is if they modded it without inspecting or just ragged it out,alot of people think if you have a supercharger that means you have to go fast all the time