IMHO, if you have to ask others about whether an engine/trany swap is possible in a 308, then you do not have the ability to complete a project of this caliber. If you did have the ability, you would have already measured the engine bay/frame, figured out offsets, weight of replacement engine/trany, drive-line options, suspension, ignition, fuel requirements, computer, wiring harness, trany linkage, exhaust system, power to weight ratio of a 308 powered by said engine, so forth and so on... I have many engine swaps under my belt, from a 351 in a Ford Pinto, to a 427 in an Opel GT 1900. It's just my opinion, But.... If you are wanting a fuel efficient car with an automatic transmission, and love the looks of the 308, Then buy a Honda civic, or a Geo metro for your everyday car, and drive the 308 on the weekend.
I figured it out! This is "Ricky" from ferrarlist fame! Hey, how's the "half a Mondial" project coming along???? Dave
I think a Hyundai or Yugo engine would fit nicely, you would get maybe 35mpg and parts are plenty at the $1 pic a part yard, if your main concern is milage I'd recommend a diesel engine such as from a VW Rabbit, you would get at least your 45mpg, but it may smoke a tad when you punch it.
The only thing this guy punches is er, well lets just say it has nothing to do with driving. What a tool. Pete
Well, the only "old-school" autobox-equiped Ferrari was the 400/412 series. It used a GM automatic, but this only is good for North-South front engine installations, not transverse mid-mounted like the 308. You could go through great expense to fit an Olds Toronado drivetrain in there, although it would be tight... Maybe substituting the large Toro' engine for some smaller GM derivative.
Alfa Romeo 155 (v6)/156 (v6)/164 engine and gearbox ... drop straight in and atleast it is a great engine. In all seriousness, and by passing my view of you as a Tool, the suggestion by others to by a replica is very valid. If you purchased a really good quality replica then you would get the limited things that you like about the car, ie. style and body shape. That is the concept of a replica, all the looks without the expensive driveline. The thing about it though, is everybody else likes Ferraris because of their engine ... a Ferrari minus the engine would just suck, so you are well and truly in the minority and IMO confused. The engine in a 308 is very, very simple and should not give any great maintenance concerns ... only a simple v8 with 2 valves per cylinder ... infact based on 2 x FIAT 124/125 engines. Good luck to you, but you are wasting your time, a good car (although you have owned it, so probably a piece of **** by now) and if you do the conversion ... guess what you will have effectively a replica and look like a tool as you drive around and the maintenance effort of this conversion (as 95% of engine conversions are never as well done as a manufacture installation with an R&D department and all their resources) will probably be more than looking after the original engine. Pete
Hello. I am the guy building the Northstar V8 powered Toyota MR2. I would give my left and right nutsons for a 308... You can use a GM V engine with the Cadillac / Pontiac 4T80E transaxle. It is computer controlled. Use this tranny controller http://www.powertraincontrolsolutions.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=4 You can use steering wheel buttons to shift the trans. Much faster than shifting by hand with a stick. You know I preach to my 16,000+ members on the Toyota MR2 club that doing weird projects like mine are for fun. Don't let the purests that think Japanese cars are the be all end all of the car world. But when I saw the post about swapping in something of another make into a Ferrari I had chills. Not good ones. I can sorta see your reasoning, that it is only a 308. But man... it is a Ferrari. Rape a Honda NSX... they are dime a dozen and look okay fixed up.
This is an outsider looking in but I'v always thought that the design of the Ferrari was only part of the experience (the other parts being a Ferrari engine, and the experience of driving a car with both of those ingredients). Anyway, even though I think it'ed be alittle on the wimpy side I, personally, would much rather see the car go auto before I'd see it go nudered.
Bill Strong, i love the mr2, i have had a few of the old 85 to 89 models and 2 of the 91 -95 turbos. great cars. welcome to fchat! your MR2 mod project is very cool! as far as molesting a 308 , i say ban the troll. you (black beauty) come on a Ferrari site full of owners and ask crap like this. TROLL TROLL TROLL.
Folks... do you really think blackbeauty's still reading here? After getting completely bashed? If he was a troll he'd still be playing along on a regular basis, but he was merely someone that had an off-beat idea, and now, if it should ever come to pass, we'll never get to see the pics because he was chased off. I know many of you would say "good, I'd never want to see that" but I think it would be interesting. Heck, if my 308 ever pushed me to a major engine repair, I might find an alternate driveline, too; just like Bob Norwood!
I'm only brainstorming. It'll take more than a few pot-belly, trophy wife having, inherited all their money, old 40 + year olds to get rid of me. I can take it. I'm a newbie, I'm young & I know it was blasphemy to ask the question, but I don't care. I'm here for the knowledge, not the wisecracks from old farts.
I do not have a pot belly. I do not have a trophy wife. I did not inherit money I way under 40. You however, are still an ass
Jake, I am none of what you describe above, PERIOD. 1. You need to learn the difference between transverse and linear drive train application. Rarely will you find a linear layout that will work in a midengine/transverse car so forget about automatics out of any car with a linear layout. 2. Look in the dictionary for the definition of the word practicality. 3. If all you looking for is knowledge then try learning from those "old farts" on this site. You are leaving yourself wide open for ridicule and you are coming off like a punk. 4. Grow up. 5. Ask Rob Lay for Gary Green's I.P. address. You two have a lot in common.
Your original question was, "Is it possible to put an automatic transmisiion in a 308?" The answer is yes. Almost anything is possible if you throw enough money at it. In this case one would call it "STUPID MONEY".
Your profile is not very complete and you are brand new on here, so I would love to see some pictures of your Ferrari and find out what it's chassis # is, before giving you advice. Since you're not a paid subscriber on FChat and can't post photos, just email me a picture and I'll be happy to post it on here for you. My chassis # is 46189
I think Napolis is on to something here. Tie that into a strong stereo that belts out engine sounds and you have a winner.
Hmmm. Well, so much for giving you the benefit of the doubt. Do you really think anyone's going to help now that you've thrown that feces around?
I thought you needed a brain to brainstorm? Why don't you brainstorm on how you can make more $$ than your Taco Bell job pays so you can actually afford a Ferrari as opposed to needing to put a golf cart motor in it so you can afford to drive and pose in it? I am really insulted now, making fun of our trophy wives and mistresses, wait tell I tell the guys this at the Country Club, and the proper wording is Trust Fund not inherited.
