Was hoping if anyone could help me find someone that can custom make retrofit motor mounts to make this project happen! any input would be highly appreciated! I do repairs on Rolls-Royce and Bentley‘s and many other vehicles! Thank you in advance if anyone has any idea of this craziness I’m about to do for this customer who is asking me to do this within a two month period! I don’t think he’s asking for too much lol!
LS3 swap into silver spur
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- ls3 drive train swap
Teddy’s Motorsports
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Sounds like just about every SY, SZ and Arnage that i've run into
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I've had my 1979 SY for 13 years. Within the first couple of years I had to service & reseal the height control valves & solenoid valve and replace the exhaust on one side. Other than that she's given me no trouble but I service it and change all fluids & filters regularly. Apart from fuel cost she really hasn't been much more expensive to run than an ordinary car. Proactive maintenance is the key and regular driving with an occasional long run helps too. No doubt some component will soon fail and challenge my confidence but hey, she's 43 years old and still pretty good looking.
One of the best components of this car is the engine. It will last a half million miles. And they are reliable. Why swap that? I have done a lot of engine swaps but with all of the other issues associated with this one I think it’s insane.
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2,697 Posts
Because the LS engine is probably the best (overall) engine in the world. While I appreciate the RR engine, as I appreciate the Jaguar V12, I also recognize that they have flaws and the cost of rebuild is crippling.
So why? Well how many Rolls Royce are sitting in someone's garage or barn rotting for decades because they're broken?
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59 Posts
Would seem easier to install a nice turbo motor from a rear ended or t-boned 90s Bentley than LS3
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231 Posts
It won't happen in 2 months, period. Too many obstacles.
LS3 swaps are all the rage but what is the end game? A reliable car or a hot rodded Rolls?
Better ways to accomplish both.
Does the owner have emissions regulations to deal with in his state or country?
It would certainly be a Unicorn with no resale value once done.
I'm not trying to be hard on you (just being practical) but having done engine swaps in a previous life if you don't know how or have the ability to make the engine mounts yourself this is not a job you want to tackle.
Engine swaps seem from the outside to be a simple process. They are far from that.
On a Rolls now you are into suspension design and remake, braking redesign, exhaust redesign, emissions qualifications, fuel system design (both liquid and vapor issues). It goes on and on.
The customer would be far better off taking the same amount of money fixing all that's wrong with the basic car .
There is nothing wrong with keeping a good running Rolls motor. They can run forever if properly maintained.
If the motor is bad one is better off finding a good used motor and putting it in the car. That's a big enough job on a Rolls in it self.
If it was an American car you wanted to do the LS swap in I'd say go for it but into a Rolls? You are ;looking down a deep dark hole with that one.
And just as a point of reference - Most inop Rolls are not sitting in garages because the engine is bad They are there for other issues NOT the engine.
LS3 swaps are all the rage but what is the end game? A reliable car or a hot rodded Rolls?
Better ways to accomplish both.
Does the owner have emissions regulations to deal with in his state or country?
It would certainly be a Unicorn with no resale value once done.
I'm not trying to be hard on you (just being practical) but having done engine swaps in a previous life if you don't know how or have the ability to make the engine mounts yourself this is not a job you want to tackle.
Engine swaps seem from the outside to be a simple process. They are far from that.
On a Rolls now you are into suspension design and remake, braking redesign, exhaust redesign, emissions qualifications, fuel system design (both liquid and vapor issues). It goes on and on.
The customer would be far better off taking the same amount of money fixing all that's wrong with the basic car .
There is nothing wrong with keeping a good running Rolls motor. They can run forever if properly maintained.
If the motor is bad one is better off finding a good used motor and putting it in the car. That's a big enough job on a Rolls in it self.
If it was an American car you wanted to do the LS swap in I'd say go for it but into a Rolls? You are ;looking down a deep dark hole with that one.
And just as a point of reference - Most inop Rolls are not sitting in garages because the engine is bad They are there for other issues NOT the engine.
I wouldn’t do it. I have done at least a dozen engine/complete drivetrain swaps and on this car—as your stated—it would be far too complex. And when you are done you’d have something that is worth no more and maybe less than a stock car.
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398 Posts
The one that sold on Bring A Trailer this week went for $23,000 after about $50-60,000 conversion costs and the price of the original car. Seems a lot easier to just buy a good car in the first place.
Boy—No kidding!
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378 Posts
Nope, total cost amounted to $ 82,600 and change :
LS3-Powered 1981 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur
Bid for the chance to own a LS3-Powered 1981 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #65,196.
bringatrailer.com
Good Lord! And I thought the $20K I spent on work for my car to get it to a solid #2-3 condition was a lot!
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2,697 Posts
In fairness, when it comes to these cars, I've seen $20,000 repair estimates on $5,000 cars. It's all relative. Yep someone invented the wheel here and it cost him dearly. The guy who just spent $23,000 on this car is probably going to have a car that he can drive daily within minimal running costs.
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398 Posts
How about the very best late SZ sedan for $35 and $45 for gas and maintenance? 
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