Drop in engine/tranny swaps?

[Kerrigan]

Has anyone done an engine swap with one of the better models of the 2.6L found in the 1980? Like one of those turboed engines?
Be nice to have something without jet valves and balance shafts. Rear end should be okay; they are pretty tough, although I did blow one once due to incorrect setup on a new gear set.

What setup is "easy" to install and hold up under the increased power? I hear our 5-speed is made of butter and eggshells.

[geezer101]

Has anyone done an engine swap with one of the better models of the 2.6L found in the 1980? Like one of those turboed engines?
Be nice to have something without jet valves and balance shafts. Rear end should be okay; they are pretty tough, although I did blow one once due to incorrect setup on a new gear set.

What setup is "easy" to install and hold up under the increased power? I hear our 5-speed is made of butter and eggshells.

The manual transmissions in these aren't that bad but I read somewhere about how some transmissions have hardened thrust plates in them. When the non-hardened plates wear out they can cause the usual issues guys have complained about. The gear sets themselves are actually pretty good when you compare them to 'tried and true' manual transmissions. I'm putting a HP threshold on a non-turbo MT gearbox at about 300. You can break anything if you beat on it long enough...