Quick question hope some one can help. Not a neon owner but my friend totaled his from the back in still turns on im sure engine and tranny is still good. I was wondering if we could swap out his engine and have a direct bolt on to like a 99 neon or would a newer neon be easier? Was hoping for a little older one since they are cheaper we are trying to save much money as possible . But I mean we probably will be willing to get a newer one if it would be that much easier . So if someone knows about how much money would we be spending trying to do this swap? Thanks for your time hope someone can help!

 

This would have been better in the Neon forum, since they swap the motors more often but I can answer it to the best of my knowledge. You can swap into a 1gn as well as a 2gn. The swap into the 2gn is easier because the platforms share the same engine mounting points and general body construction. Swapping into a 1gn (95-99) is much more difficult because everything needs to be fabricated. The other issue is the instrument cluster needs to be swapped with the motor, and that means a dash change on a 1gn (not easy....at all from what I've seen).

You can find 2gn neons for under $1,000 if they have blown motors and such. Search around your local craigslist and I'm sure you'll find one. The 2gn (2000-2005) will provide a much easier platform for you to work with and save you money in the long run.

 

you would probably end up spending more than u think.

but heres a link say u get a cheap 2001 neon.

this would be the easy way to go and thats what im going to do on my 04 neon.

http://www.srt-4store.com/index.php?page=swaps

 

That place has done one swap, and that car's install had more problems with it than you care to know. Take it somewhere reputable.

*Edit* Not to mention there are people who ordered stuff months, and some over a year ago, that still have not recieved their products.

 

i read a while back a place that was doing these swaps on a regular basis for somewhere around 5k. hunt the net, there are many who have done the swap. and yes, its MUCH harder to swap into the 1st gen, but have seen it done. a 2gn would be much easier for the reasons already stated. i want to say 02 and up was easier for some reason, but its been a while since i read bout any swaps.

 

00-02 are more difficult/expensive for the fascia swaps. 03-05 are easier as they already have the headlights and taillights. But as for the engines they all had the 2.0L or the Magnum, so there wasn't much difference between the two in that department. Basically all the same parts from 2000-2005 on the regular neons.

 

so what kind of things went wrong on the swap that they did that u know of.
just wondering.

 

sorry to bump this but i needed to put some info out there

the 2000 neon is the hardest because its using a cable clutch and when you swap the T850 tranny its using the same holes from the hydrolic clutch that is used in 01-05 2gns. Which means that you have to some fab work on the firewall because the holes dont match up