Engine swap...

[slm987]

Okay! Question for you all, would it be possible to shove this particular engine into a 1972 Karmann Ghia, it has the stock engine and I don't think it's ever been rebuilt, it has a good amount of mileage on it, so I was thinking about swapping it out with this for a massive performance boost, also the transmission is a 3-speed auto-stick, which I don't feel like replacing.

[Marc]

...the transmission is a 3-speed auto-stick, which I don't feel like replacing.

Then you aren't really serious about "performance". Know much about AutoSticks? Unlike a true automatic, there's a compact clutch inside the transmission which is the same size as they used to use on 1200cc engines...and no way to beef it up. You can hop the engine up some, but not that much...and then you'll have to figure out how to get the right vacuum signal off of whatever non-stock carburetion it uses that'll modulate the clutch control solenoid properly.

I once had a `68 `Ghia with a fresh AutoStick and a healthy stock 1600DP; one of my customers had a `66 with a 1600SP (with 1300 small-valve heads) and he could leave me in the dust. Converting that car over to a 4-speed made a huge difference in both performance and the fun-to-drive factor, it was well worth the effort.

[slm987]

So, if the transmission was changed out with a 4-speed, would it be possible? I'm wondering if the engine would fit in the engine compartment, just because it's so large.

[Marc]

A "big" stroker motor isn't necessarily any larger in external dimensions. Pistons which have the wristpin further "up" are used to keep the package width nominal. Ideally, with a stroke any longer than, say, 78mm it's desirable to use longer connecting rods (I'll not go into the reasoning for that right now, it's a subject unto itself) and that can make the engine wider than stock by anywhere from ~½" to a couple of inches. There's plenty of room in a `Ghia engine compartment, it's only the width of the opening that could need some alteration - not all that difficult to accomplish, if you have no qualms about whacking up the body.
While there's some truth to the old adage "there's no substitute for cubic inches" it's also a fact that a huge engine that's built with compromises isn't always better than a well-planned one of somewhat less displacement. I once took the high HP of the day at a dyno contest with an 1879cc engine, against competition that included 2276 and 2332cc motors - don't let displacement alone be your only criterium.
Another thing to consider is that a stock late-model transmission can handle around 150 lb-ft of torque (and even that requires some caution - lots of people can "break a crowbar in a sandbox" and need a beefed transmission with half that much power). If you plan on exceeding that, don't forget to budget a few thousand dollars for a transmission that'll stand up to it.

[sideshow]

https://static.doghouseengines.com/imag ... nkey02.jpg
Just in case you didn't know that has a buggy/off road exhaust system on it. That was designed with no body work/engine compartment in place. So no way that will fit.

Of course a body friendly systems are readily available.

[Marc]

Of course it won't fit with that exhaust system on it. You'd have to butcher the body, and it wouldn't be street-legal anyway. My remarks apply to the engine, assuming the off-road exhaust system was replaced with something more appropriate for a Karmann-Ghia.

[slm987]

The exhaust system was for testing, it's not actually going to be on there, and I think I'm going to replace the transmission with a 4 speed. I'm not planning on butchering the body, in fact, I was going to see if the guy would be willing to make it a bit less flashy, to make it look like the one in there, I want to keep it original looking.