LSX Powaaaaaaaah: 1978 Mercury Zephyr Z7

The Mercury Zephyr (not to be confused with the California Zephyr, British Ford Zephyr or pre-war Lincoln Zephyr) was produced as a sedan, coupe and the uniquely styled Z7 coupe.  The roof treatment is ostensibly an homage to the 1950 Ford Crown Victoria, but looks to us like an El Camino with a truncated truck bed cover.  It is called a 'wrap around roof' but looks more like a gigantic ill conceived B-pillar...which, I'm happy to report, we can forgive because this thing should do a burnout from San Francisco to New York City.  Find this 1978 Mercury Zephyr Z7 offered for $7500 in Farmville, VA via craigslist. Tip from Pushrod.

Reduced Price: 1971 Mercury Capri LSX Turbo

I have to admit that I get easily excited about certain cars -- and the first generation Ford/Mercury Capri is one of those cars.  Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the firebreathing LSX turbocharged Capri from last month did not find a buyer and is now offered for a discounted price.  Find this 1971 Mercury Capri LSX Turbo offered for $10,500 in Rising Sun, MD via craigslist.  Seller submission from John.

Turbocharged LS Swap Monster: 2002 BMW X5 Custom

DT's own Hunsbloger said it best when he wrote: There is no money better spent on a car than the other guy's money. He probably stole that line from somebody else, but it is something to consider when you are looking at a car -- especially a customized monster.  If the last guy dropped $25k on the car and wants $25k, you would be advised to carefully scrutinize the quality of the work -- but if he is asking $12k for that same car...well now you can be a little more forgiving.  It's like buying caviar at the 99Cent store -- just scoop out the moldy parts and savor the good stuff.  Find this 2002 BMW X5 custom offroader with turbo LS swap offered for $12,500 in Shoreview, MN.  Tip from Prashant.

Seller Submission: 1972 Chevrolet C10 pickup LSX

The second generation Chevrolet C/K Pickup (1967-1972) added a number of comfort and convenience items to the basic pickup truck that it replaced.  Time has been good to the C/K series as they were built by the boatload from serious metal -- some have been picked up and restored by collectors, but the vast majority are cheap and rough workhorses.  Find this 1972 Chevrolet C10 pickup with LSX swap offered for $5,000 in Suwanee, GA via craigslist.  Seller submission from Matt C.

21k: Desperante: 1998 Panoz Esperante Race Car

The Panoz Esperante was the Corvette competitor that Ford never built. The American-made two-seat sports car uses a Mustang drivetrain, firewall, Cobra independent rear suspension, brakes, and gauges with a European-grade luxury interior. That interior is gone, as is the excellent Mustang drivetrain. The former is replaced by a fire supression system and twin Recaros. The latter, by a supercharged LS-series V8. Consider it Daniel Craig's take on James Bond: an Ivy League graduate who's just looking for a good, old-fashioned bar brawl. Find this 1998 Panoz Esperante racer for sale in Jefferson, GA for $21,000 via craigslist.

15k: Un-Pimp My Ride: 1978 Datsun 280Z LSX Powered

 Commenter RyanM hit the nail on the head when he commented about the M3 powered 240Z from earlier this week:  In a world where the answer to the engine-swap question always seems to be "LSx", this is a refreshing change. It certainly was a refreshing change to see something like that, but as they say on the TV: we now return to our regular programming.  Find this 1978 Datsun 280Z with Chevy LSX power here on eBay currently bidding for $15,000 reserve-not-met with less than one day to go.

15k: Datsunofagun Can Move: 1978 Datsun 280Z 6.0 LSX Swap

By 1978 the Datsun Z was starting to get heavy with luxury features and slower with emissions requirements, but it was still a decent looking car with nice sounding inline-6 under the hood.  You can pick them up for cheap and nobody is going to lament the loss of the L28E if you are looking for a swap candidate...like this one.  Find this 1978 Datsun 280Z 6.0 LSx Swap offered for $16,000 opening bid (with zero bids) on ebay, located in Denver, CO.