It shouldn't cost you thousands to engineer a car, unless there is a lot of custom work, and it would have to be a huge amount! Technically if your not engineered your not actually covered by the insurance you pay for, if you read the fine print. It really isn't too hard to get mods engineered if they are not too wild.

You need to see what an engineer says in regards to the ECU, but opting for either a factory unit or one that can be locked will make engineering so much easier & cheaper. There are guys around who have wildly modified car's with aftermarket ECU's & turbo's & cams yet still managed to pass emissions testing & get engineered, but with a fair bit of tune work, and that costs $$$.

My mighty boy turbo will be engineered, i have been quoted less than $1000 with the following mods.

F8b engine transplant - needs to be on current certificate even tho it's already been engineered
Turbo conversion
EFI conversion
Megasquirt ECU (i don't need to pass ADR 27c so it's ok no matter how i tune it)
Modified seat rails
Larger than factory rims & tyre combo
Front mount IC
Suzuki swift Struts
Braided brake lines

The engine swap was only $250 to engineer originally as it was a bolt in replacement, even tho it's almost 50% larger than stock.

Cheers

ToranaGuy

I have to disagree to. The emisions test will cost you the most amount of money not the engineers.
I would rather have an engineers cert if the cops pulled me up then not. They can't hassel you if there is nothing wrong with your car, what are you gunna do when they put your car off the road for illegal mods. Sometimes it doesnt matter how nice you are to them if they are out to put a car off the road they will. And as Torana said read your fine print you wont be covered if they wanna be a***hole about it.