LS swaps are so common they've become a cliché. We've seen them in everything from Miatas and classic turbocharged Chevy Suburbans to Suzuki kei cars. That means it's perfectly reasonable to drop the big V8 into its Suzuki-made cousin, this Geo Metro currently for sale on Cars & Bids, right? Wait, what do you mean it won't fit in the engine bay where the 1.0-liter inline-3 used to go? That's okay, just rip out the back seats and put it there instead.
Of course, it's not nearly that simple. The most obvious visual clue that something's not normal about this car is that the rear quarter panels have been completely rebuilt. The larger wheels, sourced from a Cadillac DeVille, have been pushed beyond the rear corners of the car, giving it an awkward raked appearance. Air scoops have been carved into each side to feed cool air into the rear half of the car, which has been sealed off, hopefully keeping any errant fumes from entering the cabin.
While the Metro is a small car, the 5.3-liter LS4 V8 somehow fits back here, as well as the four-speed automatic transmission. This version of the LS almost certainly came from a front-wheel-drive sedan of the early 2000s, like the Chevy Impala or Monte Carlo SS, the Pontiac Grand Prix GXP, or even the Buick Lacrosse Super. GM already solved all the packaging problems of a transverse LS before this swap was dreamed up. Then, all the builder had to do was cut, widen, and reinforce the Metro's body to accommodate the existing drivetrain and subframe, as well as to handle its 303 horsepower and 323 pound-feet of torque. The car originally made just 55 hp, so it likely needed all the help it could get.
So wrong it's right
As part of this build, the cooling system obviously needed to be redesigned, since putting it in front of the engine wouldn't help much in this unique application. A large radiator sits tucked behind the rear bumper, which now looks like a slice of Swiss cheese that allows air to flow through it. Although the car has a recent paint job changing the color to red, the front and rear bumpers remain unpainted, just like the original Metro. There's little original about this LS-swapped Geo (rebadged as a Chevy, like the later Metros were), but somehow that design choice just feels right.
With a V8 stuffed in the rear, the fuel tank needed to move someplace else. The builder took a cue from the VW Beetle, putting the tank in the front of the car where the original engine used to be. This location was good enough for the Porsche 911, and it's a racing fuel cell, so that must make it at least a little bit safe.
If the Ford Fiesta Shogun is too common for you (six examples still survive, and you know Jay Leno isn't giving up his), this one-off mid-engine V8 Geo Metro might scratch the same strange itch, and it is currently for sale on Cars & Bids. While it's currently registered in Illinois, the listing does note that, "Due to the modifications performed to this Metro, it may not pass emissions testing in some states." I have a feeling that anyone interested in a V8 Metro is less interested in emissions and fuel economy than in speed and the absolute awesomeness of a build like this.