Don Nguyen

When I saw the light. It was dark times before that.

vweater1369

After reading and watching this: The Zero ***** Given RX7 Is Better Than Any Car You'll Ever Own

A V8 RX7 is in my future.

Gommit87

Ok first,

LOL to VWeater ^ seen that video way too much recently


My story is a weird one. Rode in a friends FC at an AutoX about 4 years back. Wanted an S5 FC for the WORST WAY for a few years but fell in love with the FD. Then, rode in an LS1 FC, and was just mind blown. Fastest times of day all while never gaining traction. It was absolute corruption. I started lurking on norotors, found a few FC's but my friend never put up his side of the cash (we wanted to split 50/50)

Last year, after lurking norotors for well over 2 years, I found a gem. Stupid cheap for a shell with all the swap parts, minus engine/trans. I snagged it with the plan to lowball, but it was so clean and the interior was so immaculate I just couldnt bring myself to offer any less. I had no stock parts, so there was no point to go back to rotary world. It would have cost more money than the LS1 swap. Now, Im looking at swapping to an LS3 next year
This car just puts the biggest ****-eating grin on my face every time I see it or drive it. It turns heads everywhere I go, and Ive kept it true to its nature of a menacing track beast...
For me it will never be a straight line car, and I like to think Ive just upped the ante as far as it being a competitive track car.
/end rant lol!

digitalsolo

iTrader: (2)

Please don't build one like that one.

vweater1369

I've actually wanted one for years but settled on a DSM for a while. Now that the Tsi is sold, and I saw that video the urge is coming back.

It may be relatively clapped out, but there is something very appealing about how raw that car is. And by that I mean its basically a big *** motor and four wheels. lol

sbertolone

the argument for a rotary is fairly dumb in my opinion. the engine does have cool factor, but its reliability when used in turbocharged applications is appalling. the engine while na, is fantastic, but when you start comparing the power density of engines to each other it really starts falling behind. and thats where ls1 really wins this discussion, in terms of a performance choice the ls1 is a no brainer, these engines are incredibly durable, whether it be supercharged or nitrous or na. the addition of a 6spd is nice, the ability to run a factory computer to insane power levels is nice, the fuel mileage of the engines is nice, the plentiful parts network if something does go wrong is nice.
you can get a nice power bump from a turbo rotary, but dont expect too much because the reliability really starts to fall off the curve past that point. whether it be apex seals or end housings these engines were never designed to deal with power levels people expect of these engines.

b16eg

iTrader: (2)

i think if someone wants do to any certain swap to their car, no one else should care. just like the few or only one actually that ive sen with a 4g63 DSM engine. some people would frown on that too, but in the end, he loved his rx7, just wanted to do something a little unique.

Exidous

When I first bought the car I told myself I would do everything right. Cooling/fueling all that stuff before adding the power. The very last thing I did to the car was add a single turbo and turn up the boost. It was tuned by a very reputable shop. It ran great at 15psi for about a year and a half. flogging it and all that. I also told myself that after having done everything right that if it gave out I would swap a v8 in. After the 1.5yrs she threw a seal and warped a housing. One would think it overheated but I checked the cooling system regularly. This wasn't at the track. Was on the way to work in no traffic.

After having done the swap in 2006 I have not had to do anything to the LS that I didn't choose to do. Heads/cam, that kind of stuff. It was posted earlier but I have not looked back. I have thought about how cool a 20b swap would be but never the 13b. Sure you can miss the rotary turbo feel but add one to a v8 and you'll never miss it again.

I whole heartily understand the purist group and wanting to keep the car a rotary but I just plain enjoy the car more and that's the bottom line. I don't care if it isn't pure anymore. I love driving the car every day and never think twice about beating the crap out of it. Only thing that needs changing in the LS motors is the oil pan or adding a baffle. Under hard breaking or cornering she'll starve.

Sabre002

iTrader: (3)

Ha good to see **** has not changed here. Even with a V8 section it just getts trolled to ****.


If you would like a better answer to this thread come to The other site! Cant rememebr if we can link to the site or not with all the rules here.

digitalsolo

iTrader: (2)

Management prefers if you don't link the other site on this forum.

FWIW, the trolling in this thread is all before I took over moderation of this section. We've had much less issue since then, as I actually submit infractions for people who cause trouble after they are asked to stop.

endura

It's sad that Mazda subcontracted a lot of the rotary development to their paying customers.

86svo9l

Decided to swap out the rotary after my second time driving the car. First drive was the test drive, second was on my way home. Reminded me of riding inside of a tuna can with a weed eater only with less power.

After coming from a Kenne Bell Mustang and a Turbo Mustang I just could not deal with the gutless nature of the rotary.

rx7 SE

iTrader: (5)

Can't say that I would ever swap a v8 into my rx7 cuz if/when I ever do want to make 800+ rwhp it'll be the s54 in my M3, but I am on the hunt to at least ride in one.

amxone

iTrader: (8)

Never!!!! Why do people buy the car if they can't afford it? You don't hear of people putting mustang motors in ferraris or porches. It's not an rx7 without a rotary so buy another vehicle. With all the gutting and drifting, cars are becoming scarce. Someone bragging about an LS1 swap on a rotary is ridiculous! If you can't appreciate or afford the car buy a Honda.

amxone

iTrader: (8)

Well said@ endura

rx7 SE

iTrader: (5)

Unfortunately, I've heard of numerous porsches with LS swaps setup for the Texas Mile. Not sure on Ferrari's. There really isn't a motor that can make the same torque and power of an LS for the same price BUT, that doesn't necessarily mean it belongs in every vehicle either. It is just a familiar platform with plenty of cheap aftermarket parts, and it doesn't take much to make relatively big power.

What I can't wrap my head around are the claims that an FC/FD handles just as good if not better with some random v8 crammed under the hood rather than the powerplant the ENTIRE chassis was designed around. As an engineer myself, it's insulting because I know and appreciate how much r&d, etc. it took to accomplish such a feat and Mazda had some brilliant engineers during the rx7 development. It doesn't make sense that with all the weight over the strut towers the car will still handle the same, but maybe one day I'll find out. The whole purpose of a rotary is that it's compact and small comared to piston motors of the same power output, so it's kind of like saying that all means nothing.

thethingthatshouldnotbe

Since the rx7 is a front mid engine design not too much weight is put over the struts.

digitalsolo

iTrader: (2)

You can get a very nicely built rotary for much less than most of the current V8 swaps cost, that's a pretty foolish argument. A typical LS1 conversion in an FD will run around 10-12k dollars and up.

Next up, a 1000 (FC) to 5000 (FD) dollar chassis is not exactly in the same league as a Ferrari. There are TONS of V8 Porsches however.

Beyond that, if you don't like it, don't come to this part of the board. Simple concept.

Sincerely,

The Management

edit: Oh, and just for fun, 427" LSx Ferrari, ~1000 HP Lingenfelter engine:

digitalsolo

iTrader: (2)

I've stood in front of 20+ LS powered FCs and FDs on corner scales. Most any aluminum motor car with a well done swap ends up REAR heavy. This is a fact.

Shoot, my turbo LS1/FC is only 51.5/48.5 to the front, and I'm at 2800 lbs with a full interior, stereo and power everything.

pimprezawrx

When I first rode in one

rx7 SE

iTrader: (5)

I finally got to ride in a LT1 FD at DGRR last weekend. Car felt more like a corvette than an rx7 obviously. The car made 428 rwph and 410 ft/lbs but that linear power curve isn't all that exciting to me, some turbo FD's I've been in with less power felt faster from the seat of the pants. Plus the engine isn't nearly as smooth as a rotary. I, personally, will never be putting a v8 in an rx7 after that ride, I'll just buy a different car that was purposefully built to have that v8 if I ever go that route. But I can definitely understand if you need the car to be your DD, he's put 50k on that car in a little over 2 years, something that would be difficult or expensive to do in a 400+ rwhp rotary. Oh, and the handling seemed to be just fine too. But to each their own.

Nassin31spr

iTrader: (3)

When I bought a jdm front clip with 30k on it and the rear rotor seals where gone. Then I found out a rebuild kit was $1700. Then I found out I needed $4000 in supporting mods just to make a stock rotory dependable at 275hp. Then I found out that rx7's go 11.5 in the quater with a stock ls1 and on top of that I found out its easier to lsx a fd than it is to lsx a Nissan. So that's where I'm at. I don't trust a rotory and wouldn't put my money on one so I'm moving on. Not to mention in the short time I've owned one. I've met dozens of people who have personal heartache stories about thousands lost in blown rotories. Just a personal reflection and in no way meant in any disrespect to rotiry fans. If I offended anyone I apologize in advance.

ZoomZoom

iTrader: (2)

I decided the only way I would modify an RX-7 again was if it didnt have a rotor motor.
I paid a hack engine builder to port a new in crate mana motor that failed and he rebuild 4 times... Each time failing to hold compression. No it wasn't the tune, went around and around and it was proven the engine was just junk and was ruined by the builder.
Sent a new fuel system out time and time again cause he couldn't take responsibility. Blamed the tuner, blamed me, blamed everyone but he should have known and either ripped me off and wasted my time and money or was just an idiot.

Loved the car, hated the motor and finding competent engine builders are hit and miss.
Decided an off the shelf LS3 and a T56 could do it and do it better without sacrificing power or reliability handling or performance. It even gets 33mpg in the FD chassis.
I was sold.
I think someone said it best when they said: it speaks for itself when there have been so many LSX swaps and not 1 person has gone back.

It's going to preserve the RX-7 chassis from becoming obsolete on the road. Due to the low entry price it ends up in the wrong hands and the new owners find out quickly how maint intensive and how many mods and repairs need to be made to keep it running correctly.

This cars quickly end up in the scrap yard or bought as rollers by people wanting to give them another chance at life with an LSX under the hood.

minion60

I bought my fc with the intent to do the swap

Hannibal King

When my rotary died at 40k miles.....lol