hufamoose

Hey, so I found an '80 ls in a junk yard. It caught the corner of my eye, and I reruited my direction. Short versoin, it turned over, virtually no rust, which is amazing for Vermont. $450 and a delivery to my house later. I pushed her up and proceded to wash the fungus and mold off her. Dull black. Tinker, Tinker.... tryed this, tryed that, got her to run..... white smoke filled the neighborhood. So now I'm looking for a 13bt to throw in there. I found one for $750 with real low milage.... just waitin for the cash. What's up yall? I have been pouring over site after site of rx7 tech stuff, WOW! this thing is cool! it's like a big two stroke. I'm gunna have so much fun with this!

So, on a scale of 1 to 10, ten being most difficult. How hard is the 13bt swap into a first gen?

FirebirdSlayer666

iTrader: (3)

If you have an LS, I wouldn't swap anything. I'd rebuild the 12A or fine tune it to run decent. Restore it and keep it original. LS's aren't too common. I know of one person on this forum that has one. Really good find man and welcome to the darkside

twinkletoes

iTrader: (17)

Welcome to the forum and check out the faq page and use the search button. Good stuff. Lets see your car man, post some pics when possible. Look out for rust too, its a killer

hufamoose

I was thinking of keeping the 12a, but it's only 100hp. That's just not enough. Even with a bunch of work, headers, exaust, porting, filter, that kind of stuff. I could turn around and put in a stock 13b and jump up to 135hp. I'm not too greedy, I just want 300hp. On the spot, that's what I've always wanted, little fr, with 300hp and tied to the ground... but if I can't slide it, what's the point of rearwheel?

hufamoose

The guy before me had it sitting for 15 years, but I think it was sitting on something because the only reason I bought it was, their is no rust!!! I was so excited I had to really hid the big sh!^ eating grin on my face. That jacks up the price in junk town don't ya know.

The only rust on it is a little bit of surface where the paint chipped off, and the rear bottom corner of the doors. That's it. Is there a place were I could get new doors? They are to gone, even for me, and I like rust.

twinkletoes

iTrader: (17)

Porting really opens up the rotary engine and gives it a lot more power and torque. Doing a swap can take a while and cost a lot of money to do it right. Research before you do anything to your car though. And plus these are great handling cars and can be real fun if you get the suspension setup good.

PT Ray

If new to the rx7, don't bite off more than you can chew. If the car is pretty close to original I would keep it that way. If there is so many previous mods that you cant tell heads from tails whats original than I might go for broke. I love to see clean original sevens as much as ones modded to the max.

hufamoose

I need the ride hight here, so I will need some pretty stiff springs. I know that porting adds alot, but if I'm taking out the 12a, I might as well put in a 13bt. Cost should be close too. I do all my own everything, all the work, all the fab. Busted knuckles lead to enlightment.... sorry, my buddy just called and a wheel just came off the wrecker they are driving, gotta go.

hufamoose

I plan on leaving the exterior original, I'd like to get all new stripes, the molding is still good, it needs to be repainted, but I will get new rims and tires. The interior is getting a roll cage, race seats, harnesses, and if I can find one, the gauges from a 79. (the tach goes up to 130, instead of 80... lame) Other than that I have already repainted the dash insert (or whatever the face plate to the heaters and stuff is called) black, and I have been toying with the idea of painting the bottom half of the rest of the dash black. Right now it is that poo brown. Maybe I'll do an upper half brown, lower half black. New carpet?

Any who, the engine is deffinatly comming out. Don't know what to do with it, maybe rebuild it in the shed. Can I put a 13bt with my current 5spd?

oh! and what about headers and porting for the 13bt? who's got what and how does it work? (perform)

OnlyOnThurs

Pics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

vipernicus42

iTrader: (4)

Ooh.. an LS..

13bt swap isn't too difficult if you've got time and money and you're willing to put in the effort. An S4 TII engine is the easiest IIRC.

But yeah, if it's in good shape, just restore it to stock, it's more valuable (both monetarily and historically) that way... doesn't mean you can't "tweak" it (*cough-streetport-cough*)

Jon

hufamoose

I was adding up all the parts and things I want to do with the engine, and the horsepower for the money isn't worth it. I could sink a ton of money into the 12a, and it still wont be as fast as the 13b even. Don't get me wrong, I love the old style car's.

I was brought up with old classic muscle cars, and caddilac's, my grandpa still has his model A. I grew up with fixing everything in the driveway. My dad fixed all his own stuff, my grandfather is still out tinkering whenever I pull in, and I recently got a permit for my car tent.

I would much rather put in something carburated, I hate computer controlled components. Give me nuts, bolts, screws, and work that takes the skin right off my knuckles!!! I have only recently started looking at the import market. I say recently, like five years. Almost anything from japan in the 80's is right up my ally.

Oh yeah, resto.... read some of my other stuff