Hey guys,
Since I am considering purchasing this local wide body I had decided to kind of look into what I am going to do for the drivetrain. Since the rims are going to be 17x12 in the back, I figure I need some more power...

I think about 400rwhp is a good number, its a good number for a street car to be feared. But at the same time I would like the car to be somewhat reliable, I don't expect to daily drive it by any means, but when its tuned I would like a car that could be taken on mountain road trips. (mmmmm twisties!)

I have been reading that some people have successfully gotten to over 400 hp with a stockport T-II motor. But once again my question is, how much will actually be involved in putting in a motor with this kinda power and getting a bit of reliability?

The car I would be starting with is a GSL-SE so it already has the hopped up brakes as well as the beefed up rear end. I was thinking of matching this up with a TII tranny, but I am unsure at this point of which powerplant I would like to use in order to obtain this kind of power. Please remember at the same time I would like this project to be on a budget, yes I know a 3rotor would be ideal, but not practical with a budget. I realize I have alot of research to do, like as to whether the stock GSL-SE rear end will blow up under this kind of power....

A turbo setup comes to mind because first of all I have never owned one, and I would like to boost a rotary. I am not stupid, and am able to do all the work myself including rebuilding the engine, and setting the thing up. I am just curious as to what I will have to do as far as the fuel injection system goes, would a haltech or something be ideal for a setup like this? Please remember at the same time, I would like something that I could tune myself. I only have messed with carbed setups before so I have no previous experience of setting up a aftermarket fuel injection system (have no idea what im actually getting into).

I know im getting myself into a big project, and im looking forward to it at this point. I think it will be fun making a unique, fast, weekend racer and rotary powered.

Hopefully some of the guys with higher horsepower setups will speak up and I can good tips here.
Thanks alot for your suggestions guys.

 

ahem, V8... LS-1

 

he said rotary powered, so a v8 swap is out of the question. What motor do you have in your other car (i assume that you still have the car that you were thinking about doing a paint job on, but then found this widebody chassis). If this is the case, and you have a solid 12a, why not give it a decent turbo and some Weber 48ida's (i'm saying webber because i'm assuming that they will have jets big enough to supply enough fuel, so you won't have to modify nikki jets like FB II has to do with his Nikki)? This will be your most economical way of approaching 400hp, you won't have to mess with setting up an entire EFI system, and if you tune it ritch enough you'll have a solid motor that will last.

 

Your right with the fact that I do not want to go the piston powered route.

Right now I still have the 12a, I was kind of thinking that I would need to make the EFI swap in order to make a car more practical for taking a cruise of any length. With my weber 45dcoe, I have pretty much learned how hard carbs can be to tune just so...

But wouldn't it be EXTREMELY hard to make a 400rwhp 12a that is somewhat streetable and reliable all in one package?

 

research the Microtech set up, its been very successful in Australian rotaries pushing a lot more than 400 hp.

For ease, reliability, cost effective power go TII IMO. Fresh rebuild with porting, injector upgrade, T3/4 hybrid, FMIC, easy 400 hp, basically not even radical.

 

12a will be impractical i believe you should go TII that is the easiest way to get 400hp

 

Sorry, missed the rotary powerd bit. I'd jump on the TII bandwagon. Most cost effective and just get the tuning right and you should be okay for a weekend car. Direct Freak, would be nice to know who much $$ it took for him to break 400hp, though his is at the wheels. mmmmmmmmmm, DF's car.

 

this could get expensive very very quickly. TII from a junker is probably your best bet to save some cash, doing your own work you could have that done for a couple grand. (not too sure how much $$ would need to go into the trans, rearend though.)

in all practicality, a LS1 does make a lot of sense, if i wanted that much power i'd start with something that is already well known for making that power very easily, reliably and wont mess up the weight balance of the car. with a widebody and fat tires you'll never notice a difference anyways. however. yes you dont want to go piston..

my only other suggest is p-port your 12a, slap a huge freakin' turbo and intercooler with some TB injection and a megasquirt and cross your fingers it lasts. hehe

 

go away you

 

I'm doing a TII swap right now and I am doing everything myself.. I'm planning on spending at least 4-5K on the swap.. This will give me 350-400 RWHP

 

Think a SE rear end will take that kind of thrashing? I do understand that this project is going to end up costing a crap load of money... But I don't plan on being done for quite a while, im becoming a mechanic so for the first time in my life ill have a real source of income.

I do understand that I can get 400rwhp out of a 12a with a P-port and a huge turbo, but seriously that would be the least streetable setup ever. Thats the big thing, I want something that can still be driven, not just a fancy paperweight.

When I am actually getting started as a mechanic almost all my money for a while is going to be going into my car. Currently living with parents and enjoying the low costs of living haha. (lame huh?) I am thinking for a budget maybe like 8-9k (CDN) or so for the engine, rebuild, tranny, exhaust, ECU, FMIC, fuel system. (is there more stuff im missing?) Is this a practical estimate shooting for the 400hp mark?

And I should mention that I will be doing ALL of the work, like I said, im a mechanic...

 

It can be done with 5k USD if you do the work yourself.. Go with a TII swap with a nice streetport Haltech and a T04 turbo..

 

Aw hell man, you could do a hell of a TII motor on that budget. You might even be able to do an REW setup (keep it twin'd for that low-end punch haha) like DirectFreak (I think he has an REW). I plan on an S5 TII motor, tranny, and LSD swap after I get my '85 GSL-SE (I'll pick it up this weekend probably- I'll get pics too) with some minor mods, and I'm only aiming for about 300whp. Whatever you decide, good luck and keep us updated.

 

So will there be any other work needed in order to make the TII engine make this sort of power besides a streetport and upgraded turbo? How will the engine hold up to this kind of boost with the stock internals (rebuilt of course)? And how much boost are we talking about here to make 400 hp?

 

But remember im talking about more then the motor itself on that budget, im talking the ECU, fuel system, exhaust, FMIC, etc etc...

Directfreak seems to be a legend around here, haha his car is amazing. He is using a 13b-re from a cosmo though. I guess I honestly can say I don't know if there is any advantages to that motor over a T-II or what? A TII engine would be much easier to get around here though.

 

Dont fully rely on raising the boost to get power, i know your street porting it but get a exhaust and intake. You would prolly do this anyway but change TMIC on TII to a FMIC.

 

TII top mount IC = trash to begin with, im not sure why anyone would use one.

 

TII block (stock port), MP T-70 turbo w/ 1.0 ar atleast, stand alone, supporting mods.

400RWHP shouldn't be a problem

 

Agreed. The regular TII setup for 400HP around here is:

TII Block (could be stock)
60-1 Turbo
3" exhaust
sufficient fuel (injectors and pump_
Stand Alone - (Could be Fuel only too).

Although, I do like the LS1 idea too...

 

Directfreak: which 60-1 do you suggest? I was thinking of getting the GT3540R T04 version but it's alot of $$$. Need to see how much a nice 60-1 turbo is selling for.. Thanks

 

Believe me and others who have done this.. You will need 5k. You have to buy eng/tranny/rebuild kit/fuel mods/intercooler/ecu/turbo/manifold. 5k will come quick..

 

Well, if I'm not mistaken, the cosmo is like a "hybrid", if you will, of the TII motor and the REW motor. It utilizes the internals of the REW with the housings/irons of the TII S5 motor. Like I said, I could be wrong.

 

A Regular T-04, 60-1 Turbo. Don't get a huge hotside either.

 

302...

 

^He said ROTARY powered.