kuuldigs

I was thinking about dropping a 283 chevy small block into my 1985 RX-7. I was wondering if anyone knows if the motor mounts would match up and what tranny I could put in it. And would I have to change out my rear end? Or any other mods I would have to make to get this to work.

enigma32

grrrr

Most people here hate V8 swaps.

But there's a few that do it and would be willing to help you.

Do a search before asking a common question like this, though.

Good luck

anthrax

Arrrgggghhh!!!

Another FB falls victom to the V8 swap.

Why do sooo many nerow minded people want to ruin the most unique thing about an RX7.

You won't find a whole lot of help here. Try www.google.com and do a search. I beleave there is a web site for people like you

Metallic_rock

check out the "other engine swaps" section.

AND DON'T SWAP OUT A ROTARY WITH A BOINGER.

If you want a BOINGER get a 280Z. If you don't like the Rx-7, don't buy one. Rx = Rotary eXport. It just isn't a Rex after you do that. You get much more fun with a rotary, anyway.

enigma32

I rest my case =)

XLR8

iTrader: (52)

You know you really don't want to do that. If you drop a V8 in a FB you can never expect it to handle like an Rx7 again. And that is pretty much the heart and soul of Rx7's, Rotary great design and light, 50/50 weight, ......What else could you ask for?

Besides, you could build a rotary to be more then sufficient in killing those C5's

To each his own, but to me a 400hp turbo rotary says it all.

Good luck

jr69187

come to the dark side here is link with people to help you out
http://www.torquecentral.com/forumdi...?s=&forumid=11
jr

O 16581 72452 5

If you're going to do a v-8 swap, atleast do a 302 HO or a 350. I don't see why people are so against v-8 swaps, for $900 or less (excluding price of car) it will run high 12s. If it is kept a rotary it will cost $900 just for the rebuild kit so it can start to be made a 12 second car. There are actual kits made for this installation, do a google search.

excitingleopard

I'm not the one to do it, but I'm sure someone will have a very long list of very valid reasons for why you really don't want to do the infirnal V-8 swap. Even with our hatred of it set aside, learn more about FB's before you make a mistake like this prematurely.

'85 GSL 302

I just got my 302 running and it's freaking awsome. I can't understand why anyone wouldn't want one. The power is amazing, and the car still handles great. And even better, if you customize the suspension like we all know you're going to, you can easily make up for the slight increase in nose weight. I can't understand how anyone can say my car is nose heavy when it autoX's exactly like it did with the 12a, only it's a hell of a lot faster. Honestly I think this is one of the best swaps you could possibly do to any car. And avoid the Z cars. They're more expensive, and harder to find clean bodies. The RX-7 is the best chassis for the price.

Go to V8RX7.com and find friends. Here you will just find ignorant 16 year olds that harp about their god like motors that make them "special" because we all know they're losers in real life.


And before anyone labels me a rotory hater, I've raced FB's for 3 years now, and we just bought a second one for our club to race. The car's are great with the 12a in them, and they're even better with the 302. It just depends what you want and what you can handle. I'm not about to hand some newby driver the keys to my 300hp RX, but a 100hp one is a great tool to teach people to drive in. And they last forever and are cheap to maintain. So please stop bashing V8 cars when none of you know anything about them in the first place. You all just make stupid assumptions and it eventually boils down to what you "think" ruins a car that you don't even own. Most of us V8 guys have spent months researching these cars, where many of you have spent minutes assuming things that aren't correct.

enigma32

I won't call you a rotary hater..

I'll just call you an ignorant ******* for claiming that all of us are 16 years old losers in real life.

[/rant]

AdrenalifeRX7

I don't usually take sides, and I'm pretty much open minded on the V8 idea since many people don't want to even begin to understand the potential of a rotary engine, let alone "work" on it. From the looks of it, you've been in either a 12A powered RX7 and/or a V8 powered one, but you've never driven the fastest one. A single turbocharged (say T04B) 13B with a nice streetport, 10,500 redline, and other modifications will destroy almost all RX-V8's. It'll also have a powerband from heaven (rev over 6,000), still maintain decent 50/50 weight distribution, and scream past your car any day. Everybody has their own opinions though, and I respect that. But an RX7 with a Chevy or Ford motor, driveline components, custom suspension, etc is still NOT an RX7. It is NOT a Mazda, and it is NOT what Mazda worked so hard to accomplish. It's a Frankenstein and it has no place on this forum. All of your V8-related problems that may arise need to be posted elsewhere. The Rx7 loses it's soul and uniqueness without the rotary in it's engine bay. With a V8 it'll just become everything it wasn't meant to be, just a mass of heartless metal. You don't see people putting rotaries in Mustangs and Camaro's do you? Maybe it's because rotary owners have a higher level of respect for their vehicles and the others out there. I know I do.


NATE

Directfreak

iTrader: (2)

Ditto.

A V8 in an RX-7 is not an RX-7.
It's a Camaro with a new body.

'85 GSL 302

Yes, but my whole car is worth about $3500 with all new parts and only cost me about $1500. How much do you think the car you just described is worth?

As for my V8 problems, I don't take them here no would I. For the same reason I wouldn't go to a Honda board and ask them rotory questions. I do however take my chasis questions here, as well as anything I find that may help other RX-7 drivers.

And I'm certainly not calling everyone here 16 year old loosers. That's just my opinion of all the people that instantly bash anything non-rotory without spending any time researching things. There are plenty of people here I respect fully. I even have friends that are "rotory purists". None of them would bash a V8 swap because it "ruined the soul" of the car. That's pure crap and those people deserve to be stuck in a slow car their whole lives or stuck spending 3 times what they should to go fast.

And for what it's worth you can call my car what every you want. I don't care if you call it a Mullet Racer, or a Mustang on Jenny Craig, it's still an RX-7 body, with RX-7 suspension, and just about everything else by Mazda. And guess what? It's still fun to drive and gets 1000 times more attention and possitive comments than a normal FB will ever see. I fail to see how ripping out the rotory motor did anything but **** off people I hate anyways. It certainly hasn't shown any of the "downsides" people on this forum harp over in every post mentioning V8's.

AdrenalifeRX7

If you're happy with it...then so be it. Everyone has their own views on the topic. I still disagree with you on one major point: The heart of an RX7 is the rotary. Without it the chassis has no soul, no uniqueness. You put a V8 in it and you are taking away what makes the car so special. You're changing it. It's no longer an RX7, it's your ****** play-toy monstrosity. It no longer follow's Mazda's heritage. You may like it, but you do not respect it and you don't respect what the engineers of Mazda worked so hard to accomplish in the face of adversity. Sure it may handle better than everyone expected, but it will never handle better than a true 7. You may make tons of power but it's nothing that couldn't be accomplished with a rotary. Of course it'll take more money to do, but it's doing things the hard way and that always pays off in the long run. Don't me wrong, I'm not opposing YOUR V8 swap. I'm opposing the promotion of future swaps. If you're set in your ways and you enjoy raping the greatest sports car ever to come from Japan, then by all means do so. Just don't EVER call that car you own an RX7. Cause it never will be, no matter how much you like it.

kettlman

iTrader: (2)

feelin alot of love in here. v-8's are v-8's and rotary's are rotary's. i think what people are saying is yes, a v-8 rx is still an rx body, i'm sure alot of people stop in astonishment when they see it also. i bet it screams, at least it better, and for being cheaper, of course. but what there saying is, why change it. why not build a good rotary. if you can't afford it, well then you can't. i could understand that. i've got more in my 12a than your whole car is worth. but its been my dream engine for 12 years now. i love the style of the rx-7, the grace, the OPEN engine compartment. i love the look on peoples faces when i say " its a 1.1 L. i'm going to **** alot of triumph owners off when i drop my 12a into my 64 spitfire. (1600 lb). GONNA SCREAM. i don't think people were doggin your v-8 rv-7, they were tellin the first guy to look at things before he does it. your the one that was gettin all defensive. so have a great time and enjoy. you got any picks of the v-8 in there?


late

REVHED

AdrenalifeRX7, you are the man. I agree with everything you've said. In fact, I propose that your first post should be the standard response to any future v-8 thread after which the thread in question should be locked. Where are the damn mods when you actually need them.

As for 85 GSL 302, you can try to justify your monstrosity all you want by saying it's a cheaper way to go fast but all that proves is you're a tight ***. I don't buy that crap anyway. By the time you get the 8 in there and modify it to make some decent power it's not going to be any cheaper IMHO. You think it's 3 times cheaper then show me the proof... not that it makes any difference.

I'm not even going to get into the complete lack of taste or class one must have to contemplate such a swap.

RotorMotorDriver

iTrader: (1)

I think any threads about piston swaps should be locked except for the posts in the appropriate forum to avoid arguments .

Hell, Im on here enough, Ill watch for them since the mods seem to be so busy. Make me the 1st gen piston swap moderator or some ****...

~T.J.

anthrax

Man do I ever fell dumb I go and post a smart *** comment, and then the thread actually truns into an intelligent debate on the subject..

But The one thing that seems to come to the top is that the Rotory engin is the soul of the RX7, removing the rotory is removing the single most significant part of the car.

See most people that don't understand the Rotory engin fear it, so instead of taking the time and putting in the effort to learn about it they just remove it and put it something with pistons, and valves that is familure.

To some people it is the look of the RX7 that is appealing and these people only care that it looks like an RX7, as a result they totaly miss the beauty of the rotory engin.

V8 swaps are the result of close minded Rotory Fear and ignorance

But above all, it is your car and you are welcome to do what you choose with it.

Just don't bother us if your V8 doesn't want to run right after you take it out of that old dirt bag Trans AM, or Camero.

MIKE-P-28

iTrader: (1)

Yeah and it destroys the $2k budget for a 11-12 second car. You go rotary theres advantages but your gonna pay for it... I wish Id done a 350 in mine, Id saved a shitload of money for thew same car

'85 GSL 302

Proof:
RX-7 $400
Heads $750
Rebuilt tranny $700
misc Ford Racing parts $780
carb $300
intake $200
misc stuff $200
rr's and pushrods $200
Driveshaft $300 <-- unusually expensive

That puts me at $3830 for the whole car give or take. My swap was actually a bit more because I used a motor that was torn down so I had to go out and find a lot of stupid things like new timing chain covers and oil pans. However I didn't have to pay for the engine itself. Had I just gotten a donner motor for like $700 and rebuild it it would have been cheaper. So after calculating my swap let's say anyone could duplicate my exact car for $4000. That gives you a 300hp car with a brand new motor, tranny, and driveshaft including the price of the car. I'm sorry but I find it hard to believe you can buy an RX-7 and make 300hp and have it be a great daily driver with minumal upkeep. I'm not saying it isn't possible, but it's unlikely. As for mods, sure, you can spend just as much on a V8 as you can a rotory motor. It's just that the V8 with mods will put out 2-3 times the power. As for future power, a cam ($150) and a set of shorty headers ($225) will remove the remaining bottle necks in my car and probably give me another 30-40hp. I'll post dyno results when they come in.

And here's a picture of the engine bay. There's actually quite a bit of room in it.




The web site is: http://people.clemson.edu/~summerr/V8/main.htm

And more photo's and videos are here: http://illstreet.com/gallery/album44

Now I will admit it does sound very wrong to see an RX-7 and hear a Mustang instead. But that's all you're getting out of me!!!

rotor vs. piston

I'm at work now, but if you want more answers to any questions email me or PM me anytime. I'll show "the way"

AdrenalifeRX7

I will admit that is a beautiful 302 you have there 85 GSL. It would look nice in any engine bay, except mine. If you want a motor like that in your car people, then expect to put out at least $2,000 minimum. Then add the price of everything else.

jr69187

Here ya go mine is the cheapest. Bought wrecked dirt track car had a great motor. 100
Bought a wrecked 7 25
bought a carb 200
radiator hoses 25
along with some welding and alot of cussing and walla a 350 dollar car that makes a 12a seem abosolete. But i still own and love my 12a cars. but i did this for a toy and something different besides i saved a seven. this car was on its way to the junk yard when i got it.

jr

fatboy7

And from the sound of things, its probably still going there.....

I like rotories.
I like V8's.
I like forced induction.
I like RX-7s.
I like Mustangs (well, some).
Just as a mustang is hardly a mustang with a 4 banger, and RX-7 is hardly an RX-7 with a 302 in it.
If I wanted to play with a 302, I'd buy a Fox body Cobra (and I'd turbo the pee out of it too..... yummy), because you can make them fast as hell. But I bought a RX-7, because its unique. You can make them fast as hell too. What makes it unique... I rest my case.