You didn't say which engine you're going w/ but I'll throw my experience in... actual experience.

I did a small block chevy swap w/ WC t-5 in a 1984 GS using granny's full kit w/ the exception of the driveshaft that I had made local.

If you're doing a basic SBC swap w/ carb it really is a simple swap. The only issue I had is getting the clutch action acceptable. And that's as good as I ever got it in 5 years, acceptable, it was really stiff and if I ever found myself in traffic I was hating life.

Other than that, if you get ALL of the parts granny's says to get and hand them to a shop they really SHOULD be able to do swap for $1500 if their labor rate is pretty reasonable and they're competent.

The KEY is getting ALL of the parts collected, that's the only thing that really took any real time for my swap, just ordering things as I needed and could afford them.

If you have a garage, and even if you don't ( I did it in the backyard w/ a plywood makeshift "floor") it would be in your best interest to do it yourself. The only thing I didn't do was the exhaust, drove w/ open headers to the exhaust shop and had them done in under an hour.


As such, in this day would I do another SBC swap in a FB. No way in hell, there's just too many better options to spend money on than trying to fix what's inherently weak about the FB; the steering and live axle. Today I'd spend the money on a miata and freshen it up and think about an engine swap in that.

I actually ended up putting a SR20DET in the FB and drove that for a while before I finally sold it, had/have other projects going on. Even w/ less power, the SBC was ~350hp, the SR' was a much more fun swap to drive day to day.

Hope this helps at all. Again, it's too easy not to do it yourself... but in this time period I wouldn't do it. Early Miata's were still way too pricey back then for me and would want a hard top = more $$$ I didn't have.

 

 

Not a v8 but a "slightly" modified 4.3l V6. It sits behind the front axle center line.. Dynoed at 332hp @5500 341ft/lbs@4400 153hp@2500rpm at the crank. 91 roller cam block, 97 heads that I have about 90hrs in port development. I have been into rotary cars since the 80's and I love them..but. but when Mazda stopped production of rotor housings and rotary powered cars I took a different approach to keep my 84 on the road..
T5 trans, 3.636 rear end ratio with LSD. Three link/panhard, respeed front coilovers 3/4" roll center spacers.
I have been working on it for four years. I have fabricated everything. To do it right is not "easy" by any means. If you cannot mig/tig weld, weld sheet metal (most cars this age have rust that needs to be cut out and replaced), build headers, Make templates, understand drive line angles, understand how to modify/read wiring diagrams. Understand how suspension geometry works, body work, paint ect.. My point is I have seen my share of half assed crap done that is down right dangerous to have on the road.

 

I like the 4.3 in the 7. I would kinda like to see a Subaru flat 4 in one of these cars. There was a build going on a while back, but I don't think it ever hit completion.

 

Ray,
My apartment mate had a 73 gray Rx3 wagon, I then went and bought a 74 red Rx3 coupe. Thanks for the memories.

 

This is a great list that I completely agree with. I've only spent a few years building a small number of cars and have found this to be 100% accurate.