Ok, I dont want any flames or anybody telling me that i am ruining my car by performing this. i just need some questions answered. Thanks

1) What is actually required along the lines of fabrication? cutting, shortening, lowering?

2) How hard would this be for an inexperianced mechanic?

3) Transmission and engine choices. what is good? Im mainly doing the swap because it looks like it is a better buy for the money and I know a lot of experienced V8 mechanics who would help me. I dont want huge horsepower numbers; 200-250 is fine.

4) what about V6's? price? easier to put in? avalability?

5) What about engine swap convertion kits? Are they complete? Well made? Good instructions?

Well, I think that is it. Sorry it is a lot of questions. Im really new to this

 

Do a "SEARCH" for this, there are a few already.
That should give you all the "Convertion" info yah need
and put on a flame suit around here......

 

has anybody used these people? How was it?

 

I think one guy used an rx-7 second generation turbo II transmission. They are awesome trannys. I don't wanna swith to a piston motor, but if i did, there is no way i would use a v6. It would have to be a v8, But then again i love power. A v6 would work too but if you are gonna do a motor swap why not use a monster motor? Although I soon plan on supercharging my 12A rotary and getting 200 -250 hp ,hopefully, and blowing V8's out of the water. If you are handy enough to retrofit a used forced induction system to a rotary, you could get the hp #'s you want, and still spend less than installing a V8. Just an option.

 

thanks, but what about reliabillity? the car CANT be breaking on me.

 

Why'd you ask in two different forums? Which car are you going to use?

 

well I have two different options.

Heres some info on my cars:
I picked up 2 '87's and one '85, 2 13b's, 2 12b's five sets of factory wheels, and all shop manuals for $850. All seals are blown though. But every thing else works, from the power sunroof to the motorized antenna. Absolutly no rust either. Interior is ingreat shape except for the moulding.

 

I havent decided which model to work on

 

If you could find a way to keep the factory fuel injection system intact and working a late model Camaro 3.8 V6 sounds like it'd be perfect for you. Fairly light, and around 200-225 horses. Also, already set up for RWD applications... I always wanted to stick a turbo BOP 3.8 in one of these.. 300hp from one fairly easily and one of the most reliable turbo engines around...

--Danny

 

Hehhe I need a working Power antenna for a FC! LoL

 

not to flame but making a conversion and having it reliable is to cost $$$$$$ and time^4. that sounds like a bogus set of standards. if you want reliability then learn how to modify what you have properly. you could rebuild the engine nice and put a blower on it. i just don't understand why you would buy all these non working cars and try to make a reliable ride out of a swap from some other car. if anything buy a ported motor, exhaust, a carb, and some tweaking and beppity bam, you have a fast reliable machine. otherwise drop a turbo geo metro motor in.

 

If you're going to drag it, use the first gen. It has a solid axle rear, plus its lighter. If you're just going to cruise in it, use the second gen. It has much better suspension and drive a lot better.

 

I have a 5.0 in my '82. I would not recommend ANY swap for an inexperienced mechanic. There are a lot of variables to deal with simultaniously, which will be difficult to handle for a beginner. You can get mounts, radiator, etc, from Granny's, but that's still not a "complete" kit. You'll have to make a lot of decisions, fabricate some parts, and your ability will determine reliability. If you're just starting out, fix one of them up with a rotary. Just stock. Then start making it faster. As far as swaps go, the 1st gen is easy, I'd guess 2nd gen would be about the same, however with the 2nd gen IRS, your stuck with some pretty low gears. (Unless Granny's has luck getting some made). Stay with it though, it's good to see people not afraid to get dirty and learn something.

Kerry

 

piston i not gonna change my light rotary engine for a super heavy piston engine. my opinion

 

I have been thinking of converting to a steam engine. All I need is a trailer big enough to haul the woodpile.

Maybe I'll convert it to wind power and a big sail would do the trick.

 

In total, I'm looking at 2 grand U.S. in the end and it'll own any first gen with 2 grand in it by a long shot.

 

I wouldnt know about that.... I can go a LONG way on 2G..... I can woop some *** with 2 grand.... let me drop 2 grand in my car, and we will see if you ever come to texas hehehehheee

 

Haha! ok, yall have convinced me. now im planning on just rebuilding the rotary engine. is this hard???

 

i've never done it, but others have said its easy. its not a very complicated engine and the removal is fairly simple. my neighbor used to race an 85 with a 12a in it, they could swap an engine in about 40mins. if you want about 200-225hp, i think you could make it with a big street port, new carb, full exhaust, and a new fuel pump.

 

225HP on a street-port? Maybe a 13B. A 12A will be very pressed to make that kind of power while Normally Aspirated.

 

12a's can make that kind of power easy, but i dont know if they can on a street port or not. on a PP they can make up to 310.

 

2 grand for a V8 conversion? I didn't know you could get a V8 for that cheap, let alone the install bits/pieces.

I think my only consideration for doing some sort of conversion like this would be to retain a high revving engine. My miata happily revs above 6k and my RX7 doesn't go much higher. My friends Firebird though, doesn't care to do 3.5k according to him. I don't know, but that seems kinda like... boring.

I would sooner V8 swap my piston miata engine than my rotary though, just means too much to me.

1.3L engine making 130hp is still pretty good and it easily goes reliably to 200-250hp. That's amazing still by today's engine standards. The pretty much highest tech engines we make are motorcycles and the average 1100 is still only slightly higher than rotary at ~140hp and you will not get 200,000 miles out of it.

Sounds cool though. I guess it's different strokes for different folks.

Forgot to mention, speed wise, 1st gen RX7s are not very fast. People often modify the car to get reasonable results, but 130hp in a 2600lb car is = fat EX civic and though we have high reving engines, no one ever really believed a civic was very fast either. So, $2000, that's not a very good turbo, it might get you a self installed supercharger (not our first pick for rotary), but really, that's the little things like intake, exhaust, headers, tires. As long as you don't live in CA/SmogNaziCapital, you can get maybe ~200rwhp, which could also be achieved by a small lightweight V6 swap. So you may be right with your comment.

I think a lot of the RX7 appeal has always been the handling of a lightweight car.

PS, I have no idea how much a T2 swap costs.

 

Along with myself, I am sure I can speak for a few others here...

Let's just say...MORE than 2 grand.

 

Hey Jason, your friend might not know what he is talking about. My 82 TA will rev at 5.5-6k all day if you want it to. Of course there's no point in that becase all the power is below 4k. Maybe that's what he meant. I agree 1st gens aren't *that* fast, the apeal (to me at least) is the handleing and styling. If I want to go fast I roll the TA, if I want to carve corners out comes the rx7 (which is also my daily driver so it's pretty good on gas too)