wicked ride

but american motor in jap car makes me sad

1000hp is really sick tho

mike

 

Not getting in to quality of different tv's. Just though it was a good example.

 

stripping it to bare metal wouldent hurt anything. If someone has the time. Not saying you cant get a good paint job if you dont do it, it's just something that could improve it a lil, probly would be able to notice the difference. A benifit to stripping it would be if maybe the previous owner had a 300 paint job on it to sell it. A lil wet sanding a buffing you wont be able to tell. But those 300 paint jobs 99% of the time are single stage paint and the car is not prepped like it should be, so the paint dosent last that long.

 

Nice 7, we need to meet up one day

 

Hey, John! Make my fd into a v8!

 

Again awesome work here

 

I think now matter what I call it, RX7 or not, people still are gonna bitch about what name I pick for it. OK, so RX7 isn't good because it's not an RX7 without the rotary. How about I call it a Camaro? I'm sure more than a handfull of RX7 owners will bitch about how I call it a Camaro yet everything on it but the engine is Mazda. There's just no winning with you people!! From now on out, I call it what I want to call it, regardless what what's under the hood. Not because of what I think it should be called but because it's my god damn car!! The good news is you can call it whatever you want, as long as I don't hear it Seriously, it's an RX7 plain and simple. I don't care what's under the hood, it was an RX7 when I bought, it's still an RX7 as it sits.

 

Simply the best time to do the conversion is when your car is still running, your parts will be worth alot more that way. I've broken the LS1 conversion down for you. I've come up with a price list of what you can sell your parts for

Engine- $3500
turbo kit- $2500
FMIC- $600
PFC/commander/software- $1000
transmission- $400
clutch/flywheel- $700
PPF- $100

That comes out to be just under $9000

Here's a parts list to do the conversion

engine/tranny- $4000
mounting equipment- $1700
LS1 edit- $450
custom engine harness- $750
small odds and ends- $1000

That comes out to be just under $8000 for a stock LS1 which will have about 350hp and get you into the 12's, plus that $1000 in your pocket.

Now if you wanted to go turbo which I think you do
there are many options you can go with, but here's the setup I would go with


T76 turbo- $1300
IC- $400
WG- $500
custom exhaust manifolds- $500
exhaust/IC piping- $300-$400
cam- $300
50lb injectors- $500

I'm sure I'm leaving out some things but you get the basics. This kit comes out to be $3800. With this setup I'm sure 600rwhp is pretty easy, plus you'll have torque for days. I think I've even read somewhere that someone has broken 700rwhp with a stock bottom end.


So when you think about it, you'll only spend about $3000 and have 150rwhp more than what you have now, probably double your torque and reliability. Let me know when you want to start on it Like I told you before, I seriously think it would only take me a month to pull it off if I have all parts in the beginning of the conversion. The turbo kit should take me another month since it involves so much fabricating and scratching of the head.

 

Man you are an optimist aren't you?

Let me just say that i know you can't do all that in 2 months, hell, Hinson has been taking more than 6 weeks to get some poeple their mounting equipment.

It's also unlikely you can do the base swap and put $1000 in his pocket. Seems like you are estimating cost for things on the low end, or by rounding down.

Things like LS1edit (which actually costs $550 an you will run out of tuning for a FI car pretty quick), new cams for an ls1 are ~$400, the intercooler core you'd want for a t76 would be more than $400 by itself (the one I want is ~$900 for the core, a T76 will support flow aroun 1100CFM at 14.7 pis!), a t76 acutally costs ~$1395 new and small odds and ends (only $1000? man I wish that were the case with my swap).

Though you've already addressed so many issues like fueling and cooling with your brother's, so I guess it's possible. He could probably even reuse his FMIC with new piping. I've considered going with a Greddy 3row since I know it will fit, but likely won't support the amount of flow you need with that large a turbo, so I will likely buy a core of the size I want from Corky Bell and make my own end tank configuration.

That'd be a pretty cool thing to document though. Why don't you do it so you can run into all of the problems I'm going to when I get going. You can point out all of the problems and mistakes I should avoid.

 

Oh yeah, I almost forgot to add that you can break 800rwhp on the stock ls1 bottom end with the right combination of tuning, forced induction, and water/methanl injection. Look at some of the Quarter Mile Performance posts over at LS1tech.com

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/showth...hlight=qmp+800

https://www.quartermileperformance.c...ormulation.asp

 

wonder how that v8 is gonna sound with that fart cannon on the back

 

I like the way my ls1 sounds, and I have a Greddy SP catback, complete with the 5" tip that can house a small pygmy family of five in it.

 

That why I said I could do it if I had all the parts from the start of the conversion. I think anyone that's done the conversion knows how stressfull vendors can be. If I had all the parts, I'm pretty damn sure I can do it. I know I took years on mine , but if I did a conversion for someone else's car and had a deadline, it's a whole different story

OK, maybe not $1000 but I think I'm pretty close with my estimate. The LS1 edit price I got came strait from www.carputing.com. Price is $550 but then they give a $100 discount for a customer survey. The LS1 edit will do more than enough for 600rwhp. Guys are even up in the 900's with the edit.

You're probably right on the cam, I didn't do my homework on that, you got me there

I know I can get a FMIC for $400. I think I even told you before I know a guy that makes them. He gives me a good deal on whatever size I need. The one he made for me was $350 which is plenty big and I had twin inlets. $400 will get me any size core I need (within reason).

A T76 from www.cheapturbos.com is $1350, I can probably get it for alot less at GroundZeroMotorsports, so my $1300 price might even have been high.

Odds and ends for me are hoses, lines, nuts, bolts, clamps, exhaust tubing, ect... Odds and ends for you are like coilovers, and wheels/tires No seriously, what have I over looked? I know the stock clutch will be long gone by then, that's something I missed

Who knows, this might end up being a winter project for me. This and the stroker kit for my LT1.

 

Quite actually. A little too quite. I have a gear drive set and I could barely hear it before which is good. Now the only thing I can hear is that damn gear drive, even from the back of the car

 

Didn't I tell you to leave the gear drives to the people who want fake blower whine?

 

Yeah, I know, I know!! Live and learn right? It'll come out when I stroke it out. If the engine fails this summer, I might even have it done during fall sometime

 

Doh! I should read more carefully. If I had all the parts I needed lying around I bet I could do the conversion in a 3 day weekend. There are so many things that seem difficult the first time you do them, but the more times you do it the better you get at it. I bet I could pull my engine in about 2 hours if I needed to (and I will later). I already know what wires to keep, which ones to ditch, which realys to keep, which ones to ditch, where to mount the radiator, etc. The base swap wouldn't take me long at all. The turbo kit on the other hand is where the bulk of the timie would take. As you know making a tubular exhaust manifold that isn't going to rip apart the first time the engine torques can be time consuming. Plus I'll be making my manifolds from 321 SS so it'll be pricey as well.

The consensus with Hinson is that they turn out great parts, but the turn around is variable. Brian will promise you the world, but it's Lane building you the parts, so whenever Lane gets around to it...

Quote:

OK, maybe not $1000 but I think I'm pretty close with my estimate. The LS1 edit price I got came strait from www.carputing.com. Price is $550 but then they give a $100 discount for a customer survey. The LS1 edit will do more than enough for 600rwhp. Guys are even up in the 900's with the edit.

I think that's a new thing(the $100 discount, I'm pissed that mine cost me $550 now) now that they have viable competition with HP tuners producing their LS1Edit equivalent (which is supposedly better). Rob Raymer's 800 rwhp run is with edit, but you have to trick the PCM after you've exhausted the MAF table (which should be right aroud 575-600rwhp).

The LS1 wasn't ever menat to run on a speed density system (but will in a pinch), which is why many of us are looking into FAST, Accel DFI, AEM, and FJO stand alone systems.

Quote:

You're probably right on the cam, I didn't do my homework on that, you got me there

I am right on the cam, though for a FI application there's nothing wrong with the stock LS1 cam. RR made several 700+rwhp pulls with a completely stock motor. In many ways the LS1 cam will even be better than most aftermarket cams because of the LSA (~117 IIRC)

Quote:

I know I can get a FMIC for $400. I think I even told you before I know a guy that makes them. He gives me a good deal on whatever size I need. The one he made for me was $350 which is plenty big and I had twin inlets. $400 will get me any size core I need (within reason).

I know you have a guy that makes them for that cheap, but I'd question what you're getting for that price. There are so many variables with intercoolers as far as area, number of fins, length of cooling passages, etc. There's a reason why Spearco and Bell intercooler cores cost so much. Many of the cheaper intercoolers look really nice and are really large cores, but the number of fins they have and the cooling efficiency the provide are pitiful. That's not to say your guy is giving you a crappy core, since I've never seen it, but let's just say a lot of intercoolers are built based on how they look, rather than including any design or science behind it.

Just for ***** and giggles go to http://www.bellintercoolers.com and compare these two cores (AxBxC).

A 4.5x25.30x10 core (what I'm looking at using) supports flow up to 1116 CFM but the end tanks have to go top to bottom (which many people don't like. A 4.5x10x24 core (similar overall size) that requires the side to side end tank design that many people like for aestehtic reasons only supports 378 CFM. The cores are about the same size, but the efficiency is going to be dramatically different. If your guy can get you the better designed core for $400 then more power to you. I won't criticise anyone for finding a cheaper solution to anything, but like I said many people will choose based on size and looks, and disregard design and function. Just FYI the greddy 3 row looks to me more like the second core in that setup (I'm just talking out of my *** here and have no idea what flow numbers it will actually support), which is why I'll be making my own FMIC with the first intercooler core.

Quote:

A T76 from www.cheapturbos.com is $1350, I can probably get it for alot less at GroundZeroMotorsports, so my $1300 price might even have been high.

The turbo trim you need for those QMP type numbers is the Q trim, so add another $100 to that $1350. Also, the T76 is so popular that there are many "knockoff" t76s floating around that aren't whta you want. Specifically the ideal (and what QMP uses I believe) is the PTE T76 GTQ that is available either direct from PTE

http://www.precisionte.com/products/...=Turbochargers
or through induction motorsports

http://www.inductionmotorsports.com/turbos.html#ml

I know you're in pretty good with Ralph at Groundzero, so you're right he can probably cut you a good deal (want to get me one while you're at it? )

I'm thinking about going with the GT42r for my application. http://www.atpturbo.com/Merchant2/me...egory_Code=GRT

It should spool faster and support around the same HP levels. Dual ball bearing setup, so it should be pretty quick. Did I mention that I'm also likely building my block up with a Lunati rotating assembly specifically for boost? Should be a 383 with ~8.9 static compression ratio.

Quote:

Odds and ends for me are hoses, lines, nuts, bolts, clamps, exhaust tubing, ect... Odds and ends for you are like coilovers, and wheels/tires No seriously, what have I over looked? I know the stock clutch will be long gone by then, that's something I missed

I know you know your ****, so don't feel like I'm criticizing. You've been through a conversion, so you know how much extra it costs that you weren't factoring in from the getgo. For sure there's something you're overlooking (damned if I know what it is though). That's all I'm saying. The "hidden" expenses were a large portion of my swap budget, not to mention the coilovers and tires/wheels.

A lot of times it's easy to let enthusiasm get in the way of reality. I figure to turbo/stroke my car it's going to cost me another $20K, which is ridiculous. But, I had planned on starting an ultima gtr buildup ($70K+ just to play), and the wife said only one toy at a time. Since I can't get what I want for my FD, I figured I'll make it as badass as I can, and it will cost me less than the Ultima would.

Quote:

Who knows, this might end up being a winter project for me. This and the stroker kit for my LT1.

Do it, that would be awesome! FOr me more than half the fun with the swaps is the fabrication and turning of the wrenches. It's so far removed from what I do for a living that it's the perfect hobby. Add to that my slightl insanity and reasonable budget and you have a recipe for disaster.

Anyhow, got to go. She who must be obeyed has dictated that I mow the lawn and paint the bathroom. Ah the joys of home ownership.

 

Well, there are ways around that. I have never tried this but have heard of people using two pipes that go into the tb, but only one is hooked up to the maf. So the maf only reads 1/2 of how much air is really flowing to the engine. Change the maf tables and you're good to go for probably 800-900. Again, I never tried it and can't even find any info on it. One of my friends told me about it and that's all I know.
I don't know crap about IC, so I trust what he tells me. This guy knows his stuff and always tells me the truth on things. And you're right, there are lots of companies that sell IC cores that look great but aren't the greatest of performers. Knowing this, he sells lots of the nice looking IC, basically for people who car about looks. He almost always has ugly *** cores hanging around that he uses for his own cars and for friends that don't care too much about looks. I got one of those cores He told me from the getgo, it's not gonna be the greatest looking core but it is very effecient. This is the exact same core he is using for his 950hp+ 355ci, mine's just a tad smaller. That's one hell of a turbo. Ralph just ordered that for his FD and should be installing it very soon, he's just waiting on the build of the manifold. He put down 700rwhp w/ a smaller turbo, imagine what the GT42R will do on a 383ci

I know there are so many little things to get during the conversion. One thing that sucks even more than having to spend so much cash on small things is having to stop to go get small parts like a hose clamp. I know I've over looked lots of small things and probably a couple of big things but I still think that $1000 is enough, unless I over looked something huge.

Look at me, trying to turn every FD owner I know

 

WOW, this manifold from quartermile looks like it might even fit in an LS1FD, or maybe close.



Reading up on there kit and they got some awesome numbers. With just 7psi they got 498rwhp and 625torque. With 9psi they got 534rwhp and 687torque At 7psi they managed to pull a 125mph trap speed on a 3780lb car. At 9psi, I would think it could pull an FD in the 135mph range. Now that would be a fast FD that could be daily driven

 

Yeah, it looks like it would fit, except there's no room for the crossover pipe (there's goes under the oilpan I believe, and ground clearance is already at a premium for us), and our steering column likely gets in the way of the downpipe (that area is really tight even with the stock manifolds). That's why I'm going to put my turbo on the other side and put my crossover pipe in front. That way the downpipe has plenty of room (I think there's more room on the passenger side anyways) and I don't have to manipulate piping around the steering.

There's no doubt his numbers are impressive. One thing to keep in mind is that most of his impressive numbers are with methanol injection. I'll be designing some sort of boost based methanol or propane injection system form mine just to be on the safe side. Whatever lets me squeeze that last pound or two of boost safely.

 

yeah, I've never looked under your car so I just assumed since the LT1's had a notched oilpan, so did the LS1's. Now I remember the LS1's have dual exhaust, at least up until the cat. This kit routes the crossover pipe back behind the tranny, reminds me of the sts kit You're right, a better way would to just route on the passenger side. I remember having a hard time fitting block huggers on the driver side. But then again, I routed both my exhaust manifold and downpipe on the driver side with plenty of room.

 

Yeah, I won't knowwhat will fit where until I get in there and start mocking things up. Right now I'm just eyeballing everything. Form what I can tell so far, there's no room to go behind the engine unless you go really behind the engine (halfway up the tranny or so). For a single turbo it makes more sense to route the drivers side exhaust manifold forward, collect it with the other passenger side manifold at the turbo flange, and then run a single downpipe all the way back.

Just FYI the LS1s run two cats, one connected to each "header" and then the piping Ys together before it goes back. Many of the dual tipped F-bodies you see have a stretch where it's a single pipe. That's why you'll see people list "true duals" in their mods. They often run an X or an H pipe instead of the Y. It's good for a few HP due to better flow.

 

I wonder how many times that very phrase has been quoted here... Who really cares? It's HIS car. I'll bet you'll retract that statement when you crap out trying to keep up with his 130mph fishtails.

 

nice pics

 

nice car.