So I finally decided to do it. After my engine pressumably blew, I was deployed to Iraq and left my FD sitting in my garage...Lonely....unwanted.... When I came back (with some extra cash to spare) I sat down and weighed the pros and cons of the swap. On the one had, I had the money I would have to spend fixing my engine and getting over 400 RWHP (single turbo,plus the stability mods etc) and then there was an LS1 swap with some tasty things to improve the engine. The LS1 swap is, at the end of the day, is a little more expensive because of the engine mods (custom headers, trick flow heads, Cam swap etc) but with engine being as close to bullet proof as they come, I think its the best deal for my specific situation.

The only real thing that bothered me was what I believed to be a huge weight gain from the LS1. I started doing some research and after weighing the engine/tranny and mods from the 13b and the LS1 and T56 the difference is a mere 70 pounds give or take some. Once we found out this I had very little reason not to do the swap. Specifically because the amount of power per pound increased would actually give it better driving ability. Of course it would not be a "perfect" 50/50 since there would be a little more weight in the nose but the difference is meaningless especially since you can relocate some things to move weight around.

As it stands, the LS1 is fully built/resealed and we are waiting for the subframe and radiator. The funny part is I had just replaced the radiator with a fluydine before the engine took a poo and now the swap will not allow a radiator that big. I wish I would have kept my stock radiator =(.

I just wanted to let you guys know ahead of time in the case that you hear a peculiar sounding FD in SC =p.

BTW, the shop performing the swap is Called Macon-Moore Performace. Dave moore is the owner and he has been outstanding. I will try to keep anybody interested posted. If anybody is contemplating the swap as well, I can let you know all the sources I used to make it happen. The file sizes for the pics are 2 big to upload but if anybody wants some pics Id be glad to send you some of whats been done and the progress.

Nelson

P.S. I have a parts thread if anybody needs some mods.

 

Sound interesting Bro. Glad you made it back. Post some pics when you have some.

 

Here are some pics hopefully =p

 

since u wont be needing it how bout u let me take that 13b off ur hands.

 

dude you are alive we all thouth you fell of the face of the earth

 

Yeah man, I made it back. Trust me, Ive been wanting to drive with you guys again really bad. I think about it all the time. Ive been pressuring my mechanic to hurry up so I can meet up at the next meet and show you guys whats been done. Hes really cool so he has been letting me work with him as the parts come in (most mechanics are jealous of their work). Ill keep you guys posted!

 

Keep it updated! Always like reading an LS1 build thread

 

Still waiting for grannyspeed conversion kit to show up before I take more pics (2 weeks late).

Headers came in a couple of weeks ago. Ill take pictures of them when granny speed stuff comes in. BTW, as far as I know, the only people that make headers for an LS1 Swap is Jags that run, in case anybody needed to know. Also, they only fit on T-56 trannys so if you have an automatic you will have to come up with something else.

 

Dude, your messing up a good car. I know somebody that dropped an LS1 in his car and I was not impressed. Nothing like a well built turbo motor!!

Good luck with the swap. If you want a muscle car then buy one. Don't F up a well designed car.............Not many 7 lovers have much respect for what you are doing!!

 

I made this thread for those interested in seeing or possibly doing the swap, not for any hatefull comments on the swap.

I do not have the time, patience or experience to deal with repeated rotary problems. Iam a diesel mechanic and know my way around a piston engine and so I feel more comfortable.

It will make more power and it will actually handle better. It is my car, not yours, if you dont want to change your RX7 then I suggest you keep yours bone stock then you can whine about people altering the purity or spirit of the car.

 

good luck man yoo back a DOHC V8 wont fit lol.

 

kick ***! cant wait to see it done

 

And I know a dozen who have swapped them and it blew their socks off. Something about doubling the hp and tripling the torque does that.

Except for one that doesn't have turbo lag.

Or build something that's neither a muscle car or a rice rocket. Ya know, the engine isn't the sole defining piece of an auto.

Well, if Mazda did it right the first time, he wouldn't be doing it, now would he?

Except for the ones who you'll meet face to face.

OP, I think I met you a year or two ago at an upstate meet. I had the black LS1 FC at the time. I've done 6 or 7 V8 or V6 swaps. I hope this shop knows what they are doing. Getting the engine in and running is the easy part. Getting the gauges, AC, PS, etc working takes lots of time or some experience. And getting the AC isn't as simple as hooking your AC button up to your compressor relay. That will work, not for long. Hooking the GM PS pump isn't as simple as hooking it up to the Mazda rack.

BTW, you can keep your Fluidyne. That's what I use and like it a whole lot better than vertical mounted 'swap kit' radiators. But if you wanna sell it, lemme know.

I'm tearing apart my LS1 FD and building an LS2 FD right and wrapping up a L35 FC.

LS1 FD


L35 FC


LS1 FC


LS2 widebody FD project, just started


My new shop where it'll be done

 

PEZ You rock. I personally am getting sick of watching mine sit awaiting a good tune just to run only on warm days. I would really like to do a LS1 or better swap in the future just need the $$$.

 

Well, I've got a spare LS1 laying around... priced to move!!

 

lol let me guess the swap was done at tdc Ive been pressuring my mechanic to hurry up so I can meet up at the next meet and show you guys whats been done. Hes really cool so he has been letting me work with him as the parts come in (most mechanics are jealous of their work). Ill keep you guys posted!

that part
is easy
chris hates rx7s
hates them up there
i bought sams old SA and then chris just hates it
doesn't even give it a look
nothin he's disrespectful to some and well he can cheat you for money
but everyone is right now

and he probably lets you because your helpin and well takes less work of employees hint less pay for that job.

 

lol let me guess the swap was done at tdc
Ive been pressuring my mechanic to hurry up so I can meet up at the next meet and show you guys whats been done. Hes really cool so he has been letting me work with him as the parts come in (most mechanics are jealous of their work). Ill keep you guys posted! that part
is easy
chris hates rx7s
hates them up there
i bought sams old SA and then chris just hates it
doesn't even give it a look
nothin he's disrespectful to some and well he can cheat you for money
but everyone is right now

and he probably lets you because your helpin and well takes less work of employees hint less pay for that job.[/QUOTE]

 

No, I've done all my swaps. I was up at TDC a month or 2 ago and he was asking me a bunch of questions because he's never done one before. He said he had one coming in and he was asking me if I would do the harness for him.

I'm telling you, if you've never done one (or the shop), it'll take them months to figure out the details. Like I said, getting the engine in and going down the road is the easy part, all the other stuff takes quite a bit of know-how. Like, all of the belt driven accessaries, except for the water pump, need to be internally altered to get them to where they won't blow up, fry, burst their lines, etc.

 

1. I don't see where my comment/opinion was hateful! I wished you good luck with the project.

2. If you are able to understand the complex piston engine then you are more than capable to understand the much simpler Rotary, German invented, 3 moving pieces engine. All the basics are the same. Fuel + Oxygen + Compression + Spark.

3. You posted in a ROTARY FORUM, not a V8 forum, so you no longer have an RX-7 but a V8 7. And you are open to any opinions from anybody in this PUBLIC ROTARY FORUM. If you don't like it, start a new SUB-Forum for V-8 Mazda's.

4. Eat-Pez, your comments/opinions are respected.....I just don't think you understand or appreciate rotary fever.

5. At Deals Gap 2006.........1/100 cars was a LS1 FD. I know this guy and he is a friend, but truly, less respect is shown V8 7's, especially if you don't do the work yourself............

6. As a teenager in Detroit in the 70/80's, muscle cars were a dime a dozen and we used to beat the hell out of them. My point...........don't talk to me about the virtues of the V8 cause I already know them..........I own a big block V8. Check my sig.

7. Your right, it is your car and all of us have a love of cars in common. I don't care if your drop a Jet Engine in your car. Actually, that would be something to see.
Didn't mean too **** you off.........

 

sup erik(sp)? haven't talked to ya in a while, so what's up with the 7? how many miles u got on it now? enough to get on it yet?

 

Other than the part about, your project isn't respectful, then you're right, no one said it was hateful.

Yes, I understand how a rotary engine works, but I don't understand why it can't get me 400hp/400lbs of NA torque and still get me 27-30mpgs and an LS1 can with no weight gain.

No, this is an RX7 forum, of which I've owned many and currently own 2. If you were a teenager in the 80s, then you're old enough not to pull the same tired arguement about "V8 7". My badges say RX7, my titles say RX7, Mazda calls them RX7s... the only people who don't are the ones who think that the only way to define a car is with it's power plant.

No, public RX7 FORUM.

There is. And there is a whole forum just for V8 RX7s. Are you telling me I'm not welcome in a thread about a guy I know, who lives in the same state as I (check the title), who is working on a project that I know very well, have pioneered certain aspects of, and currently sell products for. I thought this was a public forum

Really? you just nicely told me to GTFO.

I don't, and I don't care to. But I understand and appreciate what you do and what you love, but don't disrespect me because I don't love what you do. Bring your rotary car on over. I'll help you turn wrenches on it, I'll help you figure out problems you may have with it, I'll do my best to make your car everything you want it to be, and I'll have tons of respect for you as long as you have passion for what you do. You could tell me you want your car to run off distilled dead lima beans and I would help you figure out how to do it. And think you're a pretty cool guy for trying it.

And, I don't think you understand or appreciate LSx fever. These aren't the same as the big blocks and small blocks of the 70s and 80s. Don't even try to equate them.

Point? Your siting an event 3 years ago, right? V8 7s have their own meet around the same time of year, so people coming from out of state would probably opt for that one instead.

Who is he? Does he post on any forums? If so, I'm sure I know him. What's his name so I can tell him a "friend" thinks his car is an abomination.

Well, bought-not-built guys get less respect among all car guys. Maybe if I were to build a car inorder to gain respect, you might have a point. But since that's not my goal, I'll keep doing what I do....

And didn't you just tell him to BUY a car instead of BUILD one?? Yes, you did... see below
I'm not talking about virtous V8s. Please stop making up things to argue about. And I've got a friend that had a 460 (I think... 454 punched .100 over) 70 Chevelle. Engine and chassis are in great condition, but, boy, that thing was a turd. First time he brought it over he was telling me about "four hundred and sixty cubic inches of pavement pounding.. blah, blah...", "well my little 346 outside will stomp this thing all day long and twice on Sunday." After I kicked his ***, he ended up selling it and getting an LS1 F Body.

You didn't **** me off, but replying with assumptions that you did and making up things to argue about do nothing to promote a friendly discussion.

Listen bro, if you like your engine, that's great. Need any parts for it? I might have some laying around. Need chassis or suspension parts, lemme know. If I don't have them, I'll keep an eye out for you. If you're ever in this area and your car dies, lemme know, I've got a 6 bay shop with tons of tools and some lifts. Not to mention the 2 car garage I have at my house chock full of tools. But don't pull some underhanded stunt like come to a forum and tell me, the OP or anyone that what they're doing with their property, their money, their time and their passion isn't worth your respect.

Sorry OP, didn't mean to jack your thread. Unfortunately, those who know better about your property, your finances, your goals, and your abilities always seem to crap on these threads.

 

Derrik lol but yea not much got it at school workin on it 3 hours a day for a grade haha =] love it
but yea i only have like 900 more to go haha but anyways nm but ive gotten alot of new parts in the last week

got a second gen cluster year unknown its the one with 140 on it but gas and oil on one side and volt and temp on the other gotta get it legal first cause i set it to the miles i have on the bottom part of sams cause thats the miles on that engine
but umm that a tail light lense drivers side lookin for passenger, new license plate cover light holder, exterior and interior pillar covers, covers for the screws in interior, might be gettin the console out of my 81 tomorrow, got a new cowl (part with the washer fluid sprayer?) and then got new covers for that, new back part for the little side window the black plastic between that and the hatch?

so basically
-cluster
-tail light lense
-license plate cover light holder
-exterior/interior pillar covers,
-screw covers door handle
-door handles exterior
-cowl
- turn lamp cover
-side marker
-emblem
-steerinwheel
-lookin for a dash if not im fabricating my own using the old shell
-console
-ebrake handle
-soon new carpet

starting to get the peeling clear off tomorrow to prep for paint
if we get the door handles off but weve had set backs
some one stole the only clip remover in class for the windshield =XXX
sucked too.

 

Pez, go right ahead bro!!!

Actually, to be honest your FC was one of the reasons I decided to go LS. I remember at the meet how good it sounded and ran and you kept up in the twisties with no problem with the rest of us so my thought was "****, if he can do everything my car can and more, why not?"

Only thing was that for some reason in my mind I thought your intake manifold was red on your FC, amirite?

Anyway, grannyspeeds kit should be in middle of the week (as he told me in an email) so I will probably start encountering some of the problems you mentioned (cooling, AC, elctrical etc). If it gets bad Ill be sure to get ahold of you and maybe we can Iron out the rest.

Nelson

 

gee, i make myself a V8 FD 4 yrs ago and now EVERYONE wants to do it

oh well, mine's the one no one ever sees because it's sitting, not running...you know, in the driveway with my non-running rotary FD

and with regards to pez's FC playing at that meet...so was the NA mini, let's put one of those in your car!

good luck nelson on the swap.

 

soon we can have SC V8 RX7 meets... and i'll post pics of my car tonight when i get home