87mazdarx

The V8 is the way to go. I build a 87 with a 355 chevy. And am now building a 84 with a 302 and a 5speed. plus a turbo.

Wallyman

iTrader: (4)

The 87 T2 with the LT1/T56 is coming apart, and moving it to a 91 vert with a built motor.. goal is 380rwhp. Considered doing a small supercharger but will save that for later.

For the $$, hard to beat a Chevy 350 setup (or the 5.0/T5), especially if you go automatic.. T56 tranny gets expensive but a sports car needs a stick.

Wallyman

sunburn

this whole thread is crazy talk.

Wallyman

iTrader: (4)

A RWD sports car with a V8 and 6 speed.. feels sane to me.

(a lot more sane than a rotory anyhow.. this is my 4th RX7, and not a single one has had a good rotary)

Wallyman

habu2

I can't tell if that's sarcasm or just a Freudian slip.

Supernaut

iTrader: (83)

It should be...

rottery is thebest mottery

kfrosty

if youguys are interested i have a ls225689.121 out of a 99 ss Supidero for sale but i cant get it posted on this site, i just joined it to see what all you can do with such light cars and its is alot.. if someone is interested my # is 1 800 get pawnd

thanks dr kirby, pHd

chefsanctus

as far as v8 or fourbangers or 6cyl swaps. is truely up to you, how you go about it is goin to ditermane the cost, for example i been wanting to keep my fc vert i just love the way the cars handle and looks i personaly call them the poor mans porche because of it. i been looking at v8 swaps but thanks to the bush family ******* this country and the rest of the nations with the gas prices i started to look at 4cylinders engines i know the cheapest way is to buy a running car and swap. take in cosideration oil pan location, shifter position, and hood clearance ( thats where i screwd up on my set up , check my site and see what i mean ) so here it is swap kits for v8 can cost from $400-over $800. plus $60-$300 for a drive shaft. now consider the engine and tranny ......for example: i found a complete ford mustang gt with a 2.3turbo from the junk yard, i payed $450 for engine t5 tranny complete with wire harnes and turbo and ecu. then on my spare time i rebuilt the engine to my specs $850. had my friend make me a custome motor mounts $400 it would have been cheaper from grannyspeed. @ $250 live and learn right. after the motor was done drive shaft $85. im useing the stock rx7 slave cylinder just a custome mount $35. plus a new wire harnes from turbo joe cause i butcherd mine $400 so far i have invested $1,832. so i know done rigth you could get it done under $2,500 i have a my fc still on the road and the best part is i dont have to tear down my engine to change my water seals or apex blowing but my intentions where not to be the fastest but just injoy my car on long drives wiht out worring about spending $3000 everytime the engine farts a apex

gearhead670

agreed on all the posts!!! my last one was a 87 non turbo car --thats the only change im making --the one i just bought is a 87 turbo 2 car and it has a running rotory in it ----not for long! and one other change im making ----my last one had a 327 muncie 4 speed in it ----this one -----462 big block chevy +m-22 muncie 4 speed ---the only changes MORE POWER!!!----WELL more weight too but ill get around that -springs or if i have to lift the front end another way ill do it --needless to say these cars with v-8 power are a can of whoop ***!!-if you have fab. skills its endless what you can do to these cars or any other for that matter.look at early hot rods like pre 32 model a cars .they put blown hemi engines in those cars and you dont see people flyin off the handle like the the die hard rotory guy on here!!!geesh they blow up sometimes when you say your putting a v-8 in one ..----------yes yes yes i am doing it again and no regrets what so ever!

graffeedy5

Is it easier to put a 5.0 into an FC or an FB? Same question with the 350.

mazrolet

The v8 swap is well worth it. I first put a 350 in the thing with a grannys kit and that was the start of it. It now has a 383 and it is WAY better than the two rotaries that I had previously driven the car with. The 383 is a torque monster and still the car handles excellent (I can't tell a difference). Some small problems with the swap but nothing major and nothing that wasn't expected (small wiring issues and making shrouds etc.). I wired the setup with the stock wiring harness at first and I didn't like it, so I put a painless harness in. I have a 5 speed Borg Warner that hasn't blown out yet, but when it does I plan on getting a nice TCI. I have no regrets going to the v8. I love rotaries to death but the decision to go to the chevy was an obvious one. I hope to convert a second gen into a super street dirt car soon, I think it would make an excellent platform for a winning car.

aa35199

iTrader: (1)

I just got my mustang 5.0 powered fb running, worth it.......extremely worth it. I too love rotaries, but I wanted to try some thing different, and for once own a fast car. I debated for a month whether to build the rotary or swap in a V8, ultimately it came down to one simple fact, stock V8 swap or built rotary, they'll give you roughly the same speed for roughly the same money. However with the V8 you get great streetability, good gas mileage, an engine that can run for 200k+ miles with very basic maintenance, and on top of that the V8 has limitless potential for more power. Another point for the V8 swap is that it doesn't involve much skill at all to complete, I bought a kit from grannies speed shop and all I had to do was turn bolts. Building the rotary on the other hand, could turn out badly (like ANY motor build) if you make a small mistake or over sight during the build do to inexperience or lack of skill.

Just $.02 from some one who's been there and done that.

stock1991

Awesome kudos!

What headers/exhaust did you go with?
Im about to drop my 302/T5 in and dont have the exhaust worked out just yet...

Coaststarlight

Whats a Rotory?

aa35199

iTrader: (1)

The exhaust took a little trial and error before I found some thing that some worked. First off you have the option of running stock exhaust headers from a 5.0 mustang or Lincoln MK vII which should fit no prob and SUCK for making power or aftermarket headers. I wanted better headers so I went with a set of ceramic mac shortie headers which I would recommend http://www.olsonsperformance.com/mac...ers-7994-.html I had to dent one of the tubes, but not too badly to clear the steering box. I had originally bought some bbk headers, but in order to clear the steering box I almost flattened one on the tubes into a pancake so I had to pitch them and buy the macs. I then bought a jegs brand h pipe for a fox body mustang which bolted right in, and then clamped on 2 turbo mufflers with turn downs since I didn't want to deal with the piping going over the axle. It works nicely but the h pipe hangs low so ground clearance isn't great, but it's not unstreetable with stock ride height, you just have to be careful when you pull into a parking lot. Here's a thread on norotors.com that covers every thing for your v8 FB's exhaust complete with pics. http://www.norotors.com/index.php/to...0.html#msg9460

EDIT:
stock1991 feel free to shoot me a pm if have any other questions regarding the swap.

PUMP GAS 7

iTrader: (3)

i love my ls1 rx7 and its been a great acr! i have riden in a few as well. nothing like having the power of a vette and the looks of a rx7 ..

PUMP GAS 7

iTrader: (3)

both are great motors. the simple fact is the ls1 parts are everywhere!!!

seramaz

Well i'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who has decided to swap out the rotor for a motor that will be reliable and be able to pound it at will without something else goin' wrong. I plan on puttin' a V6 in my 90 vert and will not worry about the weight factor- more aluminum is good and this car will be what I always intended it for- a transplant recpient of a 229 CU IN Chevy V6- Hooray for swappers!

mistermorgan

Thats ROTARY dummie not rottery.
What level of education have you????

southsidecox

iTrader: (52)

if your going to do a V8 swap you might as well do it rt the first time,the all alum. LS motors are the ones that are going to keep the orig. weight balance characteristics of the car,at least when you move the battery twds the back,the ones that are doing the iron block LT1's and ford motors are usually doing for cost reasons which i understand,but your def. going to affect the handling since those iron blocks are a good bit heavier, i say save up and go LS/T56 for best results

cavemag

V8 swaps are a waste in my mind. If a person wanted reliability, good gas mileage and driveability they'd have bought a Camry not a damn Rx7. Its like buying a Corvette and swapping in a geo engine. I do however enjoy v8s, and respect the work that it does take to swap one in.

JustinStrife

iTrader: (2)

There are guys with 300+k miles on their LS motors. One of my best friends has over 150k on his 2007 LS7 Z06. Why not be able to enjoy the car, rather than have it in pieces all the time? I can't tell you how many Rx7 meets I use to go to, where everybody had to take their DD as their RX, was in the shop, or on jack stands...

clokker

iTrader: (2)

There are many reasons to use the later LSx motors over the LTx versions, but weight distribution ain't one of 'em.
Our LT1 FD has 49/51 weight distribution...heavier at the rear, and nearly perfect crosscorner/side to side balance.
Total car weight with 1/2 tank of fuel and 185lb driver is 2840lbs, with full interior.

southsidecox

iTrader: (52)

how does it handle?sounds pretty close on the balance but i would think for optimum handling in a front engine/ rear wheel drive car you would want the front actually to be more weight biased than rear,curious how the car came out 49/51 with iron block/alum. heads.. im guessing no AC/PS for sure,and battery relocation for starters,what else?

clokker

iTrader: (2)

Yes, no AC or PS, battery relocated to the very back of the car.
Car has also been totally rewired, which drops a surprising amount of weight (when you account for all the computers, relay/fuseboxes, etc. that go away).

I too was surprised at the weight distribution (remember though, this is with the driver in place) but don't worry much about it (she's just a street car after all) and figured that weight transfer under braking might even be slightly improved. She also has big, heavy wheels (18's) and I think a nice square set up on 17's would improve handling and suspension.
Also, when people crow about how light the rotary engine is, I think they're mostly talking about the bare block...you start adding on the ancillaries- twin turbos and the associated plumbing ain't exactly light- and a simple NA V-8 compares pretty well.

Handling is great (again, street car), traction is the biggest issue really.
The diff has been swapped to a 3.90 auto unit but even so, first and second gear are optional- 3rd gear starts are common. Something around a 3.55 would be much better.

Gadston, AL, eh?
When I was racing, we used to hit Little Talledega several times a season.