So, I've been searching through the forums for some time now, and haven't yet been able to find a direct answer to my question. I have an 88 na with its now second blown rotary. I'm sick of it...

Anyway, I've been looking into conversions for a 302 or a 351. Now, my goal is not 400 hp. This car is my daily driver, and I just want a reliable car that makes the money I've spent on the body of this thing worth it. So as this as a goal, how much do I actually look at spending on the conversion? Also, this is my only car, and I can't go without it for too long (a week, maybe).

I can do all the work myself, and before was just planning to drop in a new rotary myself (did it before, and it wasn't bad at all).

 

If you don't mind a slight hood scoop, a 5.0 can be very simple and cheap to drop into the '88. I have the plans for it (for cheap motor mounts) here:

http://www.freewebs.com/adesso/mounts.htm

It uses the motor-side mounts for a '70s Maverick 302 (as found at your local auto parts store) and the Fox Mustang oil pan. the trans mount is for the AOD, but you could mod it for the 5 speed.

This would require an approx. 2" hood scoop to fit under the stock hood, but it does not change the crossmember or steering in any way.

I built the mounts for approx. $20 in steel, and they lasted for over 5 years of autocrossing stress wile I had the car.

 

As for cost and time, if you have the parts gathered, you can do it pretty quickly, but a week may be pushing it, especially if you can't work on it full time. An engine/trans combo can be had for $500-800, the mounts can be done for under $50, you'll need a custom driveshaft made (I used the Mazda driveshaft with the Ford forward yoke welded on then balanced. Cost me about $70 for that work). Of course, if you use a 5 speed, you need to work out the clutch actuation method and make sure the shifter is positioned right (which is one of the reasons I went with the AOD, as I could use the stock Mazda automatic shifter). You'll need to work out the fuel delivery whether injected or carbed (with an '88 you pretty much have to stick with the Ford injection, which means adapting the Ford computer). The stock Mazda fuel pump can work with a fairly large V8, so that's not an issue. Of course, the tach needs to be rewired to accept the impulses from the V8, and you'll need a custom speedometer cable. And then there's little things like custom radiator hoses and the modding of the radiator and radiator mount (need to make it vertical to make room for the V8's front pulleys, and might as well go with an electric fan).

I did most of the fabricating myself (outsourcing the driveshaft and tach reprogramming) and did the conversion for about $2500. It can be done for less, as the GRM $2005 Challenge winners proved (daily driver $2000 V8 RX7s show up there every year)

 

Regarding all the odds and ends, how does the granny kit hold up? both in time to install and effectivness

 

I did the granny kit in my 86, with a 93 mustang motor...(converted it to carb with a different manifold and carb)..also removed smog pump a/c and power steering pumps since its not a daily driver for me. The grannys kit has held up fine for me, its all the other odds and ends and getting it running properly that was hard..the granny kit does sit the motor a little high..but i used the stock motor mounts for the 93..all i had to do though was a cut a hole in the hood for the air cleaner to pop through and i put a scoop over it..no big deal..the grannys drive shaft works good..the only problem i found with the granny kit was that it left very little clearance for the radiator...but then again I used a stock replacement water pump and the stock serpentine pulley setup..slightly modified. I used a 91 sentra alternator with my own alternator mounts to lower the alternator position...as the stock bracket left it way above hood line. And i used a free wheeling pulley to delete the ac..or power steering cant remember which one..either way my system only has 4 pulleys to it..crank, alternator, water pump, and the free wheeling one.

But all in all the grannys kit made the swap cake....i recommend the kit that comes with EVERYTHING cause i did the minimum kit and buying the deluxe kit or whatever would have been well worth the money if i hadnt had to run around finding different things to make it work IMO. But then again..i live in Bandera,TX and there isnt anything but a NAPA out here as far as auto parts and services really go.

 

If you are going for cost-effectiveness then slapping a carbed 350 mated to an LT1 T56 is probably as cheap and gas-efficient as you can go (T56 has double overdrive and the LT1 version will mate right up to the old iron block SBC). As the others have said, the Grannys kit sits the Ford motor kind of high but the Chevy motor is able to sit low and all the component hook-ups are easy (it being a carb the fuel lines and wiring harness are cake). If you get a low-rise intake and one of those double-wing hot rod aircleaners you might not even have to cut a hole in the hood. With the Chevy motor, the carb and air cleaner fit under a T2 hood, assuming you don't want to go low-rise.