UnderDrive

OK guys, before you flame me for powering an RX7 with anything other than a rotary motor, ill give you the story....I have a 302 sitting in the garage, and I just picked up an 89 basemodel RX7 with an auto trans and a sadly ill rotary engine. I am going to rebuild the v8, and put it where the rotary sits now. I have everything on hand, and im looking for something that hasnt been seen around my area really, i am daring to be different.

Im wondering how many of you have done this, or have seen this done before. I know that there are a few conversion kits out there, but i dont know where to look for them.

What kind of problems am i going to run into? I know that there may be a problem with the IRS on the car handling the tourque output of the v8. And obviously there will be a suspension problem, so ill definately have to throw in some much stronger shocks/springs in the front especially. I know that there will be some delacate firewall modification and cutting for trans fitment. And it is an auto trans, so ill have to hang a clutch pedal as well. Ill beef up the frame with some subfame connectors, anyone know where i can get my hands on a pair of weld ins???

Would it be better for me to convert the IRS to a Solid unit rear like a FORD 9" with shortend axels, or moser 12bolt?

Anyone in the boston area and want to spend a few weekends fabricating then a few weekends doing track runs???

Thanks for all your help in advance fellas.

rick_tj

Well, I won't flame you. I'll give you props though, that's different. Mad props if you can make it work bro.

Impreza2RX7

The stock IRS will hold up to it, and will handle alot better than a solid rear axle. Go check out v8rx7.com, they have alot of info on there for the swap you plan. I'm putting a LS1 in my TII this fall

UnderDrive

ttt

stilettoman

iTrader: (1)

I put a 302 / 5.0 roller cam motor with an AOD tranny in my 1984 RX-7. I only added 120 pounds, and most of that is in the tranny. If you spend the money for aluminum heads, aluminum intake manifold and aluminum water pump as I did, you will not have a weight problem or balance problem, and don't be concerned about handling. Remember, a small block Ford is 75 pounds lighter than a Chevy.

As for the rear end, unless you are going to pump this engine up to very high horsepower and spend a lot of time at the drag strip, your stock rear end will be fine. If you will drive mostly on the street, you will want an overdrive tranny, or your engine will be screaming at freeway speeds. I strongly recommend you go to Grannys web site and read some of the comments from people who have done this. Also if you buy motor mounts and drive line parts from Grannys you can save a lot of trouble reinventing the wheel.

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