hey there guys, as you can see im new and i searched for similar threads.my good friend has a 1986 gen 2 GXL rx-7 the 13B blew and is not repairable. He wants to do the common 302 swap with a big kit and instructions on how to do it, but its going to be a gutted weekend DD drift car and that engine is going to cause weight issues.
one soulution is to replace the drivetrain with a 4.0L V6 and the 5spd from a 2WD ranger then replace the rear with a coilover 9in and 2.83 gears.
another is a 1JZ swap where we need to find a trans and hope the motor doesnt have damage
last one is to put a 3.8L V6 t-bird carbed engine with a AOD manual valve body and try to find lower gears for the differential.
heres the things i have on hand for this build, the car, a part time use shop, a 302, a 4.0L V6, a 3.8L V6, a spare 9in with the 2.83 gears(leafspring). I work at a trans shop so the AOD and 5spd will be no problem to get, i have a B&M shift kit for the AOD, and random welders and tools for fabricating
please spell things out for me i dont know the abbr. for half the things you guys know(truck guy). the only real issue will be splicing the interior wiring harness with the engine harness if we go EFI. thanks guys ill keep in touch

 

i was thinking about a 1jz swap today..

 

gutted weekend DD drift car - (what??)
coilover 9in and 2.83 gears - why?
AOD - why?

what are you using this car for? this post is all over the place.. if this is a drift car why on earth would you put in a live axle with 2.83's? or AOD?
the weight difference between the engines you listed will have very little impact on the car, which is easily tuned out with suspension adjustment.
go 5.0 with a t-5
the rest is just more headache with less output

5.0 w/ T5 - 520lbs
ls1 w/ T56 - 505lbs
1JZ w/ 5 spd - 760lbs
SR20DET w/ 5spd - 475lbs - all aluminum turbo 4cyl- about the lightest high output powerplant you can find (easily)

v8 is def the way to go for light weight with any kind of power (for cheap)

 

gutted drift car DD is for use on the raods when we want and its going to be used to drift alot, mostly on weekends. gutted just because the interior is bad and we are putting in race seats, roll cage, harnesses, etc. all street legal here. the solid rear axle is to keep everything level in the rear while the car is sideways. the 2.83 gears to make up for the high torque ranger transmission instead of 4.11 that would be used for 35's and a lift kit in rangers. Have you ever driven a small car with a 5.0 and an AOD with a manual valve body??? all it is, is one less thing to do when breaking traction and better shifting on straitaways, let alone the steep hills in our area.

 

Sell the motors you got......and rebuild the 13B : )

 

we would need and entirely new 13B, oh ya everything on every major part has a crack, or some kind of damage.( i have never seen this car run)