slickmonkey77

im wanting to get an rx-7, especially if it has a v8.
is this one a good or bad deal and why?
i dont know much about motors. its older but it looks like its been taken care of.
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false

clokker

iTrader: (2)

It's hard to tell.
The V-8 RX swap is a well trodden path- the kits have had a lot of development- and the end result can be a kickass car but as usual, it's the details that matter.

He lists a lot of nice parts, did he put them together well?
One glaring omission I noticed was the diff...what's in there?

If I was looking at a car like this, the electrical work would be the area I'd concentrate on.
To me, electrics would be the telltale that showed how careful and detailed the builder was.

Could be a fun car and if it's well built, the price isn't out of line.

dawicka2

9 thousand dollars for a 1500 dollar car with a 900 dollar engine?

Bad idea.

+ (like clokker said) Could be buying someones electrical gremlin'd nightmare.

Put your back to it and run away very fast.

9k is fd territory.

john ny

clokker

iTrader: (2)

I didn't say it was an electrical nightmare, I said the quality of the electrical work would be an indicator I'd place weight on.

If you can buy a healthy LT1 with a T-56 and a decent clutch for $900, I'll take two.
Hell, a decent 6-speed T-56 is 2 grand all by itself (I know because we just bought one for the 3rd gen swap I've been hip deep in since last March) and the listed parts come to a considerable sum as well.

I don't think it's a good or bad idea but if it's a car you're interested in, bring a skeptical eye and as much knowledge as you can muster.

If you buy it, I'd like a ride.

Evil Aviator

You forgot that the aftermarket speedometer only has 1800 miles on it!

dawicka2

I wasn clear. I meant that you already stated that looking over the electrical system was important.

I am saying that there be electrical gremlins.

op says he doesnt know much about motors. ......paying a shop to work on this custom thing is going to be expensive.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/94-95...Q5fAccessories 600.00

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2000-...Q5fAccessories 900.00

Ok.... the engine and trans is not 900.00. It is 1500.00

So now we are no longer 9,000.00 for a 2400.00 car, But 9,000 for a 3,000 dollar car.

Still a bad deal.

Still run from it........especially if you arent able to work on it.

john ny

clokker

iTrader: (2)

Have you by chance ever built a V-8 RX7...or even ridden/driven one?
Just curious.

Let's say the OP could find a car like this with the suspension, wheels, paint job, etc. with a tired rotary in it...think he could buy it for $1500?
I don't.

The motor you linked to has no accessories...alt, waterpump, etc....so it's hardly ready to run either.
The tranny you found has no bellhousing and specifically says it won't fit the engine type you chose.
Basically, I don't think you're playing fair with your numbers.

As for working on this custom beast...most mechanics would think they'd died and gone to heaven if they popped the RX hood and saw the room available...it's considerably larger than the original American car's engine bay.
Besides, it's hardly as though the world is overflowing with mechanics who are thrilled to see the stock rotary engine either, is it?

Furthermore, you're discounting the fact that the car's current owner has to be expecting to haggle on price...who pays "list" for anything these days?
I expect the car could really be had for $7-$7.5k.

So, here I am, looking like an advocate for the Frankencar, which was not my original intention.
I have however, spent a considerable amount of time researching and actually building such a beast and thought a more balanced opinion was useful.

dawicka2

Non turbo fcs with "bad engines" Go for 500-1500 dollars around here all day long.

I just want to make sure the potential owner of this vehicle knows what he is getting into. Seems like a lot of money for not much car.

9,000 dollars could buy a 3rd gen.

He is deciding if he should buy this car for way too much money.

I just hope to shed some light on the financial end is all.

Little issues are going to cost alot more to fix when he has to pay someone to do the work.

This is not a v8 rx7 discussion. Personally i prefer the 13b, but respect torqful v8s.

I would be saying the same thing if it was a buick grand national engine, turbo mazda 4 cylinder, or RE engine.

If you did not build the car, 9,000 dollars is a lot of money on a gamble. Things can go wrong, and because it is a swap, it will be expensive to fix.

If he has had his heart set on purchasing a stock looking rx7 with an lt1 motor for the last 5 years and finally found one, by all means dont let me stop you from overpaying for it.

I just hate to see people get ripped off.

He asked for advise, i givesiz it.

john ny

slickmonkey77

thanks much for the advice fellas
i really appreciate it. especially coming from both sides.
it would be badass to have a v8 rx7, especially if it was a third gen with an ls1 motor. i just cant find any of those in my price range and i personally dont know enough about cars to do a swap myself. trying to find one that's done right, but as u said, u wont really know til u either look over it with a fine toothed comb or drive it a bit.
thanks again

Keboh

One thing is being severely overlooked; have any of you priced out having an EFI v8 wired into an FC? It's mind boggling. If it was done in a shop thousands would be spend solely in that. not to mention the 750 dollar conversion kit. that's atleast 3 grand ontop of your estimated price, not to mention the suspention and wheels. and the fact that you will never find a shell that clean.

I'm about a month away from getting my 302 FC running though, so I'm a bit biased.

dawicka2

john ny

Keboh

I don't get what you're trying to say?

clokker

iTrader: (2)

He's saying that he changed his mind and now strongly recommends that you buy this car.

At least that's what I got from it.

b16eg

iTrader: (2)

i would love to drive a v8 powered rx, but buying one could be cool until you run into some sort of problem he half assed, like said above

clokker

iTrader: (2)

At this point in the RX's lifecycle, the chances of finding a "half-assed" problem are just as likely with the stock rotary engine as with the V-8.

Remember, to most people- and mechanics- the rotary is still a very exotic and unknown piece of kit.

12AllWays

iTrader: (20)

That LT1 looks like it is stock or nearly stock... What is the point? 9k is crazy unless you have been creaming over having an lt1 rx7. Faster turbo 13b fc's can be bought for that or even alot less sometimes.

dawicka2

hahaha. Nope....i bolded into a 500.00 fc.

Meaning pretty much if the previous owner did dump all that money (which i dont at all believe)

OP: It is still into a 500 dollar fc.

Run away from this ripoff. I can think of several thousand ways to waste 5-6 thousand dollars.

Do what you want though maybe clokker will help you finance this thing.

Good luck what ever you do.

No mind change..still firmly believe this is a waste of money.

John ny

clokker

iTrader: (2)

Let me posit a theoretical situation to you both...

I have a '91 NA daily driver, runs OK but original motor is getting tired with 190k miles, interior is fine, body in fair condition but could use a respray.

What would you estimate the cost to go turbo with a desired horsepower goal of say, 350 at the wheels?

Include the motor, transmission, full exhaust and differential.
Also include a paint job (same color as current) and all new suspension bushings.



If by "finance" you mean offer advice gained by actually participating in a swap, then sure, be happy to.
If you are using the more traditional definition of "providing money", then not bloody likely- you think I have a tired, semi-hooptie NA because I'm cheap?

fc3s91

iTrader: (23)

Here we go again !!! Piston verse rotary drama. Does this ever end!!!

dawicka2

^^^^Not piston vs rotary drama.

Purchasing a swap in unknown condition without the knowedge to fix potential issues vs. t2 with 5 grand in your pocket.....is more acurate.



Now we are factoring in paint to inflate this jacked up price i guess.



So the way i would go about answering your question for 350 at the wheels will be the way i am revamping my current setup.

I will say that i have seen t2's with blown engines go for 800.00. (although unnecessary for my setup, for this hypothetical budget build..it is)

stock high compression na engine with all t2 perepherals =no added cost.

Streetporting templates for 6 port(60$), rebuild kit(1000$), used 60-1 compressor on stock (ported wastegated) ht18 (500$).

rtek 2.1 with used upped cc injectors (600$)

ebay fmic and piping 200.oo
used wideband system 150.00

so na shell 500.00 + above cost = 3,300 dollars

No where near 9,000 dollars .....oh and then there is paint... personally i use nasons base coat clear....cheap and gets the job done for 300 ish, there is also maco......

or go nuts with the extra six thousand dollars in your pocket.....while retaining that wonderful rotary sound and powerband......... its your call.

Now ofcourse i probably left a few things out.....but not at all six thousand dollars worth.

.....and by finance, i did mean give him the six thousand dollars that the op is wasting.

john ny

slickmonkey77

keep in mind that i neither have the experience nor the equipment for a swap myself, which means i would be paying a lot of labor costs for it also.

dawicka2

Yeah.....so i guess either way it boils down to "How much do you want to pay for 3,500 dollars worth of car" Whether its rotary or v8 powered, doing it yourself will cost 3,500 dollars.

You just need to ask yourself if $5,500 dollars (157% of the cars value) in labor is reasonable.

If the answer is yes, cut him a check, or show up with 7,XXX dollars in cash and try to haggle like clokker said.

100% your call.

Good luck with what ever decision you make.

john ny

slickmonkey77

thank you guys. i got quite a bit from this.

frijolee

iTrader: (1)

A clean well put together lt1 fc usually sells in the $6500-9k range so if Jonnny boy thinks he can put them together for $3500 (or find someone willing to let one go for that stupid cheap) more power to him. I think he's smoking crack personally but what do I know? It's not like I've actually done this or anthing. Hell the car posted has about $1200 in wheels and tires and good luck finding a $500 shell with fresh paint but Johnny here doesn't worry about that. (In case you missed it John, you kinda pissed me off...). To the OP see my signature if you want a SLIGHTLY more complete parts list than what Johnny is referencing.

FWIW I'd say the car in question looks like it belongs at the high end of the range I mentioned and is therefore priced about right. The economy is in the toilet however so I'd guess it actually sell at around $8k. That's assuming it's all mechanically sound but the parts list alone is more than $8k so the owner is probably going to be kicking themselves for having to let it go that cheap... I don't know the car in question so I will say that as with any custom work, the caliber of the builder matters a lot. I certainly agree with whoever it was that mentioned wiring as a good indication of attention to detail. If the wiring is all soldered/heat shrunk, cleanly routed and wrapped there's a very good chance that same attention to detail will carry throughout the rest of the build.

When trying to make a comparison like this remember that it's just as possible to get screwed by a hacked t2 swap as it with a hacked v8 swap. Either way if you don't know much about the setup in question they might not be your best choice. Even if it's hard you might be better off building one just because you'll learn as you go. The only really special tool required is a hoist which you can rent and experience comes quickly if you're not afraid to read a lot. (Hit v8rx7forum and start with the build threads for any car you think is interesting).

Oh and for what it's worth I'd take an LS1 FC over an FD any day (and I did). LT1 FC vs FD would depend on the ride in question.

dawicka2

^^^ If i wasted 6 thousand dollars on a 3,500 dollar car i would probably be upset too.

Thats the only possible explaination i can come up with for how angry you are, lol.

Remenber i clearly stated "doing the swap yourself" "used parts" and my main point (which went way over your head) was.......

"Paying someone to work on this thing if something goes wrong is going to be expensive, because it is a custom job"

As i clearly stated before, this is not a v8 vs rotary discussion. I would be saying the same thing if it was a klze v6, b6 4cylturbo, or cummings diesel swap.

Trying to help op make a decision is all.

Clean shells 500 dollars all day long.....paint not even factored in.

Show me where the remaining 6 thousand dollars is.



john ny