JesterJess

OK, if you all remember, I was installing the 2.3 L Turbo Ford engine into my RX7. Well, now that I have picked up a very nice 2001 Mustang Cobra, my plans have changed. Why on earth would I spend my time and money building a race/play car with maybe 300 hp when I drive my 360-380hp Cobra every day...

So, I'm parting out the 2.3 Turbo engine, and have already purchased a Small Block Chevy. I'm going to be pushing 383 cubic inches, through a powerglide tranny, into an 8.8" ford rear end (with 4.30 gears.) I will be running methanol.

I have completely removed ALL of the interior. This will be a Dedicated Track car. My interior was already shot. Below are some pics of the process. I will be contacting S&W to receive a 10pt roll cage. My car WILL NOT be drag raced with a convertable top. I have confirmed this with BOTH my NHRA rule book, and my local drag race steward. I will be allowed to run with no top, as long as I run a substantual cage, and arm restraints. I will also be running with NO side windows (I can run window nets.) Why do I want to run with no side windows, and a top??? I bet you are asking.... BECAUSE I CAN... Really, the top was trashed, and it didn't make sense to replace a top for a track only car. The side windows thing is just because. No real reason, except that I think it looks GAY for a convertable to drive around with it's side windows up... AND the top down.

I will be getting my kit from Granny's Again. He has offered me 80% of the purchase price of my 2.3L kit as a credit towards my new SBC V8 kit. I will keep you all updated as I did with my last build. I will let you all know about special things to note when building this car. However, it will be a race car, as I mentioned, so I will NOT be running an alternator, power steering, or A/C. I will be running an electric Water Pump, and I will have to charge my battery between each run. I'M OK with this.

Now for the pics

ENJOY...

JesterJess

I have had an issue in the past with people trying to come into MY post, and talk smack. If you don't have something positive to say, please, I don't want to hear it.

If you have something positive to say, let's all hear it.

Thaks for taking the time to read all of this mumbo jumbo..

Jester

Crash Test Joey

iTrader: (1)

You can run a vert with no cage if you run 13.50 or slower... but with a nice 383 and a glide you'd pretty much have to let out of it at the 60'

Good luck with the project.

JesterJess

Joey,
If I build this car, and ONLY run 13.50, I will drive it into the sand trap at the end of the racetrack, AND LEAVE IT.....

Nihilanthic

Um.... LT1s run 13.5's without breaking a sweat with a bad launch, in a FC anyway.

A non-sick 383 is going to blast through the traps pretty quickly, if not bouncing off off of your rev limiter. Why 4.30s? Gonna spin it up that high, or big tires? Most guys are bitching about 4.10s!

Also, Ive 'sold out' myself. L92 heads and a 4" bore genIII block = 330cfm as cast, bone stock. I'd save so much on heads that all Id need to really spend real money on is the valvetrain and rotating assembly, depending on how high I spin it. I got dreams of at least 366 cubic inches if you know what I mean

Im just about to move.... almost everything is in boxes but I gotta wait until the end of the month to actually have a job waiting. Looks like it'll be Atlantic Beach in Duval county, anyone know any swapped 7's in NE florida?

GL on the 383 project. I bet its going to be a real screamer

rarson

If you're not going to run with a top or windows, why not ditch the windshield as well? I would think a slight aero gain could be had. But then again, you might want to maintain more of the look of the car. And with that kind of power, you're probably not going to be losing a whole lot to aero.

Anyway, sounds like a cool project and I look forward to seeing more pictures as you progress!

JesterJess

Ni, i'm thinking of a 27 inch tall 10.5 inch rear tire. I havn't done the math, but this should give me a good combined gear ratio. I need to do the math, before I switch out the 4.10's for the 4.30. Also, is there really a difference in RPM's and trap speed. Lastly, because, I have a set of 4.30 gears for a Ford 8.8 inch rear. I will be installing either a 4-link or Granny's 8.8 installation kit into my RX7. My goal is 9.50's somewhere around 135-140 mph OR FASTER.... I'm not building this engine for all out horsepower and torque. I think a MILDLY built 383 will put down 400hp (or so.) This should push this LIGHT WEIGHT RX7 into the 9's. Good luck with your build, sorry you changed your mind, but I just needed MORE POWER than that 2.3 could ever give me...

Rarson... Why no windshield.... Have you ever been on a motorcycle at 140mph, and stick your head up, over the visor.... If you have, then you will know why. BUT, mostly, because it is required at 99% of the tracks around. NOW, I am considering a heat molded LEXAV windshield. However, this will come at a later date, because I don't need to spend that money yet, if I don't have to. Also, the difference in weight will be minimal.

JesterJess

UPDATE: I'm going downstair, right now, to drop out the stock fuel tank, remove all of the stock fuel parts, and proceed to cut out the trunk floor. This will be replaced with a sheet metal one, and my fuel cell and battery will be located there.

Pics, when I get them

Jester

JesterJess

OK, tank is out and on the ground... How do you get rid of a fuel tank? I am deciding how much to cut out of the rear floor to mount my fuel cell and battery box. I removed about 85 lbs of fuel tank, rear exhaust y pipe, and exhaust mounting hardware.

I sure wish I had a set of scales to see where I sit right now.

Nihilanthic

Id hold your horses with the gear swap... with a 4.30 rear gear, 1:1 transmission gear (4th), and a speed of 135 mph, and a tire size of 27 inches, you'd have to rev to 7225 rpms. With 4.10s you'd only have to rev to only 6888 rpms.

4.30s on the cobra are good becuase its a car with less power/weight so its not trapping as high as a v8 rex would, and thus you dont gotta worry about running out of gears and blowing your tires off as much, so the acceleration increase is beneficial without worrying about bouncing off your rev limiter.

As far as changing my mind, L92 heads and 6liter GenIII blocks are mostly to blame. Well, that and v8s are just too damned addictive.

JesterJess

I have commissioned a local shop to assist me wiht installing a 4-link rear end into my RX7. This will allow me to install a Ford 9", or 8.8" rearend.

Nihilanthic

Oh there you go... hahaha.

If youre gonna go that far hang a turbo off of it and go hunt some supras out by Ft. Lauderdale.

SSRx7

Great looking car! Itll be a blast when done. Check your PM.

Later,
Bill

Nihilanthic

Haha, Jacksonville swappers huh?

Guess where ill be this weekend?

JesterJess

Ni,
This combo will not be able to run any boost on 12:1 compression. I'm building this to be an all out drag car. Driving it on the street will not even be an option with my car. The way it will sit, when I'm 100% ready to race, I will give those pesky Supra's a run for their money with NO turbo. I will also have about 1/10 of the money in my car as they do in theirs. Just think, for the price some of those guys spend on their intake/injectors/turbo, I will have my car whooping it up on them.

digitalsolo

iTrader: (2)

Just curious, why a Vert for an "all out drag car". Just seems somewhat counterintuitive..

JesterJess

Well, I scored an 88 RX7 vert for NOTHING off of ebay. I was going to build it, then I decided on a streetable 2.3L turbo, then, now I decided to build it into an all out drag car. the interior was trashed, so I started ripping it all out, and I just never stoped.

No real reason except... I like things that are different...

My question to you would be "WHY NOT???"

digitalsolo

iTrader: (2)

Well, I can argue with the concept of basically free, but the fact that massive caging is necessary to run it at any proper track, and the weight disadvantage would be the reasons why not. The simple base though, is that it's your car, build it and have fun.

JesterJess

Weight disadvantage... I have completely removed the top, tracks, and motors from my car. If I had scales, I would love to weigh it to see what it weighs now. I believe my car as a roller NOW weighs less than ANY coupe roller out there. I have removed over 250 lbs of junk from only the top and garbage from the interior...

I will be installing a 10-12 pt cage in the car either way, if it were a coupe or a vert.

JesterJess

Exciting news everyone. I have placed my order with Granny's for my SBC kit. I should have it next week.

I have in my posession 383 cubic inches of Small Block Chevy POWER. I will be cleaning up the block a little more before the build (this was already ran in my brother's Vega. He spun a bearing, got frustrated, and pretty much gave it to me. I will post a few build pics, but nothing special.... I don't want to give away any of my secrets.... ha ha ha, it's a SBC, there are no secrets, you throw them together, and they run like a striped ape...

Anyway, that is my update for today.

89FCVert

My Back is still hurting from unloading that 383 From the truck! Just kidding!
See you this weekend!

JesterJess

It's not a truck... it's a Scion...

Wait, did I just admit to that... ummm... It's my wifes... ya... MY WIFES.....

NO, really it's my wifes.... Seriously!

I drive a steriod pumping muscle car.... Not a little econo box...

JesterJess

Update.... I have all of my engine bolts here, and I'm ready to build my long block. I just ordered my intake and distributor.... I'm short an Alky Carb. I got it all painted up tonight, and tomorrow I will be dropping in the crank and rods. Installing the cam, all of the valvetrain, heads, and ready for the intake and the dist.

Pics to follow....

Jester..

JesterJess

Update... I got all of the bolts in. I went to install the pistons in, and realized that my brother orderd .030 over rings for my .020 over block. Sooo, now I'm waiting on a set of rings coming in. I don't want to sit there, and cut down ALL of the rings. However, I mocked up the block. I threw on the heads, intake and valve covers, just so I could see waht it looks like. I will post up some pics this weekend for everyone to see. It looks fast just sitting there on the engine stand.

JesterJess

Got my rings today, I will be building the engine tonight, and hopefully get it ready to drop into the engine bay.

Pics coming soon. I know I have been promising, but I will have them soon.