Hey all, first post!

Well, I have been interested in doing this swap for a while(2 years ago is when I first heard about it) and after a lot of work, I have finally gotten about 5,000, which I understand could be used to get a bare minimum setup going.

However, I am not an auto mechanic. I have little experience in the field. I love cars, but I don't know a lot about under-the-hood type of things. I change my oil, put in coolant, and flush her every once in a while, but other than that, I leave most of it to my mechanic. I do an engineering kind of mind, though.

That said, I want to be able to do this swap. I want a project car.

Are there any online sources or books(preferably books) I could read about engine swapping that would help me get through this? Do you think it is possible for someone like me with some help from some around me could get this thing running with a lot of time and patience?

Thanks for any responses! I really appreciate it.

 

www.torquecentral.com will tell you almost everything you could possibly want to know about doing this swap. all you have to do is search.



5k is unlikely to be enough to complete this project. i thought i did very well with my build and had it come in costing around 7k total. a few corners could probably be cut, like starting with a cheap car maybe? if you are going to do it do it right.

 

Yeah, really shopping around and being patient for an RX7 and LS1/T56 combo is the only way to really cut costs. I have found straight RX7's(in different states, of course) for around 400. I think if I am patient, I can end up with one like that. I am also hoping to get a LS1/T56 combo for around 2500-3000 from eBay.

So that leaves 3000-3500 for the car and engine, then about 1400 for the Deluxe 2nd gen kit from Granny's.

I, of course, anticipate more stuff coming up but I am going to continue working and make about 300 a month in income that can be spent on the car.

I feel like I am forgetting something, though.

 

I'll be watching this thread closely. I'm very much the same as you orangeside as far as what I want to do :P.

 

there has been much progress in sharing ideas to cut costs on an LS1FC buildup, there is a thread specific to this topic on torquecentral. I dunno about $5000 for a complete budget, maybe if you kept the FC all stock and just got the LS1 in the car and running, wired up, cooled, fueled and exhausted, then you could make the suspension upgrades later on and refresh the brakes whenever... but it will be one scary s.o.b. if it goes like stink but needs to hit something to stop.

I usually tell guys its gonna be a $7000 project to get it to where you'd want it to be as a bare minimum... unless you are very resourceful AND very handy AND have access to cheap parts, like brakes, suspension, cooling plus bigger, better wheel and tires.

good luck man, I sure dont mean to scare you off!
jump right in!

 

99% of the swaps are bolt-in procedures if you're picking a drivetrain setup that already has a kit for it. Hinson has a kit for you that will get you most of the way there.

Most people get scared because of the wiring invlovled, but if you can wire up an aftermarket gauge you can wire one of these fuel computers. You'll need someone that can weld to finish your exhaust, but that's about it. The rest is all hand tools, and is no more difficult than changing a clutch (or similarly "invasive" auto procedure).

An extra set of hands and the right tools never hurt either.

 

If you aren’t at least mechanically inclined, I wouldn't attempt to do this yourself. I had a friend who knew nothing about swaps and tried a SR20 in a 240 and ended up WAY over his head. Working on a car is nothing you can learn reading about it. It all good in theory, but you never know until you pick up that wrench and have at it. I'm not trying to discourage you in the least bit, just telling you what lies ahead. The only way to learn is to get elbow deep in it.

I would suggest you take the time to also procure the proper tools if you don't have them already. Don't go cheap either. If you can afford it, Snap-On or Matco are obvious fist choices, but Craftsman will do just fine. Just get something with a lifetime warranty. Get a good hoist as well, you don't need a name brand one, this isn't something that will easily break. Get some jack stands and the FSM for both the F-Body and RX-7 will come in handy, especially for someone who hasn't done anything to a car before. Changing oil doesn't count.

This is about as invasive to a car as a heart transplant is to a person. In truth the engine is the heart and every component of the car is connected to it and it's accessories in someway or another.

 

I find this thread interesting as well. I am also considering going to the dark side. I already have a 91 Vert so I don't think I have to worry about suspension upgrades. Probably need brakes though?

I also have concerns regarding my ability to do this swap. I played around with engine rebuilds and swaps in the early 80's on old muscle cars. So I am comfortable with the V8 in general. But I have never dealt with all of the emission controls, computers, and other new fangled stuff that would be involved with a swap. Other than the exhaust are there any other parts of the conversion process that would require more than just hand tool usage?

 

that is nothing to be scared of... for the most part that is all on the motor you will source anyhow and if you want to keep it, it stays on the motor without any work and if you want to remove it, thats easy enough as well. the computer is not hard at all to wire up even for a beginner as long as you can follow instructions.

a 91 vert huh? you wouldnt need new brakes unless you are planning on running the car at trackschools even then you will just wear the hell out of your current stock setup, its not like they wont stop the car well enough... you are barely adding 100 pounds over the rotary setup.

 

This is exactly the same boat i'm in. Just picked up an 88 vert a few weeks ago, and am putting away about 300 a month toward the LSX/T56 combo. It's gonna be a slow road, but will be well worth it in the end. In the meantime, i'm just enjoying the hell out of driving it around on nice days.

Good luck with your swap.

 

I have a 94 FD, car-parts.com is your friend. I picked up my 99 LS1 for $1500 and my m6 for $900. Also paid $65 shipped for my clutch and brake pedal.