FeatherTheClutch

How expensive would it be put a lt1 into an fd?. i cannot find a rolling chassis fd for the life of me. WHERE THE HELL ARE THEY!

Kyro-2

iTrader: (1)

go over to www.torquecentral.com I think someone is one there selling one right now

turbojeff

iTrader: (30)

Go LS1/LS2 don't bother with the heavier, old school LT1.

GDJ

I agree. The LT1 is a great engine for someone on a tight budget, but most people who chose the FD for their chassis tend to go all out with an LSx engine. The LSx engines have much more poser potential and are lighter. Much better suited to the FD than the LT1.

Nihilanthic

LT1 isnt that much heavier, but it is cheaper. However, the stock cam is not made for high revving, and I dont know if the totating assembly or valve springs could take pushing up to 6500.

You might actually save money getting a LS1 instead of modding a LT1, but Im not a LT1 guy so I dunno. Its obviously lighter, newer, and more desireable though

angelrx7HEAVEN

well i heard the ls1 stuff b4 i am gonna go lt1..the aluminum ls1 motor is about 100 pounds lighter, put in aluminum head save 40 pounds,...iron blocks are way more durable especially if u live a cold area...like ny. my lt1 will be pushing bout 500 hp and 550 lbs torque, all motor, n'a, carb, compare that to a ls1 with all the computer crap, and wiring issues plus the money,and all the mods that will be necessary for it...running a 200r4 auto, no headaches with stick shift stuff, hmmm sometimes older is better, thats why i am goin v8 to start, less headaches, and more money in my pocket...but its tru the ls1 fits in better at first...aint worth the money and headaches down the rode unless its staying stock..but thats my opnion guys

Nihilanthic

There isnt compter 'crap' with a LS1, but the intake might be a bit of a problem if youre going for super high end drag racing. But well, I dunno what youre doing. BTW, LT1 has aluminum heads already.

If you wanna go with a carburated old school build, just get a regular SBC 350 and build from there. Victor Jr intake, LongTube headers, the right carburator, cam, and heads on a 4 bolt main block and youd be set. Throw in a MSD for good measure on top for extra fun.

BTW, 200r4 is only a 3 speed and the rear end of a RX is pretty short, so you might run into speed limitation based on running out of gears. Theres a reason guys get T-56s.

Dont get discouraged! Kukris carburated 350 OWNED an autocross :P

razorback

i told you to search.

angelrx7HEAVEN

well first i know what i am talkin about when i say 200r4 is a 4speed, sumbody please tell this man that ...the 700 and 200 are overdrive trannies, go ask sumbody! i have a 383 all carb roller motor with afr heads, ...its a lot easier to assemble on the fd body then an injected engine...injectors use computers remember, hence wiring and all that associated stuff, thats my point. also guys go with the t56 because they want a stick, and also because they know little of the 200r4, also the 200r4 setup isnt popular so parts for the swap are hard to come by. the 200r4 i have comes from a grand national...top gear ration .65 i believe almost identical to 5speed rx7 tranny ratio, this tranny is modded to handle 700hp, everything is all new and extreme duty...ask the grandnationals guys, thats the tranny run in their 800 hp turbos with 3800 pound, 14 inch slick street thumpers, see what i mean dont get me wrong its about money, ls1 are too expensive i think and harder to mod because of computer and injector stuff, and they fit better too...but gimme all iron motor, carb'ed with the rip neck torque, after all thats why we abandoned the rotary engine to begin with.

wingsfan

LT1 or SBC = Make your own cradle. Grant's cradle doesn't work very well, and Jimlab's not interested in selling the "fixed" version.

Most people go LS1 beause Hinson can provide you with a bolt-in solution

angelrx7HEAVEN

VERY TRUE, BUT LIKE U STATED, BEST DYI BECAUSE THESE C2OCKSUCKERS TAKE 15 MONTHS TO GET U THE PARTS..I HAVE MY OWN FAB GUY, I 'D RATHER HE MESS UP..I KNOW WHERE TO FIND HIM, AFTER ALL I HEARD ABOUT HINSON AND GRANT, I BEST SPARE MY MONEY...I DONT WANT TO HAVE TO GO 2000 MILES TO HAVE TO KILL EITHER ONE OF THEM FOR PARTS..WHEN THIS INSTALL IS COMPLETE I WILL ASSIST ANY1 BEST I CAN, ITS SLOW GOIN BECAUSE THESE FAB GUYS HAVE US BY THE *****, AT LEAST THIS GUY IS CRAWLING ALONG, THE FIRST GUY DID SQUAT IN 3 MONTHS, HOPE A DRIVESHAFT GETS SHAFTED IN HIS REAREND

GDJ

there's a complete 56k 2000 LS1 setup w 4L60E trans on eBay for $2500.

Nihilanthic

Its a 4 speed? Well I'll be damned! I guess its the 350 thats the 3 speed, my bad.

I havent started my swap yet, and with **** like this Im antsy about getting into it. I know the end result is gonna rip, but ID rather make my own damn cradle if I knew how, or get plans and get some dude to weld it for me (provide him the materials so it will be cheaper)

Isnt there a grannys cradle that does work without being modded for some engine/tranny combo in a FC?

turbojeff

iTrader: (30)

LS1 converted FD vs. stock FD = about 60lbs heavier. The stock FD (13B-REW) can lose ~100lbs in exhaust and emissions also, mods done to the V8 converted car.

LT1 is 100lbs lighter than a LS1 (your number).

LT1 converted FD is 160lbs heavier than stock and 260lbs than a modded 13B-REW, not the end of the world but that is A LOT of weight in a car built for tracking, auto-xing or drag racing. You can spend $$ to lighten up the LT1 but then your just getting close to LS1 prices.

Either way it is your car. I'd think that a carb'd LT1 in a FD just doesn't fit the character of the car. The FD has a pretty high tech and seriously unique chassis (Front engine, rear drive, lightweight chassis with adjustable aluminum double control arm suspension) so it seems putting a heavy iron block carb'd V8 is weird. Hot Rodders are going more and more for fuel injection since it runs a motor so nicely.

Nihilanthic

Blablabla tech this and that is irrelevant. Hes going for bang/buck not snob appeal. Wankels are arguably very simple engines themselves, but last I checked simplicity is a virtue while overcomplexity is a vice. Look at a BMW v10 with double vanos and look at a LS1. :P

Kukri in a FC with a damn carburated iron block 350 outhandled a STi, Elise, and a Z06 in an autocross and then ran a low 12 with no traction lifting off before the traps. Stop bringing that up, its pointless. You might as well spout off power per liter. I also fail to see how a FC could do that, and a FD *NOT* do it, having the said vastly superior suspension.

A LS1 in a FD is the preferred thing to do but it costs more money, plus he doesnt seem to want to get LS1edit and tune it, hed rather work with a carb. Thats his choice. If he cared of snob appeal then sure let him do that crap, but if he wants to get a LT1, which is just fine. Yeah, ultimately youd get more out of EFI, but he doesnt seem to be the type to get a laptop and tune it or take it to some guy to get it done when he apparently has carburator experience and can do that himself.

Isnt that part of the reason of putting a v8 in? Being free from the shop? lol.

To the actual engine swapper - you plan on getting a C4 or Cobra pumpkin back there? Youre gonna need some tall gears to actually USE that power and torque, a 3.90 or 4.10 isn't gonna work as good as a 3.23 or a 3.08

wingsfan

Spoken like somone who doesn't have a completed swap.

You don't "need" taller gears, depending on power you're making and the tires you run. That's a swap myth you're helping perpetuate, and isn't any different from all the chicken little's declaring we'll "ruin the handling".

I see far too many people throw around how little traction they have after the swap, when in fact many of them have cheaped out on tires, and are running the stock wheels (where the biggest tires you can run are 245s), and are often running budget tires (Sumitomos or Kumhos anyone?). Anyone claiming to roast the tires through third gear simply needs a better tire. I could spin my wheels all through first, and chirp them on the 1st-2nd and 2nd-3rd shifts, but that's all. My car would usually just hook and go, unless I "tried" to spin my wheels.

The difference is that I run 275/40/17 with a sticky compound (Nitto 555R2), or when Turbojeff and I co-drove my car with the Eugene area autcross club we ran Victoracers. There wasn't any massive wheelspin from going wot.

The 4.1 gears worked just fine for the power I was making with a cam and intake (~390 rwhp with my final tune before I decided to add a turbo). In fact, for an autocross application they put me right in my powerband all over the course. Most people want taller gears because they want to make more than bolt-on power (4oorwhp+), or they're drag racers and want to eliminate getting into 5th gear when they trap. For a car that will be autocrossed or street raced 3.9/4.1s are perfect.


3.08s with 400rwhp is going to "lag". I'm running them on my turbo car because I want the engine to load as much as possible. Of course, I'll also have the benefit of another 100-400 hp from the turbo.

angelrx7HEAVEN

honestly i think goin auto is best bro, the t56b has torque limits, and a stick is usually harder or parts off the line, the auto i have chirps on every gear, ****** thing is monstrous, stay away from slicks though or else the stock rear is fubar get a local guy if u can at least u can see the progress, and smash his head if he doesnt fix it rite.

angelrx7HEAVEN

yup face it guys v8 is the new evolution of the rotary, it has just so much more better choices and far cheaper...easier to tune and all too. its a lil heavier ok, but go figure, imagine urself riding with sum luggage and ur girl, and theres the diff !..we are speaking of! minus blown seals, bad mileage, cops pullin us over because of the extreme exhaust noise and pollution, minus turbo lag, minus lap tops and tuning sessions all nite,...just think, hit gas-snap neck-wrap around pole, thats v8 baby, and 350, 383, 427 and all them engines is where its at...not to mention the sound of a roller motor bashing the street in such a sweet streamlined car..trust me i seen them v8 7's, they are the new breed usuing old v8 tech..gears u say..with 500 lbs torque and 2.73 u will smoke them tires with a 3500 stall converter and shame almost any import....i wouldnt do it any other way ..too bad it took me 15 ****** years to go piston , what a freakin waste

Nihilanthic

4.10 is still a little too short IMO. Its not going to 'lag' unless you have the engine set up really aggressively and you go TOO tall, but yeah 3.08 might be a bit of a stretch if youre cammed aggressively with a manual instead of a slip-stall auto. 3.55 or 3.73 seems to be a little more logical than a 4.10, but youre right. I dont have a completed one yet! And I really wish I did

Stickier tires would probably help a lot, but with what kukri telling me and what Ive read from owen, it seems like you can only go so far with street tires and a 4.10.

Nihilanthic

Dude, the weight diff would be less than that of your GF unless shes 12 :P

So not even that! but with a chick and luggage that torque would be real nice, so there ya go.

turbojeff

iTrader: (30)

Remember we also ran it with 245/45/16s on it at a different event, no huge wheelspin issues. 2nd gear in the T56 was PERFECT for the course. Did you ever find out what top speed in 2nd was with the 4.10 and T56?

I agree most people with "massive wheelspin" just don't have good tires. I've driven a stock FD with cheap tires that will spin them all the way through first and quite a bit on the 1-2 shift. That isn't what happens with good tires.

angelrx7HEAVEN

well with the stock 4.09 in the fd, and 2800 stall my cam is in perfect harmony, i am just guessing, but with all thing running right and my tires slipping the first 100 feet, i am guess hi 10's on the quarter and a 150 mph top speed with 26 in tires

turbogarrett

iTrader: (1)

The 4.10 is just fine on the street with a t56 and a cam'd engine, I'm going to a 3.90 to try to keep it in 4th through the traps.

Nihilanthic

n00b question here - what is SO wrong about shifting into 5th in the quarter?

turbojeff

iTrader: (30)

It takes time to shift!