why haven't there been much talk about the 5.0 ford motor in the 3rd generation rx7. i know the ls1 is overall better engine than the 5.0 but the prices are way different. 5.0s go for under 1g at the junk yard whlie the lowest price for a ls1 i found was $3500. with intake and heads and other things, the 5.0 can run with the ls1.

 

Wow you really want to go cheap don't you? 1K on a chassis and another 1K on an engine isn't going to finish it. Try the "Other Engine Conversions" section of this forum.

 

It wouldent be worth it to convert the 13b to a 5.0, your much better off with the wankel... That being said tho I wouldent convert it to anything, the wankel is what makes this car so unique.

 

I believe it has to do with size. The Ford motor is too tall to fit under the FD's hood.

 

okay thats the answer i was looking for.

 

okay, even though you answer my first question i have another. can someone give me a website address were some did do this swap?

 

check out torquecentral.com in the v8rx7 forums. the 5.0 seems to be a popular swap with the 1st gens. it can be mounted in any gen, but like it was said before it is too tall and would require a hood scoop or you could bust out the sawzall and go with the "trailerpark" air cleaner sticking out of the hood

 

The attractiveness of the 302 and 5.0, other than brand loyalty, is in its thinwall design. Physicaly, a SBF is marginaly narrower and shorter than a SBC. Contrary to popular belief, the overall height of a SBF is about the same as a SBC due to Ford`s general use of lower profile air cleaners and EFI intakes. The SBC is however, about 1.5 inches shorter from the oil pan to valve cover than a SBF. What the thinwall design achieves is the overall weight of the engine assembly is more than a hundred pounds lighter for a Ford than a Chevy without loss of structural integrity. Ford`s placement of the distributor at the front of the engine also makes it attractive for tight fits into smaller cars such as the RX7 where firewall modifications are usualy avoided.

I like Chevys just as much as Fords because they are cheaper and more abundant but the old addage that it takes a 350 to beat a 302 isn`t just an old wives` tale!

Toughguy