digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

Alright, I figure I'll document my swap here, as I'll probably be asking some LS1 related questions along the way, and I figured ya'll might appreciate the project, and maybe it'll help another person or two.

I'm currently in planning on it; I have the engine/tranny/harness acquired, and I have the RX7 host car. Currently the RX7 has a SBC 355/700r4 setup, which I'm pulling to do the LS1 setup. The engine donor vehicle was a 1998 Camaro Z28.

Swap Mounts: Grannys Speed Shop SBC cradle + LS1 adapter plates (I'm not aware of anyone that has done this, the adapters are supposed to be VERY close the SBC fore/aft position, I will report as soon as it's in).

Wiring: I'm pretty solid on the wiring on this at this point. I'm going to leave a stock engine harness, and modify the front engine bay harness and dash harnesses to match up to the necessary wires. The power connections will run to a fuse block in the glove compartment of the RX7. I will also have the OBD2 connection, and a couple of necessary relays in there (fans, fuel pump, etc). I'm setting it up this way as it makes everything an awful lot easier to access, and honestly, the RX7 glovebox sucks anyway.

I've already got a driveshaft for a 700r4, which should fit a 4L60e from what I gather, with at most a front yolk swap.

Exhaust: I'll be porting the stock manifolds out as much as possible, and then using the flanges from the cats to run to 2.5" mandrel bent down to a 3" X which splits back to dual 2.5" out the back. I have some RActive cannister mufflers (small outlets, not ricer fart cannons) on the back.

The host car started as a 1986 Base Model I picked up as a beater car. When the rotary gave up, I decided to go a little different way with it.

Here is the car as I purchased it:

(after wax)


Sweet Interior


The car had the crappy non-turbo (little bitty) brakes, 4 lug wheels, and the interior was trashed. Exterior was ok, but the bumper was melted out back, and the door locks didn't work. I then added the Turbo II 4 piston fronts, and vented single piston rears (these are beautiful brakes, I wish my Grand Prix GTP had brakes this nice). I'll be going to stainless steel brake lines and DOT5 before the car hits the track. The master cylinder was recently replaced with a reman.



While I was at it I went and polished the control arms (quick/dirty job) and replaced all the bushings with polyurethane (ES kit).

I also prepped the body pretty quickly for a cheap respray (I plan on having this a couple of years, then taking it down totally, and shooting it the dark silver color from the C5 Vette). I had a cheap MAACO respray done, which actually came out decent, I believe because of the prep work.



Dig the 4 lug rears? Took me a bit to get the rear swapped to 5 lugs.

I also totally swapped the interior. I went with some stuff from the later RX7s (89-91 style), and the Turbo II seats (VERY comfortable, and hold you TIGHT, especially after a few too many ice cream sundaes).





And, finally the engine swap. The original engine I put in was a Chevy 355 with TPI, big cam, etc. The TPI didn't breath well (common knowledge) so I pulled that and went carb.

TPI Setup



Carb Setup

digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

The 355 is coming out this weekend (and for sale too... ) and the LS1 should be ready for install inside of a month. I've also since tinted the windows and added a small spoiler and some new wheels to the car;



The LS1 will stay stock on installation, save the ported manis and a nice K&N filter with a cool air box. I have a very nice friend who picked up HP Tuners, so that I can nix the VATS and the rear O2s, evap, etc, and put a good basic tune on the car. This fall I plan on porting a set of heads myself (nothing major, just open them up) and putting in a fairly large cam. I believe a large cam should compliment the car's weight (~2600-2700 lbs is my target weight, minus my fat a**). I've got ~4 months of reseach to do, though I like the sound of the TREX cam I'll be doing something about headers, and an LS6 intake, as well as a torque converter when I do the heads/cam.

I'm also planning on pulling the entire suspension off this fall, cleaning the underbody, glassing any rough spots, and doing the entire thing underneath with POR15. I'm then going to put some widebody (30 mm wider) front fenders, and do the recondition/respray of the body.

I'd like to see LOW 12's or high 11's from the motor in mostly stock form, which I don't think is TOOO far out of line, then low 11's with the later mods. I may do the headers sooner then later, as well as the intake, depending on how the car runs with the opened up stock parts.

chuntington101

never new mazda made a V8 hehe.

looks good man, and all that power in a much lighter chassis will be very fun!

Chris.

gnx7

iTrader: (28)

Wow has that car come a long way. It looks great bro.

I would suggest putting in the torque convertor first... before install as that it is a major PITA to pull the trans back out later.

I'm curious how the LS1 will compare to your 355 setup.

-Mark

digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

Well, I'm going to yank the motor to do the cam swap, so I'll just pull the tranny out and do the converter then, as it'll be totally out again.

What can I say, I'm a massochist.

The 355 wasn't a bad engine, but it was constantly being retuned, and I'm honestly not a carb fan. I prefer a laptop to tune vs. jetting and all that crap. I think I'll be a lot happier with the LS1 overall, if only for the "get in and start it" abilities. The weight reduction in the car is a big thing for me too. I remember how it handled with the rotary, and I'm hoping to get most of that back. The down side to all of it, is the car was going to be "good enough" with the 355 in it. Now, with the LS1, it's in a different class (in my opinion) which has me planning the widebody, better brakes, coil overs, upgraded sway bars, paint work, etc. I figure with the LS1 I'll be keeping the car a lot longer (or indefinitely) so I might as well make it as nice as possible.

I am going to take a lot of pictures and put up all of my wiring, fuel, shifter, driveshaft, exhaust, etc. info, so as to help others as much as possible.

And thanks for the compliments Mark, your car is quite awesome as well. I've been following your TC thread religiously. Maybe someday I'll build an LS1-FD as well.

digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

Engine is in... I'm bushed tonight, but I'll put up some more information tomorrow...

Anyone want to trade some damaged long tubes for stock manifolds?

RFERG43

Thats a clean looking install !!! All I have left on my Rx7/LS1/T56 conversion is the exhaust and tidying up the engine bay. Good luck on your swap!

Remington H.

iTrader: (2)

looks good, what happened to your throttle body? Looks a little chewed up, but awesome job none the less. Car looks better with the mini spoiler and rims and paint.

Remington

digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

The donor car met a guardrail at 100+ mph. Broke the alternator, power steering and dinged up the MAF and throttle body. It's only cosmetic though, functinality is fine, TPS is fine, and the damage is under the intake tubing when assembled.

owen v8litew8

hot ****... that car has undergone quite a transformation since when you first bought it! nice choice on motor ( ) and good luck on the 1/4 mile times, I think with some meaty tires out back you'll be right on the money.

...nice safety-cone-orange fuel rails...

more pics more pics always more pics!
what tires you running and do you like them?

note, I see you used the Granny mount, and its a good thing you dont have a P/S rack because on NyToy's car its a beeeeeeyotch of an install, although I heard that the newer cradles are revised to prevent the frustration.

maddboost

iTrader: (11)

Makes me think my next project might be a LS1/RX7.

digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

Yeah, Grant told me about the rack issues. I actually have an older SBC rack that I cut to fit the LS1 pan. He sells a different cradle for the power steering cars now. Too bad he uses us as his beta testers though.

The rails are actually chevy engine red/orange. The camera changes the color a bit.

I have 255 45 17 Sumitomos right now on the back, haven't driven on them though, so no clue yet how they stick. I'll probably pick up some wider (I think I can stuff 265s at least in there) Nittos or the like for it, as it will be a weekend only car. I have some 16x8" lightweight crosslace wheels that I'll probably drop the slicks on for track duty.

I think with my mods (cold air, ported/honed manifolds, 2.5" mandrel bent no-catback, no emissions, alternator/waterpump only, and a good HP Tuners tune, I should be able to hit LOW 12s on it, MAYBE dip into 11s on the right night/track, not likely, but I can hope. I'm pulling all the behind dash stuff (wiring, blower motor, heater core, A/C etc.) and all the sound deadening out of the car, then reinstalling all the plastic/dash, etc, so it will look stock inside, but should sit pretty light.

craparo

iTrader: (3)

That is one of the coolest projects I've seen. It really makes me want an LS1/RX7

Doing the work would be fun as hell!

digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

Fuel system is (mostly) done.

I need to switch one of the lines to 3/8" from the 5/16" that's there, and put some clamps in place, but as is, she holds 58 psi of pressure, so that's definitely the right direction.

FWIW, total cost on this fuel system? 200 dollars, including the walbro 255 in the tank.

INVISIBLEZ

iTrader: (45)

Sweet, it makes me want another V8-7....

87lt1rx7

I am doing the same swap. I see you around on torquecentral, do you think that the 3/8 is necessary? I am using the stock camaro pump in place as I am going full emissions legal and am planning on just plumbing with the current fuel line in place?

digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

I should clarify.

I have 5/16" from the regulator/filter to the fuel rail. It should be 3/8" to fit properly. The 5/16" RX7 lines are fine IMHO. When I do my rear mount turbo setup, I'll upgrade to -AN lines throughout, with a fuel cell most likely.

owen v8litew8

what regulator/filter is that and do you have a fuel pressure gauge somewhere?
(the install looks great!)
with your weight redux plans I'm sure you'll get it down to low 12's high 11's

digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

That is a 2000 Corvette filter which contains a regulator in it. 40 bucks shipped from GMPD.com and it will keep me at a nice happy 58 psi.

edit: I can't read apparently...

No fuel pressure gauge will be permanently mounted. I have a little one that plugs into the rail I'll use for double checking the pressure, but with the walbro and the 'Vette regulator, I think I should be fine at the 58 psi target. That whole setup is just temporary until my stage II project starts...

digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

Alternator...



Gratuitous Corvette Valve covers (the other one needs modified, this was just a test fit.