Import LS Swap Bonanza: 1991 Nissan 300ZX or 1988 Mazda RX-7
With roughly the same price, we want to know which car LS1Tech members would have.
Let’s play a fun hypothetical. Which LS-swapped Japanese sports car would you have: this Z32 Nissan 300ZX or this FC Mazda RX-7? The pair swaps near Chicago give us a chance to enjoy this exercise.
Both cars look very clean, especially for Midwestern cars, and the asking prices are pretty close: $13,500 for the 300ZX and $11,500 for the RX-7. That makes this a pretty good comparison.
We’ll start with the Z31 300ZX. This one was originally a twin-turbo Z32, but the VG30TT has given way to the 6.0-liter LQ9 from an Escalade. The seller claims it makes 430 horsepower on the dyno, which is a believable figure for the engine with the listed parts on it.
The suspension has tastefully lowered the car with some fantastic 18-inch wheels accentuating the modifications. The seller rates the aesthetic conditions as a 7/10 with some general wear on the interior and a rust spot on the front bumper. There is the possibility, however, that the transmission is on its last legs. The seller recommends going through the gearbox to check the synchros and adjust the clutch-pedal throw.
These cars have cultivated a poor reputation for reliability – particularly the turbo models – so this may very well have addressed that problem. The body hasn’t aged quite as well as the RX-7, but it’s not awful. For a Z-car fan, this might hit the spot.
In the other corner, this white FC RX-7 sports its own impressive build sheet. At the heart of this angular ‘80s beauty sits a proper LS1 with a T56 transmission. It “only” makes about 325 horsepower, but with less weight than the 300ZX, we figure they might drag-race well.
LIke the 300ZX, this RX-7 also sits on a tastefully lowered suspension. The 17-inch Sportmax wheels have been Plastidipped black. That might create some division of opinion, but we think black wheels work great on a blue or a white FC like this. The cloth interior looks all original, save the Acura Integra speedometer, and appears to be in fantastic shape.
Overall, this should run about as hard as the 300ZX and it looks to be in similar shape. This will ultimately come down to personal tastes, really. So which would you buy: the LQ9-swapped 300ZX or the LS1-swapped Mazda RX-7?