Light, cheap, RWD chassis for road course?
12-10-2016, 02:43 AM
#24
thats exactly why they are going up in valve. finding a clean one worthy of investment is... nearly impossible. Every 240 for sale is a piece of junk. I think there were only about 3000 made in 97 iirc. Its pitiful production number (I think they make 300,000 vettes the same year), and most of them are wrecked because of the drifting fad.
12-10-2016, 12:07 PM
#26
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I helped a local forum member with his LS1 chevette a month or so ago. Just deleted VATS and emissions and did a minor tune.
That was a LOT of work for him. The front end brings up quite a few complications for the swap and road racing in general.
That was a LOT of work for him. The front end brings up quite a few complications for the swap and road racing in general.
12-10-2016, 06:20 PM
#28
The plan is to build a destroked 6.0 (4.8 crank) with ~13:1 pistons and LS3 heads. 1 7/8" headers with 3.5" collectors. Either LLSR or custom VVT camshaft depending on which 6.0 I find the cheapest. Long runner ITB setup based around 60mm throttle bodies. E85 and MS3-Pro.
I think I can finish the entire car for less than $10k, which will all be paid for by the 3 cars I'm building now and one I've bought to flip. My biggest hold-up will likely be transmission. I've had a ton of luck chasing down supercars at Mid-Ohio with an auto trans before, so I'm not ruling it out. It just seems impractical to spend $2500 swapping in a T56 when I can build and tune a paddle shifted 6L80e for half of that.
I think I can finish the entire car for less than $10k, which will all be paid for by the 3 cars I'm building now and one I've bought to flip. My biggest hold-up will likely be transmission. I've had a ton of luck chasing down supercars at Mid-Ohio with an auto trans before, so I'm not ruling it out. It just seems impractical to spend $2500 swapping in a T56 when I can build and tune a paddle shifted 6L80e for half of that.
12-10-2016, 07:33 PM
#30
Build a locost 7... the car9 chassis is designed around ls power. you get a car about as light as you can make it. if you spend money on parts wisely the final product is worth more then you spend (maybe discounting your time) there are companies that sell complete frames as well
12-11-2016, 10:08 AM
#33
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I was looking to do this a number of years ago. I was interested in the RX7 but finally settled on an E36 sedan. Looks nicer and I think a bit more rigid. There is no end to forum help on bimmerforums. Entire swap kits are available including stainless headers. I have 460 rwhp and 450rwt. I have a 418 LS with T56. I redid entire suspension with AST shocks etc. I also used a 210mm rear (3.62 LSD) from an E32 7 series. Mine ended up over $30K. I have it as a street car. Even second gear you have to be careful to slowly step on it or else traction is gone. My big problem is it is noisy due to lack of muffler space underneath but that wouldn't be a problem as much for a track car.
12-11-2016, 11:01 AM
#34
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My budget is a lot smaller lol.
I have about $11k in my Nova and it's a custom framed LS swap with 12" rotors disk brakes all around, coilovers, 4L80e with triple disk, billet S475, all new Interior, Ford 8.8, etc etc. Needs paint and a little bodywork, but as of now it's an 800whp daily driveable street car.
I'll have probably $6k total in my.Vette when it's done.
So yeah, a $10k budget for a major corner carver seems doable on my mind.
I have about $11k in my Nova and it's a custom framed LS swap with 12" rotors disk brakes all around, coilovers, 4L80e with triple disk, billet S475, all new Interior, Ford 8.8, etc etc. Needs paint and a little bodywork, but as of now it's an 800whp daily driveable street car.
I'll have probably $6k total in my.Vette when it's done.
So yeah, a $10k budget for a major corner carver seems doable on my mind.
12-11-2016, 01:32 PM
#36
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The biggest problem is that it doesn't just bolt to an LS without any issues.
Getting one to work will cost several hundred dollars.
12-11-2016, 04:49 PM
#37
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You are a heck of a lot better at getting parts for really cheap. LS engine parts alone if you are buying new will set you back half of your money.
How did you get 800hp from your Nova? I figure mine is 575 crank and it really doesn't like to idle the car in 1st gear. I keep thinking of doing another LS swap in a newer M3 I have but perhaps turbo so I don't have all that torque rally low.
How did you get 800hp from your Nova? I figure mine is 575 crank and it really doesn't like to idle the car in 1st gear. I keep thinking of doing another LS swap in a newer M3 I have but perhaps turbo so I don't have all that torque rally low.
12-11-2016, 05:15 PM
#38
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You are a heck of a lot better at getting parts for really cheap. LS engine parts alone if you are buying new will set you back half of your money.
How did you get 800hp from your Nova? I figure mine is 575 crank and it really doesn't like to idle the car in 1st gear. I keep thinking of doing another LS swap in a newer M3 I have but perhaps turbo so I don't have all that torque rally low.
How did you get 800hp from your Nova? I figure mine is 575 crank and it really doesn't like to idle the car in 1st gear. I keep thinking of doing another LS swap in a newer M3 I have but perhaps turbo so I don't have all that torque rally low.
As far as really low torque, on a very very safe pumpgas tune with low timing, my car made almost 800 ft lbs at 4000 RPM. Turbos don't exactly equal low torque.
This time around, I need something high-revving with a nice linear power curve. I don't need to be spinning out of corners or having that "I just got rear ended by a freight train" hit of my turbo setup. I think I can make ~600 HP at the flywheel on a high compression de-stroked 6.0.
12-11-2016, 06:35 PM
#39
I'm partial to the Z cars but getting one not totally rusted out is becoming a real challenge. A 1976 or later 280 is the one you want. They weigh a bit more but a lot of that is structural. Ditch the bumpers and gut the door beams and you will bring the weight down considerably. LS motors fit in a Z car like the car was designed for them. Great aftermarket, but parts can get pricey. You will have to delete a lot to get to 2500# with driver. My 240, a much lighter starting point than a 280, in street trim with all aluminum LS2 is 2500# without me in it. Getting rid of the dash, heater, etc will get you close but you still might need to do things like ditch glass to really shave weight
that 510 you mention should take an R200 rear. 510's are supposed to handle like BMW's. They have a bit of a cult following though and they didn't make that many of them so all that adds to the price.
I love RX7's, especially the later models. More weight and definitely more $$$ than the Z car.
that 510 you mention should take an R200 rear. 510's are supposed to handle like BMW's. They have a bit of a cult following though and they didn't make that many of them so all that adds to the price.
I love RX7's, especially the later models. More weight and definitely more $$$ than the Z car.
Last edited by Pop N Wood; 12-13-2016 at 04:55 AM.
12-12-2016, 03:54 PM
#40
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Ah, I figured buy a cheap engine put a turbo on it and all the horsepower you want.
I have read lots of write ups about how much power you can get befroe they blow up, but then another $500 gets you another. It is no wonder why these LS engines have taken over almost every swap. I wanted to do NA but with turbo you have drive-ability
and stupid power. A bit more complicated to set up and there is the learning curve as well.
Looks like lots of swap candidates from every make. Keep us posted.
Ah, I figured buy a cheap engine put a turbo on it and all the horsepower you want.
I have read lots of write ups about how much power you can get befroe they blow up, but then another $500 gets you another. It is no wonder why these LS engines have taken over almost every swap. I wanted to do NA but with turbo you have drive-ability
and stupid power. A bit more complicated to set up and there is the learning curve as well.
Looks like lots of swap candidates from every make. Keep us posted.