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Everyone's builds are going to be a little different, different budgets and agendas. For my goals and my knowledge level, this is what's working for me at this time. Things can always be changed and adjusted, but I'm still learning, I am by no means an expert at anything car related.
Let me just make it clear that Im not bad mouthing this swap at all. Im actually very impressed with the quality of the work done so far. Many of the swaps here follow the "it'll do...... For now." mentality and are full of tape, zip ties and butt connectors. Are you using stock gauges? AC? What kind of power steering?
I'm just running the mechanical; gauges until I can swap over to a holley or megasquirt setup, and then I'll use a tablet or screen for my gauges.
No A/C
I'm looking for a Mustang II rack so I can get rid of the bulky Rx8 steering rack and replace it with a manual one. So there will be no power steering. Don't really need it since I won't be driving it every day.
I am currently working on getting exhaust put together and cooling system and getting a new trans mount put together. I work in a hospital so I have long, strange hours, so updates are slow, but I'll have some updates this weekend hopefully
This weekend, I put together a more permanent trans mount, since the one I had on the car was just so I could get the car moved when we moved houses. I purchased a bushing kit and notched and welded it to the frame. Then my husband made a cross support going from each bushing and welded it all together. Here's the final product, it still needs por 15.
Also started working on the exhaust. Cut and modified stock manifolds, the passenger side is off of a truck and then driver's side is off of a Trailblazer (I believe). The plan is to have 2.25" merge into 3" into a muffler and then dump under the car. Started by cutting the stock flanges off and then extended the manifolds out of the bay so the vbands would be easily accessible. From there I have each side stubbed back to the door area, I'll try to finish it out later this week. Everything will be coated with por 15 exhaust manifold paint and then header wrapped to about the trans area. Here's some pics of the progress so far.
Thanks! The truck one fit on the passenger side, but on the drivers side there was no way, too much in the way there! I tried a couple manifolds before I found the one that would fit without hitting anything
Well i just finish mounting the engine supports and looks very strong, all the parts are high quality, but ill let u know how they work when i finish the swap.
I know that CXRacing is not known for quality on alot of their parts. However if its a pure bolt in kit, they have that going for them. I would be interested in seeing the CXRacing mounts installed. Can you post up a pic of how they attached to the car?
I think some of the info on their site is a little misleading as well. I believe they say that the stock subrframe is not strong enough to support the new motor. Thats not true at all. The RX8 is the beefiest of all the front subframes from what i can tell. I Have a turbocharged Lq4 in an FC and the front subframe is not as rigid as this one from the factory. I have yet to rip the front subframe in that car due to the massive torque.
Edit: Just found pics on their site of it installed. HA - I wouldnt trust that at all. The weight of that motor where it was deisgned for a steering rack to mount. Thats shady to me. I cant imagine the flex involved with these mounts.
Yeah pretty goofy looking. I think they have the laziest engineer from Hooked on Phoenix. Usually when something is bolt on there are ALOT of compromises. And no the stock RX8 subframe cant take the V8. I havent been driving my car for around 6k miles.
The steering shaft is just extended a few inches longer than stock on RX8 swaps, It has a collapsible sleeve piece in the column further up toward the steering wheel just like all other NTHSB crash approved vehicles since the 1970's.
As said that piece is just an extension. However I would do something to help with torsional stress. Just as easy as drilling though, running a bolt through, cut it flush and weld the seam. I would never trust it just being welded on.
Been a while since I had any updates, have been pretty busy with work! Got the manifolds heat wrapped and on the car, waiting for the rest of my exhaust to get welded now.
Got a Griffin radiator, got the fans attached to it, and had tabs welded onto the radiator, and put the radiator in place and mounted the tabs to the frame rails. Frame rails were drilled and tapped to bolt the radiator to them.
Just picked up a rear end from a '98 Cobra, so it's a 28 spline, 3.27 rear gear setup. Still need to figure out how to get it in the car, but am currently working on that.
It has now been nearly 6 years, I have an update for you! The car has gone through I believe 2 different owner's hands (other than OP), me being the third. I picked up the car a month ago or so. ( I have nothing to do with the OP, other than having her old car. Thought it would be cool to continue this thread)
It is my understanding that the car has never been finished. It picked up a new set of wheels and tires as well as coil overs along the way, but lost the radiator and 8.8.
So my to do list is to:
Brake lines (buy)
Shifter (buy)
Radiator/cooling system (buy)
Rear end/axles (install - will run stock for now to get the car going - RIP)
Interior (install)
Got the engine started up a couple days ago, I had not seen it run in person, so that is a big relief. The car also lost its front bumper and headlights. I was able to pick up a bumper, headlights and driveshaft yesterday. Starting to look like a car again!
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