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I thought I would share this project with you guys, hoping to give and get advice. I put my Mercedes CL65 project to bed and do what I really wanted to do in the first place.
The idea is an LS and a 6 speed, I see Renegade has most of the conversion parts but I think i'll do most of the fabrication myself. I'll use the KEP adapter and flywheel and make the rest. I'm going to move the engine closer to the front to get the axle's to line up. I have built 2 electric assisted power steering systems on my 914's and will share that with the forum. Its so nice to be back centering a project around a GM engine
Have fun! Having owned a Cayman S - I'll throw my 2 cents towards keeping the excellent hydraulic rack in the Cayman. Likely the best steering precision and feel of any car I've ever owned. I've followed along with others who have tried elec assist -- and feel, return to center, boost level -- all three are a function of programming and I've yet to see anyone get everything close to where they'd like it to be.
I'm a Cayman fan. I'm anxious to see how this turns out.
Me too! The ONLY reservation I've heard about this swap is the bulkhead behind the seat needs to move forward a bit to clear the engine, cutting back on legroom. Not good for tall guys...
?? I had a box stock 2010 Cayman S. I've read that for the LS conversions (Hybrid Renegades) that the bulkhead has to be modified. I needed every millimeter of room as it was.
Thank you for all your input, I don't know - what I don't know.
I have built 2 one being a high-end car Porsche 914 , SBC and LS cars. I'm hoping to put all
the belt driven systems on the passenger side. Get a carbon type seat keeping it thin.
Here are my two gone but beloved 914"s.
SBC 930 4 speed with a Jetta PS rack and a Toyota MR2 electric pump and Ferrari 575 mufflers / with cutout valves
I did all the easy stuff on this one a very very skilled
guy did the incredible fabrication work.
So I'm looking at what Renegade offers for this conversion looks OK. I just don't see the parts being robust enough.
Not saying its quality is not good just not so much in my mind. I think getting the basic parts from KEP directly is how I'm going to
proceed. I would like things to be structured as part of an overall roll cage. I did think about using the F**D 3.5 EcoBoost as well.
Mostly because the size might fit without cutting the firewall, but then I would kicked out of this forum so thats DOA (i'm a GM guy) LOL.
I haven't done much but start striping the car down. I need to get going !!!!!!
So getting things removed, engine and trans. I'm going to clean the undercarriage, suspension peace by peace. Pressure / steam clean everything and then spray a clear coat to help it stay that way. I'm going with a LS3 and a 6 speed. I'm likely listing the engine / trans (auto) for sale.
I made 2 belt sanders using treadmills, They were easy and work well LOL
I'm getting 12x48 36 grit to replace the junk on it now 2 x 72 and cuts metal great
So getting things removed, engine and trans. I'm going to clean the undercarriage, suspension peace by peace. Pressure / steam clean everything and then spray a clear coat to help it stay that way. I'm going with a LS3 and a 6 speed. I'm likely listing the engine / trans (auto) for sale.
I made 2 belt sanders using treadmills, They were easy and work well LOL
I'm getting 12x48 36 grit to replace the junk on it now
I'm now in the process of "waiting for parts". The suspension hardware on a 12 year old car sure gets dirty so I took the time to clean everything up. Using a mock up LS3 block so its going to be a little lighter and that helps.
Placement of the engine is really critical, starting with how to stack the accessories. I'm running a alternator, A/C compressor, for sure. Thinking to place them on the passenger side and maybe a belt driven water pump as well. Until the parts come in thumb twiddling is getting old!! It comes down to spending money and often I drag my feet looking for a "special deal" LOL . I really want to run a LS7 because 500 hp is where I want to be. There are guys who have de-stroked the LS3 using a crank from a 4.8 and that interests me as well. I do plan to fabricate a lot of the basic hardware. Making up the engine and transmission support structure along with the electric power steering pump I've done twice before in my 2 V8-914's.
Hope everyone's well !!!!
You're a simple cam/spring change and tune away from 500HP with an LS3. Why de-stroke?
Well,
The LS3 is not an LS7 but point taken. The destroke is to better match the higher rpm of the mid-engine / road race nature of the Cayman.
Having said this WE JUST WANT POWER !!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm chuckling because the LS7 is going the OPPOSITE direction on displacement from de-stroking -- you seem uncertain as to what you really want. Having said that, the first time 450-500 lb-ft kicks that thing in the ***, you'll forget all about "high rpm". BTW, you needn't give up displacement to have high rpm. But in addition to rpm climbing, so will the rate that money disappears from your wallet - rpm is expensive. I had a Cayman S -- fun car to drive for sure. Although, when I put the LS3 in the Volvo - I sold the Cayman as I found the brick to be more entertaining to drive and play with. Made me think about the V8 swap on the Cayman - but at 6'3" I barely fit in the car as it was. Altering the firewall would have made it even worse for me. Enjoy the swap!
You only need high RPM if you don't have the power at lower RPM, or you have the wrong gears. LS engines in a light vehicle do NOT need to rev very much. If you don't have it by 6500 it's built wrong.... or it's a Porsche engine...
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Cayman ls project begins 
