Hey all!

My swap is nearing completion and I decided to write down all what's going on or has been with my swap.

BACKSTORY:

My friend, DigitalSolo, was building a V8 RX-7 and told me about his and kinda got me intrigued. I was looking for a car that I could make into a weekend warrior, you know, all ***** and very little manner. So I went into the usual suspects: Vettes, Camaros, Firechickens, and Terminators. I had narrowed it down to a C5 vette or a terminator. Now, people who know me...know that I'm a "dreamer" always have been and always will be. I'm also a full time student, so there is NO WAY I could afford either of those choices, or insurance for them. So I looked into the Firechickens some more, and decided I couldn't even afford that! So I ran into DigitalSolo and presented this problem to him. I said, it needs to be faster than all the cars I thought about getting. He said 2 words that set me on this course "V8 RX-7". He referred me to Torquecentral.com where I just lurked around and stuff. He said he would be able to help me if I needed it, and I finally decided to do it. LET'S GET IT ON!

DigitalSolo set me up with his buddy, IndyParts to get me a body. Indy gave me a pretty good deal, and the weekend I was going to go get it I ran into a friend who sent me tracking after an elusive 10th Anniversary edition RX-7. So I found it and decided that I needed this car. Body was perfect and the motor was already outta the car. It came with a boatload of RX-7 mods and stuff that I could make my money back on. I bought it for 2200 bucks. I towed it home on February 19th, with full intentions of having it done around mid-July at the latest. I sold most of the rotard parts to people in the RX-7 community for 1500 bucks back. I start collecting parts for the swap, ie: radiator, fittings, hoses, mods for the LS1. I'm preparing to start the swap when school is out and I have some free time. April comes along and a slew of things hit me in the wallet, a massive ticket and I lose my job. Within 24 hours of each other. My serving job I averaged about 15 bucks an hour on a good week, my new job...6.50 an hour. My progress slows to nothingness. Pretty much nothing happens until now!

I finally saved up enough money to get an LS1/T56. I'm buying it from a guy on this forum who is going to install my heads and cam for no charge. So my motor will be set up, as follows.

00 LS1 with 44k
Texas-Speed Stage 1.5 PRC LS6 heads - with 2.04 intake valves
MTI G1 cam on a 115 LSA + 4 (228/232 .588/.575)
Comp Cams Rollers
Comp Cams hardened pushrods
Comp Cams 918 valvesprings
LS2 Timing Chain
ARP hardware
T-56 with Spec Stage 3 clutch, and B&M Ripper shifter

Now, the race is on to get my JTR longtubes, and all my gauges and everything. I figure, get it running before winter, put it into storage and then work out all the bugs. I'll update this thread, probably forever whenever something happens. Oh well, here's some pics of my little baby....







Note the license plate surround (Rotary Performance) and the rice pipe. I will be keeping both. The rice pipe is actually a Corksport 80mm (3 1/8) pipe, it used to flow a HKS 60-1, so I think it will be up for an LS1 with longtubes....

Oh and for fun....

 

Parts acquired for swap:
88 10AE
98 Wiring harness and PCM
C4 driveshaft
Granny's Speed Shop mounting kit with LS1 adaptor plates
swaybar spacers
walboro fuelpump for RX-7
1 -6 to 3/8 adapter
4 -6 to 5/16
aluminum race radiator 27.5 x 19
2 efi to 6 an fittings
1 6an hose end
1 S.S. hose -6 15 feet
Vette FPR (Purchased 9/13/06)
Long-tubes from JTR (Order sent in 9/14/06, paid 9/15/06, shipped 9/15/06, received 9/21/06)
O6 GTO Slave Cylinder (Paid for 9/15/06, shipped 9/21/06,received 9/25/06)
Rear Flange for 88 TII (Grannys: Paid 9/25/06)
Taurus Fan (Ebay: paid 9/24/06)
Oil Pressure gauge (Ebay: paid 9/24/06)
Water Temp gauge (Ebay: paid 9/24/06)
Fuel Level gauge (Ebay: paid 9/24/06)
98 LS1 w/T-56 (Picked up in October)
Wilwood M/C (RacePartsUsa.com: paid 9/24/06)
Tach
Speedo

Parts Moving for Swap:


Parts Needed for Swap:
Misc little things from Napa/Autozone

 

Looks good man!!

I'm working on my own FC - Gen III swap and have been asking Blake about all the details. You will probably find a PM or 2 in your box soon too.

How much were the Grannys mounts for the swap? I'm leaning towards the Hinson mounts, but can't find out if the tranny mount works with a 4L60E.

Keep us updated with pics and info, bc I know one person for sure will use it for reference!

 

Basic Kit w/ rubber mounts & LS1 engine adapter plates
LS1 Cradle for RX-7 w/manual steering rack..........395.00

or if you just want the mounts

RUBBER MOUNT SET:Includes...
(2) rubber engine mounts
(1) rubber transmission mount........................35.00/ set

But I bought the first thing I listed when it was on sale for like...that price shipped, I believe?

 

Nice write up man, i better see that thing on the road soon!

 

Alrighttt! GETTIN CLOSE NOW!

All I need to buy now are the misc. expense things at Napa and little auto parts shops. Also, here's a pic of my basement where I've been collecting parts for a few months now.

 

So how's it coming? I read your thread asking about Tim and found this link...

I was thinking about selling my rustang in the spring and doing something like this. Lemme know how it works out with the wiring and the granny's kit.

Also are those headers set up to work in an rx7 swap or do you have to modify primaries/firewall?

 

Besides the little mishap with Tim, and a bad ebayer....nothing has changed.

And yeah, those headers are set up to work with the RX-7 swap they're sold by Jags that run. They're kinda pricey (800 bones) but I think they'll be worth it.

 

You'll never forget your first ride !!!!! First time I got mine on the road I pushed on the gas as I did with the rotary in it. Left 6 feet of rubber on the road !!!

 

Nice job. If the rotary ever dies, I might do the same with it. Mine is the same car! Working on a LS1/T56 S14 swap at the moment though.

 

Yeah I already looked them up. Sounds like you still need to do some hammer work to the firewall and floor pan to make them clear in an fc.

 

Hmmm, it says it may need some hammertime. I'll let you know man.

 

Woot woot! Makin progress!



My buddy, Ellis Juan. Kinda expensive to hangout with, but alot cooler than my old best friend thirte Enbee.



My amigo Ryan starting to remove the transmission humps.



Blake working on the transmission humps, after Ryan worked the sawzall blade pretty well. And before we found a cutting wheel.



Blake (DigitalSolo) finishing the humps.



Blake workin the engine bay over.



Closeup



Sprayin the cut.



Sorting the harness out



TA-DA!

 

you should try to get a newer pcm and harness the 98 pcm is harder to tune get 99 or newer

 

How exactly?

 

Bah, we have '98 tuning capability now, so going to 99+ would be an expensive endeavor. Besides a '98 PCM has plenty of headroom for what this car will be doing, power-wise.