I8yourv8

Has anyone ordered the kit from ls1rx8.com? If so which kit? Or is there another company that sells a kit? I'm really looking into doing this in roughly a year when I get back from Afghanistan. I have plenty of time to do research, but this is the route I would like to go. I plan to sell the renesis, and transmission, and put that towards the swap. What does a used renesis with 75k and trans go for nowadays? Thanks guys, any positive criticism would be greatly appreciated!

Williard

iTrader: (18)

Op,

First off, stay safe and keep your head low. I spent a bit of time in RC East (rocket city).

To answer your question about a used Renny and Trans i will say, search the F/S threads. There you can get a general idea of the prices.

As for the LS swap "kit". To my knowledge no "kit" is bolt on ready complete. You may want to continue your research to see exactly what else is required after your kit is installed.

There are a few members that have completed these swaps and many who have tried. Give a read through the frankenstein rx8 threads, you may find some useful info in there.

Hope that helps

Travis

Chrishoky

iTrader: (9)

I think the v8 roadster kit is going to be the best option once it gets off the ground completely. They have a great reputation with their v8 miata kits and I expect the same for the RX8 kit once all the R&D is complete.

I8yourv8

thanks brother! Will do! I was in RC East in 2011-2012. Kabul Province, when were you there and who were you with? I was Infantry then, but now im aviation. Door gunner on a blackhawk so I cant actually keep my head low lol. Thanks for your service btw!

I8yourv8

looks like the kit is out!
RX8 LSx Mounting Kit - V8 Roadsters with the exhaust from hinson?
LS V8 RX8 3" Stainless Steel Y-Pipe
Hinson Super Cars - LS V8 RX8 1 7/8" Stainless Steel Headers
thats $3500 BEFORE the engine and trans! yikes. Hinsons kit was almost a grand cheaper!

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Just do your homework and you will see why it is cheaper. And if you think $3500 is a lot then you might want to rethink your plans. Read the V8 roadsters kit thread here, that guy is in it $25,000 and not even done yet. But, he is the only one doing it right IMO. And yes a couple have done swaps but most are half assed builds and their version of done is just getting the car running. You should just buy the Touge factory RX-8 R3 with the LSX that is for sale for $30,000.00

I8yourv8

25k is INSANE! I dont see how thats possible. $3500 for the kit, $3k for engine and trans, where did the $19k go?! Maybe I should just swap a 240 for a ton less

Williard

iTrader: (18)

OP,
2010-2011 Fob Salerno RCEast aka Rocket City.4th ID but we were split ops with 3rd ID and 10th mountain.

Thank you for yours as well.

Travis

Posted From RX8Club.com Android App

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Yeah, you need to stop starting threads and do some research.

Chrishoky

iTrader: (9)

I also dont consider the v8 roadsters kit finished. Yes, it has some complete pieces like engine mounting, etc but there is so much more that hasnt been sorted out yet. A "kit" to me means they have done the r&d and figured out all the solutions to possible problems. They then sell you said kit so you can complete a project having everything all together. This is what Im waiting for... and it may never come. I unfortunately dont have the fabrications skills or resources to build something on my own. I can however bolt things together and read directions.

I8yourv8

once again 9k to flame and bring people down. If starting a thread and asking around isnt "research" I dont know what is. If you dont have any helpful ideas, then please stay out of my thread. Like I said, I have a year until I will be hopefully starting this project. Hope someone can make a complete kit in the meantime

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

I'm not trying bringing you down I am giving you sound advice. It is clear you have not done much proper prior planning and you need to if you are serious about completing a project of this magnitude. You may not like, but asking random people for opinions will get you no where on a project like this. All the spoon feeding in the world won't allow you to complete this type of engine swap. So use your year wisely and start doing your homework (read the billion posts that already exist on this topic).

Legot

iTrader: (1)

Interestingly that's exactly what research is not, so you're right! You don't know what research is.

zendrums

iTrader: (2)

In his build, Stubbs says $25k, but he also said he could have saved a lot of money shopping smart. I'm in to mine for just over $7k and I've got all of the big ticket items purchased except for the axles. I have to make prototypes and send them off to get built. Then there are other ancillary things like a new belt, radiator hoses, and fluids. I'm using the V8R kit but I'm dropping in an LM7. LS3 vs LM7 is a significant chunk of change, yes, but not 18k's worth. I went LM7 for cheap power. These things are everywhere in everything and they can handle boost all day. I can literally get one from my local junkyard for $140 + tax and an hour of my time. Not sure on the condition? Ain't care; get a new one. That takes too much time? You're doing an engine swap... If you didn't want to do work, you should have thought of that before you started and bought the car you wanted.

So for the first stage of my build where I have a car with ~350 hp (estimates based off of upgraded aftermarket parts), after selling the good bits from my RX-8, I'm looking at ~7k total even after I get my axles made and everything.

I don't get why this build isn't _the build_. I wouldn't throw $25k addtl at an RX-8 ever. I love my car, but if I were gonna spend that amount, I'd go all in and buy a new Corvette or a Hellcat. Instead, I'm going to have reliable, cheap, easily replaceable power. I'll have blown a few engines and then some without ever hitting that $25k mark, and I'll do it with more power.
...
amirite?

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Exactly

You can get an LS for $140.00? and "saved a lot of money" is pretty vague. Is $2,000.00 a lot of money? $10,000.00? Also, have you driven an RX-8 with an LS in it? I mean sure 350WHP is nice but not if it ruins what makes the RX-8 good. And this build isn't "the build" because 99% of the people who talk about it are all talk.

zendrums

iTrader: (2)

140 is the cost from my local junkyard to pull any engine. I'm using an lm7, which is the truck variant of the ls block. They have insane ability to boost and are so cheap you can just trash them. They don't need built to boost.

A lot of money is his words, but you can infer from my cost and the difference in engine costs that a lot is around 14k. Dude went all in. Respect, but even

I've not driven an ls rx8, but at 7 + 4500 I paid for the car, I'm willing to take that chance. Worst case is I sell it, make most of my money back, and then I'm in a something new. Plus I've had the fun and experience of this swap.

All I'm suggesting is that this swap is best done cheaply or you should buy a different car.

CRO8TIA

The LM7 weighs 518lbs dressed, it's an iron block, why choose such a heavy motor ?
They may be able to make "insane" power with boost, but surely not from a $140 junker.
Nothing good comes cheap.

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

I thought the LM7 was not an LS? Doesn't it weigh like 100lbs more than the typical LS too?

zendrums

iTrader: (2)

Lm7 is based off of the ls block.

junkyard engines are fine... spend a minute looking and find one that got in an accident. You can find me with low miles. These engines last. Tons of people are jy only 5.3s.

Yes it's heavier. They make an aluminum variant but I actually didn't pull mine. I got mine from someone that just had it built and had their 01 silverado wrecked.

Spend a few minutes Googling 5.3 builds. Find the 4.8 with boost from a jy that was 1300hp. My brother in law just put a 6.0 in a monza with a t56. Cost him 4k total. he's done probably 10 5.3 and 6.0 swaps himself. Nothing wrong with bargain shopping.

CRO8TIA

Yes, it is in the LS family of engines, and you're correct,about 100lbs more than an Ls3

I8yourv8

Update: Talked to Chris from Hinson Racing and the FULL kit, with EVERYTHING but engine and trans is $6500. Which is too much for me. I just hope within the next year someone will figure a cheaper way. Wish these cars were more like 240s in the LS swap way.

Zendrums: you can get the 5.3 or 4.8 out of chevy trucks for $140? Thats really cheap!

zendrums

iTrader: (2)

http://upullitomaha.com/upom/pricelist.php

Engine block 135
Engine w/o acc 175

Accessories are a 1 time buy. Even swapping oil pan, intake, etc I got mine for 350 from a dude with a V8R Miata.

Shop shop shop.

Edit: acc were 350.

Going to grab a 2jz from the Lincoln lot with a buddy at 8 am tomorrow.

Guess how much? 175

Khurram

why not go for REW Swap...I am looking into it..10-13k should get you a good build with a good tune. and reliable 350whp just a thought..

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

I would never give those guys $6500.00 up front.

"Man, son arrested after lost vehicles found on property
By Tiffeny Hurtado
Staff Writer

LACEY’S SPRING — A father and son face felony charges after authorities discovered stolen vehicles on their property.
Acting on a tip they received from another law enforcement agency in July, the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department and state Department of Agriculture investigators went to an area on McCutheon Loop Road. They seized stolen vehicles with a value of more than $100,000, said Morgan County Sheriff Greg Bartlett. “Some had been dismantled, and others had their vehicle identification numbers removed,” he said. “The suspects failed to provide any proof of ownership for the vehicles.”

Authorities returned most of the vehicles to their owners in Tallapoosa, Lee and Elmore counties, Bartlett said. They charged Lane Martin Culver, 35, of 171 McCutheon Loop Road and Lumis Martin Culver, 70, of 247 McCutheon Loop Road with first-degree receiving stolen property. Lumis Culver was also charged with two counts of obstructing the identity of a vehicle. The Culvers turned themselves into investigators Monday and were booked into Morgan County Jail. Both were both later released, Lane Culver on $5,000 bail and Lumis Culver on $10,000 bail."

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

I8yourv8,

Some serious points for you to really seriously and honestly think about:

- If swaps in RX-8s were actually cheap, wouldn't there be more completed?

- How much are you willing to spend, or learn, to solve the electronics problems? It's the biggest stumbling block of virtually every failed build, and no plug and play solution currently exists. You will have to integrate something somewhere, and the more of the RX-8's electronics you use, the harder that is, the more you get rid of, the more stuff stops functioning that you have to buy controllers for. Where is the line that you are going to shoot for?

- Where do you draw the line between "shopping smarter", "using poor quality stuff", and "cutting corners"? Saving money by not paying MSRP on something is quite different from buying a much lower grade piece of hardware that will fit poorly and require more time and cost to get working right, and even that is quite different from buying something that 'works' but can't actually hold up on the road.

- Looking at Flyin Miata's parts list for an LS swapped Miata (simplier platform, already proven swap with all the R+D already done, and they do 6-10 turn-key a year so it's really solid), using all off-the-shelf stuff that is already developed, they have $17,000 in parts before engine and engine harness. What in that list do you really think you can ignore for the RX-8? What is actually already available that you can buy off-the-shelf for the RX-8? How much more will it cost to get each non-available part custom made? Where will it be less complicated and cheaper than that?



The advice being given isn't trying to bash you, flame, you, or hate on you. It's trying to impart real and honest advice to try to prompt you to do some serious thinking and investigation into this. If you are serious about the swap, you will be trying to solve all of the previously-encountered problems ahead of time. All of them, not just 'where do you get a subframe mount kit'. Keep in mind you will have to fabricate 100% custom cooling system, twin exhaust, intake, cable routing, sensor wire routing, and driveshaft. All of which will be in extremely tight spacing within the frame. You might be able to get a 'kit' that gives you the engine mounts, transmission mounts, diff mounts, and maybe a subframe that relocates the steering rack. Does that change the steering geometry that needs to be solved? or not? etc... There is a WHOLE LOT MORE to a swap than "$3500 for the kit, $3k for engine and trans". Costs add up really really fast.


If you are serious and willing to do what it takes, more power to you. But not many of us have seen anything but lots of talk about people wanting to swap, and virtually no one ever follows through, even if they do actually start. Will you break that trend? Maybe. It depends on how you approach the problem.