LS1 swap
 

Hey guys,

I know a couple of guys on here are thinking of this swap, it's something I'm interested in doing in a couple years.
I know Hinson is slowly developing a kit bug my buddy who is doing the swap in his MX5 was talking with V8 Roadsters and they said they are working on an RX8 kit that should be available in Jan or Feb. They said they are also developing a kit for another engine but wouldn't tell him what, they said it is the realization of a dream.
I thought a couple guys would be interested, I'll pay attention to their site and keep in touch with my buddy and update this thread when there's more info.

Simon

thanks for posting this

I'm sure there's a bunch of us here that would love a kit for this swap, hell I'll do it if something happens to this engine after boost :rolleyes:

I'm sitting on an 8 with a dead motor in my garage. Please keep us updated, cuz i plan on getting a v8 swap started in May.
Ive even been calling Hinson to ask about their progress, but theyre taking forrrrever.
If you could, PM me any further information you receive. It would be nice to have multiple, or even a primary, options when I can finally initiate my dream build.

-Blackbriar

I will definately keep you guys posted.
This is V8 Roadsters website: www.v8roadsters.com

They don't have anything on the website yet about the RX8 but like I said in the previous post, they should have something on there in the new year.

I know they have a very good reputation with the Miata crowd for both quality and customer service so I can't wait to see what they come up with.

Hinson has the mounting kit available now on there website for around $1200. Just found out my motor is going to need a rebuild today and I just happen to have a 500hp built ls1 laying around so this might be right up my alley!

The guy at the performance shop I frequent wants me to do this.

He was going on about this kit he wanted me to buy.
I'm going to be there tomorrow I try and find out more info.

edit
spelling

They have the kit posted on the hi son website for $1200. I'm going to call tommorow and find out the details.

^its not in stock according to their website, so im sure its a made-on-order basis. Anyways, I do hope someone comes out with a swap kit.

My buddy that owns a shop in Oakville has just started this swap on his 2003 MX5 and he was the one that told me about V8 Roadsters kit for the RX8.
They already make a kit for the NC MX5 which is built on the same platform as the RX8 and there quality is great.

I called several times today to order a swap kit and got no answer? That's customer service right there!

:icon_no2: this whole thread.

I can't believe people just trust some company on the internet without doing ANY research on them.

HERE, lmgtfy.

http://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=867981

Read through the many RX-8 V-8 swap threads and you will see my warnings. Let them buy from them and find out themselves.

9k... You have done and been a part of many different projects.
And being that you are in San Antonio, even a 4 hour drive from Dallas is not an awful drive to me. But I agree that Hinson is building an awful reputation and from my knowledge dragging their feet on a kit they claimed would be done last year.
1) Is there a shop near SA or DFW that you would reccomend taking the car to to get this swap done?
2) Hinson has the closest thing to a kit thus far, do you believe it would be cost effective to have another shop do the swap using their kit or have a shop to it from the ground up?

The only person I would trust to do a build of this magnitude is Tito from Alamo Rotary but unfortunately he is semi-retired and only takes on specialty projects of his liking. He has done a few odd swaps and he has a 20B Turbo RX-8 that is just immaculate and done to perfection. It is a show car but it gets tracked regularly along with his Skyline R35. You really have to have deep pockets to get this type of build done properly by a qualified shop. But you can always contact Tito and see what he says. But he isn't cheap.

friend of mine has been in contact with them--they do have just the mounting kit and headers.
It is reported that the electronics are almost completed--but it has stagnated.
No mention of what steering rack they used?
Once a kit is available i envision a small stampede.

Drool......

:SHOCKED:

/How much horsepower can our stock diff take?

It can take zero HP forever as the car sits unfinished in the gge .

:lol:

From what I've read the T56 tranny will bolt up to the stock RX8 rear end but due to the gearing it makes 1st gear almost useless.
I know the MX5 guys either use a ford rear end or for a little more cash to best rear end is the GM rear end from a 1st gen CTS-V.
My friend whose doing the swap said you can get the GM rear end new for around $800.
Another of my friends has a 1st gen MX5 with an LS2 and he uses the GM rear end and he has no problems with traction and his car makes over 500hp.

This is why I posted this thread, I've read in other posts about concerns with Hinson so when my friend told me that V8 Roadsters is developing a kit for the RX8 I wanted to get the info out here.
V8 Roadsters has a very good reputation in the MX5 community and apparently their service is very good.
I keep checking their site but like I said in an earlier post they told my friend on the phone they probably won't have the kit until Jan/Feb 2012.

The real problems with an ls swap is the electronics and steering rack. Anyone that can fab and weld halfway decent can fab up the mounting and make it fit in the bay. It's the least of your worries.

Getting the stock e-rack to work or finding a proper manual or hydraulic rack, and mounting it so it doesn't kill you geometry and give you bump steer is the biggest problem IMHO.

From what I understand V8 Roadsters uses the stock steering rack for all three gens of the MX5 and they have all the electronics working as well.

That's great and all for the miata's but the 8 is a different beast. It has electronic power steering which is why it's such a challenge. All miatas are hydraulic.

Boeuf..
Yes, thats in an MX5, not an RX8, its a totally different conversion. The problem with the stock RX8 steering is that it is large in diameter compared to hydraulic type rack's and the front pulley on the LS engines may foul the stock rack unless the motor is moved rearward, but then you have problems with heads making contact with the firewall. The T56 doesn't bolt to the RX8 rear end, theres a bloody drive shaft in between.

I didn't realize the difference with the power steering, I just know the NC MX5 and RX8 are built on the same platform.
As for the T56, I didn't realize I had to clarify that there was a drive shaft but I know the dude that swapped an LS1 in Iceland used the stock rear end, even with the shit 1st gear I think he ran 12.8 in the 1/4 mile with a stock LS1.
Once V8 Roadsters adds the kit to their web page I will link it to this thread.
I will also ask my buddy to keep me updated when he is speaking with them.