RX-8 LS-1 Project
#126
It's a Cavalier
I don't agree with a piston swap, if nothing else just because you can get a used v8 car for the drag strip that will match it or beat it for less than it costs for the swap. To me, doing a swap like that is just announcing to everyone that you bought the wrong car. IF you are going to do a swap, swap with something that stays true to the purpose of the car. Like Renesis into a Miata, 20b into an 8, etc...
Not my car or money, so my opinion hardly matters. More power to you doing what you want.
Not my car or money, so my opinion hardly matters. More power to you doing what you want.
20b is too expensive, and too eccentric an engine. I don't want to be held hostage at the mercy of the "rotary gurus" every time I have a problem. Bend a pushrod? Big ******* deal. Need some rocker arms or sparkplugs or whatever? Go to the parts store on any corner. Need some help tuning? I have three, THREE great GTO friends right here in town that have all been tuning and racing LSx engines for years. There a guy here that will completely rebuild a T56 transimission for $150. $150?!?!? Are you kidding me?
You see what I mean?
#127
My cavalier and my neon..
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Find me a "piston car" that has superb handling, fantastic brakes, perfect steering feel, a wonderfully designed and functional interior, unique and beautiful looking exterior styling, gorgeous xenon headlights, easily accessible and comfortable back seats, a sunroof, supportive front seats, and a low curbweight, at the RX8's price point.
You can't find one. That car doesn't exist.
The Renesis is the weak link. The RX8 is not just the rotary. That's not the only thing that makes it unique.
I want more power, and I want reliable power. I know now what an LSx engine is capable of. I think it could be great combination.
You can't find one. That car doesn't exist.
The Renesis is the weak link. The RX8 is not just the rotary. That's not the only thing that makes it unique.
I want more power, and I want reliable power. I know now what an LSx engine is capable of. I think it could be great combination.
And plus its called being unique on top of all that plenty of rotary powered 8s around not too many piston ones
#128
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What kind of investment does Hinson need? I e-mailed then a few times telling them I could drive my car there and they can use it for however long they want. My previous car (06 Grand Prix GXP with the 5.3L V8) was a prototype car for a turbo kit, was a year and a half long process and I was fine with it so I'm used to that.
I see normally they charge 8k to swap a V8 into an RX-7 for a turn key solution (you supply the engine/trans I'm sure) so I would imagine if they use your car as a test car they would cut you some slack on the cost.....
I'll e-mail them again......
I see normally they charge 8k to swap a V8 into an RX-7 for a turn key solution (you supply the engine/trans I'm sure) so I would imagine if they use your car as a test car they would cut you some slack on the cost.....
I'll e-mail them again......
#129
If my rx8's engine goes, I would be in the market for a v8 swap. But the market would have to be mature enough that I'm not caught up in a crapstorm like people have had with the 20b one-off swaps.
#130
Rebuilds anyone?
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I hope this doesn't get deleted but some of you may remember me posting about a year or two ago seeing who was interested in doing such a swap and I got flamed hard for even mentioning putting an LS1 or any other kind of piston engine in the RX-8 chassis.
I have done an LS1 convertion for a customers FD, it worked flawlessly. Amazing to drive, so much power.
I have wanted to do the LS1 swap into an RX-8 for more than a few years now, nobody has stepped up.
I have an 04 GT shell at my shop right now that is stripped down, we are in the process of building it into a drift car for a customer, the plan is to power it with an LS1 engine and use a Corvette transaxle in the rear to get more weight in the rear (easier to drift).
If anyone is serious about having an LS1 and T56 6speed transmission swapped into their RX-8 I am fully willing and more than capable of doing such a thing.
My plan is to build a complete tubular subframe to replace the factory one and offer it along with a PPF for the LS1/T56 combo. My shop is located in Cambridge Ontario Canada, anyone willing to send a car to us or drop it off, email me joe_ferg@live.com.
I have done an LS1 convertion for a customers FD, it worked flawlessly. Amazing to drive, so much power.
I have wanted to do the LS1 swap into an RX-8 for more than a few years now, nobody has stepped up.
I have an 04 GT shell at my shop right now that is stripped down, we are in the process of building it into a drift car for a customer, the plan is to power it with an LS1 engine and use a Corvette transaxle in the rear to get more weight in the rear (easier to drift).
If anyone is serious about having an LS1 and T56 6speed transmission swapped into their RX-8 I am fully willing and more than capable of doing such a thing.
My plan is to build a complete tubular subframe to replace the factory one and offer it along with a PPF for the LS1/T56 combo. My shop is located in Cambridge Ontario Canada, anyone willing to send a car to us or drop it off, email me joe_ferg@live.com.
#131
It's a Cavalier
I have wanted to do the LS1 swap into an RX-8 for more than a few years now, nobody has stepped up.
I have an 04 GT shell at my shop right now that is stripped down, we are in the process of building it into a drift car for a customer, the plan is to power it with an LS1 engine and use a Corvette transaxle in the rear to get more weight in the rear (easier to drift).
[/email].
Maybe I'm over simplifying the LS1 swap into the RX8. Just ballpark how long would something like this take? Weeks? Months?
#132
Rebuilds anyone?
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Sorry, What I was trying to say was that the RX-8 we will be building for our customer will get the Corvette transaxle. Which of course will require alot of fabrication and will be a long term project.
I want to fabricate a simple LS1 swap for the RX-8's. Just a tubular front subframe, tubular PPF for the T56 and a driveshaft, possibly even a wiring schematic for the DIY guy.
The first swap would take some time, I'd like to say 4-5 months tops. Jigs would have to be built, CAD drawings would have to be drawn up, parts would need to be laser cut, wiring would need to be figured out ect. The first one is always takes longer. After all that has been done, I'm almost certain we could turn an LS1 swap around in a couple weeks.
I want to fabricate a simple LS1 swap for the RX-8's. Just a tubular front subframe, tubular PPF for the T56 and a driveshaft, possibly even a wiring schematic for the DIY guy.
The first swap would take some time, I'd like to say 4-5 months tops. Jigs would have to be built, CAD drawings would have to be drawn up, parts would need to be laser cut, wiring would need to be figured out ect. The first one is always takes longer. After all that has been done, I'm almost certain we could turn an LS1 swap around in a couple weeks.
Last edited by R.P.M.; 09-07-2009 at 09:44 PM.
#133
My cavalier and my neon..
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Sorry, What I was trying to say was that the RX-8 we will be building for our customer will get the Corvette transaxle. Which of course will require alot of fabrication and will be a long term project.
I want to fabricate a simple LS1 swap for the RX-8's. Just a tubular front subframe, tubular PPF for the T56 and a driveshaft, possibly even a wiring schematic for the DIY guy.
The first swap would take some time, I'd like to say 4-5 months tops. Jigs would have to be built, CAD drawings would have to be drawn up, parts would need to be laser cut, wiring would need to be figured out ect. The first one is always takes longer. After all that has been done, I'm almost certain we could turn an LS1 swap around in a couple weeks.
I want to fabricate a simple LS1 swap for the RX-8's. Just a tubular front subframe, tubular PPF for the T56 and a driveshaft, possibly even a wiring schematic for the DIY guy.
The first swap would take some time, I'd like to say 4-5 months tops. Jigs would have to be built, CAD drawings would have to be drawn up, parts would need to be laser cut, wiring would need to be figured out ect. The first one is always takes longer. After all that has been done, I'm almost certain we could turn an LS1 swap around in a couple weeks.
#135
I hope you continue down this path though. My rebuilt engine only has about 6k miles on it, I likely won't be a customer for several years, but I know that once you have a finished product to sell, people who are replacing their engines will view this as an alternative that they currently aren't even aware of. Many are in the 60-80k miles range, so it's only a matter of time
#136
I hope some kit comes out soon. I was less then 24 hours from finalizing the sale of my car and then backed out. The car is great for reasons stated earlier in the thread but the engine is a weak link in an other wise great package. There are ways to rectify its lack of grunt but nothing quite like starting fresh with american muscle. Someone please make one. Id be down for the kit for sure
#146
It's a Cavalier
You live over there in Iceland? No kidding...
So, it does okay, but a 12.83 second quarter isn't exactly "fast".
That GT500 Cobra next to it n the video beat it by several lengths, and I bet it was stock.
Are the guys that built the LS1 RX8 going to design a kit? Do you know anything more about it? Pics?
So, it does okay, but a 12.83 second quarter isn't exactly "fast".
That GT500 Cobra next to it n the video beat it by several lengths, and I bet it was stock.
Are the guys that built the LS1 RX8 going to design a kit? Do you know anything more about it? Pics?
#148
It's a Cavalier
#150
Hit & Run Magnet
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You live over there in Iceland? No kidding...
So, it does okay, but a 12.83 second quarter isn't exactly "fast".
That GT500 Cobra next to it n the video beat it by several lengths, and I bet it was stock.
Are the guys that built the LS1 RX8 going to design a kit? Do you know anything more about it? Pics?
So, it does okay, but a 12.83 second quarter isn't exactly "fast".
That GT500 Cobra next to it n the video beat it by several lengths, and I bet it was stock.
Are the guys that built the LS1 RX8 going to design a kit? Do you know anything more about it? Pics?