Yeah at a minimum I'd have to build an oil pan and completely redo the intake, since in the trailblazer the manifold wraps up over top of the head. Be cool as hell to build with ITBs, maybe do high comp internals (since they're all GM sizes high end parts are all over the place). Length shouldn't be a problem, except coming up with a crossmember that clears the oil pan, and maybe relocate the radiator forward.

My original idea was to do this in an IS 300, bellhousing is nearly identical (GM used toyota trannys on the 5-cylinder version of the 4200), and of course the engine bay was built around an L6. Should weight the same or a little less than the iron block 2JZ.

Damn, the trouble I could get myself into if I was unemployed and a millionaire!

 

I think the government should start handing car guys money, for the betterment of automotive awesomeness
That would be a sick build, inline sixes sound ****. I would think overall height would be a problem though, but hey I've never measured...

 

"And they shall know the pain of defeat by something of my own hand, they shall know humility in the roar of archaic horsepower, grasping life with its claws and issuing forth a bellow of defiance"


"Please don't go inside me yet!"


Parentals looking displeased as always


Somewhat apart...


More apart


Getting there


Oh yeah! Block is now down to shortblock, Trickflow heads are about to go on.


55k mile 302 from a 1990 town car, I picked it up complete beyond reason out in
the IE for 450 bucks. Looking to do about 300-350 wheel horse, which is pretty mild.

 

with the ford motors you will need to reverse your subframe. Also you will be un able to uphrade the steering to re-epeed with this motor.

 

Believe you me, I know all too well. Subframe was my first step in the suspension reassembly, and I'll be looking into a custom R&P sometime in the future.

 

 

You know what I did?
...
...
...
I loled.

 

good stuff here! im a rotorhead but gotta give props for your skills and nice pics documenting it all.

did you replace all the bushings to poly ones (energy suspension, re-speed) in the rear? upper and lower links?

 

OK as long as you know this. I am doing the LS2 for sure now, I got one on hold from a GTO with a T56 and .........ta da, 24k miles. I been looking at the idea of the curret generation of Hemi motors, if they are in fact lighter I will go that route for sure. I'm not building for monster power, just more power with reliability. Although 400whp sounds good bout now

I keep up with your thread, we are both handling our own problems. You gotta reverse the crossmember and I gotta figure out how to fit mine with the SA steering layout. Even with the smaller rack from re-speed I will need to mount the engine further back than you.

I was contemplating staying rotary for a while until the day I got under mine (35th day owning the car second day actually seeing/posesing it) and noticed the rear dif huosing has a nice healthy crack along the pass side of the casing. The same inspection showed me the car has no rust underneith it and it is almost mint condition otherwise.

 

Thanks! More hard work than skills being that the car isn't so complicated :P I replaced every bushing in the rear end with energy poly and the drop links.

Awesome! If you can pull of alu. engine and rack and pinion I will be supremely jealous in so many ways. I would say the only actual problem I have at the moment is lack of funding as I finally ran out after the 1k trickflow heads...
Are you going to convert to a 9" rear end?

 

no 8.8 rear and sticking to it. I am thinking of hiring Pez to do do some of the work. I have a problem me thinks. the respeed kit has the mounting points where the SA mounts into the oilpan/cover. In the pictures I can't see the later FB mounts on the side. He says it will mount the 12a and the 13b but I assume he means swapping out the front cover and oil pan. If this is the case I will need to weld on the side posts from the FB crossmember. And yes, I am doing all aluminum motor Also I am doing a trick body with the mariah wb minus the front piece. I am moulding up the rear to remove the bumper and the same in the front. I will then use 50's era corvette bumpers in black chrome along with black chrome mirrors. I can't wait to get home and start putting it together so i can start a build thread.

BTW, you are going places I aint going on yours so good luck. I need the inspiration.

 

Sounds like a beast in progress, what will you be doing to the suspension other than the rack? What FB side mounts do you mean? all 1st gen 7s use front mounts, hence why the RE-Speed rack has a single post and why I can't use it, not to mention I don't think I could get a column past the headers. I'll be on the lookout for your thread, what are your plans for the car?

 

Update time! Trickflow heads are on, camshaft email has been sent, and better interior pics!


Oh she's just purdy now isn't she...


State of the interior


The car is full of the ford accessories, but you get the idea.

 

i'm ok trading deflection with easier movement. seems to be predictable enough for me when it was still on the road of course...


what belt setup are you going to run? i'm trying to piece together a 94+ serpentine setup because it gives more clearance, but will be running a janky old setup for now...

seems trickflow heads kill quite a few 302 swap budgets, i've got some in mine right now. maybe i missed it but i'm not seeing what trans you are running. i've got an aod in mine for now because that is how my brother started the project, but eventually i'd like to swap in a tremec.

 

I don't know if rubbers move any easier, I've heard full poly gives more precision which is what I'm trying to dial up most fervently. I'll stick with the stock serpentine setup, but try to low mount the alt somehow to keep the weight low down if I can. It's not an auto-tensioning setup but as long as it has serpentines I can deal :P

I figured from the beginning that the heads would be damn expensive even though I saved 300 bucks on this deal, I consider them the centerpiece of the engine build really. I'm going to go find a T-5 when I'm done with the motor and throw it on, which is why I swapped in the three-pedal cluster a good while back and I have the bigger master/pull slave on the way from granny's. Get a manual dude! That's the only legit way to do it. I'm in the process of ordering a custom ground cam at the moment, more to come later.

 

better baby that t-5, they don't do well over 300hp or so. there are plenty of cheap used 5.0 roller cams out there that will make some serious power, save your cash on that custom grind unless you've got a connection for a cheap one.

yeah tremec eventually, but i got the project from my brother who bought the swap kit from a guy who wrecked his and was running a built aod with a silly high stall converter, something over 3500 iirc. the engine/trans is already bolted in, just need to fab up cooling, button up the front end of the motor, and run about 3 wires since i'm going carb for now to keep it simple. i figure i'll run the aod/carb and get some ridiculous 1/4 times and swap it out after it is running. i've swapped an aod fox body stang to a t5 and tremec 5 speed and didn't need a new driveshaft, but a new trans crossmember was needed each time. #1 goal is to get her moving under her own power :P

good call buying those heads. i didn't corner weigh my car or anything before hand, but i'll damn sure post it up once more things are swapped in. not really a fair weight right now with no accessories. the weight savings alone with those heads is almost worth it, but toss in the extra power...

 

I would go for a used cam, but it would be really hard to find one that would suit me exactly, and the cam I wanted (a crane stick) was only 50 dollars cheaper than a custom grind, so I figure why not spend a few bucks more and get the absolute max out of my (seemingly) kind of uncommon setup.

I hear you on your goal, I'm gunning for the same exact thing. Git er moving first, then do the details, or in my case finish the thing :P

I really think alum heads are of utmost importance for trying to make a V8/7 handle, I'm about 76.4 percent sure I can get it to 52/48 weight distribution with my plans. And without further ado, swap kit pics!


^Cool wilwood pieces, but something seems funny about that reservoir...


^Motor mounts, they're different for each side because of the crossmember. Installed pics in a bit.


^Still need the slip yoke, but there's the truss style tranny mount and driveshaft.


^Had to cut off part of the rod and squeeze the new assembly on, the threads are EEEEVER so slightly different, methinks it's 8mil vs 5/16. It's stuck on there now...


^Ah, I knew that old reservoir was a bit big... but now everything is about ready to go. There is a problem but I'll get to it in a later post.

Overall I'm very pleased with this kit, everything seems well made and thought out, and it cost me a bit but I get the feeling it will not cause me any problems at all. Thanks Grant!

 

Hmmm.... Cant use the rack and pinion with a 302 swap..... what if you used a FC sub frame?

That would seriously suck to stick with the recirculating ball with that much power in a tiny car.

Guess thats another downside to v8 swaps. (at least 5.0) Hopefully someone will figure something out.

 

Exactly, the ratio is going to be scary slow when I'm done. I'm thinking there should be a way to mount a rack to the reversed crossmember, if not it'll take some doing. In the meantime I think to at least fix the ratio a steering quickener might be a good idea, I might have to pay someone to install it, but one of the only major problems I have is not being able to use an easy R&P

 

Ive been reading around, and I think that you could have your cake and eat it with an FC subframe. It may not have the mounts for your conversion kit, but It is a sound idea. Besides, then you could get the 4 lug spindles, and switch to GSL-SE axles(?) I could even sell you some SE 14" wheels sans tires. Plus with that comes lots more wheel choices. A v8 first gen with mega play steering and rolling on 13" 185 rubber would not be much fun at all. Factor that in with rain+LSD's and you come out in a ditch.

Of course, the different subframe might mean a slight difference in engine placement, wreaking havoc on the use of other mounts (trans) and maybe even driveshaft length.

Still, R&P FTW. 15:1 quick ration FTMFW.

 

It's an interesting idea, but not really practical just because with a quickener i could at least have the ratio if not the feel I want. You assume too much, who says I'm going to be using 13 inch wheels and 185s? Try 15 inch and 235s
and I don't need to swap anything out or do any converting. I've just spent a bit too much on the car in this direction to change it now, I'll take as much play out as I can and see how it feels, keep in mind I'll have damn good throttle steer with all the suspension slop taken out plus firmer springs/dampers and shorter sidewalls. And who doesn't love throttle steer?

 

Meh....

I understand you too far into it now, but if I ever did it i'd use an FC subframe, and an 8.8 rear. No matter the fab, it would be worth it.

 

Looks like a learning experience. I think they call it the "College of Hard Knocks".

But I don't get it. For the time and money you could have had a really nice 12A powered FB by now, painted, finished and registered. And the rotary world would have one more FB, not one less.

If you want a V8 power boat why not just start out with a Mustang or some other piston powered beast?

Not a great plan IMO, but I do admire your imagination and work ethic. And the important thing is you guys are having fun.

The videos are great, you've definitely got a teaching moment going here, please keep it going!

 

Thanks, I'll do my next update in video form then, and thank you for disagreeing respectfully, but I do have to at least say that I would not be much further into the build, only about the same place in a different direction. The interior was not worth saving, and I'll keep the chassis nice and purdy so if I ever get hold of a 20B or somesuch I can throw it in there. The reason I didn't start piston is price, this is quite a capable chassis for 350 bucks, and was the only way I could see to get V8 sound/character and a modicum of handling that wouldn't twist in half or break the bank.

To touch on registration though, the car's tags are from 94... O.o

 

Wankel for life