Hey guys,

Well.....3 engines in 8 months. I can't take much more of this. I agree the rotary is a fine piece of work and reliable IF it's not turbocharged. But, I just can't deal with this. I am thinking VERY seriously about going to the LS1.

I talked to a friend who has 3 V8 powered 7s. He basically sold me on the idea. 350 reliable Horsepower, easier and cheaper to modify to big numbers than a rotary, light, etc....just sounds like a good deal.

However I still have a few questions, hopefully you guys that have done this or know about it can help me out.

I am looking at the kit from Hinson Supercars. They sell this for $1300, and I guess it includes the subframe, the bump-steer correction, drive shaft, torque arm, and transmission brace.

I don't know where to find the engine, transmission, and ECU though - that's one of my questions

I also don't know what else I would have to get - hoses (what kind, size, and length?), wires, radiator (can I use the stock one?), fuel pump/injectors/lines (same questions), I don't know???

Please help me out so I can make this go smoothly...I don't want to spend the next 8 months trying to figure out what I need and where to get it from. If you can help out at all, I would appreciate it. Thanks,
Tyler

 

I looked on grannysspeedshop.com and they gave a list of other things I need.....man this is sounding more complicated than I thought at first.....I think it'll still be worth it, though - I'll just have to save up some more.

 

Check out torquecentral.com they have all the info you need. Also take a look at hinsinsupercars.com. Give them a call I hear they are really good people to get info from.

later Gun

 

It will be over $10k by the time you get done with everything. Don't go to Granny's Speed shop. I thought everyone knew that Grant was a crook by now....

Stick with Hinson Supercars.

 

Sprockett, I'm just finishing my ls1 conversion. I purchased the kit from Hinson for the subframe, tranny brace, torque arm, etc.

There are a lot of other parts that you will need to purchase to finish things (clutch lines, new master cylinder for the clutch, heater hoses, coolant hoses, new radiator, lots of rewiring, assorted nuts and bolts, etc.). It will also prbably cost you somewhere around $10K. I have aorund $11K into mine, but I rebuilt my brakes, new pads, rotors, and I got a new set of coiloers and a strut tower bar. All in all that's about $2K added to the total cost.

As for your engine/tranny/ecu question, buy it all as one unit out of a wreck. The engine you want is from a 2001+ f-body. Don't buy a vette engine unless you want to go about accruing alot of different parts froim elsewhere. Hinson's kit won;t work with a vette engine because of the oil pan wings, and the vette uses a transaxle rather than a direct bolting to the tranny,m so you'd have to track down an f-body tranny anyways.


Check out torquecentral as someone else pointed out. I post under the screename Drewman over there. Feel free to PM me (here or there) if you have any questions.

 

I have between 8k-9k in mine with all the mods.

 

Above was mentioned 10-11k invested and 8-9k invested. Are these numbers including the ls1/t56 tranny?

I started an excell sheet to see how it all adds up. I'll post the link, any comments on forgot parts would be great, especially from those who have already completed this swap. I'm looking to start this swap after the holiday mess gets done with, would love to have some foothold on the size of this adventure.

http://www.cbu.edu/~ehug/WRC/LS1rx7.xls

 

I like the idea of a LS1/LS6 powered FD, but how does it handle with this motor?I have read several posts from owners that there cars handling was very tail happy when power was applied almost uncontrollable at the track.

 

hmmmmmm, with the extra weight of the ls1 engine in the front, the back should slide out like crazy, youd have to tweak your suspension to perfection to get a good overall balance

 

what extra weight? i believe the 2 engine assemblies are within 10lbs of eachother. the only reason the back end would slide out would be from the extra TORQUE!

 

Rear sliding out like crazy! What`s the problem? Really though if one cannot simply realise when to lift off the gas a little, then they don`t belong at the wheel of an LS1 RX7.

Toughguy