Christople

Is there a suspension advantage to the RX-7 with V8 swap to compared to a Vette?

I know the vette might weigh a tad more... don't know the exact amount but I never understood the appeal of this swap as it would just be easier to get into a vette.

240sx, miata, fine they were underpowered and are lighter cars. But the RX-7? Seems like a lot of work for 200 or so pounds of weight loss.

luder_5555

looks like too much fun.

Syn

I think the biggest draw here would be the exclusivity and looks of the RX-7, not to mention the slight sleeper effect you'd get as well.

I think the FD RX-7 is one of the best looking cars produced. To fix its biggest flaw by replacing the motor it becomes a great overall package to me.

ZDan

If I'd wanted a 'vette, I'd have boughten a 'vette.

200 lb.? More like 400-500 lb.

Squirtle

From another owner of a 500whp FD rx-7 let me just say that the drive back home will be one you never forget

Good buy bud! Make sure you take care of the oiling issues before your big track day and she'll treat you just as well as the S2000 does.

woodburn

A twin turbo rx7 FD a sleeper? There like one of the most praised japan sports cars of all time, everyone knows there fast.

tarheel91

So, how exactly does this engine differ from a stock LS2? Last time I checked they made 400 crank horsepower. Typically you don't get a 50% increase in power from NA modifications.

luder_5555

A cam, full exhaust, and good intake works wonders on these motors. And 400hp at the block would be a massive under-rating. 400hp at the wheels sounds much more accurate, so 500 would be a 25% increase. Either way as I said, these cars respond very well to simple mods.

NuncoStr8

A stock LS2 in a Corvette will give ~350 RWHP (at the wheels). 500 RWHP would be ~40% more horsepower.

A good LS2 heads/cam package would promise close to 500 RWHP with all supporting mods (headers, exhaust, underdrive pulleys, filter holder, tuner, et al). But it comes with an idle that sounds like a NASCAR block in a dumptruck, IMHO.

Over 500 RWHP is quite the accomplishment with "just" heads/cam and supporting mods. I'm guessing it uses the Escalade heads and a big cam with long tube headers and every possible supporting mod to make the numbers. I don't know that it would ever qualify as a "sleeper" if you pulled up next to it, as it's probably loud as hell and idles, well, like a mis-firing dumptruck. But probably sounds sweet at full throttle. And pulls like little else on the road. I'd also guess it's fast as hell around a track short-shifted, but more than a handful driven full-throttle in an RX-7 chassis.

Killer ride.

ZDan

The engine is a stock bottom-end LS2 with shaved L92 heads for 11.4:1 CR, with a custom mild cam, 222/230 .597" lift. Straight shot low-restriction intake in front of the radiator, mid-length headers, Racing Beat exhaust. Similar cam and low-restriction setup on a 7.0 liter LS7 can yield 545rwhp and 485 rw torque, these numbers are closer to that than I would have expected...
Hafta say I was/am a bit incredulous about the numbers, so were the p.o. and dyno operator! They were expecting something more in the 460rwhp range, not 517.
474 lb-ft/517hp definitely sound a lot more like flywheel than rear wheel numbers for a 6.0, but I'm not big on absolute dyno numbers anyway. Figure the "real" numbers are within 10%, 420 rw lb-ft and 460rwhp is fine w/ me
Linkie to dyno thread: http://www.norotors.com/index.php?to...55770#msg55770

If you wanna hear it start and idle, here's one of the videos he made for me, fast forward to 4:00.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmqUe4KMD8Y

Honestly I was only looking for a stockish LS1 or LS2 FD, but when my buddy said his was up for sale, I had to jump on it. He's a REALLY sharp guy (Navy pilot/instructor) with great attention to detail, and his priorities for the build were pretty much identical to mine: Daily driver suitable for track duty.

I've looked at a couple of engine-swapped FD's, and found a bunch of loose ends and stuff I would have done differently. THIS car is very close to 100%, already has all the stuff I want/need: 3.55:1 8.8" Ford diff with Torsen T2R lsd, StopTech big brakes up front and bigger 99+ spec 2-pc rear, roll bar, Tein SS coilovers with softer 9/7 springs (instead of 12/10), etc. etc. etc. And no stupid b.s. I did NOT want.

Could not resist!