RX7 FC finding out what it wants to become

(Note: Photobucket killed my build thread so I have gone back in and added key photos back so the thread is not useless. I built this thread to help anyone who is doing a v8 swap in a RX7. If you have any questions you can find me on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook @Petrol360)

Hey guys im new to the forum but my brother and dad have lived on here for years. Over the summer I picked up a 1980 chevy luv. I know what you are thinking whats this got to do with the RX7 but I got it home and running and lowered and new wheels and tires and made it look pretty sweet. But Iv always wanted to do a V8 swap started off wanted to put a 5.0 in a volvo 240 but with the lack of aftermarket parts for the Volvo made me look for alternative platforms for a swap. I started to look and see what other swap cars are out there. I put the old luv on the internet saying I wanted to find a RX7 to do a V8 swap into and I got a few hits. Then someone offered a trade for the 88 FC. So I jumped on it!

Here is the luv

And here is the rx7

Its a 1988 RX7 with a 13b bridgeport aluminum flywheel and some kind of aftermarket exhaust and new electric fan. It has lowering springs new struts and aftermarket sway bars (want to say 24-28mm) It has 5 lug swap from turbo 2 with 4 piston calipers up front. New poly bushings under neath and wires for a battery in the trunk. Also came with spares! Another aluminum hood. Left and right electric doors. pop up lights and passenger side fender. All told its not a bad start to an amazing car.

So the PO was going to do a v8 swap as well so he pulled the carbs, 2nd coil, intake, MSD, fuel pump reg. and a few other parts to sell to fund the V8. So now Im stuck... Get the 13b running (iv found a carb set up on CL) or swap a v8 in like iv wanted to...

Now that iv been looking it looks like I may have to cut up the hood to fit a carbed 302 or 350... Lots of things to think about and its a long road either way!

interior/exterior look really clean. I support LT1 powah, but will accept any route, because for some reason I like this car. It's brown (I hate brown) it has burgundy interior (i hate burgundy interiors) and I think its berkeleying awesome.

Dont know if its because it one of the cleanest rx7s Ive seen or what.

I wait intently.

I don't think most people spend the.money on bridgeporting and run a stock exhaust manifold.

Also, that looks like a stock lower intake. Is that proper for a carb setup?

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/rx50-project/33672/page1/

chevy luv is a thing? that is awesome name for a sweet truck. Also nice FC, that is oddly clean. you must live in the south

A carb setup is easy. racing beat sells an adapter for side drafts for that stock LIM. I ran one for years.

are you sure its bridgeported?

fidelity101 wrote: chevy luv is a thing? that is awesome name for a sweet truck. Also nice FC, that is oddly clean. you must live in the south A carb setup is easy. racing beat sells an adapter for side drafts for that stock LIM. I ran one for years. are you sure its bridgeported?

Did not know that about the carbs and LIM.

Is that an S5 keg? No EGR.

Yep the luv is very much a thing. I didnt think my car was that clean... But yes it was new in Texas then lived in Birmingham then from 04 till now in NC. Only rust is under where the battery sits. As far as the bridgeport i dont know 100% for sure that it is. Its not running and I dont know of any test to see it it is or not. Going to try and hook up a battery to it and look into doing a compression test. They have a side draft intake that uses the stock lower intake and thats the set up the PO ran.

Now im just looking into where I want to go with it. Im stuck between keeping the 13b or going v8 ( eather 302 or 350) just trying to see what will be easier and the best bang for the buck.

Sell engine and trans that is in it.

Put in SBF.

I'd do the V8 swap over dealing with a 13B of unknown provenance. You have no idea what's actually done to it.

Does anyone know of a test to prove that its a bridgeport motor? I know they have to have a special compression test to show all the apex seals are good. The motor is worth more if I can prove its good.

Skervey wrote: Does anyone know of a test to prove that its a bridgeport motor?

Get it running and listen for braps?

Pull the intake manifold off and get an endoscope? Thanks to china - these things are cheap

Compression can be at least guestimated by turning over the engine and listening for nice healthy burp noises.

Granny's Speed Shop has all the swap junk for VG30, SBF, SBC, and SBM. I'm partial to the 302 so I'd go with an aluminum headed version of that to keep weight similar to original distribution. The guy who does the fab work there is a brainiac and seems quite personable, might give them a call. I think any kind of high rise intake on any of the small block v8's is going to need a scoop.

The rear end ratio is probably high 3, low 4:1 ratio so the Nissan mill with a turbo looked almost like a better fit. A 4.10 with even a 26" tire with a five speed won't get through the intersection without having to shift second. It should be a hoot any way you go about it.

The Mazda F2T would be a nice swap candidate as well. Or an FE3 with a turbo. I don't know how much torque the transmission in your car and handle but it should be a bellhousing swap away from bolting to an F2T. You would probably need to make your own motor mounts for that swap, though, where as some common swaps have mounts available off the shelf.

pres589 wrote: The Mazda F2T would be a nice swap candidate as well. Or an FE3 with a turbo. I don't know how much torque the transmission in your car and handle but it should be a bellhousing swap away from bolting to an F2T. You would probably need to make your own motor mounts for that swap, though, where as some common swaps have mounts available off the shelf.

The NA rx7's have a non - removable bell housing. However, I think you can use a turbo II trans with the truck trans bellhousing to bolt to an F2T.

I wonder if the F2T would want to stick up out of the hood?

Well id love to do some kind of crazy swap with a turbo setup but im going to try and stick with a simple v8 and a carb (maybe efi on the 302) a carb is easy to tune and a small block v8 has tons of bolt on parts that will get me the power im looking for. As for the rear dif its stock open dif with a 3.9 somthing ratio so not bad but im going to keep my eye out for a turboII dif with 4.11 and lsd.

How much will the 13b be worth? It has a good 5 speed and a aluminum flywheel and clutch with only 30k on it.

$800 given the unknown internal workings

Thats a bit less than i was hoping but not to bad. Guess i need to get a compression test so i can prove its good. Might also sell the parts individually to strech the dollar as far as u can.

Just take the manifolds off and listen for even thumps from the exhaust. I forget how many degrees of crank turn between them but it will be pretty obvious.

As for the Bridgeport, with the intake all the way off you will be able to see and feel if there are any extra holes in the side of the ports. Any more than one in each port and its a bridge of some kind.

Ill have to give that a try! I hooked up a ground wire for the battery and put a terminal on the positive that the PO had ran to the starter (the PO moved the battery to the cargo "trunk" behind the passenger seat). Hooked up a battery and nothing... Checked the battery and it had 3v... So I hooked up another battery still nothing so I checked the battery and 10v seems like the cold is killing all the battery's around here! So that was all I got tonight its dark and cold and the car is still sitting outside, need to move one of my dads projects out so I can move mine in!

As jgrewe said above, you can see/feel the bridged ports with the lower intake off. Being a 6 port motor, it may be hard to see/feel on the secondary ports though.

Definitely do a compression test. There are all kinds of things "wrong" with that setup.

Ya I just got the car on Sunday and i don't get off till after dark so I haven't been around the car that much. But yes parts are missing witch is why im thinking of going V8. Found a video of someone that is running a 302 with EFI and it fits under the stock hood. Here is the video of the car, he had to chop some of the support on the hood but that is just a weight savings. 302 V8 RX7 FC Video

I sent him a msg over youtube but I don't know how to check my msg on youtube so iv got to figure out how to do that and hope he checks it and tells me about his motor mounts and oil pan.

Hopefully you do your wiring better then that guy in the video!