So I hope to look at this this weekend. Converted using the granny's kit. 300 hp LT1 from a '94 z28 and a tremec 5 speed . 140k kms(80k miles or so) on the engine, supposedly runs excellent, no issues, or rattles, body is rust free and near mint leather inter. Price is just over 3 grand. Anyone drive a similar conversion? Looks like FC's are a common recipient of V8's, probably more LS1's now. Does this make the car a hairy uncontrollable ride?
Nope, not hairy at all. Fast, but not hairy.
My good friend's dad has a FC vert just sitting in his driveway with a blown motor, so obviously its crying out for a v8. These threads make me wish I wasn't poor 
I drove a 300 horse FC a few years ago, it was brutally quick.
Power on demand, but it was not uncontrollable.
Thanks guys. So the car doesn't have an air pump or cat convertors on it and if I get this car it'll need to pass our local emissions test(the car is located elsewhere so not insured here). The test is strictly tail pipe emissions, no inspection under the hood. So is it possible to run convertors that don't need the air pumped to them on an injected 8 cylinder or would I have to run the stock system? Hell, the lt1 is probably cleaner running than the original rotary.
If there is room under the car run dual hi-flow cats... Should work fine depending on what type of engine management you are using...
60mga wrote: Thanks guys. So the car doesn't have an air pump or cat convertors on it and if I get this car it'll need to pass our local emissions test(the car is located elsewhere so not insured here). The test is strictly tail pipe emissions, no inspection under the hood. So is it possible to run convertors that don't need the air pumped to them on an injected 8 cylinder or would I have to run the stock system? Hell, the lt1 is probably cleaner running than the original rotary.
Even a carb'd V8 can beat the rotary's tailpipe emissions.
In reply to 60mga:
Did the LT1 even use an air pump? Those things have been consigned to emissions history for a long time; the one on my '95 Mustang is by far the most recent installation I can remember seeing. I would think a pair of 2.5" inlet cats from a reputable brand would work great and no air pump required.
Look through the GRM article archive there was one about aftermarket cats that did a very good job of comparing HP versus emissions.
LT1s did use air pumps, but they weren't belt driven, they are electric pumps. Which makes them easy to add, can be remote mounted. Computer controlled when the pump ran. But it may pass without the pump, just use two good converters.
yeah, most electric air pumps came on at start up then switched off once the cats were warm. try cats alone, then add as needed.
Thanks guys. well I got to see it and drive it yesterday. Hell of a beast. Lays rubber in 2nd when you hit the gas hard! The swap was done quite well using the granny's kit. retained the fuel injection and I was amazed at the amount of room around the engine. A couple of issues:
engine is leaking oil out the back, he figures from the back of the intake manifold, it's making a mess.
It needs the mod to get the tach to read revs properly, we were constantly banging the redline buzzer as it was showing twice the acuals revs.
Also the speedo gear drive at the tranny neds to be swapped to get the mph's right
The exhaust system should be redone with a better setup. He has it running to the original twin mufflers and it sounded great, but he's sure there's more power to be unleashed with a better system and then I would put a cat convertor in for emissions tests here.
This LT1 does have the finicky ign, setup where if it gets wet it dies.
The power steering was odd. It was really hard to steer at a dead stop and would free up to a regular power steering setup as soon as the car started moving. felt great at speed.
It has the stock 4.10 diff, and being a convertible I don't think it's a turbo rear end so I wonder how long it would last.
Needs the front nose to be repainted and there's a nasty crease dent on the upper right rear fender, otherwise the body is rust free and the interior is very good. Top has a tear at the bottom on each side where it meets the body.
Price is $3900 obo.
Now I don't have a garage and have to work on my cars in the underground parking area in our apt. building. I've3 been lucky so far with the MG and the miata which hardly ever needs any wrenching. I just wonder how much continuous tinkering tis car would require.
It sounds like it needs lots of work. Swapped cars are hard to sell and the LT1 is not the most desired swap. I think the price is at least $1500 too high.
Agreed . . . that's a bit to pay for so much work to be done.
Thanks guys. ya, I'm not sure if that's the car for me. I find that my puny 1600cc powered miata doesn't get worked enough in the crowded city I live in. can't see how I could exercise this beast to make it worthwhile. although the highway trips that we often take in the summer would be interesting. Actually I'm impressed with the interior and less buffeting the FC Rx7 provided on the test drive so perhaps a stock FC convertible might be something to consider.
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