Thinking about V8 swap
 

WHOOOOO!!!!

I am sure that you guys have already seen this.

These prices are reasonable.
Miata V8 Swap


I would have the axles and driveshaft made Texarkana AR. There is a old family owned shop there that does great work. And are very reasonable.

They made us a solid driveshaft for my little brothers Camero for I think $189.00. The dealership wanted $900. The carrier bearing can't be replaced on those. And it was cheaper for the shop to just make a new solid driveshaft.


Anyway. If I come across a Ls1, I may do this. Wow.
-------------------------------------------------

There are some 4-wheel drive specialist in Texarkana too. They could easily make a front support. I may try to get a quote, times are scary there right now. I bet someone could get a deal.

What would you use for the computer, MS. Or is it easier to use the factory harness?

Well it says the ac won't work......Hmmmmm

That thing is basically a 350, I bet I could bolt on older brackets and place the a/c else where.

And I believe I would rather have a soild axle. Being as i mainly go to the drag stip.
------------------------------------------------
If I sold my girls 91 and put her in the Jackal.

I would have enough to get the ball rolling in parts. Then I would just find a straight bodied none running car .

You would use the factory GM computer.

Todd; if you're really serious about that possibility, you have to check all the info at m.net on that subject.

There was a member here who sold his FM kit to build a V8 swap. Nice guy. I think he's from Kentucky.

Not as easy to do well as you're thinking though.

If you are doing an LSx you just get the stock (GM) ECU flashed. I will start my LS swap in Feb 2012 (my 45th B-Day). Probably buying the kit from FM and using it as a template to make my own. I want to do it myself but it is probably easier looking at the parts instead of measuring, welding, cutting, etc several times trying to get the heights and stuff right.

If only there was some way to retain the AC and power steering with a v8 swap. :(

I'm hoping that in the next 3 years the kits become popular enough that the AC problem has been fixed. I just gotts to have AC...

That was Leebo! I bought his FM3 since he's doing a V8 swap. Lee is great, I'm sure he could have alot of info on the whole V8 subject if asked.

Vash-

Thanks guys,

If that motor has the same bracket bolt holes as the 70'-98 350's. I will use a different bracket combo. something more like a Sanden a/c conversion bracket and compressor, and altenator bracket.
Cold air out of Fort worth has different combo's for almost all chevy years. I'll put a cowl hood on it, if needed for clearance. I'll get rid of power steering, and just have the altenator, and a/c.

I can't believe these guys haven't contacted them. If they dropped them off a car, they would get rid of all the large factory crap, and mount it out to where our cold air induction shield is on the older FM kits.

I had an old CJ-7 that had a 300hp 350, all moded and lifted out. The first thing I did ws put a/c on it. And the sanden compressor is way lighter, and more compact. LOL

If it can't have a/c. I don't want it.

Drop Shandelle at v8roadsters.com an email. I'm about %75 done my swap using their kit and I don't care about AC but I think they're working on a kit to retain it.

Frank

Mine has PS.

Frank

Nathan's LS1 Miata

One of the best documented conversions out there.

I will be following this route in the next two years. Trying to get some quality time out of my car now that I finally have the turbo up and running well. Still need to do some more tuning to cut fuel at the high end after I installed the new pump.

i've only got this to say

Attachment 209597

I have my heart set on building an LS1 Miata but looking at his final numbers (328HP / 2600#) makes me realize that I will be spending big $$$ to build a car that has the same power/weight that I already had with Beast. I don't think I am ever going to get over selling that car! Of course, I can drive my LS1 in the rain and snow (doesn't do much of that in SC) where I never could in Beast. The LS1 will be my daily driver so weight be damned when I build it. Nice stereo with subs and lots of extra bracing, sound proofing, etc. It should be a nice car when I am done. FWIW, I am thinking of doing the swap in a red or white M2. I'm still not as comfortable with an M2 as I am an M1 but I think in the end it will be a better car to do the swap in.

I calculated it would be about $6k out of pocket to sell my drivetrain and dump an LS1 into it. The scary part is how those motors respond to a little massage; a stock 346ci LS1 with a cam, heads, IM, intake, full exhaust, and a good tune can make nearly 500whp. I just saw a chart of a stroked LS3 putting 515whp and 485wtq through cats, with 450wtq available at like 2500rpm. It's just retarded power.

What day of the month do you start bleeding on?

Agreed. I am not going to upgrade anything else power wise with my car. With 250hp, I am at the limits of what my 5 speed and 3.9 diff can take. Any more and I need to start upgrading trans and diff parts. That's why I am looking at the CTS diff kit next. Then on to the v8!! Only 14 more months until I get promoted.

There is a small throttle body spacer that gives that motor 27hp for $90.00, My cousin got that, a catback exhaust, and cold air induction. It felt like the car went from 320 to 380 or 400hp. you can't understand how those little bolt ons made crazy power.

He went from burning second hard, to staying sideways till 65, in a automatic. I never seen a car respond so well to small bolt ons.

5.0's responed well for their time. But nothing like the LS1.

Im going to think on it. That would be awsome. I would like to have a automatic. But I bet it wouldn't fit.

Chevy automatics are awesome. They pull good times. Unlike ford auto's.

I think that is the safest route to possibly hooking up. That is very doubtful though. LOL

It would be better just to stick with what the kit calls for. And how could you hate a six speed.

You won't get 380 without a tune, LS6 intake, long tubes and a least a mild cam (Z06 cam). The nicest thing about running big power in an LSX is using the factory ECU and simply flashing it for the mods. CELs? Tune them out. Need to pass emissions, no problem. Running rich, simple reflash. Monitor all your sensors and all engine parameters via laptop.

That and you can swing by your local Pep boys for parts.

Frank

They fit. You have to do a bit more massaging (depending on which kit you go with), but they fit.

So far there are several manufacturers. Some make installation easier (Boss Frog) while leaving the engine and trans slightly farther forward. FM is a distributor for v8roadsters. v8 has their own forum section on the website. It is a little light, but there are some other projects you can look at. Racingconcepts I believe is still in business, but he bit off more than he could chew for a while and has a less than stellar reputation in the v8 conversion section on M.net. "Flaming Johnny" of zenspeed.com has another option he has been working on for some time. I don't think they are ready to start distribution yet.

All of the kits have different pros/cons. The FM kit keeps the best weight distribution (theoretically) and has the CTS diff which makes it easier to route an exhaust around it. However, it is the most metalurgically intensive and has the most welding of all the kits. This scares some off as these are tools most of us just don't have. Boss Frog has a good solution for the front k-member that I believe is compatible with the sway bar, but some solutions require you to relocate it. This could impact its effectiveness.

Then there is the rear end. From a CTS, 7" ford, 8" ford, used Thunderbird... the options are plentiful. However, all of these require crazy expensive custom axles, and the CV boots are turning into a real problem for clearance. I know Boss Frog is talking that their next project might be a new tube lower control arm that moves the bottom shock mount toward the front of the car for clearance. This would be hella cool, but would add to the kit cost. It all depends on what you want to do.

And the last issue that seems to be light on discussion is the wiring harness. Everyone just seems to magically come up with a wiring harness for the cars. There is little discussion on where to source these things, what the options are for mounting the ECU, etc. Personally, the most elegant LSx install I have seen was the old Diamond Motorsports. They built custom fuse boxes and ECU mounts in the engine bay and the install looked top notch. Unfortunately, they were ahead of their time and went out of business.

Hope this helps someone.