Time to build a motor, what options have others found?

[C130NAV]

Originally Posted by Pure Automotive

I'll be the first guy to tell you that we're still working out bugs on the LS setup. There's a lot of smoke and mirrors out there about other LS swaps that are taking place and no one really tells you about the MASSIVE amount of small issues that ends up nickel and diming you to death. I will not stop until I get this LS swap as close to stock as possible with all functioning gauges, A/C, power steering, ABS, and maybe even eventually traction control. But I own a shop, we have unlimited resources and free labor. For the average guy, this swap is NOT plug and play, and is NOT bolt in and go, no matter what anyone tells you.

Interesting because WGP just told me that the 8K kit was plug and play and most shops should be able to put it in. I know you guys are south of me and they are north can you PM me some numbers as far as what you charge to install this and what you would charge to put a built block together and tune it with turbo. I'm shopping and the wife says I need to get it fixed now. LOL

[wsites]

I'm all for the extra power but wont this v8 basically destroy the handling characteristics of this platform??? IMHO the boxer engine is the best engine for any vehicle because of its incredibly low center of gravity... So by putting this V8 monstrosity in the front of this little car wont that defeat the purpose of the car itself??? I mean if you're just going to throw in a v8 shouldn't you have just gone ahead and bought a Mustang or Camaro (not a Challenger, because they are just too fat... 4,150lbs... eww)???

With all of that said, I'm very interested in seeing what happens with this swap! Good luck!

[Sellout]

Originally Posted by wsites

I'm all for the extra power but wont this v8 basically destroy the handling characteristics of this platform??? IMHO the boxer engine is the best engine for any vehicle because of its incredibly low center of gravity... So by putting this V8 monstrosity in the front of this little car wont that defeat the purpose of the car itself??? I mean if you're just going to throw in a v8 shouldn't you have just gone ahead and bought a Mustang or Camaro (not a Challenger, because they are just too fat... 4,150lbs... eww)???

With all of that said, I'm very interested in seeing what happens with this swap! Good luck!

There's an LCD screen with the actual corner weights of an LS swapped 86 quoted on this page. As for the center of gravity, it's probably better than an 86 with the typical high mount turbo kit...

[C130NAV]

Yep I just weighed the turbo kit today to get a qoute to send it to someone and it weighed in at 66lbs with oil cooler thats 6lbs more than the ls2

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by C130NAV

Yep I just weighed the turbo kit today to get a qoute to send it to someone and it weighed in at 66lbs with oil cooler thats 6lbs more than the ls2

im still blown away at the fact that people cant seem to wrap their head around that. An ls swapped frs can weigh almost the same and have the same center of gravity (front to back) as a turbo'd frs. The fa20 sits obnoxiously far forward in this platform.
Will it ruin the cars purpose? That depends on the cars purpose to you. Will it be a momentum car anymore? nope. WIll it handle well? Yes. Will you be able to drive it at 10/10th on the street and ring its neck in corners on public roads? Not anymore. But neither can i with a turbo and good tires.

[King Tut]

You guys are confusing having a 50/50 weight balance which the BRZ/FR-S isn't even close to having with having a LOW center of gravity by using a lightweight roof and mounting the boxer engine low in the chassis. Just look at the engine bay of a WRX/STI compared to the engine bay of the BRZ and you will see how much lower the engine is mounted.

[spitfire481]

the roof is basic steel sheet metal, nothing really lightweight about it. pretty much the same skin material and cross bracing as any other steel roof 2 door out there. the only aluminum panel is the hood. the engine does sit rather low though. the bulk of the LS sits pretty low though too. the heads are the high point but since they are aluminum its not too bad. I cant really tell a difference between Brady's car and my car on the street to be honest. only that his power band is much more linear and predictable than my turbo setup. and for whats it worth, we make about the same horsepower except he has 400+ ftlbs of torque as soon as you hit the gas. which is amazing on the street. plus the fact that his setup is at its bare minimum power level right now and should be bulletproof, while i clench every time i hit the gas waiting for a rod to come through the block lol

[King Tut]

Originally Posted by spitfire481

the roof is basic steel sheet metal, nothing really lightweight about it. pretty much the same skin material and cross bracing as any other steel roof 2 door out there. the only aluminum panel is the hood. the engine does sit rather low though. the bulk of the LS sits pretty low though too. the heads are the high point but since they are aluminum its not too bad. I cant really tell a difference between Brady's car and my car on the street to be honest. only that his power band is much more linear and predictable than my turbo setup. and for whats it worth, we make about the same horsepower except he has 400+ ftlbs of torque as soon as you hit the gas. which is amazing on the street. plus the fact that his setup is at its bare minimum power level right now and should be bulletproof, while i clench every time i hit the gas waiting for a rod to come through the block lol

It isn't basic steel sheet metal, it is a very thin sheet metal. Ask the people getting dents in their roofs. I prefer to leave engine swaps for older chassis, but if people want to pull a perfectly serviceable motor and drop in an LS, then by all means go ahead. I wouldn't let a change in center of gravity or weight balance be a deciding factor in that decision.

[spitfire481]

Originally Posted by King Tut

It isn't basic steel sheet metal, it is a very thin sheet metal. Ask the people getting dents in their roofs. I prefer to leave engine swaps for older chassis, but if people want to pull a perfectly serviceable motor and drop in an LS, then by all means go ahead. I wouldn't let a change in center of gravity or weight balance be a deciding factor in that decision.

the only reason its more "tin can" like than some cars out there is the lack of a stick on sound deadener sheet on the back side of the skin. the metal itself is nothing special. we put skins on all the time at the shop. we repair a ton of hail/acorn damage around here.

and yes, people complaining about balance and weight being the deciding factor is stupid. there are weight numbers out there already. the difference is minimal. i feel like some people just want something to argue over because they aren't a fan, or are just mad because its expensive

[C130NAV]

This is what happens when you push to far. So id rather start at 400 base and go up :-)

[Reaper]

Thats why I wrote "front to back" when mentioning weight distribution. @King Tut

[evo4g63]

Originally Posted by C130NAV

Attachment 85673
This is what happens when you push to far. So id rather start at 400 base and go up :-)

Add me to the list as of now.

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by King Tut

You guys are confusing having a 50/50 weight balance which the BRZ/FR-S isn't even close to having with having a LOW center of gravity by using a lightweight roof and mounting the boxer engine low in the chassis. Just look at the engine bay of a WRX/STI compared to the engine bay of the BRZ and you will see how much lower the engine is mounted.

Didn't Subaru claim lowest center of gravity of any production car? Something like under 18 inches?

[King Tut]

Originally Posted by Reaper

Didn't Subaru claim lowest center of gravity of any production car? Something like under 18 inches?

Yeah, the low center of gravity was one of the major engineering design features of the car.