Considering This

[cf6mech]

Considering doing this.....any thoughts?

http://shop.weaponsgradeperformance....rz-ls-swap-kit

Which would mean I would have a fully built FA20 for sale with 200 miles on it. My main concern is how much the weight balance would be upset

[FirestormFRS]

I'd be concerned about ruining the true nature of the car. That's a lot more weight than the car was designed around.

Price isn't exactly cheap either. Your money and your car though, so by all means go ahead.

[cf6mech]

Rough estimate I would figure close to 20k depending on how you source a LSX and transmission.

[jamesm]

i owned an ls-swapped miata for a brief time a while back. everyone said it would ruin the balance. it didn't. the weight bias shifted 1% to the front when it was all said and done.

trust me, when you were driving that car, you weren't concerned about whether or not you had ruined it's 'true nature'. it was fun. cheaper than a turbo for that car, too since we already had the engine laying around.

[FR-S Matt]

With all this money spent, why not just buy a more top end car? I don't get it. This is a light, agile, quick around corner 25k car. When you pay the same price upgrading the engine, you might as well get a GT-R at this rate. Like the comment above, your money, your car.

[jamesm]

Originally Posted by FR-S Matt

With all this money spent, why not just buy a more top end car? I don't get it. This is a light, agile, quick around corner 25k car. When you pay the same price upgrading the engine, you might as well get a GT-R at this rate. Like the comment above, your money, your car.

because you can't buy a ~28-2900lb 600hp v8-powered 2+2 for less than the $50k or so you'd have in this. it has it's place in the world for sure.

[MeFryRice]

After building an LS1-powered FD and seeing the kits we used (supplied by Samberg or Hinson being the most popular), I'm not a fan of the design of the WGP setup. The kit looks rather bulky and heavy (reference the tubular setup produced by Samberg) and not friendly when it comes to working on the car.

For anyone that's considering doing this swap, you have to look at the whole picture aside from just the cost and weight. Do you plan to use the factory GM ECU and if so, are you going to rewire the entire car? Do you plan on keeping A/C? Who's going to make the custom lines? What steering rack will you use and how will the position of the motor effect bumpsteer and handling? What differential will you use? I haven't read up on our differentials but I'm going to venture out and say they probably survive very long being abused by torque.

Based on my car, I would bank on easily spending ~$15-20k with a timeline of 1.5-2 yrs, maybe longer, before it's completed. Can you do it for less and in quicker time, sure but for a proper, cleanly assembled setup, it's not a project anyone should rush.

With all that being said, I wouldn't elect this car for this time a build. Find an RX8 with a blown motor for cheap and venture into that. Why the RX8? It has a very neutral handling setup and would be a great candidate for the swap based on completion cost.

**EDIT** After looking at the WGP kit, the larger steel pieces maybe the tooling which makes the kit not as bad as I thought when I quickly view the pics.

[xxscaxx]

Originally Posted by cf6mech

Considering doing this.....any thoughts?

http://shop.weaponsgradeperformance....rz-ls-swap-kit

Which would mean I would have a fully built FA20 for sale with 200 miles on it. My main concern is how much the weight balance would be upset

do it. I'm planning for this in the future most likely lol.

I think WGP said it added like 40 pounds to the front over the stock setup... I wouldn't worry about it ruining anything.

Plus depending on which LS motor you choose, you would have 400-500 RELIABLE whp...without mods.

[Ross]

This is one of the few swaps I would do on this platform. Bigest issue for me though is lack of available space ( factory sheet metal )for a large tire. You can make 400+ lb of torque very easily and that end up making a car that has limited traction most the time.

[SmsAlSuwaidi]

Originally Posted by MeFryRice

After building an LS1-powered FD and seeing the kits we used (supplied by Samberg or Hinson being the most popular), I'm not a fan of the design of the WGP setup. The kit looks rather bulky and heavy (reference the tubular setup produced by Samberg) and not friendly when it comes to working on the car.

For anyone that's considering doing this swap, you have to look at the whole picture aside from just the cost and weight. Do you plan to use the factory GM ECU and if so, are you going to rewire the entire car? Do you plan on keeping A/C? Who's going to make the custom lines? What steering rack will you use and how will the position of the motor effect bumpsteer and handling? What differential will you use? I haven't read up on our differentials but I'm going to venture out and say they probably survive very long being abused by torque.

Based on my car, I would bank on easily spending ~$15-20k with a timeline of 1.5-2 yrs, maybe longer, before it's completed. Can you do it for less and in quicker time, sure but for a proper, cleanly assembled setup, it's not a project anyone should rush.

With all that being said, I wouldn't elect this car for this time a build. Find an RX8 with a blown motor for cheap and venture into that. Why the RX8? It has a very neutral handling setup and would be a great candidate for the swap based on completion cost.

**EDIT** After looking at the WGP kit, the larger steel pieces maybe the tooling which makes the kit not as bad as I thought when I quickly view the pics.

I quickly glanced over your post, regarding the ecu, and interior functions. WGP managed to incorporate both the gm and 86 ecu, even the people running 2js on this car are doing it. So its doable

Anybody saying it ruins the car is just a 86 fanboy with a closed mentality.

This car would be a beast with torque of a cammd, mild head job and sprayed LS. I think it's going to be a tire shredding monster. I personally love 2js but lived with a stroked ls3 to 6.9 with a blower and that thing was fun. If I had the choice I'd put a 2j IF I don't buy a supra in the next year or so,but if I had a supra or wasn't such 2j lover, I'd blindly go for a v8.

Ekanoo has a 2j in his gt86 that weighs 2806 pretty stock weighing 86 too me

[MeFryRice]

@SmsAlSuwaidi I wasn't implying that the LSx would ruin the car but the questions I did post are valid points. Like I said, there is more to think about than just the weight difference.

Now regarding the wiring, I'm aware that you can get the 86 cluster and everything to work with the GM ECU (my factory RX7 gauges and everything worked with the GM ECU) but my question was, is this something the potential "swapper" going to tackle the wiring task himself and/or have some else deal with the headache? To my knowledge, this isn't a service provided by any vendor.

[arghx7]

What's the point. You can get a used C5 for a good price.

[TruRace]

Anyone that advises against this is truly a 86 fanboy. If you have the money go for it! Iv'e been trying to tackle an ls1 swap on my s14 for quite some time now. The lsx is a great platform for any vehicle imo. It isn't as heavy as everyone in here makes it seem. The motor weighs in at about 400lbs dry and a T56 transmission is roughly 150lbs. Granted the fa20 makes decent power with FI and this swap will cost mega $$, so you should probably weigh out the pros and cons of ls swap vs fi.

[dabocx]

Why sell the motor? You have spent months building it