Guess what? Another project! Summer sports car.

Discussion in 'Photo & Video Gallery' started by Chux, Apr 10, 2022.

  1. Chux
    Offline

    Chux Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    1,453
    Trophy Points:
    398
    Well, I've been contemplating replacing my Celica for years. I could sort of put a child seat in the front passenger seat, but because of how the convertible is made (starts as a coupe in Japan, and modified in California), there are no upper child seat anchors. I wasn't really OK with that, and I wanted something....more.

    Lots of cars have come across my list for the first few years. I wanted 2WD with decent handling, 4 seats, modern enough for automatic locking retractors and upper anchors, a manual transmission and at least 200 hp. I was watching for Jetta GLXs, Maximas, Contour SVTs, IS300s, and even some BMWs occasionally popped up in my price range (i.e. CHEAP).

    One car would pop up frequently, and it ticked most of those boxes. But the engine was a can of worms I didn't want to deal with. I've pretty much decided about a year ago, that this would be the replacement. But what engine? So I've been researching, and bench-building (like bench-racing...but....yea).


    Finally, one came up for exceptionally cheap a few weeks ago. Engine/transmission (and more) were already removed. I had to bring my own wheels. and it's got some rust. But, at the very least, I can start testing things in real life, and the purchase price was worth the headlights alone...And it's got a title, and a sunroof, so it might be worth saving.

    So, Tall Dan and I went for a drive...
    [​IMG]
    2022-03-16_07-29-48
    by Numbchux, on Flickr

    I've never realized how small these cars are. It really is similar dimensions to the Celica. And somehow, similar interior/trunk space, and a much bigger engine bay. Back seat isn't much bigger than the Celica, but with modern child seat anchors, and the goofy suicide extra-cab doors make them fairly accessible. It's not a family road trip car, but at least I can take the kids with me (specifically, I can drive the fun car when I have to bring the kids. I've drove my Celica once in 2020, and not at all last year).


    So then comes the engine question. LS is the obvious answer. That's been done hundreds of times, there are several companies making kits to do it. But, my focus is on a light engine, and I don't need the power that an LS is capable of. I had an aluminum 5.3 truck engine second on my list, but I wanted something more interesting.

    [​IMG]
    2022-04-06_10-37-36
    by Numbchux, on Flickr

    Here is a 2GRFSE oil pan mocked up in the RX8 engine bay. This is the longitudinal RWD version of the Toyota 3.5l V6. I can use this oil pan on the transverse version of this engine (2GRFE), and with some factory parts use an R series 5-speed RWD transmission behind it. Likely an R150 or R155 truck unit, with a few R154 Supra parts for better gearing. This engine was insanely common in Camrys, Highlanders, Rav4s, Siennas, RX350s and ES350s, as well as the Lotus Evora. My plan is to get an AWD donor vehicle from Copart...

    This engine is a fairly common swap candidate into MR2s, so there is some performance support (Toyota offered a TRD supercharger for awhile). And with headers, an intake and a tune, they regularly make 300rwhp.

    I plan to run it on an ECUMaster EMU Black, which can use the DBW, and VVT, and output the CAN information for the power steering and gauge cluster on the RX8.



    This is a very long term project. If things go well, I hope to buy a donor car next winter and can really work on it next summer.
     
    Deride, delldroid, pinjasaur and 4 others like this.
  2. silver03
    Offline

    silver03 Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    1,303
    Trophy Points:
    348
    What car am I looking at?
     
    pinjasaur and pillboy like this.
  3. tangledupinblu
    Offline

    tangledupinblu Event Coordinator Staff Member

    Likes Received:
    8,820
    Trophy Points:
    573
    Mazda RX-8
     
  4. euro
    Offline

    euro Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    1,045
    Trophy Points:
    348
    I'm not going to lie, I've really wanted a V8 RX-8 for awhile now.
     
  5. Krazylegz1485
    Offline

    Krazylegz1485 Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    3,518
    Trophy Points:
    348
    Had an E30 many moons ago that I was wishing would've been a V8. It was one of those eternal project cars that I ended up dumping because I knew I'd most likely never see it through. Sincerely regretting that decision now. ( I know it's not an RX8, just have a similar sentiment.)
     
    euro likes this.
  6. pillboy
    Offline

    pillboy Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    3,614
    Trophy Points:
    348
    $h!t, I didn't recognize WTF it was either.

    I was going to say it was a 2008 Knuckle Buster, made by Money Pit.
     
    tangledupinblu and silver03 like this.
  7. Chux
    Offline

    Chux Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    1,453
    Trophy Points:
    398
    Lol, whoops! I never got to the punch line....


    Yep, 2005 Mazda RX8 Touring. Almost identical suspension to a Miata, but longer wheelbase and 4 seats. And extra-cab style suicide doors.
     
    Last edited: Jul 2, 2022
    Optimus8304 and silver03 like this.
  8. Optimus8304
    Offline

    Optimus8304 Member

    Likes Received:
    47
    Trophy Points:
    28
    I road in a rx-8 once. It was bone stock but I loved how much power and the handling it had.
     
  9. Chux
    Offline

    Chux Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    1,453
    Trophy Points:
    398
    My dad and I went to UPull for the $100 all-you-can-fit-in-a-wheelbarrow sale last weekend. I had hoped to get a transmission for the Baja project, or a host of other things, but struck out on anything major. Until we came to an '07 V6 Camry. I knew this car was there, but hadn't planned on putting the time/effort in to pull an engine in the yard. But, someone had pulled the transmission and left the engine on the ground. Despite the rain the day before, it was dry, so I suspect it was pulled earlier the same day.

    So....we lifted it into a wheelbarrow, stacked our other things on top of it, paid the $100 and rolled it into the back of my minivan

    [​IMG]
    2022-04-27_04-46-33
    by Numbchux, on Flickr

    I spent a little time on Monday test fitting the intake manifold reversed. It hits the intake VVT solenoid on the valve cover...I have a couple ideas for solutions, but, I'll wait until I can test fit it all in the car and see what hood and firewall clearance actually looks like.
     
  10. TSTRBOY2004
    Offline

    TSTRBOY2004 Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    403
    Trophy Points:
    393
    ls engine of the al kind arent much heavier than the rotaries from what people say
     
  11. euro
    Offline

    euro Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    1,045
    Trophy Points:
    348
    Yeah fully loaded(acc, fluids, etc) i think they were only 100-250 pounds heavier on average? Hardly an overwhelming issue when doing a swap like that
     
  12. Chux
    Offline

    Chux Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    1,453
    Trophy Points:
    398
    Yep. L33 or LM4 (aluminum 5.3s) were my second choice. Exact reports vary, but it's about the same as a 13B-REW with turbos (almost 450 lbs)

    MSP/Renesis is quite a bit lighter, generally about 275lbs

    I hung this one on my scale yesterday:
    [​IMG]
    2022-05-03_10-20-25
    by Numbchux, on Flickr

    334lbs. That's with no alternator, AC compressor, plenum, throttle body or coils. But it does have a steel lifting plate on it as well as several motor mount brackets that I don't need. I'm guessing about 350lbs once it's dressed up. Move the battery to the trunk, and I'm in the ballpark.
     
    tangledupinblu likes this.
  13. TSTRBOY2004
    Offline

    TSTRBOY2004 Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    403
    Trophy Points:
    393
    interesting.. Im running m a rew swap in my first gen with single turbo.. doubt it weights 450 but its also missing a lot of the accessories that go with a stock one...
     
  14. Chux
    Offline

    Chux Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    1,453
    Trophy Points:
    398
    Yea, that seems high to me, but I've seen it on numerous sources (usually just random forum posts, though).
     
  15. Chux
    Offline

    Chux Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    1,453
    Trophy Points:
    398
    FB_IMG_1648991746378.jpg
     

    Attached Files:

    SaggyWagon, glen and tangledupinblu like this.
  16. Chux
    Offline

    Chux Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    1,453
    Trophy Points:
    398
    FB_IMG_1652033631516.jpg

    *RX8
     
    SaggyWagon, euro and tangledupinblu like this.
  17. readymix
    Offline

    readymix ...Lest ye be trod upon... Staff Member

    Likes Received:
    2,883
    Trophy Points:
    473
    I see you've picked your motor already. I swore that if my 350Z or 370Z ever crapped its engine, I'd replace it with something completely obnoxious, like a mercedes e600 v12 with straight pipes for that F1 scream.

    Looks like a fun project nonetheless!
     
    tangledupinblu likes this.
  18. Chux
    Offline

    Chux Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    1,453
    Trophy Points:
    398
    Mostly. It's a junkyard engine, as I haven't test fit it yet. We'll see how that goes.

    A V12 of some sort would be amazing, but I'm far too cheap for that. I would like to get long tube headers for this one, to really exaggerate the odd engine choice...
     
    tangledupinblu likes this.
  19. Eazy_E_Rich
    Offline

    Eazy_E_Rich Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    483
    Trophy Points:
    148
    Playing catchup, nice choice of summer ride @Chux and I do like the choice of a v6 because, why not. I plan on getting back to my RX-8 this winter and I'll have to post some more pics.
    upload_2022-12-15_12-43-43.jpeg
    Obviously she's relegated to a shelf currently.
     
    tangledupinblu and euro like this.
  20. Chux
    Offline

    Chux Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    1,453
    Trophy Points:
    398
    Truth is, your video on making motor mounts was a real light bulb moment for me. RX8s have come up on my searches for years, even had a chance to buy one with a blown motor when I worked at Miller Hill Subaru (Used to be a Mazda dealer). But the cost of a "V8 Swap" subframe made it seem too expensive and difficult to be worth doing. It hadn't even occurred to me that you could just modify the stock one.
     
    Eazy_E_Rich likes this.
  21. Eazy_E_Rich
    Offline

    Eazy_E_Rich Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    483
    Trophy Points:
    148
    I reached out to all the companies making kits to see if I could get a discount on the kit if I made install videos for them, I got some interest but most of the shops couldn't swing it with the volume they do and my lack of clout. That's when I looked at the LS1RX8 kit and basically copied what they did.

    Turbo ecotec or high feature V6 would be my other two favorite options for the RX8, but I've realized my local race track favors around 300hp so that's really all my builds will need. That being said it's always best to overcompensate
     
    Chux, euro, Cotts612 and 1 other person like this.