DavidPHumes' S5 FC Turbo LSx (TC76/L33/8.8"/PowerGlide) Build

[DavidPHumes]

Alright guys, I've been contemplating this swap for some time now. Over the last couple of months I've been gathering parts and was getting close to getting the big stuff out of the way. Last week, I found a swapped car on here with everything I wanted and then some, so I bought it on Sunday.

First off, here's the car that will be getting the swap. It's a 1990 FC GXL with the amazing 4 speed automatic and mint running 1.3L N/A rotary. Now, I have absolutely nothing against the rotary - it's pretty cool actually. But for my application and bank roll, it's not the way I want to go. This was my first car that my dad helped me buy. I've had it for four years now (I'm 21) so it has a lot of sentimental value. That said, I just don't enjoy driving it like I think I should because of the lack of power. I already have the motor sold to a guy locally for $500 locally, which I think is fair. The body is 9.5/10 as is the interior. It's the perfect candidate.










My goal for this car is something like this: I want a car I can take my girlfriend to dinner in on a Friday night and then wake up the next morning and take it to the track (will be capable of doing road courses and the drag strip, but it's mostly a street car). It will not sound civilized, but should otherwise drive that way. Hopefully I can run mid 11's without any power adders. I may add a 100 shot later down the road, but this is insane enough for now. I paid $5,200 for the car. Here it is (or a picture of the motor anyway, the car itself isn't worth writing home about):



Specs:

Battery/Charging/Wiring
- Optima Red Top
- Speed Way Optima battery billet 3-bolt tie-down
- Relocated battery
- Custom grounds and wiring with Kicker fuse block

Body
- TII hood
- Sokie Tech hood struts
- Removed spoiler
- Removed antenna

Brakes
- TII 5-lug conversion with new calipers and rotors.
- Hawk HPS pads
- Mazdatrix S/S brake lines

Cooling
- 26"x19" Speedway Tru-Cool GM aluminum radiator
- Spal 16" electric fan
- Whodyautomotive lower radiator mounts and fan shroud
- Overkill Customs top radiator mount

Drivetrain
- 2002 T-56 with factory Hurst shifter option
- Steeda Tri-Ax shifter handle
- Granny's Speed Shop transmission crossmember with Energy Suspensions polyurethane transmission mount
- Willwood 7/8th clutch master cylinder modified by Whodyautomotive
- McCleod clutch line modified by Whodyautomotive
- Hinson Supercars MC adapter
- C4 driveshaft customized by Whodyautomotive
- TII rear end & axles
- Mazdatrix front differental mount
- Mazdatrix rear differental mounts
- Pinion snubber

ECU
- Custom EFI Live tune by Andy @ Dynotune USA

Electronics
- Custom "Danzan" wiring harness

Engine
- 2002 LS1 swap done by Whodyautomotive
- Granny's Speed Shop engine cradle and adapter plates
- Comp Cams 236/236 .589/.589 @ 112 LSA custom ground cam
- Comp Cams 26918 valve springs
- Comp Cams 7.425" Hi-Tech pushrods
- LS2 timing chain
- Melling "296" high flow oil pump with high pressure spring
- ARP head bolts
- Melling OE replacement lifters
- SLP 25% underdrive pulley
- Lokar throttle cable
- Lokar throttle cable bracket
- Lokar engine dipstick
- King Main Bearings
- King Rod Bearings
- ARP rod bolts

Exhaust
- JTR 1 3/4" headers, ceramic coated
- Custom 2.5" exhaust using Jegs exhaust kit, Magnaflow X-pipe, Magnaflow 7" round mufflers, and 4" Magnaflow tips

Fuel
- 2000 Corvette FPR
- Walbro 255-lph fuel pump

Gauges
- Autometer 3 3/8th speedometer
- Autometer 3 3/8th tachometer
- Autometer 2 1/16th voltage gauge
- Autometer 2 1/16th fuel level gauge
- Autometer 2 1/16th oil pressure gauge
- Autometer 2 1/16th oil temperature gauge
- Autometer 2 1/16th water temperature gauge

Ignition
- TR55 plugs
- MSD 8.5MM super conductor plug wires in black

Intake
- Factory LS6 intake manifold
- 3.5" intake with K&N air filter
- Janzter ported throttle body

Interior
- Custom gauge cluster
- 1FastT2 DIN gauge panel
- FRPP 6-speed Cobra shift knob
- Redline Goods shift boot with dark blue stitching
- Alpine head unit

Suspension
- Manual rack
- Granny's Speed Shop sway bar spacers

Tires/Wheels
- Mustang GT Wheels 17x8
- Sumitomo HTRZ II 225/45/17 (F) & 245/40/17 (R)

Weight reduction
- AC removed
- PS removed



The going will be slow the next few weeks because of school, but I have a month off for winter break and hope to accomplish most of the swap at that point. I will be adding nicer/stickier wheels and tires and coilovers, etc. after the drivetrain swap, as well.

[therotaryrocket]

I don't get it? So you bought a blue RX-7 that has already been swapped, and your going to take it's swap components...transfer them to your extremely beautiful red car?

Make sure to more very slowly with any mods on that car, it looks so clean! When you put in the V8 make sure to cut/hammer areas for clearance before the motor is going in so that you won't bump or scrape the engine bay with the motor. Also, I've seen someone else on here (don't remember who?) that used a blanket wrapped around the transmission to prevent scratching or scuffing while going in. At first I wanted to paint the engine bay on my car, but once I put the V8 in and scraped things up a bit, I realized why I'm glad I didn't. So if I was working on a car as clean as yours, I would move slowly and carefully through the whole swap process.

GL with the build, keep us updated!
Once again, super clean FC!

[DavidPHumes]

I don't get it? So you bought a blue RX-7 that has already been swapped, and your going to take it's swap components...transfer them to your extremely beautiful red car?

Make sure to more very slowly with any mods on that car, it looks so clean! When you put in the V8 make sure to cut/hammer areas for clearance before the motor is going in so that you won't bump or scrape the engine bay with the motor. Also, I've seen someone else on here (don't remember who?) that used a blanket wrapped around the transmission to prevent scratching or scuffing while going in. At first I wanted to paint the engine bay on my car, but once I put the V8 in and scraped things up a bit, I realized why I'm glad I didn't. So if I was working on a car as clean as yours, I would move slowly and carefully through the whole swap process.

GL with the build, keep us updated!
Once again, super clean FC!

Correct. The new blue car is a base so power nothing, cracked interior pieces, no carpet or trim in the back, needs a new hood and passenger door, cracked differential mount, etc. 

Thanks for the tips, I'm sure I'll have a ton more questions!

[mpcv2000]

Sounds like a good plan.

Take all the stuff from the Blue car and swap it in the very nice clean Red FC.

[yamaha]

Atleast he didn't cheap out on you and sell it to someone else...

[DavidPHumes]

Atleast he didn't cheap out on you and sell it to someone else...

Would you quit being so butt hurt? I get that you're upset but quit sulking.

[DavidPHumes]

It's been crazy the last couple of months, but I've made some progress...

Got the rear end out, POR15d, and installed and also installed the battery...







Removed motor from my "parts" car and cleaned up...



Installed motor in the red FC... it looks goooood...

[digitalsolo]

Looking good sir.

[bikedad]

Looks great.

More pictures please....

[DavidPHumes]

Got my radiator and front wiring completed tonight...

[DavidPHumes]

Got the intake put on and all of the wiring put through the firewall...

[93silverbullet]

Very nice indeed!

[DavidPHumes]

Ok, today I took some pictures of the finished engine bay and some of the exhaust. I finished most of the PCM/fuel pump wiring yesterday so all that's left, really, is installation of my wheels/tires/coilcovers and wiring my gauges. Let me know what you think. This has been a pretty cool journey so far considering before this I'd never done anything beyond intstalling a turboback exhaust on my 2005 Legacy GT (and I did it all myself!)...

[digitalsolo]

That looks great, nice photos too.   

[ALLslowNOshow]

Will that fuel line clear the hood?