Welcome to my V8 RX-7 project page! Here you will find some very technical information and pictures which describe my experience with installing a LT1 small block Chevy and 6 speed tranny into a Mazda RX-7. Make sure to sign my guestbook!
Page 01: Introduction
Page 02: White RX7
Page 03: Green RX7
Page 04: Engine
Page 05: Let the fun begin!
Page 06: Engine bay work
Page 07: The V8 drop-in
Page 08: IT'S ALIVE!!!
Page 09: Clutch & Radiator
Page 10: Driveshaft & Exhaust
Page 11: RX Unleashed
Page 12: Dyno and Weigh-in
Page 13: Alternator, Fans, Gauges
Page 14: SUSPENSION!
Page 15: Seven Not Stock, 2006
Page 16: Paint & Quarter Mile
Page 17: Saying Goodbye
Page 18: Conclusion.
Well I feel like a great way to start my story would be to telling you just a little about myself. My name is Matt Korthuis, I'm 22 now, but this project started when I was 19 years old. I am currently a student at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI. I'm a senior studying mechanical engineering, which is really a tough major... but I know that it's the education I need to get to where I want to be! My dream is to someday to be an engineer in the auto industry turning my passion into my profession. Here are a few pictures as a sneak preview of the pages to come... just to let you know it's worth your time!
Before I begin with my story, I would like to clarify something that's important to me. This website is all about my experience with swapping a V8 into an RX-7. I know that there are many RX-7 enthusiasts out there that believe what I'm doing is an outrage to the uniqueness of the car. If this is you, I want you to know that I have nothing against the rotary engine, in fact from an engineering standpoint, the design is incredibly interesting and amazing to me. I encourage you to read my story and appreciate the car for all of the hard work that I put into it... rather than be angry about the engine I chose.
So on to my story... One freshman college afternoon, I was avoiding homework (as usual) by messing around on the internet when I came across some websites which spoke of some V8 RX-7 conversions. The idea caught my attention... it seemed a V8 powered RX-7 dipped into the best of both worlds: import light weight handling with the power and reliability of a domestic motor. The concept made sense, so I continued to search for information about the possibility of such a swap. I soon came to realize that the actual conversions weren't that complicated, hardly any modifications were required to fit the motor in, and can be done for relatively cheap. To add to the fun, the power to weight ratio is absolutely stunning, easily attaining 12's and lower in the 1/4 mile! Being a very poor college boy with a need for speed, I decided to give it a shot with a budget of $3000. I decided to work with 2nd generation cars (1986-1991) because they can be found for very cheap and it has a great bodystyle in my opinion. So... the first step in my project was to locate a 1986-1991 RX-7 with a nice looking body but in tough mechanical condition. My goal was to find one for less than $1000, which may sound difficult, but because there are so many RX-7's out there with non-running engines, people have been known to sell perfect chassis cars for next to nothing.
