LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Miata Parts, Intakes, Superchargers, Headers, Exhausts, Shocks, Springs, Sway Bars, Brake Kits, Autocross and track mods.
Ryan @ GWR
Posts: 497
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:37 pm

Re: LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Post by Ryan @ GWR »

porterhousestk wrote:This is WAY too cool, I cant quit thinking about how awesome it would be to have an LFX in my NC1. I just have a few questions, I see you are using the V8R Sub-frame, Crossmember/Frame Rails, and the differential mount on this NA. Does V8R have these available for swapping an LFX into an NC1? And do you plan to use the GM ECU from the Camaro? What would be the difference ECU wise for putting this in an NC? Good Luck! :mrgreen:
You're not the only one thinking this! Plans for an NC swap kit for the LFX are under way. Can't give too many specifics quite yet, but it may turn out to be a simpler swap in some ways than the NA/NB even.

ECU is indeed the Camaro's, acquired from the same car that the engine and wiring harness came from. The new ECUs are so capable now there's virtually no need for an aftermarket ECU. We can tune everything right through the stock one.
Ryan @ GWR
Posts: 497
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:37 pm

Re: LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Post by Ryan @ GWR »

Last week's project was ducting.

If you're using a traditional vertical radiator and normal bumper then you can probably keep most of the factory ducting (plastic pieces) that route air from the bumper to the radiator. In this case, the race nose and the forward-tilt radiator mean this all needs to be made from scratch.

The ducting is crucial for cooling. The tighter you can seal the path from the bumper opening to the radiator, the more effective the radiator will be. This is why for track cars we often add block-off plates anywhere the factory plastic ducting doesn't sufficiently seal up.

Began with a big sheet of aluminum:
LFX_aluminumsheet.JPG
And many hours later...
This center duct feeds air to the radiator, power steering cooler, front brake ducts and intake. There will be a shield for the intake filter, but haven't made that yet:
LFX_RadDucting.JPG
Ryan @ GWR
Posts: 497
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:37 pm

Re: LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Post by Ryan @ GWR »

Not swap-related, but happening at the same time..

I've been super happy with my 441 Road Race coilovers, awesome bang for the buck with them. Back when we were working with Feal on details of the 441s, we discussed having the option of upgrading any 441 to a 442 (double adjustable) down the road, and that's been on my wish list ever since then.

Frankly, I've been saving up for this whole project for the last year and a half and part of the reason for that was so that while the whole car is disassembled during the swap, I can take this opportunity to also upgrade other areas of the car. So, when the coilovers came off the car they went off to Feal :)

And they just arrived back today! Road Race spec 442s, valved for my same high-downforce spring rates as before (16kg / 11kg). Stroke is increased to 120mm F / 101mm R, Long hose lengths per my request so that I can mount the reservoirs in the engine bay and trunk for easy access.

Still don't even have a subframe in the car, but I am already looking forward to beginning testing with these!
Feal442.JPG
Ryan @ GWR
Posts: 497
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:37 pm

Re: LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Post by Ryan @ GWR »

Ok, lots of little areas that have been getting worked on.

First the engine came back out. It's been funny, lots of people have come in the shop and been confused why I took the motor out when I was so close to being done. It was only in there for test fitting and to mocking up all the other bits that needed to be made around it. Now that I know where the engine sits, need to get it out of the way to finish the engine bay up.

First up, the firewall. The fuel pump on the driver's side rear of the engine interferes with the firewall. According to V8R you can just do a little massaging with a mallet here and things will clear. I took a less gentle approach and went to town with the mallet, knowing I would repair this area later once I knew how much space the motor needed:
LFX_FirewallHammer.JPG
With engine out of the way, cut this section out. You can see the modified gas pedal bracket through the hole there:
LFX_FirewallCut.JPG
New plate with better clearance in place. The hole is for the brake bias adjustment cable to pass-through:
LFX_FirewallPlate.JPG
Finished up:
LFX_FirewallPlateWelded.JPG
That was the major part to do, but there were also a couple other spots that needed a bit of extra room.
On the driver's side, a small notch in just the lip of the engine bay shelf where it gets close to the fitting on the top of the power steering pump. Welded the edges of the sheets together and primered:
LFX_DrPSNotch.JPG
On the passenger side, the alternator gets very cozy with the bottom corner of the frame rail. Took a small section out there:
LFX_PxAltNotch.JPG
Did the same treatment as above on the corners of the lower frame at the point where the side exhaust tubes get closest, just to be sure there's enough space with engine movement:
LFX_FrameExhaustNotch.JPG
Moving over to the fenders I did some stitch welding in the front wheel wells. Then painted the wheel wells and the side sills where the side exhaust will live, and finally applied heat reflective material to the lower sides to keep the heat out of the interior:
LFX_RockerGold.JPG
Switching gears again..

I felt like the engine needed a little more visual pop and I'd like to continue on the look I had with the Miata motor with the red valve cover. It seemed appropriate to go with the GM Victory Red as found on the 2012 Camaro:
LFX_VCPaint.JPG
Ryan @ GWR
Posts: 497
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:37 pm

Re: LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Post by Ryan @ GWR »

While the engine is out for the last time, I had some final things on the list to take care of in there. Modified/Limited classes allow the cage to pass through the firewall so... several steps beyond your typical shock tower bracing, we're tying the shock towers directly into the chassis and cage :D

The inner tubes are removable for engine work, and assymetric to clear the brake master cylinder.
BBFEABB7-4363-4088-B566-716E01D7C9CE_zpsijlkjaon.JPG
The end plan is for the center tubes to continue on the other side of the firewall to form an X and tie in to the cage on opposing corners. I'll finish that portion up later, but needed this part done so I can paint it and get the engine in there. For now, there's a temporary cross-tube behind the firewall tying the two together:
410D4F30-1B6B-40C5-8677-DB0AD39F286F_zpsvzkeyy6w.JPG
The tubes going to the corners tie in to a very strong part of the chassis, with a bit of additional gusseting:
4DA6F8A6-5DB5-438D-9381-01ACE274B3F5_zpslj7kuw5s.JPG
F9E7F7FB-512C-4982-BDF0-C7734035FBFA_zps6opsjrnv.JPG
brandontrek
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2012 7:37 am

Re: LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Post by brandontrek »

I can't begin to express how amazing this build is.

BRAVO!
Ryan @ GWR
Posts: 497
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:37 pm

Re: LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Post by Ryan @ GWR »

In classic "if you give a mouse a cookie" fashion...

The rules for the classes I'll be running this car in allow free reign on the chassis for everything forward of the shock towers. So, I started trimming excess weight out from the nose of the frame/chassis... Started with just a little - taking out mounting points that were no longer being used etc. and weighing what I had taken off... aaaand kept trimming more and more.

Got to the point that the sway bar mounts were the only thing left forwards of the towers, and still wanted more weight out of it. So in the end I made a jig for every forward mounting point that needs to exist for the new setup - including the sway bar mount points - and chopped the whole nose off.

It was the logical conclusion to take the full advantage of the rule's allowance. ;)
Currently in the middle of building a new tubular nose section as light as possible.
Nose chop.jpg
DavidM938
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2013 10:20 am

Re: LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Post by DavidM938 »

Ryan are you a fan of Nik Blackhurst of "project Binky" fame? It's on YouTube under "Bad Obsession Motorsport" and it's two English blokes stuffing a complete driveline from an old Celica All-Trac turbo into an even older early 60's mini. 13 video episodes so far, and fabulous fabrication and chassis building understanding, and several monster jigs like yours to accurately reset all the suspension pick up points. He's also a wizard at fabricating. I bet you'll enjoy the build!! I am certainly enjoying yours, and just finished my first autocross season in Tennessee region SCCA with a first overall in C/Street in my 2013 Club PRHT with lots of help from GWR!! Just now added mods (progress springs and rear bar and 17 x 8 6UL's) that will move me to STR where I am not at all competitive, but having lots of fun! Looking to do my first open track day in 2 weeks, using my RE-71s. Any advise would be appreciated! Thanks
David M in Nashville
Ryan @ GWR
Posts: 497
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:37 pm

Re: LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Post by Ryan @ GWR »

Hey Daniel, I'm a big fan of project Binky! In fact here's my mug at the shop (I fill it with coffee rather than that tea stuff they drink ;) )
BadObsession Mug.jpg
BadObsession Mug.jpg (67.39 KiB) Viewed 14626 times
Give us a ring if you ever want to chat about your car and plans for it. For the track day those RE71Rs will have a LOT of grip for the relatively low spring rates so focus on being smooth - soft suspensions can be fast too but need to be driven with finesse. Also, the larger rear bar probably makes the car rotate like a dream in the autocross but you typically want the car less "loose" at the track, so I'd suggest setting the rear bar to the softest setting and bring the car up to the traction limit gradually through the day as you get a feel for it and the track. If it's looser than you want, you may need to play with tire pressures to try to compensate (lower rear/higher front).
DavidM938
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2013 10:20 am

Re: LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Post by DavidM938 »

hi Ryan I've gotta get one of those mugs! I can't wait till the next episode of Binky! Thanks for the advice on the track day...I've got the progress springs and sway bars with GWR end links, FMC bumpstops, and the 17 x 8 6UL wheels, with the front bar at full stiff and the rear bar at soft. I imagine i'll have to adjust the Konis differently too. For autocross I've been running about 29/27 f/r pressures, how much should I go up to start with? (the RE-71s are 215-45-17) Brakes are OEM and original, and I've had all the fluids changed by Nelson Mazda (diff, trans, brakes, synthetic lot) Any worries about brakes? Thanks again, and really great to see your build!
David in Nashville
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