LS1 in a NSX?

[rev440]

Im not trying to start a flame war or anything but Its always been my dream swap to have the best of both worlds american muscle in a mid engine beautiful car. So my qeustion is is there enough room in the engine bay to stuff a small block chevy in?

Thanks,
Nate

 

[zahntech]

Go buy a De tomaso Pantera....problem solved...:smile:

 

[scorp965]

Porschuick

:tongue:

 

[Q]

The LS1 itself, perhaps. The LS1 plus a transmission, that's the problem.

 

[satx]

Im not trying to start a flame war or anything but Its always been my dream swap to have the best of both worlds american muscle in a mid engine beautiful car. So my qeustion is is there enough room in the engine bay to stuff a small block chevy in?

Thanks,
Nate

the LS1 is probably narrower/shorter and might be lighter the the C30 but I am not sure about the length.

 

[satx]

The LS1 itself, perhaps. The LS1 plus a transmission, that's the problem.

I guess someone would have to design an adapter to mate the LS1 to the NSx's transaxle.

 

[scorp965]

The space is probably okay, you would need a plug to do a reality check to make sure, obviously, unless you are okay with banging out the trunk area, etc. to fit it in - the problem will be the transmission setup, will you try to use an OEM honda unit with an adapter arrangement, or are you going to try something else? You may need to shift items over, possibly messing up weight distribution, or use an adapter plate and compromise shifting... it just seems like a few too many headaches, and the nsx isn't quite "cheap enough" yet to make it worth while.

 

[rev440]

I also thoguht it would be a sweet car with modern engineering and alot of torque and power. Yeah its just a thought and put a KB blower on it or a STS turbo. Money isnt really an issue Ive just thrown the idea around. Also why do you need a trunk and it wouldnt hurt the weight distrubution that bad the LS1 is a pretty light engine. Id porbably try to put the T-56 out of a C5.

 

[scorp965]

If you want a fun LS1 project one I have seen, and one that almost 'got' me to start throwing money at, is the BMW E36/LS1 swap - there are several running around, and even a kit available, if you google E36 LS1 you should find the site (including videos, etc.) - if you can't let me know and I will dig it up for you.

There is no reason to purchase an nsx and try to outthink the engineers who built it in the first place, if all you want is a 'sweet car with modern engineering and a lot of torque/power' buy a C5 Z06, problem solved, without the depreciation hit or fabrication.

 

[rev440]

If you want a fun LS1 project one I have seen, and one that almost 'got' me to start throwing money at, is the BMW E36/LS1 swap - there are several running around, and even a kit available, if you google E36 LS1 you should find the site (including videos, etc.) - if you can't let me know and I will dig it up for you.

There is no reason to purchase an nsx and try to outthink the engineers who built it in the first place, if all you want is a 'sweet car with modern engineering and a lot of torque/power' buy a C5 Z06, problem solved, without the depreciation hit or fabrication.

Like I said I dont care about the money or depreciation. I would do all the fab work myself and the car would be one of a kind and thats what im going for. I dont really care about a C5 Z06 maybe Id even put a LS7 into it. Sometimes you just gotta try something for yourself and prove them wrong.

 

[WealthBuildR]

There is no reason to purchase an nsx and try to outthink the engineers who built it in the first place

completely agree..the last thing we need is an NSX unNSXed. Do that to a fiero instead. The NSX is a super/exotic car, and not some kit car to be butchered or altered.

 

[NetViper]

I might be in the minority, but I think a Z06 motor in a NSX would be absolutely incredible.

Think ZONDA... which is really just a Honda with a Z. :biggrin:

 

[rev440]

completely agree..the last thing we need is an NSX unNSXed. Do that to a fiero instead. The NSX is a super/exotic car, and not some kit car to be butchered or altered.

You guys already did that with the nsx to a F50 conversion geuss you didnt see that. The nsx is not a super car or exotic its a sports car and in your thinking is a turbo or blower wrong also because that would be altering the car. Im not trying to out engineer any one im just trying to have fun with a great car and a great engine. Its just a hybrid just like how you have Ferrari exhaust on your NSX im sure some people probably dont like it but you like it and thats what matters.

 

[scorp965]

by all means go to Japan, find the joker, take his 'creation' away and stuff a SBC into it - there is also a Diablo-sx in the works, from a wrecked blue NA1 - neither project recieved warm welcomes on this site, as the nsx is already an exotic sportscar without being shrouded in fiberglass and prancing horses.

If you have a large wallet you can build, or have built, anything you can dream up - hopefully you have the funds and/or know-how to do it right, if you are going to do it. One of the key advantages of the nsx is its engine, by removing the high-reving motor from the car you have now made it into a corvette, so why not buy a corvette instead and save yourself the hassle? The layout is nice, but with a coilover suspension, some sway bars, etc. a C5 Z06 can be made to handle as well as, if not better than, an nsx, even with the engine up front.

 

[scorp965]

To move a bit beyond this topic, if you're looking at the nsx it shows you at least have an interest in turning the steering wheel, perhaps you shouldn't discredit its performance so quickly? I have a 1994 3.0L V6 version of the nsx, with minor bolt ons (intake, headers, exhaust, chip) the car went onto a dyno and produced 278rwhp - my car has 87,000 miles on it.

A stock LS1 V8 is rated at 305 crank hp AFAIK - so after all of this trouble, assuming no large issues get in your way, you are going to gain zero power, and you will have hacked apart a perfectly good automobile. After you have your LS1 installed certainly you can play battle of the aftermarket parts, installing a blower, etc. but the V6 in the NSX is also not limited to the simple bolt ons I have installed on my car - perhaps you would be better served by visiting this section of the nsxprime.com website:

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=28

At the cost of your LS1 setup, assuming nothing bad happens to the car's handling, you could have a Honda V6 built up for a turbo application and make the same power, while preserving the car's feel (with a lot more power) and not harming your resale value.

 

[rev440]

by all means go to Japan, find the joker, take his 'creation' away and stuff a SBC into it - there is also a Diablo-sx in the works, from a wrecked blue NA1 - neither project recieved warm welcomes on this site, as the nsx is already an exotic sportscar without being shrouded in fiberglass and prancing horses.

If you have a large wallet you can build, or have built, anything you can dream up - hopefully you have the funds and/or know-how to do it right, if you are going to do it. One of the key advantages of the nsx is its engine, by removing the high-reving motor from the car you have now made it into a corvette, so why not buy a corvette instead and save yourself the hassle? The layout is nice, but with a coilover suspension, some sway bars, etc. a C5 Z06 can be made to handle as well as, if not better than, an nsx, even with the engine up front.

The problem with vettes is there a dime a dozen. If youd see a NSX going down the e-way with a h/c exhaust LS1 youd take more then just a look at it would blow your mind why because its never been done before. If it wasent for brave people who do things to cars no one would ever think of where would we be in automobiles? Think of Carol Shelby and his orignal 427 ac cobra. Im sure many people didnt like it but look at it now its a legend. Have you seen what LS1 dyno at? they dyno stock at 300+whp and they are not rated at 305 but 345 horse and its a very mild cammed engine with a cam your looking at 340whp. Im more of a n/a car with bottle and this could be done to a LS1 produciong upwords of 600whp on stock internals!

 

[scorp965]

The problem with vettes is there a dime a dozen. If youd see a NSX going down the e-way with a h/c exhaust LS1 youd take more then just a look at it would blow your mind why because its never been done before. If it wasent for brave people who do things to cars no one would ever think of where would we be in automobiles? Think of Carol Shelby and his orignal 427 ac cobra. Im sure many people didnt like it but look at it now its a legend.

So purchase a fabcar, and leave our nsx's alone :tongue:

 

[scorp965]

Have you seen what LS1 dyno at? they dyno stock at 300+whp and they are not rated at 305 but 345 horse and its a very mild cammed engine with a cam your looking at 340whp.

^ in response to your edit

It seems there are a number of versions of the Chevrolet LS1 V8, from a 305 crank hp model installed in a Z28 Camaro to a 350 crank hp model from the Corvette - regardless these are not unattainable power levels for a modified nsx motor, if you felt so-inclined.

 

[rev440]

^ in response to your edit

It seems there are a number of versions of the Chevrolet LS1 V8, from a 305 crank hp model installed in a Z28 Camaro to a 350 crank hp model from the Corvette - regardless these are not unattainable power levels for a modified nsx motor, if you felt so-inclined.

But 640+whp on stock internals with a 200 shot of nitrous is. Ive read many posts that say a 100 shot is the limit. Sometimes you gotta be different.

 

[scorp965]

500hp+ on a built nsx turbo motor is possible, and would have a similar 'out of pocket' expense to your acurevrolet - if your intention is to run an LS1 with stock internals and a 200 shot you are looking to go the 'cheap route' for performance, what I would fear most, from reading this thread, is that you might actually find an nsx, and an LS1 motor, and get half way before leaving it as a 'project car', or go all the way and mickey mouse it. You can do a lot with an LS1 motor, just as you can do a lot with an nsx V6 - the cost of the conversion and modified LS1 motor, that would be required to 'do it right' in this case, is going to be very close to, or higher than, the cost to build a turbo nsx, which would be the better of the two options. You could build a micky moused car cheaper, but you would not be satisified with it, and you would not be able to talk anyone into buying it from you.

As I said, if you are interested in the nsx do not assume you need to swap a different motor into it to get enjoyment from the car - the car is very light, and is plenty fast N/A, not to mention the number of F/I options now available. The swap you suggest is expensive and unnecessary for this car, assuming it is even workable space-wise (which nobody will be able to tell you with certainty until you're sitting under a gutted nsx with a foam ls1 plug in your hands).

 

[zahntech]

This would be a much better option...you can even buy one without an engine!!

Noble M12

 

[NSXGMS]

Im not trying to start a flame war or anything but Its always been my dream swap to have the best of both worlds american muscle in a mid engine beautiful car. So my qeustion is is there enough room in the engine bay to stuff a small block chevy in?

Thanks,
Nate

You can avoid a flame war by doing a search:

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17915&highlight=corvette+motor+porsche

Amazingly the dude who started that thread had 6 posts as well...

Have fun with your project. Can't wait for you to take it on the track so we can all beat you. :tongue:

G

 

[rickysals]

call Factor X...

FX400 or FX500 that thing.

and then enjoy your fast as hell NSX. Putting a less reliable engine in the NSX is basically ripping out its soul. Power is power - if you can get it thru an already proven way - what's the point of trying something different that is 100x's more complicated.

 

[whrdnsx]

A guy in Queensland (Ian Palmer) Australia fitted a Ex Formula 3000 3ltr V8 (Judd or Zytec, I can't remember) to His NSX for GT Production Racing.

He ended up putting the original NSX engine & twin Turbos back in Cause it didn't make any decent Torque.

So It can be done.

 

[scorp965]

Anything can be done, if you have the scratch to do it - the point is should it be done? Is there a better option?

In the case you mention the car's original modified engine was the better solution, but he still spent huge sums of money trying to fit in something a bit more saucy, only to go back to the car's original modified motor. If a C30 with bolt ons is just as powerful as the Chevrolet V8, with a lower redline, he wants to put in I don't see the point in going through the hassle... $0.02