New member, new swap...

[ChrisV]

Hi, All!

I've been using the search engine on this site like crazy, and will continue to do so as my swap progresses. So much good information! But it's time to actually post...

I'm putting a Lexus LS 1UZ in my 1963 Mercury Comet convertible (similar to the Aussie XP Falcon), to replace the much weaker 260 Ford V8 that is in it now. I realize that here in the States, it would be easier and cheaper to build up another 302 (which I've done in old Falcons, Mustangs, and even in my last FC RX7), but that's not unique enough for this project. Enter the 1UZ.

I don't need a large amount of power, and frankly, the way it pulls the stock LS400 along would be enough for this project, as it's supposed to be more of a street rod and cruiser than race car. Still, considering how much less the early Falcon/Comet weighs than the LS, it'll be like adding "free hp."

I know it'll start out completely stock, but I'd like to do the ITB setup that T Miller has (saw it a year ago on their convertible RX7), as it would look cool under the hood of the Comet.

Anyhow, this is the car now:

And what I want to do with it involves putting the 1960-61 Falcon front sheetmetal on it, smoothing it out, and putting a custom frame under it with air ride.

I just picked up a low mileage 1UZ for $480US out of an LS400. I just have to figure out what trans I want to use, as even a stock auto wouldn't be an issue for a custom cruiser. Getting manual trans bits up here is a bit more difficult.

Anyhow, great site!

 

[Zuffen]

If you want to go to ITB's you will have to run EFI in some shape or form.

My advice would be to use the same gear as TMiller and keep the auto with a tiptronic controller.

That would make it an (almost) bolt together job and give you the look you want. You can hide most of the wiring if you work on it. You can also polish most of the engine which is something you can't do with a cast iron dinosaur.

 

[rarson]

Nice car! I kind of like the stock car look better than the yellow one, but hey, it's your car. It'll be nice seeing the 1UZ there when you pop the hood.

 

[ChrisV]

Just did some checking on pricing in US$...


So if I use the Electromotive XDi just to control spark, it'll cost me about $1000 just for ignition to make a $500 engine run if I use a carb setup. If I want to use injection, I'm looking at $2600-up for a TEC3 or Autronic or the like just to make a $500 engine run. And that doesn't include if I wanted the injection like Tony has on his site.... the controller would cost more than I have into the rest of the car combined.

Suddenly the 1UZ doesn't look like such a good deal in a swap to a non-computer controlled car compared to the tried and true, carbed, distributor V8. The one in my RX7, below, was a 400 hp engine that cost me all of a grand to build. Now I'm looking at a $1000 just to get spark... the cost/benefit ratio is way down. I may just have to sell the 1UZ again. I was under the impression that doing the swap wouldn't cost much differnt than putting in a later Ford 302/5.0 and getting the same power, but it's way off.

 

[MikeMan]

Try looking at http://link-electro.co.nz/home.html.

A complete ECU for ~1200NZD

That is like USD800 for the whole thing, injection and ignition.

The other option is to get a LS400 computer and use that.

 

[ChrisV]

Ok, after spending some time looking around at the MegaSquirt site, and talking with a few guys running that setup, that looks like the plan. It can use the stock crank wheel and the cam position sensor to run a EDIS waste spark coil set. And it looks to be fairly easy to set up the injection using a MAP sensor system. The new fuel and ignition maps for the MSnS setup are pretty decent, and it should be fairly inexpensive (a couple hundred dollars at most). it's just going to be a big learning curve to build it and tune it. If it's successful I will make sure to share with other swappers...

I'm also looking at a couple trans choices, depending on what I find locally for a transmission. So far, I found a couple W58s from '87-89 SUpras for about $100 plus shipping here in the states, and I've also found a number of Mustang T5s for similar dollar amounts. I just have to get a bellhousing and flywheel setup from either CRS or Dellow. I know that some people have had issues with Dellow, but CRS is under new management and I'm not sure if they are fully up to speed. Considering both of them are a bit far away for a personal visit, I have my concerns.

 

[Lextreme II]

That is a Chip Foose type of drawing

 

[ChrisV]

Yeah, I'd build it just like he would, but I did that drawing back in '90, (based on a car I built in '78 ), even before Foose started working for Coddington. I'd use different wheels now, and the color is going to have a little more golden tangerine in it.

This is my dad and I building my last version of the car (a 2 door sedan instead of a convertible) back in '78.

I had wanted to radius the rear wheelwells then like the sketch, but didn't have the ability. I had always wanted to build a version from a convertible, and started gathering parts in '90.

Originally I was going to use a 3.8 liter supercharged V6 from a Thunderbird SC, but after seeing a 1UZ with all the electronics removed sitting in a salvage yard about 5 years ago, I knew which direction I wanted to go. I always want to build something no one else is building, and this is going to be a prime example of being different...

 

[rarson]

Chris, I'd like to use a MS on a 1UZ, so I'm very interested to see how yours works out. I had thought the easiest way would probably be wastespark like you said, and I like that idea.

As far as transmissions, I'm just concerned that whatever I get can handle the power. I don't think a regular T5 is going to cut it. I'd like to get a TKO600, but they usually run about $800 or so on ebay. Still, this is about $900 less than the cost for upgrading a T5 using G-Force parts, which doesn't include whatever the tranny costs.

Also, for me it would be easier to buy a tranny that I can drop in, because I can't afford to be shipping stuff back and forth to Guam. I will probably end up going with a CRS bellhousing.

 

[ChrisV]

Yeah, a T5 wouldn't handle the power you want to make easily. I'm not shooting for much more power than the stock 1UZ puts out. It moves the LS400 rather well in stock orm, and the Comet is over 1000 lbs lighter, which is like free power (power to weight will be a third better). Were I duplicating my old V8 RX7, I'd probably go the whole "too much power is never enough" route, too. But then again, I'd have probably gone with a 460 w/aluminum heads and intake, as I can make 600 streetable hp and 700+ lb ft of torque from a mild, daily driver, $1500 engine...

Dellow hasn't contacted me back, so I'll try CRS.

 

[AGRO64]

another place you can try for clutch components and stuff is www.bulletcars.com they make low volume performance cars with supercharged lexus V8's running supra boxes.
The head guru is Tom tell him Adrian with the EH put you onto them he may look after you he may not too.