Project V8 RX-7: Part VI – Installing the E-Rod LS3

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T56 Magnum transmissino bolting to E-ROD LS-3

With the Samberg subframe already attached, Howard finally marries our T56 Magnum to our E-ROD LS3!

Dropping or in our case lifting the engine into the engine bay was pretty anticlimactic…  With the engine on a lift cart and the chassis above it on the rack, installation was as simple as lowering the car down around the engine below.

E-ROD LS3 ready to drop into the RX-7

E-ROD LS3 ready to drop into the RX-7
With the car up on the lift and the front of the chassis on blocks (the lower control arms bolt to the RX-7 subframe) we’re finally ready to bolt our E-Rod LS3 into the car!

Lowering the FD RX-7 chassis onto E-ROD LS3
No engine cranes here; we simply lowered the RX-7’s chassis on the lift and guided the LS3 into place.

Lowering the FD RX-7 chassis onto E-ROD LS3
Success!  Bolted in and lift cart removed our E-ROD LS3 is being held in place for the first time by its new mounting system.

The Samberg subframe bolts up perfectly to the 7’s frame rails with 6 bolts while the tail of the transmission is supported by another mount that requires drilling holes in the chassis along the transmission tunnel.

The engine subframe is bolted firmly in place but the transmission end of the engine still needs to be secured by the transmission mount.  This will require drilling some holes in the transmission tunnel–the only way to know where to drill the holes though is to fit the engine and transmission in first with the transmission mount attached, mark where to drill and then have at it.

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