I appreciate your taking the time to respond to my questions and would like to obtain an estimate from you for the drive line conversion once the options list has been decided.
If I need to compensate you for your Consultant time, please let me know what your hourly rate is.
The following few questions, consitute the direction I have been considering and are based upon the info from this site and other sources.
I need to avoid the possibility of my fun filled daily driver being down and waiting for parts delivery from Japan for several weeks or months at a time, so the options selected for this conversion needs to reflect "long term parts availability at a low cost" as a primary requirement. If I can continually economically repair & rebuild the daily driver over a ten year period of time, then I can have a "Show Stopping Occasional Driver" in the garage parked next to this FX Conversion Project car we're discussing here
The following questions are my attempt at deciding which components to select for this conversion:
My first question has to do with front drive shafts, bearing carriers and hubs as I am currently in the process of selecting the parts and am about to order parts for upgrading the suspension and brakes to the FX-16 four wheel disc brakes and Whiteline Sway bar kits. Before I order brakes, bars, wheels (16 x 7, 4x100) and tires (205/40 x16), What changes in the carrier & hub components need to be made in order to assure reusability of the FX-16 brake upgrade, wheels I'm ordering now, provide good reliability given the planned addition of Horses and Torque via 20v and assure availability of driveline parts over time while reducing maintenance costs by elminating the need for custom shafts? Or will we need to make hub & carrier changes for the engine conversion and different automatic transmission that will negate my current planned approach to improving brakes, handling and appearance now; while planning and accumulating funds for the big engine and tranny conversion?
Which 4 speed automatic came with the Black Top 20v or which one should be used that is stronger (more reliable) and assures long term availability of parts? The A245E for example was in production for a considerable number of years (12 years), so long term availability of tranny cores and used parts should be pretty good when rebuilds are needed down the road. Would companies like Level10 offer Performance Torque Converters ongoing for the selected transmission? I have a Trusted tranny shop in the Tampa Bay area that has been around and reliable for over twenty years, but I need to provide them with "sources" for performance parts and economical cores when maintenance is needed, especially when the tranny may not have been imported into the USA during normal production.
I heard I could use a Supra Shifter as a "Gated Shifter" mechanism when manual shifting is desired. Does this Supra Shifter approach work for any 4 speed, 5 speed or 6 speed auto? Is there a better "Gated Shifter" approach, available from production parts? Were adequate quantities of these parts produced to assure long term availability?
Have also been thinking about a stroker engine approach for more torque in short bursts from traffic ligfhts or passing in the streets given we'll loose 30% of horsepower due to the automatic tranny. Would using the 7A-FE short block with a BT 20v Head for more torque while keeping it as stock as possible to improve parts availability for the short block at least over time? Large numbers of the 7A-FE were produced and used in the USA, or so I have been advised. Also need to keep the selected engine buildup based upon only using Pump Gas. Is this a simple approach to more Low End torque while avoiding the need for custom pistons or am I increasing the long term maintenance costs for this car?
Would also like to replace the steering column & wheel with a modern Resto-Mod version that will incoroporate variable speed wiper controls and Speed Control for long term Interstate gas pedal cruising, which tires my ole leg joints.
I know we'll need custom wiring harnesses, custom power steering hoses and smaller cost items neede for the conversion, but I'm attempting to select the major cost items based upon reducing maintenance costs down the road.
For electrical system upgrades for driving/fog lights and improved sound systen drive the need for an expanded fuse panel? Is the FX-16 fuse panel bigger than the FX fuse panel? What options need to be addressed there?
Are there other major components in terms of initial purchase price that affect the conversion costs and their long term affect on maintenance costs?
Other than painting the stock bumpers to match the body color, flairing the fenders and adding Driving/Fog lights for the Rally Car Look, this is all I have planned for this conversion.
Thanks for your help with preplanning these major component decisions,
Lee Stewart
