BoxsterLS376 introduction - LS3 conversion :)

[BoxsterLS376]

Made a bit more progress this afternoon but not as much as I wanted so i'll probably head back tomorrow for more. Also finally got all the parts together in one place so snapped a pic of it all, plus I went ahead and made a little video which is uploading now that I will post a link to later.

Here are some pics of todays progress, as you can see quite a bit has to go away. The cuts on the drivers side are just about where they need to be, the passenger side needs about another inch taken off. I'll get some pictures tomorrow with the side plates in place once I clean it up a bit more.

Boxster50 - It is not really a relocation of the interior emergency brake handle, but the actual holder for the e-brake lines. I'm not really sure how it will all work out yet but the holder gets relocated down and new holes will have to be made for the cables, undoubtedly something will have to be modified but I think it will just require new holes in the trans tunnel, nothing unsightly. Once everything is welded up and sprayed with undercoating it will look good and nothing should change on the interior.


Thanks Dlirium! I really appreciate the comments and feedback from everyone too, keeps me motivated!! Thanks!
J

[BruceH]

Great thread, like everyone else, I enjoy watching a project like this! You are going to give us all a ride when you are done, right?

[BoxsterLS376]

Originally Posted by BruceH

Great thread, like everyone else, I enjoy watching a project like this! You are going to give us all a ride when you are done, right?

Thank you Bruce Feel free to drop by the shop anytime or if you see me out and about after I'm done and i'll gladly give you a ride! If this goes well I may start doing these at our shop so the plan is for this to be the test mule, and for thrilling potential fellow crazies like myself (and clearly a few others on here )into building one for themselves!

Here is a short video I took this morning before I continued cutting - enjoy!

Porsche Boxster Chevy LS Engine conversion intro - YouTube

[jaykay]

Wow you are in deep! With all the surgery in the engine bay do you figure on priming and painting ?

[BoxsterLS376]

Originally Posted by jaykay

Wow you are in deep! With all the surgery in the engine bay do you figure on priming and painting ?

Hi JayKay,

Really all that will need to be done is some underbody coating which any decent auto parts store should have. I guess you could prime and paint it if it were a show car but not really necessary for this... Without letting out too many trade secrets here is a picture the guys from Renegade Hybrids sent me of there finished engine bay modifications...

[Boxster 50]

Your the man!!! Great pics. I am sure the undercoating will be fine. Do you think it would be a good ideas to spray some type of sound deadening while you have the room. Not sure about the clearance??? Still curious if they sent a template or if they just give ruff measurements for your cuts and fabrication.
Thanks for taking the time to share your journey with us. I cant wait to see this sleeper rip out of the driveway for the first time.

[JRL]

Hey John - it was great putting a face to internet guy building a neat car.

Thanks for the time today I really enjoyed bench racing and laying eyes on your handiwork.

I'm sure I will have many more questions and pay you more visits.

Thanks again

R

[Boxster 50]

LS376 I didn't think you were downing the kit I just think you are keeping it real and I like that. I notice you are starting to do the mods to the LS. Is this so you can get the overall completed measurement so you will be able to allow for clearance and fitment before your first test fit and or placement of the motor mounts??

[BoxsterLS376]

Originally Posted by JRL

Hey John - it was great putting a face to internet guy building a neat car.

Thanks for the time today I really enjoyed bench racing and laying eyes on your handiwork.

I'm sure I will have many more questions and pay you more visits.

Thanks again

R

Good meeting you as well Randy! Feel free to drop by anytime!

Originally Posted by Boxster 50

LS376 I didn't think you were downing the kit I just think you are keeping it real and I like that. I notice you are starting to do the mods to the LS. Is this so you can get the overall completed measurement so you will be able to allow for clearance and fitment before your first test fit and or placement of the motor mounts??

I definitely keep it real! I am starting to address the motor and get everything in place as I do want to make sure there will be plenty of clearance for everything. I'm pretty sure it won't be a problem even with all the accessories mounted. With this kit everything is pretty much going to fit only 1 way so if the motor mounts don't line up there is a problem.

[Boxster 50]

LS376 Looking forward to seeing the motor mounts and how they are supported. May be a dumb question but will it be mounted with rubber mounts so it will not be a harsh feel?

[BoxsterLS376]

Boxster50 - well, you're gonna love this... actually neither the kit nor the motor came with actual mounts :/ Just pieces the mounts bolt to so that is another piece of the puzzle to figure out! In the pictures they sent me the motor itself has aluminum supports from the motor down to what appear to be large rubber mounts, not sure if they are the Chevy mounts or aftermarket. The rear mounts for the transmission appear to be some sort of solid mount from what I can see. Not sure if the factory mounts would work back there or not... here are a few of their pics...

[Boxster 50]

LS376
Wow!! Looks like you are going to have to experiment with things. The rubber mount looks fairly simple. Maybe they just forgot to pack it with the kit. I hope the rear mount fits because of how wide it is and I like the lateral support that it gives. I would think it will fit because that is what will realign the axles front to rear?? Not sure about the angle. On the bright side it looks as if you have some room around and under the exhaust manifold for the exhaust system. Will you custom built your exhaust or does Renegade have something built ?? Sorry for all the questions.... I am just excited for you. I wish I lived a bit closer so I could come by and help ya out. Last question for now.. What is your time line??

[Boxster 50]

LS376 No sure if you checked this sight out or not but it looks interesting. engineswapdepot.com It is a LS going into a Cayman. Looks to be home grown.

[BoxsterLS376]

Originally Posted by Boxster 50

LS376
Wow!! Looks like you are going to have to experiment with things. The rubber mount looks fairly simple. Maybe they just forgot to pack it with the kit. I hope the rear mount fits because of how wide it is and I like the lateral support that it gives. I would think it will fit because that is what will realign the axles front to rear?? Not sure about the angle. On the bright side it looks as if you have some room around and under the exhaust manifold for the exhaust system. Will you custom built your exhaust or does Renegade have something built ?? Sorry for all the questions.... I am just excited for you. I wish I lived a bit closer so I could come by and help ya out. Last question for now.. What is your time line??

Originally Posted by Boxster 50

LS376 No sure if you checked this sight out or not but it looks interesting. engineswapdepot.com It is a LS going into a Cayman. Looks to be home grown.

I hope they forgot it but somehow I doubt it! The axles/transmission pretty much line themselves up, it the mount if bad wrong then you won't even be able to get the axles into place. I'm sure the axles are going to be the weak link in the system so hopefully the Renegade boys come up with a better solution, either that or i'll take some axles up to Indy - those guys can make anything up there

The exhaust should be fun and yes I plan to build it myself! The LS system comes with O2 sensors so those will have to be welded into place but I would also like to add some small catalytic converters to make sure it is smog compliant. I must say I like one system they did in particular with a pair of Magnaflow mufflers and may just copy the design...

I have not checked out that build yet but will indeed, thanks!

I made a bit more progress yesterday although the pictures are still on my phone and I'm feeling lazy so i'll post them later. Most of the cutting on the mid-lower section of the firewall is done and cleaned up. Just need to notch out the top of the firewall which I may wait until the motor/transmission are bolted together to do a bit of test fitting rather then just cutting by looking at pictures!

[BoxsterLS376]

Originally Posted by JRL

Here is a link to the Cayman build

Porsche Cayman + LS3 - LS1TECH

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Qmulus

Interesting, but I don't see how they will plumb the coolant lines or install any kind of firewall between the engine and the interior using the stock LSx water pump. The fabrication of the brackets, etc. is nice, but the packaging needs some work. You can take a few inches off of the front of the engine making room for the firewall by using a remote electric water pump and the LS4 crank pulley, and still have room on the sides of the engine for the accessories.

+1 - That is some very nice fab work but probably hasn't updated the thread in months trying to figure out the plumbing in that thing! Definitely not shy about cutting it up that's for sure!

[JRL]

Here is a link to the Cayman build

Porsche Cayman + LS3 - LS1TECH

[Boxster 50]

JRL
Thanks for the info. I only found a couple pics..... I like the sub frame/engine mount they built.

[Qmulus]

Interesting, but I don't see how they will plumb the coolant lines or install any kind of firewall between the engine and the interior using the stock LSx water pump. The fabrication of the brackets, etc. is nice, but the packaging needs some work. You can take a few inches off of the front of the engine making room for the firewall by using a remote electric water pump and the LS4 crank pulley, and still have room on the sides of the engine for the accessories.

[unibagel]

I'm curious to follow this build and can't wait to see the results! Keep us posted!

[BoxsterLS376]

Good afternoon everyone!

Got a bit more done over the last few days, including some time spent at work on it... did I mention that I have the coolest boss ever?!?!

I have done all of the cutting I am going to do until I can test fit the motor into place, but all of the major cutting is done, the rest is more trim/fit work. It is prepped to have the weld in cross brace put into place which I hope to get done over the holiday weekend.

In the mean time we went ahead and began to test fit the cradle into the chassis to see how it is all going to go together. Unfortunatly that can't really be done until some more parts arrive as I had another chat with Renegade and it seems their pictures include more then what actually comes with the kit :/

So... I figured I would go ahead and throw a check list out here just so you all have an idea of extra parts that are required which I could not buy from Renegade... Some I was already aware of, some I was not, but either way here is a list thus far, i'm sure it will grow anyway so in no particular order here goes...

1. New transmission mounts - factory mounts inadequate and don't really fit with the kit.
2. Motor mounts, 2 parts - neither the new crate engine, nor the kit comes with them. Need to source aluminum Corvette motor mounts to attach to the block, plus urethane mounts to attach aluminum mounts to cradle.
3. LS4 harmonic balancer - LS3 motor comes with a dual pulley setup, this shortens it to a single setup.
4. Corvette oil pan - Not 100% sure on this but Steve @ Renegade said it allows for more clearance. Once I get some mounts to bolt it together with i'll see.
5. Inline thermostat for cooling system - When you take off the LS3 water pump the t-stat is a part of it which goes away when you install the Renegade water manifold, thus unless it is a racecar you probably want to have it.
6. Breather plate modification for intake manifold - Necessary to turn intake manifold around 180*. If you are a handy TIG welder and have a good metal saw you can do this yourself. I could attempt it but would rather have someone who TIG's day in and day out handle it as to not ruin a perfectly good breather plate!
7. Exhaust system - pick your poison on this one. I'm going to build it myself, will likely get headers, small cats, mufflers. Plus you need to weld in the o2 sensor bungs for the GM ECU.
8. Engine oil cooler - not necessary, but recommended. They show it tucked in nicely by the passenger side intake.
9. Some angle iron to attach power steering pump to car - P/S pump comes with a nice custom bracket but no way to actually attach it to the car, Steve said all you need is some angle iron... hrm, would have been nice to have something fabbed up with the kit though :/


Well time to get back to work, here is a bit of the final cuts, plus a few with the cradle bolted up...
Thanks!
J