FWD GST swap to a AWD GSX? Basic [Merged 2-07]

[Xain10229]

POST ALL OF YOUR BASIC QUESTIONS HERE.

1) Yes, it's possible.
2) Yes, it requires some basic cutting and welding.
3) Read through this thread before asking any questions. And read through this article written by Jacob Isaac-Lowry.
4) If you're serious about specific parts of the swap, and/or you're in the process of the swap and you have specific questions other than "is it possible", then please post in this thread.

-99gst_racer

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

I was just wondering how hard it would be to convert my 1999 GST into an AWD GSX or if its even possible. What all do I need to swap and how hard is it?

 

[boostineklipz]

ITs pretty hard and costly. Your better off selling the GST and buying a GSX.

 

[umiami80]

it is actually a fairly simple swap.

Step 1- Sell your GS-T

Step 2-Take money and Buy an AWD

Step 3- WOnder why you bought a GS-T in the first place.

 

[kevingst]

could someone just answer the question? what all is involved? I got the skills...finding one in a yard ain't a problem either.

 

[Tevenor]

Originally posted by kevingst
could someone just answer the question? what all is involved? I got the skills...finding one in a yard ain't a problem either.

We did answer your question, you just don't want to hear the answer.

I believe Road Race Engineering has done this a few times. I believe the cost was somewhere in the Neighborhood of 10k after it was all said and done.

 

[kevingst]

well...there are the anwers given=taken into account....and there are the alternatives= the ones everyone avoids answering and just likes giving some kind of silly answer. Considering I just replaced the entire rear suspension on my car ( trailing arms, control arms, spindles, and crossmember ) for $275 from a wreck, i'm sure I can manage for well below $10k. So...what all parts need to be swapped? Downpipe, rear susp., tranny, add a t-case, and rearend...what else am I missing? hmm...who'm I kidding? I probably won't get a straight answer so I guess I'll just look in the book and see what's different. But if anyone has a serious response, then by all means...pipe in.

 

[Tevenor]

Oye. Can you add any more frigin drama?


http://dsmtuners.com/forums/showthr...erpage=25&highlight=FWD AWD swap&pagenumber=2
http://dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11967&highlight=FWD+AWD+swap

 

[kevingst]

fnah! oh, excuse me. Hey, thanks for the direction. It's truly appreciated. It'll be a year before I'll have the car paid off, but as soon as it is I'm gonna make it an all out racer...and fwd ain't gonna cut it. I just wanna start looking into it and possibly go ahead and start getting the parts I need.

 

[boostineklipz]

My question is WHY?

Why would you waste all that time and money when you can get a perfectly good GSX for cheaper then doing this swap. I can understand why some spyder owners did it but if you own a GST and want AWD. The smart and cheapest way would be to buy a GSX.

 

[kevingst]

1) Gotta have something to do with my time. 2) It may be cheaper for you to just buy a GSX, but it's cheaper for me to just buy the parts and put them in myself. And in case the next question is something like..."Why waste the time? Time=money" Here's a small example: Why would someone take a 383 cuda and drop in a 440...or even better, a 426? Because since the beginning of time man ( excuse me... some men ) have prided themselves in the fact that they did it themselves. Because of the love of the sport/hobby. Built-not bought. Now, I'm sure I could keep going on about this topic, but what's the point. Who's listening. Some people understand, and some don't.

 

[Tevenor]

Originally posted by kevingst
And in case the next question is something like..."Why waste the time? Time=money" Here's a small example: Why would someone take a 383 cuda and drop in a 440...or even better, a 426? Because since the beginning of time man ( excuse me... some men ) have prided themselves in the fact that they did it themselves. Because of the love of the sport/hobby. Built-not bought. Now, I'm sure I could keep going on about this topic, but what's the point. Who's listening. Some people understand, and some don't.

Taking pride in your work is one thing. Being a bone head about it is another. Your Cuda example is right on. If the 70 426 Hemi Cuda was as plentify as the 383, so much so that you could just go buy one right now, why spend the money to dump in a 426 into a 383 equipped car? Now imagine that swap is going to cost you half the value of your car. Why do it? For the love of the swap/hobby?


Don't get me wrong. I know where you are coming from. The AWD conversion intrigues the car tinkerer in me but my money-for-mods side always wins and tells me its a dumb idea.

 

[kevingst]

Truly I appreciate the concern. Btw, good catch on the cuda. It was either that or jerkin' the 289 out of a stang and droppin' a 428cj. So let me explain how I see it. It's at least 1 year before my car is paid off. There's no way I can get what I owe for it right now. When it's paid off, the wife gets another car and I take over driving the tahoe. It was either sell my gst, or since it's now not a daily driver then really start building it. I don't think I'll be able to bring myself to sell it. So there's no way I'm gonna be able to get a gsx, not gonna take on the car payment. So for me...dropping the 3-4k for parts and doing it all myself just makes more sense. Sense or not...it seems to be my only option. So hopefully now maybe you guys can see where I'm coming from. This all in addition to getting out of the Navy, getting a job that hopefully makes all my time in the Navy worthwhile, and building something to give my son when he turns 16.

 

[boostineklipz]

I guess I just cannot understand why you would want to do all this work and spend all this extra money but its your car and your money so do it what you please. Just looking to save you some money and time. That extra money could go to a turbo and intercooler or any other mods. Just thinking money wise what would be better.

 

[Z3r03rr0r]

I totally understand where you are coming from on this. I have sort of looked into it and given that it would be slightly different going into a 1g than a 2g, the guys are right it would be a lot cheaper to sell the current one and get a gsx and put your money under the hood and into suspension upgrades instead. Even if you do it yourself and get the parts cheap it is going to take a long long time and more htan the 4000 that you are willing to put into it. You probably will end up spending as much on the conersion as you paid for the car. I thought it through and I am selling my FWD and getting an AWD. But regardless you sound like you are addiment about doing this so good luck and I hope you have the patience make sure you post pics of the process and the finished car so that others will know what they are thinking about undertaking.

 

[Balleriffic1]

ok now let me ask this question...ive heard wut it costs to drop a 4g63t on an rs...but how much would it cost to make an RS turbo AWD? ::shivers::

 

[boostineklipz]

Originally posted by Balleriffic1
ok now let me ask this question...ive heard wut it costs to drop a 4g63t on an rs...but how much would it cost to make an RS turbo AWD? ::shivers::

Prolly more then what a GSX costs

 

[kevingst]

I did a national search on traderonline.com and for a 95-98 gsx, the cheapest I could find was $5700. If I could get one that cheap, take off the stock parts to replace the aftermarket parts on my gst, and then somehow manage to sell my car for $6k, then yea...maybe just buying one would be easier. But I certainly wouldn't want to buy a "mostly" stock (after de-modding) '95 gst for 6k. Plus I'd have to buy the other "awd" piece for my thermal exhaust. Anyway, I'm bored right now so I'm just rambling... still tossing around my options. Maybe within the year it'll be possible.

 

[kevingst]

If i'm gonna spend a few grand, then I'm not still gonna have a fwd. And umiami... did you even look at the links up above. Or did you just feel like you should put your .5 cent in? No one said it was bolt on, yes you have to relocate some stuff. Yes the rear susp. has to be replaced, that's already been said. No, you don't need an entire new floorboard, and no you don't need an new gas tank, you just have to relocate it. Please read the entire (at least the majority) of the thread before just piping in making demands (i.e. just buy an awd). Oh wait... I just noticed that this was your second jackass response in this thread. NO ONE asked for opinions other than "How hard would it be?" Then it was asked, "What all is involved?" At which time, basically all that needed to be heard from you would be, " Really, Really hard...I can't do it. It involves yadada..." Thank you, please drive through.

 

[umiami80]

Until I go to yard and find all the materials needed and price them all.... and then find a whole car...and compare the prices of the two, then I, nor you, really know which way will be cheaper.

Sure we do, I already told you, it would be cheaper to just buy an AWD, you would need a new tranny to begin with as the clucth and FLywheel are smaller, gearing is different too, but the GS-T gears are optimal, but you would need a new tranny, sooooooooooooo.............

 

[97gsspyder]

Now now children lets stop the arguing...i have come to solve all your troubles, for I and acctually doing this conversion as we speak to a 97 gs spyder...Now mind you everyone who said it was easier to sell the gs-t and buy the GSX....they are 100% right...i mean why would convert a car to AWD that they already make one stock but hey thats you so i'll help out as much as i can...

Heres a list of the stuff you will need:
AWD tranny
Transfer case(must be from same year as the tranny)
AWD flywheel
AWD backing plate
AWD front axle assemble(must be from same year that your engine is)Complete Drive-shaft Assy including the bearings and nuts and bolts
Fuel tank assy with the complete filler neck assy (from the same year as
your car)
Rear Suspension Assy with all nuts and bolts
Complete exhaust system from an AWD (DP, Cat, Cat back exhaust)

A little fabrication is needed on the center tunnel
The middle drive shaft carrier location/stiffener is there but no studs (just add the studs)
The rear bearing carrier location is missing (You need to fabricate a drop down box and studs)
The mounting for the gas tank is different (You need to cut off the FWD mounting brackets and add studs to mount the AWD tank, All the fuel pump wiring colors are the same but routing and connectors are different)
The front end of the car is all the same
The rear frame rails require the most fabricating:
The rear two big studs for the rear suspension cross-member are in the right spot but they are too short. You need to cut through the trunk floor, bust loose the rear x bracing and into the top of the frame rail to drop long bolts down through the frame rails, The front studs are too short and need to be moved forward some, RRE makes a new mounting pad for them.

Stuff to swap:
Tranny, flywheel, front axles, flywheel backing plate. Install the transfer
case, new gear oil in everything, Install AWD complete exhaust system

Add mounting points for the drive-shaft and install the drive-shaft

Swap the fuel tanks and deal with differences in hoses and routing, Make new AWD tank mounting points, cut off the old FWD mounting brackets, Swap the fuel filler necks

Relocate the e-brake cable brackets, The entire rear brake hub needs to be overhauled to deal with the e-brake parts

Remove the FWD rear cross-member, Make a new mounting location for the front stud of the rear cross-member, Change the rear stud to a longer one, Install AWD rear cross-member

Suspension alignment.

and there you go...easy right?! I should have some pictures up in my profile shortly...Now just because i exlpianed this doesn't mean you should go chop your car in to 18 million pieces...i am an expirened welder this is not as easy as you might think....it involves hours of fabricating a 6 pack....and many many words that should not be used around your children...but it is possiable...good luck if you do decide to do this!

Jeff

I, 97gsspyder, take no responsibility in and damage you may cause to your car, or your self. Nor do i take responsibility if you blow your car and yourself up!

 

[wishIhadaturbo]

I hate even posting to this thread, but ... Would these limitations apply to a 1g FWD to AWD swap ?

Will

 

[umiami80]

Maybe? Good question, but I am sure that you will run into similar problems with converting it, you can get a nice 1G AWD for $3000 so $$$$$$$ isn't as big of an issue.

 

[kevingst]

For a 1g it would be a helluva lot cheap to just buy another car. For a 2g it'd be as cheap or cheaper (depending on how you look at it) to just buy another car. I found all the parts necessary for $4275. Whether you do the work or have someone else do it for you...time or money...either way is a big pain in the arse! Miami... no bad blood.

 

[Xain10229]

So, basically, if you have a front.. 1 wheel drive eclipse, its better to go with an LSD for 2 wheel drive, since its cheaper than an AWD conversion?

 

[turbo1g]

Yea get an lsd, preferably a qualfe (sp.). Also get some sticky tires. It shouldn't be too bad with those.