Everyone keeps asking what it costs to do this. Here is it in a nutshell.
Cost to convert:
You get to sell the Pinto ($3000-$4500 depending), the LD200 ($1700- $2500) any gears, bellhousing, Pinto spares, etc.
The cost of the conversion will depend on how fancy you want to get and how much work you do yourself. Pro-built motor? Limited Slip diff? Dry sump? Shifter?
In my case I sold a bunch of parts off the car (raised aprox $8000) plus I counted what I would have spent on rebuilding the engine ($3500).
The framework was done by Crutchfield who also installed the engine. Total there was $9200 including all of the misc parts (fuel pump, regulator, lines, chain, oil cooler, yada yada) and headers. $2500 for the new engine, $1500 for the dry sump, $3200 for the diff, $800 Pingle, $100 dash, $800 for a new fuel cell, $200 waterpump.
Now we are at $6800, but I just took the car to Comprent for a few minor items. Figure another $1500.
So my cost above what I would have in a RF96 with a fresh motor was $8300, but I have a VERY fresh (new?) FS as almost everything in the car is now brand new (even things I did not list like bellypan, jabrock floors, radiator...)
Out of pocket was $13,300ish (including Comprent) for the turn-key car.
Add in another $1000 of things I've forgotten about and call it $14,300.
So if you started w/ a RF95 for $10,000 and sold stuff quickly you would have around $4500 in it. Add the $14,300 I spent and its $18,800.
But what if you did the framework yourself? Did not dry sump, used a spool, and no shifters. What if your fuel cell did not leak...
$4500 in the RF95, $1500 for a motor (Ebay), $750 for the spool/ axles, $1000 in misc parts, $500 in tubing/ stuff...
you are looking at $8250 total.
So the range to build a 1000cc FS (that started as a mid-90s FC) would be from $8500 to $24,000 (with a built motor) starting from scratch. If you own the FC subtract whatever you can sell plus the $4500.
Here is the interesting part....
I've got to believe that should my car perform like I hope the value will be close to $20,000 (?). If a RF96 is worth $11,000 now (I got a roller w/ spares this summer for $8800) thats $9000 over the F2000 RF96. Conversion cost $14,300... true conversion cost is $5300- subtract the engine rebuild and its $1800!!