our rallycross course we made this month

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBvnIRPqsFw (gopro on the rx7)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_juMiMFhYQ (other direction on friends 325I)

that looks awesome!

the car looks good, and more importantly, it looks like you're set to have a LOT of fun. :)

its finally plated, so i have been driving it around and what have you. I think i have determined that i want to make some improvements. Namely the steering. Im thinking of the Re speed setup since i dont have the funds or want to use the FC subframe on it. Too much else would have to change, and a lot of spares would be useless. i may also go with the front coilover setup around the same time. Ill have to do a little budgeting, but it will certainly get done.

I'm extremely jealous of this car. I've always wanted to do this with an FB as well.

im an organizer for the idaho rally so i drove it on the stage roads quite a bit when they werent hot, plus i camped up there. Car is definately fun but i certainly will need some seat time in her outside of rallycross. Thankfully Idaho is full of well maintained dirt roads.

honestly to get an rx7 out and rallying, you dont really need that much. Most expensive thing really is the cage and seats. Then just making it survive. I would certainly recommend the 4.78 kia sportage ring and pinion though! Good gearing is the most noticeable thing.

well the header blew a hole out, metal is old and very thin. was approx, the size of a nickel. Since i like the oily death plumes staying in the exhaust, we had to fix it. Plus it sounded like straight ass. Twas the night before rallyx too. Seth (pictured) ended up having to make a piece of metal to weld over top of it. The header is too thin to weld the hole without any filler piece.

http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...ar/welding.jpg

July 9th rallycross was pretty good! I was turning out decent times, car was running great. July 10th, AM course i had the third fastest time second to an awd civic wagon and a celica all trac turbo. PM course? Well a screw from the air filter assembly loosened and fell into the motor, ending its life prematurely and far less epically than it deserved. Second picture is where i parked it after the finish. Engine hobbled back so at least i finished my run

video from the weekend (in car)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v​=uXMqMXi033E



http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...rallyxjuly.jpg

http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...Car/deadx7.jpg

So the game plan from here? well it isnt exactly orthadox but honestly the cost of building an naturally aspirated rotary making the power i want just costs too damn much anymore. At least to the level were i would trust driving a thousand miles, paying high entry fees etc. But i still have to maintain a Mazda prodcued engine.

This led to three choices, The 1.8 "BP" from the miata and protege, the Duratec 23(same as the MZR and found in the B-series pickup, and the FE-DOHC (FE3) found in kia sportages in the states for rear wheel drive. Well the duratec is the best all around choice aside from higher cost and some minor engineering issues. The belllhousings availible just aren't that good. There is one "on its way" that offers a good choice for slave cylinders. But being all aluminum and 200+ capable with cams and a header, it seemed good.

But i have not too much time to wait for a bellhousing for the T5 that without, i can't mount at worthwhile transmission behind it. That left me with the 1.8 BP and the FE3. Basically the miata stuff is kinda common, but manifolds and oil pans are still more money that other makes. Additionally, it is an iron bottom, very durable but somewhat underpowered. I could use a few different transissions though. This was the option i was going with BUT i found a deal breaker.

The mazda FE3. its an iron block, aluminum head 2.0l 16v. Basically the mazda 4g63. Stout as the darkest Guiness, its very durable and makes a fair amount of power (approx 150- 160 stock over the miata 120 to 135). They came in a variety of vehicles in Japan and elsewhere, but the US got screwed. Very similiar to the FE2 in the probes and Mx6 turbos we got, just better. We did however, get the Kia Sportage which had a down tunded version in RWD format. This engine had some differences, namely the 8 bolt flywheel which has no real options, but is a good source for a manifold and oil pan. So where am i going with this? Craigslist served me well and i found an FE3 imported from a Japanese Capella (Mx-6) for a mire 400 dollars complete. Should be picking her up this weekend.

The transmission will be the mazda M types using a B2000 front case bellhousing. Meaning i can use the transmission already in my rally car. It uses a standard 6 bolt flywheel that is the same as the FE2 stuff, including the clutch. Its a common swap for miata guys its seems. Pictures of such blasfamy will come. But honestly, it makes the most sense for what im doing.

Additionally, this is a good time to fix the things i found undesireable. Really that is just the older suspension and the steering. The brakes were honestly more than good for the car. BUT they are a pain to service. Solution?

The FC front subframe swap that i have already done to my rally car 2.0 project. Essentially this will give me good rack and pinion, a ligher more durable front suspension, the ability to get a good coilover front damper setup and improved brakes.

my friend made >150whp on a BP with just intake/header/exhaust and AEM (no internal mods). I imagine you could do the same with megasquirt or whatever. management gets huge gains on those things.

Megasquirt is the plan. I'm familiar enough with it and its rather inexpensive. Unless of course my friend sells me his Aem ( ironic) he bought and hasnevered used for a good price.

That sucks Alex. I hope it get it going again soon. That way you can have more fun before winter sets in at least.

I actually had a dream about this car last week. I don't know if you were driving or not, but it was in a race and destroying everything else on the course, passing every other car up a hill and then jumping the hill haha. Weird.

that engine thing is a BUMMER, otherwise this car is just badass. is it perfect? no. does it have license plates and FUN? YES!