Hey Bill, time for some progress on the beast.I expect to see some updates now that you have 2 extra hands to help out.

Lol - yup. Wheels are spinning as you know... I need to come up with my game plan now that the FC (First Child) has made her debut.

If I do end up going the "new route" I will probably just post a single pic and leave it at that, it would spell out the plans nicely :)


As of right now, I'm planning to install new rear bushings (everywhere) and get the rear suspension on the car by the end of November. Depending on if I shift gears on the powerplant I may snag my wheels for now too... lots to do, but I've got the time for now.

Congrats on that Bill! Does the new rotorhead in training have a name?

ummmmmmmmmmmmm wut?

Time will tell... dont wanna say anything unless it happens :)


Her name is Avery... my buddies at work have dubbed me "The Labelmaker"

One bit of detail I have decided on is the turbo. I'm going to be using a slightly tweaked S362 Borg Warner from Tims Turbo. Its nice that the guy is localish :)

A post worth posting finally.

It would seem like I might have a good powerplant for the FC now. Unfortunately, its not the RE I was planning on.

I've actually returned to the original swap plan, and I'm going REW. I have my reasons and both RE and REW have pros and cons. What I'm looking at now though is that this engine might mean I'll have a running car again within the next 12 months, lol.

Pros are - couldn't pass up the deal on the REW block, no issues with sleeving housings (looking at you B :) ), more support, more parts OTS and ultimately a quicker build. Cons of course being a little less power and response, but hey... REW still makes great HP and leaps and bounds over the 13BT in the earlier cars.




I got the engine from a guy who is going LS in his FD (from the "other" forum), so I feel as I'm balancing things out to the car gods.

The car had only 46k on it in 2006 which "unknown" mileage until now but most likely had around 60-70k on it. The motor was running when pulled from the car but I did have to drive a total of 9 hours to acquire it.

http://www.findtuners.com/FCProject/rew1.jpg

It was filthy, but just a quick spin feels like the engine's healthy. I can only go on what the previous owner stated which was before they pulled it, it was boosting and was "as fast as his evo" so I don't believe the engine to be weak.

Started the tear down process to get it on the stand and came across a little "gem".

http://www.findtuners.com/FCProject/rew4.jpg

If my research proves correct, this was an early reman engine. Most likely in late '93. That being true, this engine "should" have less than 60k or so miles on it and hopefully good/reusable internals.

I haven't torn it down yet, but plan to after xmas.

For now, it sits just like this:
http://www.findtuners.com/FCProject/rew2.jpg
http://www.findtuners.com/FCProject/rew3.jpg


The best part is, if I decide to sell off the stock twins, aftermarket dp, dual oil coolers and other misc parts from the engine I will literally have an almost free REW running engine. Can't beat that!




This is the first time in almost 3 years I've had an engine worthy of putting in the FC.

As a friend just pointed out... the numbers above the RK93 could be a date 9/29/08. So I'm a bit confused and really have no way of confirming. Anybody want to try and shed some light?

Maybe it was remaned in '08 with used '93 housings?

Uhg, wheels wheels wheels.... after talking to B again today my mind got jumpstarted back at looking into the track set of wheels for the FC project. I'm still needing to wrap up the rear suspension and undercoating before I dive into rebuilding the engine, etc but I hope to have the car set around DGRRXI as far as underneath goes. Looks like the summer I'll spend rebuilding the engine, getting the cage in and probably paying off bills, lol :)

Anybody deal much with CCW for wheels? I'm looking at these right now:

http://www.ccwheel.com/img/wheel%20p...oto_full_1.jpg

They look like a great wheel company and they offer any size, offset, and multiple color combinations, so thats a win in my book. I've emailed them for specs on the wheels and am just waiting to here back...

Need to get pricing on a panasport C8-17 as well...

Ccw!!!

I hate you.... I love those wheels!!!

quite the impressive build you have there. i'm not sure how i missed it. i am particularly impressed with your work on the undercarriage. you have introduced me to a few parts (the tie rod stuff and LCA brace) that interest me for my own project (whenever i get to actually start working on it :)). not to mention the amount of time you have waited ... that, in itself, deserves special props. i wish you the best for your project and congrats on your marriage and child. good luck.

Thanks Diabolical1... I will be happier once the car is back on the road. I'm cool with however long it takes though.

The LCA brace from Mazdaspeed may be hard to acquire now, but I'm pretty sure other manufacturers still offer a similar bar. You can also look into finding a convertible subframe, it has the extra brace already built in.

or or OR.... you could weld in a crossmember to mount the REW and then sell the MS bar ;)

I've seen this car in person and the care that went into the floor of the garage is more than some people put into their entire builds. She'll be a beaut when done.

You actually remember the floor!!?? I swear I thought you were in zombie mode by that time.


Yea, I need to kick my own ass into gear. Maybe I should unload the black FC and just use that to get my wheels, lol... hmmm that means RX8 returns to daily duty :uhh:

I was :rofl: But I put one of those 2 part muscle gloss floors down in my garage I remember the PITA that it was....

And you still need to show me the stash of parts in teh basement too don't forget.

What color did you paint her? IBM from the FD's?

Speaking of wheels.... I gotta call ya tomorrow to talk about your wheels and more importantly... what goes behind them :suspect:

Yea, give me a ring.. .I'll be painting an FB engine bay so I should be around..

Its hard... wheels are so much $$ but so are what goes behind them!

Ok.. a little update. Now that winter is through and I'm making headway on the RX8 I can turn my attention back into this car. I've made it through the christmas holiday, having a baby and all the taxes so I'm free and clear :)

I hope to update this thread more frequently in the coming months and things will hopefully move faster now.


I didn't go with the CCW classic for now. Those funds are being held towards, um... "other" parts that go under the fenders ;)

BUT... that being said, I still needed to get some wheels so I can move forward with getting the other parts and get the car on the ground. These wheels will be the track wheel, thus keeping the CCW's in mint shape for photo ops :)

This has been an all time favorite wheel of mine, even tried getting them for the rx8 a few years ago but they were sold out then.

So here it is. The track setup.

17x9 +20 5Zigen FN01RC Hot in Titanium. Same on all four corners. I'm still debating on tires, but it looks like with the right adjustment a 255 should clear fine up front.

In the rear, a 275.

Here are some shots for you...

Simple, yet sexy:
http://www.findtuners.com/FCProject/fn0r1c_hot.JPG

From inside, as you can see, I've actually got a decent amount of room. I have to cycle the suspension some more, but I should be clear (I'll be stoked to get a 255 up there):
http://www.findtuners.com/FCProject/179_20fr.JPG

A shot from the top. Again, the suspension is hanging right now, but still, its flush with my wider fenders:
http://www.findtuners.com/FCProject/179_20fr2.JPG

Mmmm... can't wait to get the rest of the car done. Its funny how a simple wheel can excite a man:
http://www.findtuners.com/FCProject/179_20fr3.JPG


As for other updates... The rear end is currently under construction, suspension, gas tank restoration, etc.. that should hopefully be all wrapped up around end of April, then the car goes back on the ground, gets interior attention, then off to the welders for the cage, then home again for a while.

I have started the teardown of the block and will get some pics up shortly (sorry none now, I have a present in the garage I'm trying to keep hidden for a few more weeks but it keeps popping up in my pics). I'll get pics up shortly...


Oh, finally - Brian, you'll hate me, but I'm using the engine adapters for the REW. Talked briefly with Ryan at Shook and he states it will take 500ftlbs tq to deflect .030" at the mount. I'm good with that.... If they brake or ungodly rigid, I'll change it up...

WTF you talking about Homer? Winter ain't through! I'm getting more snow tonight damnitalltohell!!!

Uh huh... I've heard that before ;)


:rofl: That being said, we're on schedule for that little bit of hardware. Brian should have the upright in his possesion right now. I spoke with him yesterday and his sched is clear so hopefully we'll see movement on it real soon.

Sexy indeed! I likey, love the CCW's though but good choice putting those off for ummmmmm other things.

Fitting a 255 up front won't be a problem at all with that setup. I run a 17x8+35 and can clear with a 235 just fine. Add in the extra clearance you've got and you should be good to go. I'm thinking about putting a 255 in the front of my car, but I would need a small spacer I'm afraid. And at that point I might be touching the fender. Not a big deal in the front, but a big deal in the rear

Are you running stock bodied rear? You MAY have a problem with the 275 in the rear. Again, if this is before bodywork, I'd bolt the thing on, cycle the suspension and adjust the sheetmetal accordingly. Should be aight though. I'm hoping, as I want to do the same thing.

hmmmmm, pics of secret things... was this there when I was?


It's not the deflection of the steel mount adapter that's a problem, it's the deflection of the rubber mount being loaded in a way that it was never designed to be that concerns me. And if you run with a solid brick of Al, hockey pucks, or even 2x4's, all the stress if now on the mounting stud. You've basically created a lever using the weight of the engine, trans and all the torque and vibrations that come with it. As I see it in my head, it's a bad idea and you should by me a bottle of vodka to come down there and weld up a subframe for you.

Oh, new year.... should I alter the thread title? :rofl:

Lol.. the secret part is a garage warming "gift" for a buddy of mine.. it was there when you were here, but wasn't ready and I didn't really point it out,lol.

For the mounts, I'm using Mazdacomp parts... bit stiffer than stock rubber, but not solid. If for no other reason then being the guinea pig, I'd like to try the mounts. This REW will not put out the overall power I was originally aiming for and god knows its not a torque monster, so we'll see. Half the crazy shit I've seen on mounting engines, I feel like this will be ok, lol.

If not... you can have the first "told ya so" and I'll buy you a shot... :)



Glad to hear on those "other" parts too... I'm ready to roll...

Lol... actually, yea.. its been like two years since the thread began! I actually started this build in 2002, so its technically now 9 years overall that I've been working on the car. Completed it first in 2004, then started the build up again in 2005.. so its 6 years on THIS build...

I told Whit, I HAVE to finish the car by DGRR 2012. It'll be the official 10th year of actively building the car, pretty sad really... but oh well, its better than a lot of other addictions, lol.

Yeah... I've been staring at my phone waiting for a call so I can send him lots of monies :D

I've got the MC mounts as well and they're good pieces.... but.... even mine are deformed from years of siting crooked on the Banzia mounts.... (maybe I should add build new mounts to my ever growing list of shit to do? Or maybe just buy them from RPM and save a day) I'm worried that the torque created by the weight of the engine pushing down on the mount and twisting it is going to pull the bolt up and out of the mount. Will it happen? Dunno... can it happen? As long as the car is shiny side up, yeah, I think it has the potential.

I like me some Kamikazies or Baby Guinesses ;)

Oh and fuck this winters over BS... I'm going outside right now to WINTERIZE the FC :rofl:

Soooooo I'm changing it to WE3RX7's NINE year build?

Dude your such an ass!!! :7: I bet you put that in there just so I would waste hours of time looking through all your post and pictures, I have now offically memorized your FC build and I can't figure out what it is:banghead:

Ha... yea, its not in any pics on purpose, lol...

Yea, so.... is it just me, or did front hub eccentric bolts get tighter in the last 5 or so years. This is now the 3rd motor in a row that the "normal" tools wont remove it. Time for some upgrades in the toolset I suppose...

hooray for more tools!

I have a nice impact gun (I think it's 140 ft-lbs)... as well as a breaker bar... and a chain wrench... if you can wait until I come up in may I can always let you borrow them ;)

Bill, if you need any help I can break it or the iron :)

Yea... I think my impact gun is officially worthless now. It didnt even break chris' FB flywheel nut loose and its never had that problem before either.

I need a good impact anyways...


T - chain wrench is cool, but I lock the flywheel down to the engine stand (the patented 2gsl-se "lets just break an iron" method).... I was hanging on the damn breaker bar and my 160lbs ass didn't budge it!

Bill, you need to get the old lady and baby to hang on the breaker bar with you 160lb ain't gonna "get er done"

Funny thing is... went to Chris' place... put a breaker bar on the flywheel and tried holding the front with another bar, his hub bolt came loose, lol.. It seems like the older the motor, the more willing that nut is to come loose...

Oh well, no more engine work til after DGRR anyway...

Yea go figure my fat ass on the front pulley and him on the flywheel and my side came loose. :banghead:

Size matters:
http://www.findtuners.com/forsale/500RonREW.jpg

:biggthumpup:

Making up for something I see ;)

Sure am - your lack of single turbo. I figured I'd need a REALLY big one to balance out the rotary gods...

I think it will work but you may want to hook up the anti-lag feature.
it will win our little dyno day HP challenge though but I will already have boost and be in 3rd gear before you get spooled-up

This is true.... next time you talk to Dave ask him about the time he and Jordan went toe to toe on I78. Dave in a stockish twin turbo and Jordan in his monster single FD. I :lol: everytime and know that I made the right decision.

That sounds like the biggest sexual disappointment ever!! :willy_nilly: