1986 NA build - budget rallycar/road car
 

Let me tell you the story of this car.

some guy bought it in SC drove it for years - very good people, good rotary owners, then the rear rotor went out and it sat in their backyard for years. Around 2005 some guy from Chicago bought it off ebay and brought it home to try and rebuild it and he did a pretty bad job at it and his hack wiring jobs were a pain in the ass to fix amongst the dreaded 3800 hesitiation. So I spent the 1st two years of it fixing the runing issues, lukily I got it for cheap with a bunch of extra parts that I was able to keep/use or sell. So I bought an RB street exhaust for it and AL flywheel and swapped in the 1st gen rx7 13b trans for shorter 1st, 2nd, 3rd and just let her rip! But it looked like this:

http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_i...0027_large.jpg

It also had an atkins rotary rebuild and street port in it with about 55k miles on the rebuild, I drove it an additional 15k miles and the motor went, but were not at that part yet.

http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_i...0024_large.jpg

yes that is black duct tape covering a hole in the hood put in by owner #2 for a cheap air inlet vent thingy.
so I found a new functional vented fiberglass hood for 200 picked up locally then a couple months later later I had a friend of mine from school paint my car:
http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_i...0017_large.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_i...0015_large.jpg

got OEM S2000 sparkling white for 900 dollars with prep work and everything, came out pretty good, jams and all.

http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_i...0013_large.jpg

then the following summer I gave it some class by fixing a bunch of old car problems, worn out bushings, suspension, hydraulics, clutch issues. Also decided to give it an update on the interior went from blue to red with TII seats.

http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_i...0032_large.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_i...0030_large.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_i...0031_large.jpg

Looking good. White FTW.

Where in Illinois are you?

I updated the look of it and lowered the car with some tanabe springs by 1.5" got some lousy offset (+47 or +42) but super lightweight lancer OZ enkei wheels and painted them gave it some tarmac rubber.

I was able to run 15.3 @ 89mph for my best run, 1st time at the drag strip on the s4 NA LSD and 14" pizza cutter tires, I could def get a 15.0 now if the car wasn't awaiting an s5 transplant.

Now it awaits this an s5 NA going megasquirt, have report a throttle body since I had to sell my ported one to buy the motor. Around spring time I will be looking for a set of convertible struts and springs to give it a lift on my phone dials and then I can throw on my current setup for street driving with the 15" wheels/tires with tanabe GF210s on tokico blues.

Going to be making a splash guard out of cutting boards, tough, and flexible enough to withstand some big hits and wont weigh as much as steel, and make some mud flaps out of a used snowmobile tread. I'll post pictures of the motor work so far including cleaning and painting the manifolds. keep posted for updates.

oh and I live by the west suburbs of Chicago in the summer and Upper Lower Peninsula of Michigan during the school year.

Nice. Naperville/Aurora was my stomping grounds for 21 years. I grew up in Sugar Grove, and my parents still live there.

I need to hit you up next time I come back to visit.

Well the car is in Michigan currently and can't move under its own power :(

but I used to work right around Naperville/Aurora area, I have relatives in Aurora - I'm from Geneva.

cutting boards?

Swedish Days FTW!

you know for cutting up vegetables and whatnot on, you use it in the kitchen and they can come in some pretty large sizes if not you can probably find some used ones off craigslist, they are about 1/2" thick typically and can range from 6x10" and larger, easy to cut when you heat a blade up, or the plastic around the cut with mapp gas.

never gave them any thought as far as skid plates. Not sure if they would take a hit

Since they are a complex plastic they have a HUGE plastic range so they allow alot of flex without the sacrifice of strength and will no problem take those small rocks and pebbles not mention a huge rock or a hit it will absorb the impact more than a metal would. AL is usually too thin and is too soft so a big impact from a large rock or bottom out means it could take the shape of the impact or bottom out and if the rock is pointy enough its going to make a perm indentation or flex too much and run the risk of puncturing the oil pan.

Steel works well and you can use thinner steel than AL but its heavier and more expensive than some HD plastic cutting boards.

oh and my car is base + sunroof so I got manual steering and no AC, not a whole lot of weight to my car, which is why Im sticking with the 4 lug, also dont need super huge brakes on gravel.

Made some progress today mostly just sand blasting and beginning painting for the intake manifolds and water pump housing:

http://img386.imageshack.us/img386/6856/dscn0795pd7.jpg

I still have to put some more coats on, just some 5 dollar rattle can w/ ceramic so it may not hold heat out super well but worst case scenario it looks nice lol.

I'll post pics of the coolant stuff and the lower IM when I get pictures of them.

While sandblasting I found a 6" crack around the s5 LIM plenum but putting the s4 LIM up next to it, they look identical so now I gotta sandblast and paint my S4 LIM too.

I'm going to polish off the paint on the UIM portion with lettering and lines so its shiny aluminum looking.

Got a little bit more done today, here is a teaser:

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/8445/dscn0801jb1.jpg

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/8177/dscn0803it6.jpg

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/6378/dscn0799su1.jpg

Got some work today in my cramped space:

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/7da6026222.jpg

started taking out stuff from the engine bay, cleaning and organizing I figure now is the best time to paint the engine bay. My jams were painted when I got the car redone but now you can see the nasty blue underneath

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/ce88b86dde.jpg

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/5c0de85ad5.jpg


get it ready for Megasquirt (If I can get a job over the break) or just get it ready regardless.

Just picked up a few items, pictures later

S5 BAC
S5 alternator
S5 TB w/ TPS

and an extra pair of high imp injectors along with an upper s5 fuel rail with regulator, these were the last of the things I needed before I get this running.


things that are coming soon, s4 injectors rebuilt rebalanced, RB oil pan baffle, MS trans/motor/diff mounts and a bunch of misc gaskets

pictures soon to come

Some of the recent pics didnt show up...

looking good though...

Yeah I used a diff image hoster, gonna change that soon...

Lets try these.

The goal now is test the engine out with s4 electronic system and probably do megasquirt next winter and run the car/collect MS funds.

That thing been sitting for a while under a tree?

You gonna clean up the engine bay? You could even rattle can it flat black or flat white and you'd have 0 blue left :)

actually it was parked under a tree for the months of October to mid November so apparently the leaves fall off the tree around that time, go figure. But anyways its pretty hard to park where I live without being under a tree. Its one of those trees that has sticky small leaves, sucks but it will get a good bath when its up and running.

I plan on cleaning the engine bay with degreasers and brushes and what not, thats why I got all the stuff out the way then rattle can it white to match the rest of the car.

When I had the car painted they also did my door and hatch jams, and you can see the fenders themselves were painted off the car which is why it looks so good and you can see the top part of the fender portion under the hood is also white.

soon you won't be able to tell that this car was blue, which will be sweet. the engine bay is just nasty so I cant wait to clean it up even if its gonna be getting dirty with mud and whatnot :D

Sounds good. White is probably a better choice as you'll detect leaks easier. Everybody jumps to black because it masks stains better and is easy to spray flat from a can, lol.

Looking forward to the pics...

Christmas came today for the rx7!

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-...3401131_62.jpg

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-...401132_408.jpg

got a few more pieces to the puzzle, higher output s5 alt for my e-fans or for a possible lightbar in the future.

Missing fuel rail that I need to use the s5 manifolds and now I got an extra set of s5 NA injectors now

S5 BAC, not sure if I can use my s4 one so I'd figure I'd have it anyways

got an s5 TB with the TPS that I will begin to dismantle and then port & polish the sucker.

I will still port and polish that s4 TB so if anyone is interested in it, let me know - we can work something out I'm sure

I would have had more pictures and updates but some mother fucker stole my laptop with my SD card inside of it.

but now its more throttle body porting and intake manifold gasket/port matching

I will also be making my own inserts for the 6pt.

I have a friend machining me a hub extender for my aftermarket wheel/hub combo so my knuckles don't hit the cruise/turn signals anymore

got a rear counterweight on the way and just got my OMP block of plate kit in along with my injectors coming back from cleaning and balancing. but after reading the report of them I probably didn't need to have them done but it really cant hurt and now I don't have to worry about them.

pictures soon to come, when I can find a new SD card. Everything is slowly being put together

some updates, got some shit installed some other stuff painted and cleaned, port/gasket matched the intake manifold and I am almost done with the porting and polishing of the TB, it should be up and running in the car (with a white engine bay to match the painted white exterior) within a couple weeks.

but this is where the engine is now mostly all assembled....

MY CLOSET!

now I just needs motor/trans mounts, fluids, misc hose or two and my roommate to make me an RPM switch.

Be careful with that paint. I used the duplicolor hi-heat ceramic stuff, I don't know if it has to cure, didn't say anything on the can, but I was able to take it off with a passing brush of a choke-clean soaked rag. Needless to say I was dissapointed.

Only flat black though. If you're doing a full paint job, black tends to show all your sins

If you need some S4 parts, lemme know. I've got TONS and will let most of them go for shipping plus a few $.

Yeah you have to wait a week for that paint to cure and you want to do all your coats within 10 minute intervals, it does wipe off pretty easily in some areas where I don't have good enough coat, I gotta touch it up.

I painted the engine bay rattle can style white to match the car, now you can only see the factory blue if you look underneath or take out the carpet :D

thanks for the offer TT but I got all the parts I need now :D well I may need new belts but thats cake.

here is some shots!

working on the motor in my closet:
http://profile.ak.facebook.com/v225/...04644_6583.jpg

can you say SOLID MOUNTS!
http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos...3520979_n.jpgp

okay they aren't bolted in or anything there but you get the idea, and yeah I used that 500 degree paint on the trans too, when in rome lol.

and whats that? you want more well how bout solid engine mounts! all of these were made for free for me by a friend made out of a2 tool steel (strong stuff)
http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._6770865_n.jpg
http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._2777588_n.jpg

I managed to also port/gasket match all the intake manifolds and the RPM switch is on the way, almost done being built but I got my electric airpump from meijer for 7.50! so I got two, one for the car for emergency tire etc and one for the VDI/aux ports. I gotta get shots of the throttle body, had to port another one since I sold my last one and I got an S5 one I still gotta do yet...

I should post up shots of the TBs I ported for my roommate and his LS1 T/A WS6 - came out sexxxxxy

what it looks like before it went in almost aseembled
http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._6231999_n.jpg

some recent shots
http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._8320463_n.jpg
http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos...61_18249_n.jpg

everything is in there and 99% wired up but I have a big short to ground and I think its at the starter...

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._2261530_n.jpg
since I had to take it out get the motor in I decided to 2000 degree ceramic coat it

okay got it started, took some deflooding and new plugs and fixing some vacuum leaks and I still have a big one at the LIM so tomorrow it should come in and right now it runs and starts but I have to give it gas so it doesn't stall.

update, its in and it runs and drives awesome, higher compression is cool but stock ports is kinda lame.

things left to do.

decide if I want to use 100% water for coolant

make RPM switch for VDI/aux ports

install RPM switch and electric airpump setup

get a new e-fan from jyard and wire it up

Looks good. :icon_tup:

I'm going to be doing the same swap pretty soon, is there anything beyond the obvious that I should be aware of?

forget swapping the front cover just go premix and block that shit off. saves you goofing up the bearing and buying a new gasket and etc.

use the S4 waterpump/wp housing because you can take it off without taking off the main pulley.

get an aftermarket water temp gauge because the stock gauge is garbage and the stock senders are different (different threads and signals)

put gas in the tank, mine didn't run for a few days because of this lol.

other than that its pretty simple.

god damn this is old...

that engine is long since dead.

updates!

know what that is?
http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/5202/dscn1046d.jpg
its porting templates!

so I got more practice lapping and began practice porting, fun mistakes happened and etc.

looks like this:
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/795/dscn1040.jpg

and the housings are now painted!
http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/1670/dscn1041s.jpg
front cover is primed and I sanded off the 13b mazda on the housings, looks cool.

thats the engine build table, so thats what the engine will look like, black and blue sandwich plates

http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/9923/dscn1047.jpg
soft seals for rebuild from rotary aviation (more aircraft grade RE stuff)
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/387/dscn1048.jpg
and the good/reusable hard seals/springs, rotary aviation apex seals

there is an excess of seals and springs and within spec from tearing down sooo many motors.

I should probably just build a 2nd motor....

updates!

ported the exhaust housings and put in turbo exhaust inserts, nice and flow friendly :)

ported vs stock port with the inserts out
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/20/dscn1052w.jpg


cleaned up, inserts in
http://img138.imageshack.us/i/dscn1075x.jpg
http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/4651/dscn1076b.jpg
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/7035/dscn1075n.jpg

much better than this:
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/183/73005843.jpg
they put those in the NA ones for noise suppression, more like exhaust restriction...

megasquirt is on the way as well as some rebuild gaskets.

MARCH OF 2010

spring break 2010~!

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/5544/dscn1117p.jpg

fully assembled in the kitchen/living room (small place)
http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/6996/roomd.jpg
and yes my roommates and I like to party...

Megasquirt2 vb3 w/ goodies for ignition and fuel? hrmmmm okay lets give it a shot
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5257857_n.jpg


but the engine is in the car mounted up fluid filled and etc.

but the body harness is shot which makes things impossible at times...

so with coincidentally I needed a new gauge cluster I decided to finish the wood theme...
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2198260_n.jpg
Fuel level, h20 temp, oil pressure, tach, wideband. (KISS - keep it stoopid simple)
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5132182_n.jpg
sicc, right? I thought so :P GO WOOD OR GO HOME LOL!

long story short I have a history of bad luck with electronics so I decided to go this route instead. (and STILL with a bad body harness)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._1215253_n.jpg
Mikuni 44 PHH racing carb

current engine bay:
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/168...1006191040.jpg

current driving condition of rally vehicle.
http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/2...1006190306.jpg

2 KC 100W spotters and 2 KC 100W fogs, turns night into day and makes it seem that God is coming down your street.


next step/pre ice racing season work:

turbo drivetrain and brake swap from this donor car:
BEFORE-ish
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._4166102_n.jpg
AFTER
http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/2249/gone.jpg

powder coating rear suspension, powdercoating front LCAs, powdercoating rear wheel uprights, reinforce diff, poly suspension/diff bushings.

started on it already but I have ALOT more work to do including replace bearings/bushings:
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/6...0906145530.jpg
mount studded snow tires on factory turbo wheels
(pics soon to come)

but most importantly REWIRE CHASSIS! clean up the gawdy engine bay wiring as well as remove the useless wires that are in the car doing nothing.

YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS!!!!

well not black and yellow but more like green and blue!

Getting the car ready for ice racing! although the season already started I got this done to it.
http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/1889/rear1.jpg

things you may not notice....
poly bushings in the blue swing arms
mazdaspeed front diff mount

http://img813.imageshack.us/img813/8159/rear2.jpg

more things you may not notice....
KYB AGX adjustable struts (all 4 corners)
mazdatrix adjustable endlinks (all 4 corners)
stainless brake lines (all 4 corners)
rear toe steer eliminator delrin bushings
new wheel bearings

things you may notice
no more 4 lug!
turbo2 drivetrain!!!! (beefy)

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/9033/rear34.jpg

ebay/china special on brake rotors/pads:

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/9...0126235920.jpg

it sounds more like a snowmobile with the studded tires on the road...

sh*t just got reeeeel

Picked up new gravel tires and wheels (pics to come later)
http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/6378/imag0119sh.jpg
http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/7527/imag0127ge.jpg
http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/1014/imag0118r.jpg

rhino lined the interior

TIRES!, 25 of them! (organized group buy)
http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/8171/imag0084ty.jpg
http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/6238/imag0077tx.jpg
http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/6285/imag0078rj.jpg


Just finished re doing the engine bay, stripped and gutted. Just finishing the rewiring this week.
perma sleepy eye setup to come next week, no more bulky motors and pop up system.

Folded aluminum dash and AL door panels in the near future, before the end of August.

until then, I am bored at work:
http://img814.imageshack.us/img814/677/imag0124w.jpg

UPDATES!
July rallycross ended on the 21st, this August's was on the 20th, got the entire rewire and re interior and underhood (except lighting) done in a months time :)

rewired done! (pre-passenger seat)
[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/59/imag0151xt.jpg/]http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/4349/imag0151xt.jpg

work in progress at TRF
www.thompsonracingfabrication.com
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/2576/imag0163a.jpg
http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/5008/imag0175qg.jpg

and new headlamps:
[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/204/imag0187v.jpg/]http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/8070/imag0187v.jpg

Wow. Massive update!

There is more on the end of page two, I just forgot to update this lol. Last update was winter of 2010 on this build.

Are you still in Illinois? If so I'd love to come check it out when I up there around the first of the year.

ebay/china special on brake rotors/pads:
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/9...0126235920.jpg

I have the same, they actually hold up well, coating and all.

naw im in detroit.

yeah but the pads are crap, I have shit stopping distance, I swear it had better brakes at 4 lug.

they are organic after all. no air in the system, new master all bled properly.

Yeah, that'll do it. At least get some semi-metallic if not ceramic.

Why You Truck Liner on Inside?










BECAUSE RACE CAR








Looks good man... I have a soft spot for rally FCs..

heyyy have you weighed it?

no, but I need too.

found the original window sticker from it and it was delivered at 2685lbs (originally a 2+2 with sunroof and AC)