First day out in the RX-7...holy crap..Rev'd on FIVE TIMES...WTF?

[ArchangelX]

Man...

I took the RX-7 out for a nice little drive to go tire/brake/suspension/bushing shopping and to search around for some rotary specialists.

I got revved on a total of FIVE TIMES in a 5 hour period. :wtf:

3 were riced out Civics(all hatches slammed on stock rims riced out..some not riced out), one was a Buick GN, and another was a Ford Windstar.

:AF: Three of the cars were on the other side of the road :AF:

It's fugging 60 degrees out, slick roads...and people are either giving me dirty eyed looks, reving on me, pointing, or gawking at the rear end.

With the tires practically bald, I didn't even try anything nor was I going to, but what the hell's up with that?

I noticed a few quirks in the car that are gonna drive me batty if I don't get them fixed...the antenna is crappy..and has hardly no reception. It must have a loose connection or is nonexistant. Also, with the bald tires in RAIN (I was driving slow), when you get a little agressive on the throttle, the car slides more than turns. Freaky. I set off the alarm again on accident again this morning.

*whew* What a friggin' day...

I'm getting new tires and a complete brake overhaul tomorrow, so that should make me feel a little bit better about driving it.

Either way, I think I'm gonna stick to driving the Celica around until I can get the RX-7 up to standards.

[CelicaLicious]

when did you get an RX7? did i miss a post? is it turbo!

well good luck with it.. as much as people bad mouth the rotary for not being reliable, i havent heard of any people that i know of having any major porblems.. but who knows..

[ArchangelX]

Oh..um..check the tail end of my long drawn out battle with the Supra TT.

http://www.newcelica.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=51115


It's a 1993 RX-7 TT with 90k. I plan on putting some major money into getting the car back up to specs (suspension, engine rebuild, tranny rebuild). All in all though..I'll end out about anywhere from 10 to 20k less than what I'd spend on a stock Supra TT. :D

Anyways, I like the RX-7 much better as far as fit and finish goes. Plus it's cheaper. A helluva lot less power (255hp), but it's also 600 pounds lighter.

So far, I'm loving it, and it's actually got things that need to be fixed...which means once I fix them, I'll be in heaven. :thumbup:

The stereo kicks ass though...omfg..I'm in love lol..I used to have 12's in the back of my Corolla..but this thing isn't just 12's it's the whole enchilada...an Infinity sound system.

[2002GT_Celica]

Sounds like fun. Enjoy the new car. :thumbup:

[ishido]

I think people badmouth rotary reliability because they don't give any margin of error. Try to make it do more than it can handle... you'll blow one of the seals and that's that.

From what I've generally read, relocating or upgrading the intercooler should help w/ one of the turbos overheating (or kicking out hot air). Out of the box, the RX7 is very fast and if I had one I'd do much less w/ the straight line speed and more w/ suspension (if anything at all really).

Congrats on having one of the best handling factory cars out there. :) I'd love to have one, but I'm on a daily driver.

[Chiznarles]

archange, i just spent the last hour reading your whole story about trying to get a supra.. and i must say i think you made the wise choice. I agree that the RX-7 looks better than the supra inside and out. I like smaller cars.. and since that supra would've put u back 42G's that would be way too difficult to handle.

Someone posted about following your dream.. thats fine and all, but if you have to eat jumbo jacks every day for the next 6 years.. i'd say that dream kinda sucks..

anyway, congrats on getting your rx-7.. i kinda want one now that i read all your praises about it, but i need something reliable and good for daily driving.. i guess i'm keeping my celica for another 3 years or so.. (in 1 year exactly it will be all paid off!!!)

[Ntence99]

yeah good luck with the rx 7 ..some of the most impressive lokkkin cars when done right imo

[Orion Pax]

Sweet. Congrats on the RX-7. :thumbup:

[ArchangelX]

THANKS SO MUCH GUYS...I appreciate your support. At first..it was a hard decision, but after late night discussions with my wife, I knew it was just so much better to go with the RX-7.

Because of this, I'm already ready to buy all of this within the next week with some of it already bought:

And actually..the suspension is the first thing being done. :p

I've already ordered an N-Tech Suspension Bushing set (fuggin' 750 bucks :AF: ) and a Eibach Comp Sway bar set. (I might have to buy toe links).

Tomorrow, I'm putting Sumitomo HTR+'s on the stock rims, and a complete brake job if necessary (don't know if it's just the pads or the whole system that needs replacement.).

Once I figure out which is going to be the best setup, I'm ordering either Tein HA Coilovers with pillow mounts, or Konig Yellows and H&R springs. I've got to do a bit more research, I want a soft comfortable ride on the street, but easily tuned for the track.

Next after that is the Cusco D Front and Rear Strut bars.

Hopefully, I can get all of this installed in the next two weeks. I'll have to wait on the rebuild till next year, due to Cork Sport being full.

What's better, coilovers or a shock/spring combo? :confused:

[CelicaLicious]

sounds sweet.. corksport is really slow, they make/sell some parts for the miata and it takes a while to get any service but they do have good products!

i would love to have gotten an RX-7 but i just cant afford the time to rebuild it if needed..

as far as your springs combo, you have to weigh out your options.. are you going to road race, and autox this thing? or just drive spiritedly on the street? i was gonna go for the tein on my celi, but i dont do any of the above i just want a better handling car, so i am going to get thge hotchkis and some KYB's...

[ArchangelX]

Well...

I probably won't race THAT much...not like every weekend..but I do want a car that can handle, but when I want to drive on the street, I want it to be slightly comfortable (the stock suspension is already kinda jolting over some bumps).

I can't figure out what's better, coilovers or a strut/spring.

Strut and spring is cheaper though. :p The Koni Yellows are slightly adjustable..with three different settings soft to hard so it's not too limiting compared to a regular combo.

[Griffin]

Dude - don't second guess yoruself, the RX7 TT is a fuggin AWSOME car. I think everyone knows I'm liek a fanatical Toyota loyalist. And I LOVE my Alltrac, but a RX7 TT as clean as yours I would actually consider trading it for. Those cars are awsome, and they are a true drivers car.

Oh - heres a thought on your rebuild, call Pettit Racing in Ft. Lauderdale. See how much it would cost for them to just build you a crate motor and ship it. When I lived down there they were THE top RX-7 prep guys in the southeast in the SCCA. They had some hella sick stuff, and always made big power on a road track (plus their cars consistently kicked my boss's ass in his 280 and he was cheating like crazy)

[ArchangelX]

Yes..I've heard about Pettit...alot of people really recommend them for their quality work.

But Pineapple is closer, and they actually warranty their work for 5 years, plus they're recommended just as much as Pettit. Thanks for the suggestion though, as I'll keep it in mind if Pineapple can't do the job.

I'm just trying to avoid paying huge shipping fees...they're located in Portland, OR which is only a two hour drive from here. :thumbup:

I haven't seen TOO much of the RX-7's potential yet, as it's raining here right now, and the car honestly needs some new tires (you can't see the tread in the middle ). :AF: But I do intend to pretty soon.

By the way..how does this sound for a suspension setup?

Koni Struts - 3 -way adjustable
H&R Springs
N-Tech bushings
Eibach Competition Sway Front & Rear
Rotormotorsports Trailing Arms
Rotormotorsports Toe Links
Cusco D-Shape Shaft
FEED Rear Strut Tower Bar

Whew...that's about $3000 bucks right there..but it'll be done right if I get it all..what's better..to do it all at one time and work out the kinks? Or to do it piece by piece...install would kill me I think if I did it piece by piece. :wtf:

[buckeye23]

Dude, congrats on the RX-7. There are couple beauties here in C-bus that make me drooool every time I see 'em. If I could, I'd trade my Celica in in a heart beat for one.

[ArchangelX]

They're pretty damn cheap...$10,000 for an RX-7, plus another $3000 for a rebuild engine, another $1000 for a tranny...voila..instant heartbreaker (umm..plus some incidentals).

After reading around, I see that there's alotta guys that own more than one...I can see why.

[CKMKIV]

That is one sweet car. But a pain in the ass to work on sometimes. If you ever have to replace the ignition coils, you will know what I am talking about. But it was a good experience none the less. My best friend is throwing in a single into his. But he isn't the mechanically inclined type so he has taken a long hard road with upgrading the RX-7 and all the troubles too. I would have to say your main issue is heat. As long as the 7 doesn't over heat, it will be as reliable as any car out there. What ever mod's you do to the engine/tranny just keep a good eye on the temp gauge. And a pointer, the temp gauge that comes stock is crap. You might want to invest in your own seperate temp gauge that is much more accurate than the stock one. Have fun and enjoy.

[Kry]

all time japanese sports car best handling car STOCK!

[ArchangelX]

Thanks for the suggestions..I take everyone of them to heart. :thumbup:

Actually, I plan on replacing the stock temp and oil pressure gauge, plus a boost gauge since the RX-7 doesn't even COME with one ( WTF? :wtf: ).

The reliability mods will be FMIC, new radiator, downpipe, deletion of the AST and precat, plus a hose job.

Not too cheap..but worth it. After reading the forums, these mods are the ones that turn the RX-7 into a reliable, safe, and FUN car.

Too bad they didn't come from the factory like that. :(

[Zuldane]

man I busted out laughing when I read "Ford Windstar"

[atehrani]

Don't go all crazy with suspension mods. The RX-7 is very capable out of the box. I would first do a lot of realibility upgrades first, it will save you a lot of headache in the future.

If you're going to get the motor rebuilt or purchase a new one, you may wish to opt to get it re-ported (intake and exhaust port). Similar to getting the head ported on a piston type motor. This will help if you wish to get 300+hp out of it, otherwise, don't.

It all depends on what type of machine you wish to make, but you may also want to think about switching to a single turbo, instead of the complicated twin-turbo setup in the RX-7. If you do wish to stick with the twin, then make sure to replace all of the vacuum hoses to silicon, as the rubber types easily become brittle under the high temperatures and can cause boost creep.

If you do choose to get aftermarket intakes, then you should seriously consider a fuel controller (or even a stand alone, such as PowerFC). As fuel delivery is very important in a rotary. Remember a solidary ping and it's dead.

Lastly, this cannot be stressed enough, upgrade the intercooler. Heat is your main enemy in a rotary and the stock setup is very poor. Most rotary failures are due to overheating.

Make sure to replace your motor oil more frequently and do not use synthetic.

Congrats on a very fine choice, I would take an RX-7 over a Supra any day. Rotaries are much more reliable than piston motors, they just need to be treated a little differently.

[ArchangelX]

Dude..I was WONDERING why noone noticed that...the sucker had mag wheels, a fart pipe, and it was a beater!!!

I almost lost it when I looked over, it was some guy that looked like he just finished ripping engines out or something...bandana, dirty face, bla bla.

I just kinda gave him a blank :wtf: look.

LOL...Of course, those did come with a 3.0 liter V6. :p

[Hungster]

dang i wanted a nice rx7 good job! go for the suspension that what i went for in my celi and cant wait till i get it.

[ArchangelX]

atehrani..that's pretty much my plan...I'm doing the suspension currently because I HAVE to replace the bushings in the front. They're SHOT to hell and make horrible clunking noises. After 90,000 miles that's to be expected though.

I figure it'll be cheaper to just have the whole damn thing done at one time...Does that make sense?

I've been doing ALOT of research on the car, and what you listed is exactly what needs to be done. Have you worked on one before or something?

The engine will receive a mild streetport..I've talked to Rob at Pineapple Racing already about what would be nice for a fast, streetable car...I'm not looking for a 10 sec monster...mid 11 to 12s are good enough for me.

I'm just waiting for a reliable rotary specialist to pop their heads up outta the woodworks, so I can get some of these things done.

I think I can handle the FMIC, but some of the other things like the hose job seem a little too much for me right now. I'll see once I get a little more in depth into the car.

I've gotta purchase the factory repair manuals, too...

[CelicaLicious]

i actually went on autotrader and looked at some RX-7's.. oh god.. 15K its so tempting!

[Spec GTS]

wow where have i been? anyways good choice and congrats on a bad ass car

[ArchangelX]

Here's a link to show you how cheap a rebuild would be for a stock motor with a 2yr/24k warranty or a 5yr/60k warranty.

http://www.pineappleracing.com/PricelistSvcs.html

Most people that are just staying stock go for the 2 year rebuild for $1995...and a tranny rebuild would cost you another $500 plus parts if new ones are needed. This doesn't include install, plus you might want to get the turbos replaced, plus do the reliability mods if they're not already done.

There are some nice ones out there, for reals...the one that only had 60k miles on it already had a rebuild, and it was strong as hell, plus handled awesome, but the paint was shot (hood chips dents, little old in the interior). :(

Oh..and for those of you haven't seen it yet..here's the pics:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid38/p2177bd5abbdcdb32f44e62e74c45c4cb/fd12f38f.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid38/p6228da56f2130fe6f6ddab829b2b55aa/fd12f38d.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid38/p08301587c039dfffaa6a1595ebde5506/fd12f38a.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid38/p2bfe8977581384eecace8fd4601268af/fd12f388.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid38/p24ac101fd34cf55c2dc8de42dea7f98a/fd12f385.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid38/p02cf85f22a30d2330fd5e964059c4d67/fd12f374.jpg

[ArchangelX]

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid38/p996c93490cf4e609ee98a76df3668cf7/fd12f36c.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid38/pcd620f7d4b3e5e6ee90c4fe1b8083675/fd12f36a.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid38/pc794eaf2e855e85f014a5ebf78e76b6a/fd12f366.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid38/pb286fef7a3812ce63137eb5bc6a5ad7b/fd12f360.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid38/pa7b3fa09d62c929ffe0b99d2935eea67/fd12f350.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid38/p51ce89d7063c4587ef6a7107c5a79666/fd12f347.jpg


Thanks for the compliments, guys...You've made me feel ALOT better about missing out on that Supra (Hey..I did want one for a short time, and it's still the holy grail, although a VERY expensive one.)

[atehrani]

Originally posted by ArchangelX
...Have you worked on one before or something?...

I was very close to purchasing one myself. It was a 1993 RX-7 R1, red. I even had cash on hand that day, but a check on the repair costs, quicky turned me away. As good as the RX-7 is, it isn't a good daily driver. So I opted to get the Celica instead.

Because of that I did the same research that you did and I gained a lot of information, plus an associate of mine owns an RX-7 as well. Hope that answers your question.

[atehrani]

Here are the pics of the vehicle (that could have been mine).

http://home.san.rr.com/atehrani/roxanne/Dsc00001.jpg

http://home.san.rr.com/atehrani/roxanne/Dsc00002.jpg

http://home.san.rr.com/atehrani/roxanne/Dsc00003.jpg

http://home.san.rr.com/atehrani/roxanne/Dsc00004.jpg

http://home.san.rr.com/atehrani/roxanne/Dsc00005.jpg

http://home.san.rr.com/atehrani/roxanne/Dsc00006.jpg

http://home.san.rr.com/atehrani/roxanne/Dsc00007.jpg

http://home.san.rr.com/atehrani/roxanne/Dsc00008.jpg

http://home.san.rr.com/atehrani/roxanne/Dsc00001.jpg

[ArchangelX]

Ah...Ya know..I talked to quite a few owners of RX-7s...questioning them about how reliable they REALLY ARE?

I myself was scared of the idea of buying a rotary. Turns out, it depends totally on what you do with it. If you do the reliability mods, take care of it, don't drive it like you stole it, and do all your mods with consideration to the limits of the car, it's just as reliable as any other SPORTS car.

The bad stuff happens when people just add mods carelessly without paying attention to the limits of the stock engine. The ECU in the rotary apparently JUST isn't made to handle or accept modifications. Hell....you could ping your car just by adding a full exhaust system, simply because boost creep is a severe possibility.

If anything...the car I purchased is a PERFECT example of how RELIABLE a rotary can be if treated right..

The car has been going for NINETY THOUSAND MILES ON STOCK EVERYTHING. Even the clutch is the original factory clutch. :AF:

I did a full background check of the car as far as all warranty work since 1993. A couple of recalls for changes, and that's IT.

That's what sealed it for me...I think that people are just scared because they don't know anything about the car, and just do stupid things to make it blow up.

Why would a car last 90k if it was unreliable? Hell..this car is still going strong although it does need some work...but what 90k car doesn't?

[ArchangelX]

By the way...THAT RX-7 IS NICE!!! Dayam..I woulda bought that sucker in a heartbeat.

Most of the people on the RX-7 forums are like really mechanically inclined. There are guys on the board that are actually MAKING stuff for the cars, such as high flow oil plates, diffusers (sp?), bushings, HID headlights (really neat ass coool looking ones), and crazy stuff like that.

It's impressive...this car is a mechanic's dream.

[NeSyO03]

LoL, did u expect people to look away when they had a beautiful RX-7 right in front of them? ;)

[ArchangelX]

Well...er...umm...I guess it just kinda surprised me a little.

It IS a 1993 after all..I didn't think it would be that big a' deal... :p

Kinda nice though...reminded me of when I'm in the Celica. :chuckles:

[Orion Pax]

:drool:

I like how you can hide your subs. That's awesome. :thumbup:

[Bobbeh]

I dont get anyone revving at me, they know not to bother :D

[Jesse IL]

Beautiful man, beautiful. If you did the '99 JDM front end conversion, it would be amazing! I've always really liked Sport Compact Car's Project RX-7. Seems like they have put alot of thought into making the car a reliable performer. You should definitely check out all their articles on their car.

[afghan]

It was the car I wanted back in 1995, bad!

I had to settle for a Z28 LT1 6spd.

I was looking for the R1 RX7.

Just watch out for overheating or your motor is screwed.

[F35-JSF]

They probably want to see what your running under the hood. Or it was the friendly rev of approval.

[HilfigerCelica]

When you gonna take me for a ride Mike?

[ArchangelX]

Yepz...I like the hidden subs too...freaked me out, cuz I didn't even know they were there, and then he turned the MP3 up..and I was like..WOAH..where's that coming from? :thumbup:

Afghan, nuttin' wrong wit a lil' domestic love..lol....

And yes..I just realized SCC had an RX-7 build up car...I was going through my mags last night and ran across it. I've got the last issue, heh...

Does anyone know if I can get back issues somewhere online?

Hil, when you grow a chest and get some gams. :p

[HilfigerCelica]

Go to the project car section of SportCompactCar's website and you'll see all the articles on the RX7. Here's the link:

http://sportcompactcarweb.com/projectcars/

[ArchangelX]

Thanks...duh...I kinda figured that..I was just being lazy. :wtf:

[ArchangelX]

Welps...the car passed emissions with flying colors...so somethings gotta be right with the car. :D

I was paranoid it wouldn't pass because everything on the car(except for belts, brakes yadda yadda) is original OEM equipment.

I asked the serviceman how it did, and he was like "Great condition for a 93".

:thumbup:

[Pure Racer]

Hey Mike, are you gonna go to the meet at Jerry's house?

[ArchangelX]

Woah..didn't know of one..lemme check it out, NW forum right?

[Jesse IL]

Dude, go to that SEMA thread and get that hood off the RX-7 with the ProCarParts windshield banner. I love that hood, it would be so tuff with the JDM '99 front end.

[uansari]

Originally posted by Jesse IL
Dude, go to that SEMA thread and get that hood off the RX-7 with the ProCarParts windshield banner. I love that hood, it would be so tuff with the JDM '99 front end.

:werd: I was going to say that too...

All those cars look tyte...

Usman

[ArchangelX]

I'm not feeling it too much..I think I'd have to see it in person..I'm a pretty conservative guy when it comes to body kits.

Have ya'll seen the R.E. Anemiya one?

[ishido]

dammit, quit posting FD3S pics! You're making me reconsider my daily driver comment and will make go get one :P

[ArchangelX]

Would you like to upsize your combo for $15k? :p

To be honest, I could probably afford to keep my Celica, but I have a hard enough time trying to find parking as it is. :(

[Karim]

http://www.tripointengineering.com

nuff said, i autocross with that black and purple 7 on that page and theo nly thing i can say is wow. Yes for those who know autocrossing it was driven by ren and shunna marinus and won a pro solo and solo2 natil championchip long ago before going to the current owner.

also on the suspensio note if you decide to go with the tein flex's you can also run teins new edfc which lets you adjust the suspension while in the car. Great little toy, i got a chance to play with it at sema today. http://www.tein.com/edfc.html

best of luck with your new toy
Karim

[inline4]

What's up Karim.. If he wants to autocross... SCCA doesn't allow in car control of suspension.

[Karim]

I know I want to have a great overall car I can use for anything so if that means I do one small mod like a boost controller or adjustable suspension to become a better at the drag strip and road course too, I dont' care if i get thrown into a preppared class and get spanked by someone who has a 50k race car. I'm having a great time autocrossing and my car will still be good down the drag strip and I can adjust it for the road course. The 7 is a very nimble car and has tons of options. It can be made itno one amazing overall street performer.

If you mena incar control for suspension isn't allowed at autocrosses at all, well I really doubt anyone would call you on it. Espically if your in a region like ours which is very lienent into letting people be put into classes they aren't supposed to be in. Vegas region is odd, we're more likely a family than a bunch of competitors who consider each other enemies like in many regions.

Karim

[inline4]

lol, yeah I can tell by reading some of the things about other forums.

[ArchangelX]

*blinks*

So you're saying SCCA is rigged!!! BLASPHEMER!!! HOW WILL I EVER COMPETE!!!

:wtc:

[Ntence99]

glad to hear u passed emissions

[ArchangelX]

No shiat..I was sweating..I suppose that's a good thing, right? Doesn't that mean the state of tune for the engine is acceptable?

I'm definetly sure my precat is shot...the car is quite sluggish compared to the one I drove the other night (still fairly decent though).

Also, Karim, thanks for the link...I still haven't bought my suspension yet...I've heard good things about those guys. :thumbup:

I didn't know you auto-x'd Mazdas?

[Karim]

Originally posted by ArchangelX


I didn't know you auto-x'd Mazdas?

I don't but I hang around with too many mazda owners and have driven a few 7's, tons of miatas, and a protoge or 2. I'd really like to pick up a mazdaspeed protoge but hey that'd mean giving up the future s2k and hey that's not happening. Right now i'm sitll in my little auto gt :)

side note: we hung out at the mazdaspeed booth for a while today at sema and the new protoge is an very sweet car out of the box. The sound system was suburb, the seats were great, and the shifter feel and interior is awesome. Anyone who is thinking about getting rid of their celica for another FWD car I highly reccomend you go take a look at the new mazda speed protoge and throw a deposit down on it. For 20k it will be a very very tough car to beat.

Karim

[CKMKIV]

Talking about the Windstar trying to take you on. When my best friend picked up his 7 he was driving around college station, tx at the time. He was feeling good and thinking he had a bad ass car. Then comes up the Big Brown Battle Axe. This beat out buick grand national comes up side by side and revves on my friend. My best friend looks over with the perplexed what the hell look and figures ahh that he could take the battle axe on any day. Haa I don't know what the hell the guy done to his stage 3 v6 in that damn Grand National, but he smoked my friends 7. It's kind of like reality being slapped back into perspective. Actually it was funnier than hell. Cause he didn't know what the hell had happened.

Anyway's the silver is quite nice on that car. Take care all.

[ArchangelX]

Hehehe...ya...GNz can be plain NASTY... :thumbup:

Do you have a Supra, by chance? *blink blink*