just got my first rx7, lovin it!!!

[drive_4_thrills]

Hi im just signing up to the rx7 world of info. i picked up my RX-7 GSL SE from the original owner in great condition. im not to worried about making it fast right now as i have other projects to go fast but what i do need is a car that will slide around corners so suspension will be first lol. i do every thing on my vw gti vr6 from bumper to bumper so soon i will get the rx7 up to par. well ima do some more researching so if you have any questions just ask cuz i indeed ask around to figure stuff out thanks...Daniel:driving:

[RotorDad]

Welcome to the site.

[Phoenix7]

welcome and feel free to ask anything you need help with...just please for the love of GOD don't stretch and poke the 7!

Pics of your rides?

[Kentetsu]

Welcome aboard! When you are ready to start on the suspension work, feel free to hit me up for advice. I've taken my own '85 GS from a slug to a CSP Miata Eater over the past few years, so I can help you avoid some of the mistakes I made along the way. :)

Congrats on finding a car of that year in good shape!







.

[drive_4_thrills]

well cant seem to get pics up but thanks to youtube makes it easier for you guts to check out my ride. This car has been a great up grade from my miata and cant wait to tear them apart in auto cross. Kentetsu i love your ride man, re-speed set up like yours is defiantly on my wish list :icon_tup:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91pG1iNWpgk

[Phoenix7]

nice burnout!

[drive_4_thrills]

nice burnout!
rite on there will be more of that coming soon lol mabe after this weekend. my gti vr6 gets most of the abuse :beatdeadhorse5:

[Viperx7]

Welcome to the Club.

[Max777]

...just please for the love of GOD don't stretch and poke the 7!
Ok, first of all, this bugs me. Phoenix, you're a good guy, but you need to stop telling people what to do.

I know you might not like something, but don't go dis-owning a fellow rotary guy just because of something like that. you can complain,but dont try to force your opinion onto others because you dont understand or dissagre with someone's style. As a new member, I dont want someone to feel pressured into doing or not doing certain modifications just because they feel their club wont approve... this happens on a lot of forums, and I don't want this one to end up like that.

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Anyway, welcome to the forum, glad to have you here with us!

If you like to slide around, I would recommend picking up an FC. The first gens are old, harder to mod, and good examples are hard to find. FC is cheaper, easier to find parts for, and there's a ton of them left.

To make an FC handle and "slide around corners", you need:

coilovers, 1000
rear camber links 250
2way diff 1000
a decent clutch 400
bucket seat 350

done....

Now, that's $3,000 in hard parts, all of which are bolt on and require no fab work. After an alignment, this setup will handle great right out of the box. You can add some wheels and good rubber when you learn the limits of the car, and you'll be set.


BUT....

If you really want to mod the first gen, you still have options, it's just harder to do.

Stock the car is pretty slow, has terrible steering, and there isn't much out there as far as real suspension. RE Speed makes coil overs, but they are pretty expensive, and then you still got the shitty steering, and crap brakes.

What you coul do, is swap over an FC front subframe.

Basically, this replaces the entire front suspension and steering system, and almost drops right in. All you really need to do is re-weld the subframe mounting bolts in a different spot, and you'll be set. You'll instantly have awesome brakes, 5 lug hubs, awesome steering, and the ability to use FC front coilovers.

The only problem is, WTF do you do about the back end? It's a solid axle, so maybe a Ford 9 inch with an LSD? Again lots of fab work.

Now, the next issue would be the engine.... Even a stock S4 13B is heaps better than a 12a, and if you want to go turbo later, that's easily done too.

I guess what I'm trying to tell you is, that without dropping a ton of money and time on the first gen, dont expect too much out of it. It's a great car for what it is, but it takes twice as much money to make it do what newer cars can do with half.

Here's a thread with a guy that's done it all to an FB:

http://www.rotarycarclub.com/rotary_forum/showthread.php?p=124304#post124304

Pretty much what I just listed... also had prices for stuff too.

[Phoenix7]

:lol: max...I believe I PLEADED for him to not fuck up his car by doing the current attention-whore fad...That hardly qualifies as telling him what to do or disowning him. Take a step back and don't be so defensive. If you do things in search of approval then you're doing it wrong. If you do it cuz you like it then you really shouldn't care what I or the "rest of the club" (as you claim) approves of or not. Just keep in mind that most people here are trying to get away from the plague known as the Rx7club and the fanbois.

[Kentetsu]

What?! Respeed coilovers are expensive? Compared to what? You just stated that coilovers for a FC are $1,000.00 but the Respeed coilovers are more like $500.00 for all 4 corners (somewhere around there).

Also, compared to an FB, an FC is a bloated pig weight wise (no offense guys) :)

Respeed also offers a Rack and Pinion setup. So he could do coilovers and R&P quick ratio for half the cost of setting up an FC.

Power? Yes, an FC will have more power. But the FB is lighter, which I think can more than make up the difference depending on what the car is used for. I always say that FCs are good at being fast, while FBs are good at being quick. :)

Drive 4 Thrills: Thanks for the kind words on my car. It is a very happy car. :)

[Max777]

i was talking about the $2500 RE speed coilovers.... or did I misread somewhere?

I dunno, I guess I just like the FC better because it's a newer car, and how the hell is 2600lbs a bloated pig? Maybe compared to your car, but to me, a bloated pig is a supra or a 3000GT. FC's aint pigs, they're piglets.

[drive_4_thrills]

i do love the 2nd gen its just for over 3 years of looking on craigslist all of them are so abused and not worth spending the money for a fixer upper. And i really love the old school 240z so this car really fell in place in my heart lol I have a lot of time to research my suspension set up, I am about 90% finished with with my turbo vr6 so when i get finished with that i should have the knowledge to get a great set up. Sounds like the best to do newer FC set up is to get a doner turbo and clear out my drive way and do work!
I am looking around to get good rim and tire package im thinking like 13in rims any ideas thats not too pricey?

[drive_4_thrills]

so i had found a set of konig b bomb rims 15x7 i would like to get, would a set of 205-50-15 work out on my ride, thanks in advance

[JShiz]

Aren't those the SSR MK-II knock offs? those are some good looking wheels. whats the offset?

[drive_4_thrills]

Aren't those the SSR MK-II knock offs? those are some good looking wheels. whats the offset?

the off set is 0, at 15x7.5 idk if there knock offs but they do look similar.
is there any issues putn these on? i just read a post about them ima have to keep searching, i dont get paid for another week lol

[drive_4_thrills]

To make an FC handle and "slide around corners", you need:

coilovers, 1000
rear camber links 250
2way diff 1000
a decent clutch 400
bucket seat 350

done....
Now, that's $3,000 in hard parts, all of which are bolt on and require no fab work. After an alignment, this setup will handle great right out of the box. You can add some wheels and good rubber when you learn the limits of the car, and you'll be set.

wow just added up my gti vr6 suspension parts alone not including respray new bumpers, grill ,trunk lid and engine mods. plus $2,500 in turbo parts just siting in my living room
$1,100 for quaife lsd tranny wit 3.94 final drive used
$100 for b&m short shifter used
$350 for falken azenies 615
$900 for ST coil overs at merchant price
$100 in poly bushings
$200 front and rear strut bars used
$100 for harness bar used
= $3,000
Man only if i got an rx-7 sooner i would have had one one great race car:o10:

[JShiz]

the off set is 0, at 15x7.5 idk if there knock offs but they do look similar.
is there any issues putn these on? i just read a post about them ima have to keep searching, i dont get paid for another week lol

You may have a slight rub up front if it's lowered (might touch edge of fender depending how low you are). But there's a lot of people running 15x8 (0 offset) and 15x7 (12 offset) XXR wheels with no problems.

[Kentetsu]

My last "toy" was a '73 240z. Very nice car, and very fast, but died of frame rot over a decade ago. :(

The 1st gen RX7 is a very nice replacement. Not quite as refined, or comfortable, but lighter, quicker, and more race oriented.

I'm using 13x8 Revolution wheels along with 215/50/13 Sumitomo HTR 200s and I'm very happy with that setup. If you stay with 13" wheels, you keep a low gear ratio and lower center of gravity. But everybody has an opinion, and they will all be different. There's really no way to go wrong unless you try to stuff some 19s in there and still call it a race car. :)

[drive_4_thrills]

You may have a slight rub up front if it's lowered (might touch edge of fender depending how low you are). But there's a lot of people running 15x8 (0 offset) and 15x7 (12 offset) XXR wheels with no problems.

o ok yea I am going to put those on my wish list. ill be getting adjustable suspension on all four corners so mabe they should look great:icon_tup:
after wheel and tire fitment ill be thinking about those z flares if there too much thanks JShiz

[drive_4_thrills]

The 1st gen RX7 is a very nice replacement. Not quite as refined, or comfortable, but lighter, quicker, and more race oriented.

I'm using 13x8 Revolution wheels along with 215/50/13 Sumitomo HTR 200s and I'm very happy with that setup. If you stay with 13" wheels, you keep a low gear ratio and lower center of gravity.

I am really down for function before fashion and a lower gear ratio would be good allso, as I am not doing any thing for engine power for a while as I live in calfornia around SF bay area we have very strict smog laws :icon_bs:
I really love the stance of your ride with the 13s. thats kinda the direction i would like to take. I am gona see if i can find 13x8 thats in my price range, Whats the off set your running? thanks:icon_tup:

[JShiz]

i'd go with 14's, 15's or 16's since you'll get a better selection of tires that you are able to use. but that's just my opinion. And 13's wont clear GSL-SE brakes iirc.

Here's a set of wheels I was looking at for a while. Konig/Maxxim Remember. They come in 16x7 with a 25 offset.

http://jlbmotorsports.com/rims/maxxim-list.html

http://www.jlbmotorsports.com/rims/konigpics/remember_16_black_RS_sm.jpghttp://www.jlbmotorsports.com/rims/konigpics/remember_16_silver_RS_sm.jpghttp://www.jlbmotorsports.com/rims/konigpics/remember_16_gold_RS_sm.jpg

[Max777]

Well, that's cool. I'm just trying to help, and the 240zed is a great car. I really want one myself, but they're hard to come by and cost a lot to restore.

Good luck with your project!

[Kentetsu]

Sorry, I have no idea on the offset. But I believe the backspacing is 4". You can find out all about them at their website (google revolution wheels). They are out of England, but I see these for sale in the states every now and then, and pretty cheap too.

[drive_4_thrills]

just picked up these fresh sportmaxx 002, i got them for really good price so i had to jump on them. i did a test fit just to check em out and i kinda dont like the off set, they stick out a bit too much but wow they look great!!! iv been reading threads for the zg flares so i should probably get those in the near future.

rims are 15x8 0 off set. i will be wrapping with 205-50-15, from what iv seemed to under stand that they shouldn't have any suspension rub but they will be sticking out the finders. probably next month ill get some collers for the rear to lower down a bit. still need tires, lug nuts and a shim thing to center them on the hub.

here some teaser pictures lemme know what you think, and yea i can take some constructive criticism haha