The 1984 GS build from Hades... To be completed when my son is 16.

[$100T2]

And he turns 4 next month. ;)

Here's what I started with in August 2005:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/$100T2/rx7-16.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/$100T2/rx7-10.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/$100T2/rx7-8.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/$100T2/P8250029.jpg

[$100T2]

The first thing I did was yank the interior. It was faded, ripped, and stunk. The car had been sitting for at least a year when I bought it.

I started a color change on the interior... I dyed the carpet and my GF made door panels out of suede and fake leather.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a353/100T2x3/Interior1.jpg

Got a little ricey... I had bought RB springs and some Tokico shocks and struts... Decided to paint the calipers and shocks red to match the springs... Did the sway bar, too. I located a posi/disc rear-end from a GSL down in Florida.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/$100T2/Trialfit.jpg

However, I didn't like the way the springs made it sit, so they were sold and I bought the green ST springs. I also decided that I am going to strip everything down to bare metal and POR-15 the shit out of all of it. So, everything will be flat black, natural metal with the clear POR-15, and the green springs will be left alone.

Here's how the car stands now. It's in various stages of disassembly, waiting for warm weather (4 to 6 inches of snow tonight...) then I'm going back out with the stripper, wire wheel, etc to take the undercarriage down to bare metal. You can see the residue on the concrete under the front passenger wheel well from working on the POR-15 this summer. I did the gloss POR-15 there, it is pure sex. I don't know if I have a pic of that or not.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/$100T2/P7220002.jpg

Plans include a 5 lug swap (anyone want 15 x 7 4 x 110 pattern wheels with zero mile Kumhos???), 17 x 9 in the front, 17 x 11 in the back, $100T2 designed wide fenders, a duck's ass spoiler, flush bumpers, and custom tail lights, headlights, turn signals, markers, etc. I'm also thinking of making a custom dash.

[P71]

1st off, PM me about the wheels, seriously.

2nd, awesome start! A few questions if you don't mind. What dye did you use for the carpet? Are the rest of the parts just the factory black stuff or did you dye some of them as well? And 3rdly (is that a word?) can you go into some details on the door panels? They look nice, and seeing as how my FB has the same maroon interior as yours I'm also looking at some interior swap work.

Thanks!

[$100T2]

I'm going to do a full how-to on the interior color swap here... I had done one at the 7KKKlub, I'll move it over here. Every part was either dyed or painted with interior paint. I used RIT fabric dye on the carpet, and Fiebings leather dye on the dash. My amazing GF made the door panels, so I might have her join up here to explain that step by step.

[P71]

Looking forward to the write-up!

[charlies7]

I love 1st gens, good luck with the build and your son is going to be one lucky kid...The women will be all over him :)

[$100T2]

How I did the door panels:

http://www.rotarycarclub.com/showthread.php?p=2896#post2896

[$100T2]

And it's spring.

Actually opened the car up for the first time in oh, 5 months today. Vacuumed it out, because a mouse decided to shred my seat cover for a nest. Fucker.

That's ok, because the FC seats I was planning on transferring in temporarily are in the shed.

Here's the latest plan:

I bought myself a new angle grinder and some more wire wheels yesterday. My other angle grinder was a Ryobi 18V "+ system"... It's nice that it's cordless, but it chews through the batteries like nothing. Even though I have 7 batteries and 3 chargers, they can't keep up with the cordless grinder. So, I broke down and bought one that plugs in. The wire wheels are bad ass: At $15 a pop, they better be.

The car is going back on jackstands tomorrow night. I am dropping out the entire suspension (again) and taking everything down to bare metal. Then, I am going to do all of it with POR-15 before reassembly. The only thing that could be better than that is powdercoating, but I really don't feel like sending the stuff out to be powdercoated.

Next, I am removing the entire interior again. I need to do something about some of the rust spots on the car: It has a bit of wheel well rust as well as spots up on the sunroof hinge areas. I might see if warwickben can come down and weld them up for me, if not, I'll figure something out.

As much as I hate to do it to her, I'm going to get my GF to make a new set of door panels. The black and grey looks really nice, but I've decided I want to paint the car midnight blue and do a black and tan interior with a mahogany steering wheel and shift knob. With all my new (and extremely expensive) wood working tools, I am going to make the knob and door handle/arm rest combos myself. It should look very, very classy if I can pull off the mental image I have. That black dash is going bye-bye for a full custom fiberglass dash. Think bare-bones, not F&F.

Warwickben gave me a 5.0L Ford engine, and I was going to put it in the FB, but the more I think about it, the more I want to rebuild that and put it in the 'vert. The 'vert can't get out of it's own way, and because it's so heavy, could use all the torque it can get. Therefore, I think the FB will stay rotary. I am going to look on Ebay for a nice JDM S5 T2 motor and tranny combo, and go from there.

In the meantime, this summer is basically going to be "rip everything out, take it down to bare metal, and bring it back up with POR-15, paint, and elbow grease." I have to have surgery on my ankles one in early June, the next after the first heals, so I will be out of work for a while. I figure I can sit on my ass and grind and paint to my hearts desire.

Figure I've got until mid-October before the car needs to be back as a roller, so I should get a lot done. I'd like to do some body mods, but we'll have to see how well I can do bending metal and learning to weld.

[My5ABaby]

Looks great so far and like it'll turn out great. I hope your kid grows up to like the FBs... :p

[$100T2]

Looks great so far and like it'll turn out great. I hope your kid grows up to like the FBs... :p

He was asking me today why I don't have it fixed yet. I said, "Kyan, how old are you?"

He said, "Four."

I said, "Well, when you're 8, it will probably be on the road."

He said, "Daddy, I gotta be 5 first. Then 6. Then 7."

I said, "So you see my point. Good."

That kid cracks me up.

[My5ABaby]

He was asking me today why I don't have it fixed yet. I said, "Kyan, how old are you?"

He said, "Four."

I said, "Well, when you're 8, it will probably be on the road."

He said, "Daddy, I gotta be 5 first. Then 6. Then 7."

I said, "So you see my point. Good."

That kid cracks me up.
:rofl:

On the plus side, if he doesn't like FBs, you can always beat it into..... nevermind....

[$100T2]

:rofl:

On the plus side, if he doesn't like FBs, you can always beat it into..... nevermind....

He loves that car, and he loves the 'vert.

Of course, I told my GF that both kids are getting their own cars at 13 and will have to restore them so they appreciate how much work it takes to make something nice. :)

[$100T2]

Here's where we are today... The engine will be out sometime this week, and then I'll rip out everything else... Then, it's me, the angle grinder and a couple wire wheels. :willy_nilly: It's going to be gorgeous when it's done.

[Max777]

DUDE! I drive a vert! IS yours S4 or something? I keep hearing people complain about it being slow, and the NA fc in general being really slow... but that is a ton of bullshit!

Yes, it may not exactly be "FAST" fast, but "cant get out of its own way"? My car is in terrible condition atm, has a surging idle, coolant leak, and looses like all power at 7,000 rpm for some reason, but it's not "slow" at all! Maybe you just expect too much from a 3,000lbs, 150hp (if that) cruise car? The vert really is a cruising car, after all. :D

[$100T2]

Update: Renting a cherry picker this week, pulling the motor and transmission. Had ankle surgery Friday, so I can't get around too well, but should get around well enough to strip the car down and finish grinding off all the old rust/liner/paint/whatever.

If anyone has any ideas how to fix rust holes in the roof around the sunroof mounts, that would be great.

[$100T2]

UPDATE:

Thinking of ditching the car.

I just don't have the time to devote to it, and won't for a long time. It's a shame to watch it rust outside.

[Max777]

Aww, that would suck... you put so much work into that car already! Just wait a bit, dont get rid of it now! We have all had the same feeling of just wanting to give up because the work seems overwhelming, but it's a test, which separates the men from the boys...

You're a man, right? :D

[Phoenix7]

don't sell it, get a car cover and finish your son's car

[Nutsid]

It would be an amazing project to see you finish. I've considered giving my FB up as well, though. I don't have the time to finish it either, sadly; however, I don't think you should jump onto getting rid of it just yet. Hold off and see if your mind doesn't change, as I am constantly back and forth with myself about it as well.