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Car 440, Whizbang Rally's Rx7
picked up the new toy. 1982 Rx7, Group 5 logbooked rally car. Built a few years back by a fellow i know who has moved on to Subaru and open class.nni
The bits: 12a streetport built by pineapple racing Weber 48 IDA Mazdaspeed 4.88 ring and pinion (spares are all 4.78s) Miata gearset in FC transmission. Bilsteins GM alternator many other smaller items came with more spares than i know what to do with. http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSC06905.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSC06910.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSC06906.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSC06907.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSC06908.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSC06909.jpg |
Cool.
What are You going to do with it. :) |
first rally should be in October at the Mt. hood Rally. Next year i plan to run the Idaho Rally and one or two others. Im co-driving for PPIHC 2012 so we shall see how many i make.
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That's awesome Alex! Should be a lot of fun haha.
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that looks sweet! i almost bought a open-class subaru impreza rally car earlier this year. i want to rally so bad...
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open class is just not the place to start lol. Too much money and simply not good to learn with that much capability. Open light (awd, naturally aspirated under 2650cc) isnt terrible.
or 2wd : ) |
rally cars, in order to be allowed on stage, must have a few items. Namely road hazard triangles, first aid kit and spill kit. The original setup for the first aid kit was a tackle box attached to the floor. The spill kit was in a cardboard box in a garage box behind the seat and under the helmet net. Hard to get too etc. So i elected to redo all this via random military bags i have laying around.
i also liked the idea of small shovel if you get stuck. I have seen this done by a few people prior. I had a couple folding shovels in mollie bags so i attached one to the cage behind the spill kit. easy to get to from the passenger side. As a last bit of safe mindedness, i added a smaller med kit to the passenger side sill bar so that we can access a kit from the seats if the need arises (wrecked and cant get out). This came in the form of a miltary IFAC (individal first aid kit). http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSC06911.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSC06912.jpg |
hopefully i will be getting out this weekend for some driving at a rallycross.
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Redid the tire mounting so it sits in the spare tire well. Move the triangles, and am planning on changing the jack. Going to go up and find an FC rx7 jack since they are aluminum, weld a lug to it for easier lifting and a plate for surface area since the underbody HDPE rendered the pinch rail style thing useless.
also put a surefire flashlight and a leatherman in there. That should be it for "adding" shit. Now, im going to look if there is anything i can remove for weight savings. Probably not much though, which is fine. |
solved both the lack of a red cross and the possible issue of loss during low visibility. military reflector belt (its rather reflective despite the picture) cut and hand sewn by me, littely inebriated.
http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSC06917.jpg |
Good work! What's cool is that most of the work you would normally need to do should already be done at this point haha.
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after this weekend of running it hard i can tell i need to improve the cooling
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All I can think of from that first pic is Dukes of Hazzard LOL. Looks like you had a lot of fun.
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the car can certainly take a beating. The revalved Bilsteins and the unknown rate but rather stiff springs seem to make the landing rather nice. And the car seems to take the landings without complaint, which is nice too.
Ill have it registered here soon then im going to really get some seat time in it. There are some hillclimbs (paved...) i might go run just for some racing seat time as well. I wont be able to make the Mount Hood rally this year, but i have a schedule in place for next year to make three or four. (two 2 day, one or two, one days). In the meantime, i just want to get used to the car, and make little improvements where i see fit. The car isn't fast on pavement, might be the weight, might be the fact i drive a faster car every day, but on the dirt, this car does scoot and has some excellent traction. |
our rallycross course we made this month
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBvnIRPqsFw (gopro on the rx7) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_juMiMFhYQ (other direction on friends 325I) |
that looks awesome!
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the car looks good, and more importantly, it looks like you're set to have a LOT of fun. :)
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its finally plated, so i have been driving it around and what have you. I think i have determined that i want to make some improvements. Namely the steering. Im thinking of the Re speed setup since i dont have the funds or want to use the FC subframe on it. Too much else would have to change, and a lot of spares would be useless. i may also go with the front coilover setup around the same time. Ill have to do a little budgeting, but it will certainly get done.
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I'm extremely jealous of this car. I've always wanted to do this with an FB as well.
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im an organizer for the idaho rally so i drove it on the stage roads quite a bit when they werent hot, plus i camped up there. Car is definately fun but i certainly will need some seat time in her outside of rallycross. Thankfully Idaho is full of well maintained dirt roads.
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well the header blew a hole out, metal is old and very thin. was approx, the size of a nickel. Since i like the oily death plumes staying in the exhaust, we had to fix it. Plus it sounded like straight ass. Twas the night before rallyx too. Seth (pictured) ended up having to make a piece of metal to weld over top of it. The header is too thin to weld the hole without any filler piece.
http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...ar/welding.jpg |
July 9th rallycross was pretty good! I was turning out decent times, car was running great. July 10th, AM course i had the third fastest time second to an awd civic wagon and a celica all trac turbo. PM course? Well a screw from the air filter assembly loosened and fell into the motor, ending its life prematurely and far less epically than it deserved. Second picture is where i parked it after the finish. Engine hobbled back so at least i finished my run
video from the weekend (in car) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXMqMXi033E http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...rallyxjuly.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...Car/deadx7.jpg |
So the game plan from here? well it isnt exactly orthadox but honestly the cost of building an naturally aspirated rotary making the power i want just costs too damn much anymore. At least to the level were i would trust driving a thousand miles, paying high entry fees etc. But i still have to maintain a Mazda prodcued engine.
This led to three choices, The 1.8 "BP" from the miata and protege, the Duratec 23(same as the MZR and found in the B-series pickup, and the FE-DOHC (FE3) found in kia sportages in the states for rear wheel drive. Well the duratec is the best all around choice aside from higher cost and some minor engineering issues. The belllhousings availible just aren't that good. There is one "on its way" that offers a good choice for slave cylinders. But being all aluminum and 200+ capable with cams and a header, it seemed good. But i have not too much time to wait for a bellhousing for the T5 that without, i can't mount at worthwhile transmission behind it. That left me with the 1.8 BP and the FE3. Basically the miata stuff is kinda common, but manifolds and oil pans are still more money that other makes. Additionally, it is an iron bottom, very durable but somewhat underpowered. I could use a few different transissions though. This was the option i was going with BUT i found a deal breaker. The mazda FE3. its an iron block, aluminum head 2.0l 16v. Basically the mazda 4g63. Stout as the darkest Guiness, its very durable and makes a fair amount of power (approx 150- 160 stock over the miata 120 to 135). They came in a variety of vehicles in Japan and elsewhere, but the US got screwed. Very similiar to the FE2 in the probes and Mx6 turbos we got, just better. We did however, get the Kia Sportage which had a down tunded version in RWD format. This engine had some differences, namely the 8 bolt flywheel which has no real options, but is a good source for a manifold and oil pan. So where am i going with this? Craigslist served me well and i found an FE3 imported from a Japanese Capella (Mx-6) for a mire 400 dollars complete. Should be picking her up this weekend. The transmission will be the mazda M types using a B2000 front case bellhousing. Meaning i can use the transmission already in my rally car. It uses a standard 6 bolt flywheel that is the same as the FE2 stuff, including the clutch. Its a common swap for miata guys its seems. Pictures of such blasfamy will come. But honestly, it makes the most sense for what im doing. |
Additionally, this is a good time to fix the things i found undesireable. Really that is just the older suspension and the steering. The brakes were honestly more than good for the car. BUT they are a pain to service. Solution?
The FC front subframe swap that i have already done to my rally car 2.0 project. Essentially this will give me good rack and pinion, a ligher more durable front suspension, the ability to get a good coilover front damper setup and improved brakes. |
my friend made >150whp on a BP with just intake/header/exhaust and AEM (no internal mods). I imagine you could do the same with megasquirt or whatever. management gets huge gains on those things.
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Megasquirt is the plan. I'm familiar enough with it and its rather inexpensive. Unless of course my friend sells me his Aem ( ironic) he bought and hasnevered used for a good price.
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That sucks Alex. I hope it get it going again soon. That way you can have more fun before winter sets in at least.
I actually had a dream about this car last week. I don't know if you were driving or not, but it was in a race and destroying everything else on the course, passing every other car up a hill and then jumping the hill haha. Weird. |
that engine thing is a BUMMER, otherwise this car is just badass. is it perfect? no. does it have license plates and FUN? YES!
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Hopefully ill be driving to portland this weekend coming up to grab the engine. Then i can engineer! |
Yeah I'm deploying soon too. Where are you going? Send me a text.
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car is now in the garage and being taken apart. I have the FC subframe with the correct hubs, but no calipers. Going back to the pull a part for some FC parts i spied. For the time being, i am maintaining the smaller 4x114.3 back brakes to not only clear the wheels i have (FC 4 pistons are like subarus, some 15" wheels dont fit) and because i have a 4x114.3 rear. Not having different lug patterns for obvious reasons.
also, i am using the GSLSE rear axles and brakes i have. Nice 4x114.3 lug pattern (regular rx7 is 4x110) and uses vented rear rotors. So essentially, i have most of what i need. At this point just a matter of the engine. Seems as thought the 1.8 BP motor is going to be the way im going. The FE3 isn't panning out too well (granted i found the right bellhousing in my garage...) but im not driving that far for it, in addition to the added work of making...well work. Plus the miata was designed for high lateral G oiling and is dimensionally superior. So of the other parts will be taken off the "rallyx7" project. Mostly because i wasnt able to get a title and there are cleaner cars out there. I might even take the good non sunroof of it to replace my current bondo leak fest roof. |
will i am trying to get some pictures up, i did find some information on my old engine so i can compare for myself (butt dyno). Anywho, the 12a, streetport with the 48 IDA made just about 130 wheel horsepower. This was with large amounts of dyno time as well from what i was told. Car ran pretty good with 130whp. I attribute that to 4.88 gears. But at anyrate, the miata BP will do that or more with not too much difficulty.
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well at all IMHO. My stock port does 134 with the mods in my sig. I would expect a SP to put down at least 10 or 20 more, like ~150 to the wheels. And I know dynos vary and so on but really that doesn't seem as good if there were large amounts of dyno time spent on it. Shame your not sticking with the rotary but I understand the motivation. Good luck with the build! |
perhaps sometime on a future car (im certain to stay with mazda, very good program for motorsports they have) and i might build myself another rotary. just not in the financial cards...
more progress today and last night. Due to the GSLSE axles being big spline, i had to change out my rear end entirely. Car had the small spline... At anyrate, i put it my reinforced GSLSE axle housing. Once i replace the out bearings for the axles, those and the brakes will be on as well. Additionally, i have been working on the rear fender wheels. A combination of rust (oregon car) and wanting increase clearance lead me to cutting and grinding. I have done this same ordeal to three FBs now and am getting rather good at it. That said, rust makes thing harder. Rust repairs that have been done previously make it harder still. The pictures below are the rough in. trying to get the wheel well flush . Once i get the welding gas tank refilled i can start welding. http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/IMAG0168.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/IMAG0169.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/IMAG0159.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/IMAG0171.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/IMAG0170.jpg |
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The remaining portions of the steering was removed today including the steering box and column. The stud that will hit the new subframe were removed and the frame pinch rails notched for clearances. The new steering column was pulled from the parts car as well. Was some progress. Hot as hell today too. Welding tank is getting refilled tomorrow so i can start the finishing the rear flares and the rear subframe studs.
http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/IMAG0176.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/IMAG0177.jpg |
so now comes the question of "how do i mount this stupid engine." Its seems that frame rail mounts would only work on the passenger side. The Driver's side has the steering in the perfect place to not work. Pics of that are below. I am using the 2" sleeved bushing tube mount (is there a simple word for this??) A friend of mine savvy with machining made me some aluminum inserts to use will mocking the engine and welding. This is so the poly doesn't melt, obviously. Im probably going to build off the sub-frame.
Also, the cam sensor hits the firewall before the front of the oil is clear of the steering rack, to my preference. If i can move the sensor into cutaway into the firewall, then the engine's front can come down since the pan would clear. This would allow me an easy closing hood. Anyway, here is what im working with... http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSC08365.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSC08363.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSC08359.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSC08355.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSC08354.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSC08353.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSC08352.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSC08351.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSC08348.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSC08346.jpg http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSC08366.jpg |
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