Just updating this thread. Most of the winter projects went well. Car has been running good all season with a few events already under it's belt. I do need to replace the coolant overflow res though as the sensor has gone bad (a common issue for the early RX8s.. throws the radiator/coolant light intermittently).
Here's a list of what's been completed recently:
- Installed new KOYO radiator
- Installed new Samco coolant hoses
- Replace drive belts with Gates Racing belts
- Rebuilt and relocated coils (I may do a small write-up regarding this as there are some simple things you can do to make life easier if you use LS2 coils or any aftermarket coil).
- New plug wires and spark plugs
- Replaced both oil coolers and all oil lines with OEM units
- Installed a new OEM radiator fan and shroud as my original one was failing
- Installed TEIN hood struts
- Started on a new crash bar
- Installed new inner and outer tie rods
Basically it was a cooling system overhaul and few maintenance items I wanted to attend to. The car runs really well right now.
Right now I'm playing with some alignment settings trying to dial the car in a bit more but so far it's been a blast. The R1Rs from Toyo are holding up extremely well and will probably make it through the season and some of next without issue.
My next plans are to finish my new crash bar, install the new front bumper and undertray, add more ducting, modify a factory hood to assist in heat extraction and get a new fuel pump/filter assembly installed. I also have new exhaust to include a speedsource header that needs to get installed. Once this is ALL done, I'll probably begin sourcing a fresh engine to begin a new build with it as I want to give porting a renesis a try....
Here are some photos of the car from over the last few months.
Here's one from an event last March. I was giving a ride to a member of a BRZ club that had come out to learn about auto-xing their cars, it was pretty fun. In this shot, I demonstrate how to clip the last cone coming through a Chicago box.
Side note, only one BRZ bested my runs that day and it was piloted by another long time auto-xer and good guy so I wasn't too upset
