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Hello folks. I figured it was about time I started a build thread. Let's dive into this mess, shall we?
A little history: I bought my first RX (this car, 1986 GXL) in November 2012. According to car fax, I am the 10th owner (Yikes! No accidents though, thank God.) The owner before the guy I bought it from had removed the rotary engine and was trying to put in a V8. He apparently lost interest, and sold it to a friend of a friend, who put the rotary back in, but needed a few parts to get it running. He has since gone to the military, and our mutual friend (who helped but the rotary back into the RX) occasionally helps me out. After a summer of getting parts and tinkering, we finally got it running in September 2013. It ran rough, very rough, but at least I could drive it! Unfortunately, the turd sandwich that removed the rotary from the car didn't do a very good job of taking care of the battery cage, so when I accelerated around a corner in her maiden voyage, the battery jumped out of it's home and connected with some pulleys and a belt. I know, I should have checked out EVERYTHING I could to prevent this problem, but I was so excited to get my project on the street!
After that mishap, I decided I wanted to shelve the project (after all, I was disappointed after all that hard work), especially after I found out during the test drive that I was hemorrhaging coolant (cracked hoses), the tach didnt work (turd sandwich strikes again! He cut cables on the transmission!) and I needed some serious tuning. Not to mention later that week I bought an FD
Fast forward a few months later. Here we are in April 2014, I thought about this car all winter, and did a bunch of research to figure out what I wanted to do with her. Let's take a look at how we are sitting today, and we will see how I plan on going forward from here.
Where we are today:
Bad. Really bad. Need proof? Look. (Pardon the filth on my car, it needs a quick wash)
Here is the back view. Filthy. I wish I could drive it to a car wash, haha. S5 taillights mod has already been completed by yours truly.
My poor bumper! You monsters! Just kidding, I have to idea what happened here, it was this way when I got it.
Some aftermarket rims someone threw on here. No idea on the brand, time and weather has long erased that. Brakes are rusty, a lot of the brake parts need replaced (I had to brake really hard when I drove it).
A front view. It is a very attractive car, I just wish the previous owners took better care of her.
A quick photo of the engine bay. A/c, power steering has been removed. I added a new air filter, and the strut bar. Engine bay is also filthy from sitting all winter
Naturally, being an S4 car, it has S4 problems. Why wouldn't it.
Paint is generally in bad shape around the whole car. Small patches of rust (nothing serious) are visible in some areas.
More interior carnage.
Diagnosis:
Not good. However with some elbow grease, time, and money, she might, just MIGHT turn out ok!
Where am I planning on taking this?
Well, if my wife had any say about this car, it would have been hauled away a long time ago. Luckily, she is okay with the "driveway paperweight," as she calls it, for now.
I'm not going to sugar coat this. I have very little idea what I'm doing . I've researched a lot of the winter to get ideas, but READING and DOING are 2 very different things. Well, for me anyway. Enough of my blathering, here is the plan.
*T2 swap, possibly JSPEC (streetport, if possible)
-Don't get me wrong, it would be easier to just patch up the n/a engine I have, but more power is better, right?
*Engine/transmission upgrades
-Stock t2 is nice, but I want a little more power. Pulleys, inter-cooler, etc.
*Exhaust upgrade
-With a new engine, I will definitely need a new exhaust. I am thinking Racing Beat.
*Suspension upgrade
-New shocks, springs, bars, replace anything nasty)
*Brakes need replaced
-My ebrake cable is snapped, brakes are rusty. I'm thinking a upgrade to something a little better than stock.
*New paint job
-Haven't decided a color, but probably black. Stock silver is nice, but I prefer black.
*Clean up interior
-S4 Interior is cracked to high heck, pieces are missing, and stains in the carpet.
*New rims
-Old rims are nice, but I want something different.
The goal is a car that I *might* take auto crossing. Otherwise a clean, rock solid T2, possibly daily driven FC.
If anyone has ideas for me, suggestions for what I am going to be doing, or if I post a photo of me putting in something backwards (I've been known to do that) please let me know here or via PM. Otherwise, sit back, and watch this machine come together.... eventually. Right now I'm looking for parts.
I have some advice but your wife isn't gonna like it.
That car needs to come apart...like, completely.
At this point you have no idea what you have and what might be waiting to bite you in the *** and before going further, you need to find out.
You seem pretty chill about the rust you can see, in my experience what you see is the least of your worries, the real rust issues are too deep to find with a casual inspection. Also, cars that sit for extended periods tend to rot more thoroughly than cars that are regularly driven and your car looks to have been immobile for a while.
You may get lucky (it happens!) and all will be fine but you need to strip her and find out.
You don't need "bigger brakes", the OEM four pots with a bigger booster/MC will do you fine.
Again, since the car has been sitting, I'd plan on replacing all the hardlines along with everything else.
I'd forget about swapping engines till the chassis has been brought back to life and everything else works well.
Unless you have some inside track at a shop, I'd hold off on paint till everything else mechanical is done because paint will be your biggest single expenditure and there's no point in the investment until you're sure you even like the car.
I did something similar to my FC last year (detailed here) and spent about $1500 on just normal replacement items, I did not buy any cool, exotic parts.
You biggest expenditure right now will be time and elbow grease.
I have some advice but your wife isn't gonna like it.
That car needs to come apart...like, completely.
At this point you have no idea what you have and what might be waiting to bite you in the *** and before going further, you need to find out.
You seem pretty chill about the rust you can see, in my experience what you see is the least of your worries, the real rust issues are too deep to find with a casual inspection. Also, cars that sit for extended periods tend to rot more thoroughly than cars that are regularly driven and your car looks to have been immobile for a while.
You may get lucky (it happens!) and all will be fine but you need to strip her and find out.
You don't need "bigger brakes", the OEM four pots with a bigger booster/MC will do you fine.
Again, since the car has been sitting, I'd plan on replacing all the hardlines along with everything else.
I'd forget about swapping engines till the chassis has been brought back to life and everything else works well.
Unless you have some inside track at a shop, I'd hold off on paint till everything else mechanical is done because paint will be your biggest single expenditure and there's no point in the investment until you're sure you even like the car.
I did something similar to my FC last year (detailed here) and spent about $1500 on just normal replacement items, I did not buy any cool, exotic parts.
You biggest expenditure right now will be time and elbow grease.
Thanks for the advice. I used to work in a body shop a long time ago, and my former coworker is now the manager, so I *might* be able to score a deal with him. If not, I know my way around a spray gun its just a matter of getting a good place to spray it. The rust is actually the first thing on the agenda to take care of, then the removal of the n/a engine and tranny. The last time it was driven (besides my quick drive last September) appears to be spring 2012. At least the previous owners kept all their receipts (the glove box is FULL of them). The newest receipt was for a dealership tuneup (oil change, air filter, etc) in April 2012.
As for the wife, I think she will be happy that I am out of her hair and doing something about the 4 wheeled lawn ornament... assuming I'm using all of my OWN money, of course (that's the thing about marriage, I thought all the money is suppose to be "hers" haha).
Going back to the body shop experience I have, I've got quite an arsenal of auto body related tools at my disposal, but I still need to get ahold of engine mechanic related items (from spark plug removal socket to engine hoist, I need quite a bit).
Anyway, enough of my long winded speeches, thank you for the advice. Do you mind elaborating a little on the brakes? I'm afraid brakes and suspensions are my weakest link of knowledge on this car.
DO the mechanical' before the body work. No need to go and get grease and grim on that fresh paint job.
I am also restoring an s4 gxl right now albeit in better shape, but same stuff different day. I may have glanced over the millage on this thread but what is it?
Brake system: Bleed and check for leaks. If you are overly concerned you have what is known as "cores" sitting on that car right now. Out with the old, in with the rebuilt old. It is what I am doing, and bleeding the rest.
As for suspension, sitting in stock state for this long it goes without saying that you are going to be replacing things to make ride "decent......". Bushings and what have you.
Honestly, just watch my build. I am also dealing with an improperly stored "sat for too long" bastard of a thing and will be addressing components as needed as I go.
DO the mechanical' before the body work. No need to go and get grease and grim on that fresh paint job.
I am also restoring an s4 gxl right now albeit in better shape, but same stuff different day. I may have glanced over the millage on this thread but what is it?
Brake system: Bleed and check for leaks. If you are overly concerned you have what is known as "cores" sitting on that car right now. Out with the old, in with the rebuilt old. It is what I am doing, and bleeding the rest.
As for suspension, sitting in stock state for this long it goes without saying that you are going to be replacing things to make ride "decent......". Bushings and what have you.
Honestly, just watch my build. I am also dealing with an improperly stored "sat for too long" bastard of a thing and will be addressing components as needed as I go.
Cheers
I've actually been watching your build thread on and off. My fc has about 163k miles on it. Before I do anything paint-wise (besides patching rust spots of course) the engine and transmission will be coming out. I have a snapped ebrake cable so that will be one of the first repairs needed, but I will be collecting parts and selling the n/a stuff. Anyone know where to get a t2 engine and transmission in good shape in the midwest (short of salvage yards, there isn't any around here that have t2 fcs in good shape) or will at least ship here for a decent price?
Update on the project: I've picked up new headlights and a few new tools for sanding and engine removal. I still need to get an engine hoist, however.
Small problem occured this week. Heavy winds decided they didn't like our neighbors tree so a large branch fell and crushed a good section of our carport where my rxs are parked. Only minor scratches on the hood of the fc, but I parked my fd at an alternate location about 15 miles away while the insurance company goes through all the red tape of fixing our carport.
In build related news I spotted a jdm s4 T2 engine and transmission that I will likely be purchasing once the old engine is pulled and taken away. I will be picking up an engine hoist next week, and hopefully start sanding rust out in the meantime. Working 2 jobs is keeping me from getting much progress done, unfortunately.
Finally got a day off work so I thought I would take advantage of it. Unfortunately, rain cut it short. I managed to get some rust sanded out, primed, fluids drained, and a few engine parts pulled.
Hey guys! I'm still alive! Life has a tendency to get in the way of projects sometimes doesn't it?
Anyway, quick update time.
I'm currently pulling all the "easy" stuff to get out of the engine bay to be ready for pulling the actual engine and transmission. The "easy" stuff being radiator, oil cooler, fan, fan shroud, etc. Essentially, I'm going in order of what the Haines manual says.
As for needed parts, earlier this week I ordered a turbo throttle cable, walbro 255 fuel pump, glowshift boost gauge, turbo ecu (332, I believe. I think that came out of a 1988 T2), blitz bov kit (I plan on running a custom turbo intake with intercooler piping, and this bov was cheaper than buying a used stock one), t2 maf, mazdatrix drivetrain adapter (so I can use my n/a differential. I don't foresee myself putting out enough power to need the upgrade, but Maybe I will eventually) and pineapple racing omp & acv delete kits. I still need a t2 boost sensor, but I'm sure one will appear sometime. Is there anything else I'm forgetting? I've been looking here https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-gen-arch...etails-813825/ as a guide.
Non swap related, but restoration related, I picked up a few interior pieces from atkinsrotary.com to replace my lovely cracking interior. I know, I should be using that money for the swap first, then buying the interior parts, it was kind of a spur of the moment thing
I talked with Jesse at Jesse Prather Motorsports (of JessePratherMotorsports.com) and he can get my RX in to be worked on in late September. I wanted to do a lot of the work myself, but there are 3 things stopping me. First, I've owned this car 2 years this coming November, and I'm tired of it sitting. It will take me far too much time to get it running than I would like. Second, I am wanting the engine street ported. I know, I can buy templates from pineapple racing, but this is something I would prefer a professional to do. A mistake here could be expensive, and I've already dropped plenty of money on this car. Third, I don't have proper work area do do any of this. I have a garage, but the FC barely fits in with me being able to get out and the garage door clips the back of it when it shuts, even when it is in all the way, so how could I have space to do all this work and still have room to park my lawn mower? I've done most of the work so far under my car port in my driveway on the (50+ year old, very uneven and cracking) concrete.
So there it is, I've got a deadline to get all of the stuff out of the engine bay. I'm shooting for delivering it around September 27th. I've got a small group of friends coming over with an engine hoist (and possibly a truck to tow it somewhere where it would be easier to pull the engine) on August 24th to pull the engine and transmission. It is starting to come together... slowly.
Made the deadline for pulling the engine. Pulled it and the transmission early this morning. Had everything pulled and put away by noon. I got a boost sensor, so I should have all the parts I need for the swap now, short of the actual transmission and engine.
No photo today, unfortunately. Its an ugly mess of old grime and oil everywhere, so that is next on the to do list. Clean up the nasty engine bay.
I'm pulling as much as I can out of the engine bay. As you can see there is grime everywhere and I want to clean it up as best as possible. Some brackets are rusty so I am taking them out for some cleaning and paint.
Quick update: I got some crap pulled off this past weekend. Got a small amount of painting done too. Here is a few photos
Here is a "before" photo of the bracket that holds the boost/vacuum sensor. I was an idiot and forgot to photograph it before I sanded it for paint. It had a small amount of rust on it, but it got sanded off.
Here is the after photo. 3 coats of paint (primer/paint mix). I used a can of that crap they use to spray in truck beds. I had it laying around so why not?
Here is the front of the car as it sits right now. Bumper and fenders have been removed.
I'm getting close to being done pulling the rest of the crap out of the engine bay, then I will be cleaning it and putting in a coat of paint. Hopefully I get that done before it gets too cold here.
One last post for the winter. Had a nice day yesterday to do a little bit of work. I cleaned out the engine bay some more, after using a whole can of degreaser. I decided to start doing a little painting to see how it would turn out.
Here is a "before" that I took part way through prepping the panel right above where the radiator would normally sit. Yes, I sanded all of the rust out before I laid down that paint
Here is the "after." This is after 2 coats and drying for approximately 16 hours.
Ignore the cables hanging around. I picked them up right after the photo lol
Well here is how its going to sit through the winter I'm afraid. I apologize for how the photo came out, that park of my driveway doesn't get much light.
On a side note, I finally found an engine and transmission for sale. Come Monday when I hear back from them on a shipping quote I'm ordering it and having it shipped to Prather Motorsports in Topeka to get rebuilt and ported over the winter. When Spring rolls around I just need to finish painting the engine bay, rewiring the N/A harness to accept the t2 ecu, replace the n/a throttle cable with the t2 cable, and install the walbro fuel pump and she will be ready to deliver to Prather for engine installation.
I know it says it is for the FD but I'm going to make it work in the FC. Definitely a good time to get the battery relocation done when the engine is out of the bay.
Battery relocation kit should be most of the way done today. A have a few misc tasks to finish today. Mostly cleaning out the car of all the junk I've stored in there for the last year or so.
Its going to be decent weather today so I'm planning on getting some work done. My goal is having this car in Topeka by the end of April. This week I had a little bit of spare time and got the Walbro fuel pump installed.
The remaining work to be done:
- Wire positive battery cable into engine bay
- Finish painting engine bay (75% complete so far)
- Replace throttle cable with t2 cable
- Clean out crap laying around in inside of car
I *think* that's all that is left. I probably should put the body panels back on when I'm done too. At least the fenders.
I finished painting the engine bay, and I am putting everything back together. I'm hoping to find time this weekend to swap throttle cables and finish the positive power cable. Prather Motorsports says he will be ready for my car in June. Hopefully I can get away from my jobs and social life long enough to get this stuff done this month!
I've been messing around with my tail lights. What do you think?
Man that last one came out bad. Crappy camera
As you can see I've only had time to finish the driver's side tail light. Well, by finish I mean test fit before last minute trimming and sealing everything back up with silicone. The photos are with the car in "running lights" only, meaning I didn't have the turn signal or brake activated. If there is enough interest, I can do a detailed writeup on how to do the wiring and whatnot on installing the leds when I work on the passenger side tails.
where did you find the lights at . been wanting to convert my s5 tails .centers of the light is brakes and such right ? down for better pics and right up if you want .
where did you find the lights at . been wanting to convert my s5 tails .centers of the light is brakes and such right ? down for better pics and right up if you want .
Ebay! It look about an hour of searching to find the exact set I wanted and not want to spend an arm and a leg. What bothers me about the current "write ups" are that there is no information on what cable does what. I kinda had to guess by process of elimination lol. When I crack open the passenger side set I'll be sure to take some photos of the process and post a link to the writeup here. It might be a week or two, I've got a lot on my plate right now. It was actually a lot easier than I anticipated! Its just kind of time consuming.
04-04-14, 07:34 PM
The StrandedRx Build Thread
. I've researched a lot of the winter to get ideas, but READING and DOING are 2 very different things. Well, for me anyway. Enough of my blathering, here is the plan.
its just a matter of getting a good place to spray it. The rust is actually the first thing on the agenda to take care of, then the removal of the n/a engine and tranny. The last time it was driven (besides my quick drive last September) appears to be spring 2012. At least the previous owners kept all their receipts (the glove box is FULL of them). The newest receipt was for a dealership tuneup (oil change, air filter, etc) in April 2012.
