The Hillclimb RX7 - a saga
07-24-13, 10:52 AM
#101
Replaced the crusty sunroof filler with a less crusty sunroof filler. Got my rear lexan cut and started mounting it before realizing I was out of self tapping screws..... Flushed out and re-mounted the radiator and filled up the coolant system with some high quality H20 and water wetter after I took the water pump of to drill and tap for my Stack water temp gauge.
07-24-13, 10:54 AM
#102
Made a new fan shroud
Sunday was autocrossing and I picked up a co-driver for the day. I won the class and he took third. Car was rock solid for temps even though it was hot as the devil's crotch (including the humidity of said region).
Sunday was autocrossing and I picked up a co-driver for the day. I won the class and he took third. Car was rock solid for temps even though it was hot as the devil's crotch (including the humidity of said region).
07-24-13, 03:37 PM
#110
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Summerfield,FL
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Im loving this build! Its inspirational as i too am building a gxl for use time attack. Planning to move up north and do hill climb. Keep the good stuff coming!
07-25-13, 08:20 PM
#111
As for what I took out... EVERYTHING. I'll try to throw it on a scale, but I can tell you right now it's not light.
Weights for things I've managed to throw on the scale: All weights are rough, this isn't a calibrated scale.
Rear hatch and glass weigh 52 pounds
RX7 hatch glass weighs 35.5 pounds
The stock exhaust manifold and cat weight 43 pounds
Stock steel hood weighs about 40 pounds (I cut the 10 lbs of webbing out of mine)
Stock RX7 windshield = 26 pounds
3/16th Lexan replacement = 10 pounds
07-30-13, 10:46 PM
#112
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Join Date: May 2013
Location: Ca
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So how does the lexan glass work? Do you mold it yourself? Or bend it in the best you can? The lexan glass is held down my self tapping screws so is that common on other race cars? Can you seal the glass for rainy conditions... i want to get rid of the glass in my car too. Can you post a pic of the water pump with the temp sensor in it? Everything your doing is on my to do list so ya. Nice build keep us updated!
07-31-13, 11:05 AM
#113
So how does the lexan glass work? Do you mold it yourself? Or bend it in the best you can? The lexan glass is held down my self tapping screws so is that common on other race cars? Can you seal the glass for rainy conditions... i want to get rid of the glass in my car too. Can you post a pic of the water pump with the temp sensor in it? Everything your doing is on my to do list so ya. Nice build keep us updated!
Last edited by DaveEstey; 07-31-13 at 11:09 AM.
10-31-14, 10:00 AM
#114
It has been a long time since I've updated, but there has been a lot of work going on and more assuredly to come. I basically sacrificed the entire season so I could take my time and do the car right rather than tear-down and rebuild between races.
That mean I got a lot of co-drives.
First, the car got stripped down to a rolling chassis and caged:
And then I started cutting out more metal for the rear-mount radiator setup.
Looks so happy!
Looks so empty
I have more to cut out still, but need an order of tubing to come so I can support the bodywork first.
Test fit
What radiator is that? Nascar Brah
That mean I got a lot of co-drives.
First, the car got stripped down to a rolling chassis and caged:
And then I started cutting out more metal for the rear-mount radiator setup.
Looks so happy!
Looks so empty
I have more to cut out still, but need an order of tubing to come so I can support the bodywork first.
Test fit
What radiator is that? Nascar Brah
10-31-14, 10:12 AM
#115
Then this happened:
13B Bridgeport race engine.
I got pretty good at spending money for a while...
Depowered the steering rack the right way
Did a little engine bay cleanup
Bought a new toy after being sick of co-driving all summer
Water feeds for the electric water pump setup
Trying to save my transmission fluid from getting cooked
13B Bridgeport race engine.
I got pretty good at spending money for a while...
Depowered the steering rack the right way
Did a little engine bay cleanup
Bought a new toy after being sick of co-driving all summer
Water feeds for the electric water pump setup
Trying to save my transmission fluid from getting cooked
10-31-14, 10:13 AM
#116
And then we decided to go race Lemons by making a RHD Datsun powered foxbody Mustang
Won a regional award
Put some high-octane right in her
That brings us up to date. Looking forward to a busy offseason. Already hit one hiccup because I ordered an S4 TII transmission crossmember.. I have an S5 TII transmission. Oi.
Next order of business is finding and rebuilding a Ford 8.8 IRS with 5.12 gears and an LSD. Then building a new subframe to hold it in.
Won a regional award
Put some high-octane right in her
That brings us up to date. Looking forward to a busy offseason. Already hit one hiccup because I ordered an S4 TII transmission crossmember.. I have an S5 TII transmission. Oi.
Next order of business is finding and rebuilding a Ford 8.8 IRS with 5.12 gears and an LSD. Then building a new subframe to hold it in.
11-01-14, 06:38 PM
#118
glad to have you back 
Where are you going to mount the fuel cell with the trunk mounted radiator?
I'm doing a ford 8.8 w/ 5.14s this winter too What LSD are you going with?
I'm selling my TII OS Giken with 4.3s if you're interested:
https://www.rx7club.com/ne-sale-want...n-lsd-1073115/
Where are you going to mount the fuel cell with the trunk mounted radiator?
I'm doing a ford 8.8 w/ 5.14s this winter too
What LSD are you going with?I'm selling my TII OS Giken with 4.3s if you're interested:
https://www.rx7club.com/ne-sale-want...n-lsd-1073115/
11-02-14, 02:09 PM
#119
glad to have you back
Where are you going to mount the fuel cell with the trunk mounted radiator?
I'm doing a ford 8.8 w/ 5.14s this winter too What LSD are you going with?
I'm selling my TII OS Giken with 4.3s if you're interested:
https://www.rx7club.com/ne-sale-want...n-lsd-1073115/
Where are you going to mount the fuel cell with the trunk mounted radiator?
I'm doing a ford 8.8 w/ 5.14s this winter too
What LSD are you going with?I'm selling my TII OS Giken with 4.3s if you're interested:
https://www.rx7club.com/ne-sale-want...n-lsd-1073115/
Haven't decided on my LSD yet, there are a lot of cheap (relatively speaking) options available.
11-16-14, 06:05 PM
#120
Working on the shop while working on the car can be a pain. I made some good progress getting the shop organized though.
And then I repositioned the car.
The rug really brings the room together.
And got the rest of my lights installed. 1,500 watts of T5HO.
Realized I had never put the aluminum TII hood on the car. I like.
Decided I can take a lot more weight out of the doors. I'll epoxy in some aluminum braces to keep its shape. Still a lot more metal to come out of it though.
Then I started singing the blues
And then I repositioned the car.
The rug really brings the room together.
And got the rest of my lights installed. 1,500 watts of T5HO.
Realized I had never put the aluminum TII hood on the car. I like.
Decided I can take a lot more weight out of the doors. I'll epoxy in some aluminum braces to keep its shape. Still a lot more metal to come out of it though.
Then I started singing the blues
01-21-15, 01:09 PM
#124
Raced Regularly
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Manchganistan, NH, USA
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Hey Dave, I've heard about your build a few times, since Paul mentioned that he was buying your n/a 13b for the Miata. I just recently arranged to upgrade from my hillclimb Miata (s6 class - far from being 'fast') to an n/a RX7 as well, and wanted to see what kind of suspension configuration you're running. I only remember seeing John's RX7 this season, should we expect to have three FC's in 2015?
I'm also interested to see where your cage ended up; the rx7 I'm purchasing has half a cage, and I'm trying to decide if it'll be easier to expand that or just start over from scratch. Seeing what you've done to keep Don/Walter happy in this chassis would be superb.
Also, let me know if you need a second set of hands, most of the work I do on my cars is at the makerspace in Nashua, and MA is just a stone's throw away.
I'm also interested to see where your cage ended up; the rx7 I'm purchasing has half a cage, and I'm trying to decide if it'll be easier to expand that or just start over from scratch. Seeing what you've done to keep Don/Walter happy in this chassis would be superb.
Also, let me know if you need a second set of hands, most of the work I do on my cars is at the makerspace in Nashua, and MA is just a stone's throw away.
01-22-15, 10:10 AM
#125
Are you buying Winston's car? I'm picking up an 87 GXL running parts car from him for a Lemons rig next weekend.
My suspension is far from finalized. Turner Motorsports is valving some Bilsteins for me and I'm picking up a pair of AWR front strut housings. The rear end is all delrin bushings beyond the rear trailing arm, which I left alone due to binding concerns with more "solid" materials. Rear lateral links have been replaced with Battle Version units with heim joints - same with the camber link.
If you wanted to swing by to check out the cage we can make that happen.
I need to update this build thread badly....
My suspension is far from finalized. Turner Motorsports is valving some Bilsteins for me and I'm picking up a pair of AWR front strut housings. The rear end is all delrin bushings beyond the rear trailing arm, which I left alone due to binding concerns with more "solid" materials. Rear lateral links have been replaced with Battle Version units with heim joints - same with the camber link.
If you wanted to swing by to check out the cage we can make that happen.
I need to update this build thread badly....