leif

such a waste of carbon fiber

SSRx7

This from a guy who put a v8 in an Astro van??? Believe me, I get people asking me all the time why did I put a v8 into a mini van?
Uhhhh.... Because I wanted to.....?




Man that is sweet!!! You see, I do like things that are different. ANd that is truly different Look how sanitary that thing is.... Way cool.






...... almost as cool as a v8 Rx7!!

Later,
Bill

'85 GSL 302

I picked up a replacment short block for my car yesturday. This one needs a crank (which I have from my block) but it comes with a Ford Racing cam, and a nice set of pistons with 10,000 on the motor. $200, not to bad. The motor put ot 270 whp on a conservative set up, mine won't be as conservative. This will save me from having to either spend $1400 on a 331 stroker, or $800 rebuilding my motor.

It'll try to get some more pictures up over the weekend. I have the FC suspension bolted on right now, but I need to do something with the oil pan because it sits right where the rack belongs. I think I'll be making a custom pan for it to get the fitment correct. I also did some cutting on the rear frame rails. I need to get some more metal so I can connect the new frame to the chasis. I still can't decide on which shocks to use, the shorter miata ones that fit and will be miss-matched to the FC fronts, or the stupid tall FC ones that require a ton of fitting work, but that I can purchase in a full set.

jorx81@aol.com

iTrader: (6)

Your place looks about like mine.

'85 GSL 302

Well I have hit the wall. As I was putting the new motor together I discovered that 3 of the pistons were distroyed. I now need to find a set of pistons, which means a new set of rings, which means a lot more work than I had intended. Also, after tearing my heads down, I found 3 broken valve springs, so I need a new set of those too. My $350 motor just became a $1000 motor. Add the cost of a new oil pump and dampner, plus the still unresolved oil-pan clearence.... Sigh.

Bye bye February deadline. Unless I line up the sponsor deals I was hoping for, this car isn't going to see the road until Mayish.

I have about 35 new pictures that I'll try to get uploaded as soon as I can.

'85 GSL 302

Uploaded a bunch of pics to the Cardomain page. Most of them are the motor tear down and engine plates, stuff many of you probably could care less about. If you want to see the motor pics, they will be at the cardomain site. For now, here are the new frame rails for the Miata IRS.




Currently the FC subframe in finished, but I will need to make some modifications if I want to put the V8 and steering rack in place. Now that my camera card is clear I can go take some more pictures.

Still on the list:
Rear sifferential (currently leaning towards an 87 RX-7 diff w/LSD)
axles (miata 3 peice if I get the RX-7 diff)
Drive Shaft
Steering column
Motor rebuild
Steering rack mod
Subframe mod
Fuel Cell & Fuel lines
Rear Brake Lines
Rear shock mounts
Final welding and cutting
Cage Install

Once those are finished the car should be in decent running shape. After that comes the fun part:
Wide Body Kit
Roof Mod
RHD Swap?
Full Suspension
Rims & Tires
Paint

Currently in the intrest of time I've scrapped the RHD swap since I got a $10 USDM rack and PS pump. This will save me the time and $100+ for new brake lines. Also on hold is the body kit (which I don't have money for) and the roof mods which aren't required for the car to run. Since the body work is up in the air, painting the car is kind of pointless right now. I need to get it running ASAP, shake it down, fix any problems, and start racing. Hopefully by then I'll have the sponsorship funds to finish the car and spend the remainder of the season racing. All the cool stuff is May and after anyways.

Misthael

link to cardomain page plz

Blasphemy

I've been following your car exploits since the B16 2g Prelude. I'm pretty damn impressed by your resourcefulness and willingness to buck the status quo with the cars you build.

This RX-7 is going to be very cool - despite what all of the rotary folks say. Maybe they don't understand precisely how easy it is to find a piece of **** RX-7, build a cheapo 300hp V8, and stick the two together. It's certainly a hell of a lot cheaper, easier, and more reliable to go the V8 route. Of course, every rotary enthusiast on the planet still wants to stick to the "moral high ground" by keeping their precious RX-7's rotary powered. With that, i don't have a problem. However, i do have a problem with the rotary folks that insist upon bashing the V8 folks.

Anyway, i can't wait to see how your current project turns out. If past endeavors are any indication of how this one will end up - i'm sure it'll end up being fantastic.

At one point in time i was considering a project much like yours, but decided to build a Locost (Do a search if you're not sure.) instead. Hence the "Blasphemy" handle.

-Aston

mercury7

Have you considered maybe a 20B motor, TT, you'll get every thing this13b has and more.
but then again, if fuel, and money are an issue, then thats understandable. but don't forgett the rotory!!!

Alex Rodriguez

iTrader: (137)

you are wrong buddy Kilo (Jesus Padilla) doesnt run high 8s not even low 9s he is currently running now 9.60 witch took him almost 2 years to drop from the 10s with a little experimenting and a little 20b parts

christaylor

Lookin' good, my man. You've still got me toying with the idea of doing a similar rearend conversion, so kudos to you for that.


You're an idiot.

'85 GSL 302

Cardomain: http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/714289/1

Let's see, where to start.....

Locosts, awsome cars!! My next project will probably be a 13b NA locost, target weight 1200lbs. In all my research it's fairly easy to get them below 1300lbs, but I've yet to find one below 1200lbs. Many people seem to be in the 1280 range, with the big boys pushing 1450. I think with some creative parts hunting, maybe re-designing the frame a tad, and some good 'ol inginuity, I can get the car to 1190lbs or so. We'll just have to wait and see.

Next, thanks to everyone for the words of encuragment. I really do try to set my cars out from the crowd as much as possible, so it's very nice to hear people tell me they enjoy my work.

The though has crossed my mind of ditching the V8 for now and installing a 13b-t, mainly for cost, time, and ease. Right now it'll basically save me about $600 to go this route, save me about a week of fab work, and the car can be running in less than a month. Then I saw an old video of mine with a walk-by of the RX-7 with no hood, "Ford Racing" valve covers gleaming in the sun, and I tossed that idea right out the window. Bottom line, I see an FB with a 13b-t and I usually keep walking. I see one with a V8 and I have to check it out. It's been my experience that other people are like this as well. Short of the die-hard rotary fans, 98% of the population could care less if you have a 12a or 13bt in your FB. Since a main part of this project is fan based (for sponsorship and advertising) I think I'm sticking with the 302.

Of course I still love rotary's. We are putting together a killer FC for the $2005 GRM Challenge in Florida this year. I can't wait to turn that sucker loose. But putting a 13b in my car would be killing what makes it special. (Ironically I laugh at this argument when the rotary guys use it against me for installing the V8 in the 1st place, but hey, there are tons of rotary powered FB's)

20b, yeah, twice as expensive initally, twice as expensive to mod, nearly impossible to find parts for, just as heavy, a worse fit, when does it start to become the better choice? Maybe if money was no object, and I didn't already have a V8, MAYBE. Honestly I probably would just go buy an FD instead, but if you love the 20b, by all means install one in your car and post pics. I'd be interested to see it.

FWIW I haven't forgoten about rotors at all. In fact I have 5 in the car right now. 4 brake rotors and one in the distributor. See, my car's really a 5 rotor. Jealous?

88t2romad

even though i love rotaries (and i stop and look when i see a 13bt in a fb) i have to say, this project looks like it has a lot of potential, and you seem to know what you are doing. Great project, and keep keeping us posted.

God luck

Rotorriffic

Different = good. Fast = good. RX-7 with Ford small block = different and fast, therefore = good.

If some is good and more is better, than too much is just enough.

RotaryAXer

iTrader: (4)

Do you have more pictures of the Miata rear subframe install? Also, I didn't see the pics you posted here of that on your cardomain site.

I am really coming around to this V8 in a FB idea. I don't think I'll ever do it but it really is pretty cool.

'85 GSL 302

I have a few more pictures but I still need to upload them. All the pictures I've posted here are hosted on the cardomain site on one of the pages somewhere. Have you looked through all 8 pages? Maybe if you told me which pictures in particular I could go into more detail.

As for the progress, I got the front all installed and fitted. I need to go get a ton of bolts though, because I'm missing a bunch. I also need to fabricate the rear shock towers, but I'm still deciding on the Miata v. FC shocks. Miata would be nicer, easier, and work better, FC will be cheaper and easier to get suspension parts for. Ultimatly it depends on the ability of my suspension suplier to provide a custom kit or not. I may start with a Miata shock for now and change the plan later, who knows....

I also test fitted the front fender and it looks like it's pretty close to fitting. I think I still have to pull the front out a tad to make room for the wheels to turn inward, but that's no problem. I'm still curious to see how the track width will look between the front and rear. I hope the rear isn't set in as I believe it will be.

'85 GSL 302

Nothing new yet guys. I have 4 exams and a paper due this week. This whole 19 hour course load is starting to suck. Plus I'm spending this weekend at VIR, so I doubt I'll get much finished until next week.

Ooo, then I get to work on our $2005 Challenge RX-7 for GRM. Crap, I'm never going to get my car finished....

'85 GSL 302

I just ordered the engine parts yesturday. Pistons will be 11:1 compression in a 306 motor, cam is an E-303, and the carb I'll hopefully pick up this weekend. This is turning out to be a pretty serious motor. Hope this one holds together.

I still have a ton of stuff left, but hopefully I'll start making some progress again soon. I'll put up pictures when I do.

On an unrelated note, our $2005 challenge car is now sporting a bright new orange interior. Hopefully we'll shoot the exterior paint tomorrow sometime.

hotty

I have a question for you. Have you weighed the car gutted, with a tranny and engine in it? Without doors, fenders, etc.. what does it weigh? I am VERY curious.

Thanks
Daryl

85rotarypower

Just a quick question. How much regidity does the rear floor offer? I'm just doing some research because I want to get my car down to 2200lbs or less. I would like to remove anything that isn't needed and replace the parts with thin sheet metal or just leave open spaces.

797

[QUOTE='85 GSL 302] $200, not to bad. The motor put ot 270 whp on a conservative set up, mine won't be as conservative. QUOTE]

your right 200 isnt bad, but only 270+ whp? I mean if your going to the trouble of putting a v8 in it, atleast have some serious numbers, like double or triple that. You could easily make 300 whp for cheap and keep it rotary, and not have a couple hundred extra pounds of motor in the front of the car...

797

btw im not bashing v8s, the last two cars i owned had v8 and i loved them, im just saying why dont you build that motor

rx302

Grassroots is over! What's the progress?

pimpncuba

where do you go to school? are you one of the clemson motorsports guys?

christaylor

There are so many places to shed weight that don't involve comprimising the integrity of the car that I wouldn't even worry about it. Start with plexi quarter windows and rear hatch, fiberglass fenders/hood, lexan windshield (if you can).

By weighing the individual parts, I think you should be able to get below your target without doing any serious cutting to structural parts of the car.

Have you heard of the lightweight Miata group? Insane, every one of them, but some interesting ideas.