My projects progress! 9 Months *story+photos*
 

One night in July 2004 I was chatting to a friend of mine online. I knew nothing about cars. I didn't even have a licence. He showed me some pics of an RX-7 and somehow he convinced me that it would be the right car to buy. After about 15 minutes I had secured a loan with my parents and booked tickets to fly interstate to get my dream car :)

http://rx7.pw.cx/photos/orig/2.jpg

We arrived in Sydney and after some trouble with their rail network, arrived in what seemed to be the equivalent to any states slums. After speaking with numerous drunk loiterers we were greeted by a bassy growl. I think this was the first day my heart truely started beating :D

The car had a number of problems when I bought it, so i'm going to now list everything I've done to it :-)

- repaired rear wiper switch
- cleaned up rust in hatch
- diff pinion seal replaced
- gearbox output seal replaced
- passenger electric window gearing unjammed
- cleaned rear wiper contact points on hatch gas cylinder
- secured loose relays in engine bay
- lubricated TB (had heaps of friction)
- bolted on the oil cooler (previously only attached with cable ties)
- replaced alternator (bearing seized)
- added dizzy shield
- new gearbox mount (crossmember)
- exhaust was attached to gearbox.. wearing the mount. removed
- rear sway bar removed (better control with low profile tyres)
- new tie rod end boots
- new lower suspension arms
- new front sway bar end boots
- regreased all steering components
- lock nuts on all wheels
- welded up crack in cat multiple times
- 2 new tyres on the front
- fixed spring terminal between the steering collumn and steering wheel
- front brake hoses replaced
- fixed high beam lock in collumn cluster
- picked up a hatch corner cover (one was missing) painted both
- fixed shift boot, sealed from fumes and noise
- tapped uni joints to reduce movement
- got a stone guard for under the oil cooler
- installed alarm and immobiliser
- cleaned up rust in hatch again, and filled and painted
- front uni joint replaced
- front wheel bearings replaced
- front disc rotors replaced
- new brake pads
- new castor rod bushes
- rear extension housing seal replaced
- certificate of roadworthiness :D
- REGISTRATION AND LICENCE PLATES :D
- Custom airbox designed and installed
- Air conditioner bits removed
- efi fuel pump replaced (seized)
- battery terminal arcing against bonnet. fixed
- new spark plugs
- new dizzy cap
- new dizzy rotor
- put in all new fuel hose
- new LIM gasket
- dyno tuning! 141Nm@5662/102lb-ft/130rwhp@6689
- new catalytic converter (breatheable exhaust yay!)
- installed super bright LED interior lighting (in place of old stock ceiling + personal lights)
- fixed steering collumn covers to sit flat :D
- recieved complaints from the neighbours about fumes/noise
- wheels alligned
- gearbox failed, put in a s2 box in excellent condition
- daiken clutch installed
- flywheel machined
- starter motor contacts cleaned (much faster turnover now)

It's been 9 long months, and today was my reward. I went for a long mountain drive with a friend and his father (both on motorbikes) and it can only be described as a pure driving pleasure :D The stuff dreams are made from! I had full confidence in the car, and every time I glanced down at the gauges it was smiling back at me :D

I've saved a lot of money doing things myself, and have learnt a hell of a lot. Thanks to everyone on the forums. This is truely the best resource we have for our cars! Thanks!! :bigthumb:

And the final product:
http://twiztid.ausgamers.com/paul/kar/car_frontleft.jpg

Engine bay: http://rx7.pw.cx/photos/AREAS/electr...20overview.jpg

thats outstanding! good job abd congats on your smiling guages.

Great looking car two thumbs up, bud! :bigthumb: :bigthumb:

That was beautiful man...brought a tear to my eye *hugs nearby poster of Rx-7*

nics job! you aussy's have good taste!! 10+

Very, very nice. Makes me want a stock FB to drive everyday. Super job. Jeez, you seem to learn fast !

two thumbs and two big toes up. I wish we had the aftermarket support you assuies have.

Thanks for the praise guys, but it really was the forum that did most of the work! Once you understand something, it's easy to actually do. I think my next project will be to pay for it all. Over here in Australia, you pay big money for a 7, at least compared to in USA. Initial cost was $6500USD, and I have spent about $4500USD on parts and a small amount of labour on the things needing expensive tools.

Perhaps should have mentioned it came with a 13B Series 4 engine, and most of the work done on the car didn't appear to be done properly. It's all good now :)

And I found out why my fuel 'consumption' is high. Every time I corner hard, fuel is coming out around the filler cap... Now things are making a little more sense :)

Cheers guys.

That's hot.

awesome car, I know exactly what your talking about though... When I got my rx7 I knew absolutley nothing about vehicles... Now next year im going to college to be a mechanic, I must say my car has changed my life. But I am really jealous, I can't wait till I can get my 7 out to do some mountain driving.

What kind of throttle body is that? Is it just the older style?

- Tech

Yeah but your steering wheel is still on the wrong side mate.

No, it's on the right side. :rlaugh:
We drive on the wrong side of the car, but the right side of the road. Since, after all, if it ain't right, it must be wrong. :beerchug:

Its the S4 N/A TB I believe. Even features in my haynes manual for 2nd Gens.

I could not imagine having to shift with my right hand, that just seems wrong. :)

damn right hand drive just seems so much cooler....it would suck to go through a drive thru (in america at least) though...wonder if theyd let you reverse it in.

Great story. Its nice to see people bring these back the life.

Do you have the part numbers for the ultra bright lights?

- Tech

I FUCKING LOVE THE COLOR!!!!!!


What Is It???

We actually have a show here in Aus called 'Blokesworld' and one segment is how well you can back up a car with a trailer on it through an obstacle course ;-) I'm sure if you can reverse as well as the guys on blokes world, the maccas people would be happy to serve you ;-)

Not many people disagree with that :) Although there is the odd person who doesn't understand anything about cars or how much fun you can have in one.. It's still a work in progress and always will be - I plan on keeping it a long time :)

Just go to an electronics store.. I don't know what you have there in America... I guess Radio Shack? Here we have Jaycar/RadioParts/Dick Smith Electronics heh... Just ask for the brightest possible LED's. You can also get a kit which makes up a little circuit board, with resistors and leds that will fit in the space of your current bulb. I did a pull custom job on mine as I bought the wrong size pcb...


The previous owner told me "BMW Forest Green", although after visiting an autospray shop was told that this didn't exist, perhaps their database was old? There is a Mazda Green Mica I think it was called which I had made up, and its a close match, but not exact, it's a little lighter than my paint.

Well it was all going good for a while until somebody decided to turn straight into me :mad:

http://rx7.pw.cx/photos/crash_2005/DSC00113.JPG

http://rx7.pw.cx/photos/crash_2005/DSC00116.JPG

Insurance has paid out and I'm just waiting for her to be restored now :) Should be back to new/better in no time hopefully... and hopefully I dont blow all the insurance money before I have to pay haha..

DAMN man that sucks ass... but at least you will be able to get it fixed and back on the road.

What a great story!

But isn't that always the way things happen? Ups and downs. As high as life takes you, it'll take you just as low.

At least now you'll be able to learn body work ;)

NOooooooooooooo!!!!! That car was beautiful. God Speed on getting her or another back on the road.

OH GOD WHY!!!!! Its always the good ones they take first!!!

Man this one must have slipped by me. Goregous car. What grade tint is on that.