Cool, you got the RB exhaust stuff. Hopefully that nasty dent won't cause any problems. It'd be funny if there was a big orange plume when you fire it up from all the rust inside the pipes.

Another thing you forgot to mention: this car has a GSL rear end. So it's like the best of both worlds; it has the goodies of a GSL (sunroof, limited slip, rear disc brakes), but without a lot of the extra weight and electrical crap. Should make an awesome daily driver or whatever.

 

Exactly! That's part of the reason why I wanted it. I just wanted an uncomplicated driver kind of car that you needn't worry about door dings or keeping the interior/exterior spotless.

Man I've built way too many show-car quality engines lately. It's good to relax sometimes. I even look forward to the easy clutch pedal effort of the stock pressure plate.

 

I decided to use a beehive in this car. Why? I had one and a tall radiator. Plus I needed to hang on to the air oil cooler for the other FB.

Hey Trochoid, I removed the restrictor in the heater core tube that runs from the radiator to the firewall. You know the one. The restrictor is in the part that connects to the top coolant fitting of the beehive. I wonder how much cooler it will run...

Ok, it ran at the correct temp before. The thermostat is a new Mazda unit. The fan is good. The radiator cap was good on the other rad, and I think I can transfer it to the tall one, unless it uses the smaller style like the 2nd gens.

 

The S model runs!!



Not only that, it runs well and stays cool. The clutch is easy to manipulate and it doesn't shudder. The steering is better than the white '83. Heck, it just plain drives better than the white '83 in my opinion. It has a ton of power too. I upped the primary jets from an already bigger than stock 94, to 100 and swapped the stock 90 air bleeds for some 70s I had lying around (more fuel + less air = higher useable RPM). Now when I open the secondaries, there is less of a rush of power... which simply means the transition is smoother because the primaries have become more powerful causing the difference between the two circuits to be less noticeable.

That's the good stuff. The bad is a leak around the sunroof or something allowing water to get in. The RB exhaust is a little too much for the stock muffler, so it's go some noise, but only towards the back of the car. Up front and in the center section is fine. It's still quieter than the GLC. The tranny has some miles on it and grinds going into 2nd. One of the brakes drags. I'll have to feel around after a drive and see which one.

I think that's it for the bad. Man this project was well worth the effort. I'd like to add a direct fire ignition upgrade and start driving it around. Maybe take it to a few meets. It's a pleasure to drive. By the second drive I was already feeling a connection with it, the likes of which took several weeks to develop in the baja, a couple weeks in the red truck, and never occured in the white '83 GSL. It also didn't ever really happen in the white REPU. Maybe white's not my color. I don't enjoy driving my mom's white Stratus either (it's an auto, which could explain it).

So I think I'm gonna scrap my plans for the white '83 and let it go to a good home where it will get some TLC, and possibly do something awesome with this S model. The potential is so there.

 

You know Jeff if you want to just get rid of all the white vehicles I'll be more than happy to give the white Repu a good home

 

Something you said earlier.You know how it is when the window of oppurtunity is open. You gotta let in the fresh ideas. Maybe there's a reason why I kept stalling out on the white '83 project. I never pulled the gas tank for the EFI upgrade. I never changed the fuel lines. I kept coming up with excuses. The only thing I did modify on the car, the crossmember, can be easily swapped into another car. Maybe there's a reason for it. Maybe I knew deep down that the white '83 wasn't the best choice for the big engine?

 

That's a good possibility. I say let someone else give it the TLC that she deserves and just sort of relax and enjoy the simple fun of the S. My 12A Turbo project is pretty big, she's only been down a few months and already I'm gettig ancy and I miss driving her(S model as well, go figure!). I''m debating to start it off small with getting her roadworthy again with a rebuilt motor with some porting, breaking her in NA and then slowly start adding the rest of the project. I've even debated just scrapping the project all together, just rebuild the motor with a streetport and just have fun. But I have a goal for her and slowly I'll make it there. Basically what I am saying is that there is no shame in enjoying these wonderful machines for the simple joy and happiness they bring us, whether they are stock or modified

 

jeff..i like how your s has come along..I finally broke my new 12a in my S in. I really like the light blue color also..just like mine..except i dont have a sunroof. what's next bigger carb and suspension?...im looking at getting atleast a rb muffler for now..trying to get one from this guy in florida. i'm trying to organize a meet up here near UW..you should bring your car by..

 

Ah cool, you guys are both S model owners. This car is really growing on me, and I'm not talking about the mold from all those water leaks in the interior. lol

FirebirdSlayer666, good luck with the 12Aturbo. I think the white '83 will get some sort of turbo, but start out NA like you.

pinoyremix, you should come out to the next del taco meet. Check the NW section for details.

What's next for the S model? I want to put the bigger engine and better tranny in.

I think I've maxed out the current carb. The engine was prepped for a Camden 7" supercharger but I don't think I'll do that. Why? Because I have a bigger engine to install. I'll take what I already started in the white '83 and transfer it to this car. It has far greater power potential.

 

Oh cool, I didn't realize you had an '83 S as well. Whenever I get some time off from school I'll do my exhaust and get you that muffler.

 

Heh, I was right! I followed Jeff over to his place, and when he opened the secondaries a cloud of rusty orangeness blew out of the exhaust.

It's a nice car aside from a rough interior and leaky sunroof. And for a 12A, it surprises you how much power it has. It has a lot of potential to be a nice cruiser, especially if it had a 20B.

 

I suspect that the restrictaor may simply be to cause more flow to the heater core at the tee since flow will take the straight line path of least resistance to the beehive.

If anything, it may cool the oil more and cause the heater to be less efficient.

 

Here is the restrictor.



And here is one I removed.



I haven't checked the heater yet, but I did manage to use a compost bin thermometer down the dipstick hole to meaure the oil in the pan. It was around 195 to 200 at idle. Remember this is oil in the pan. I'd assume it's a little cooler after it flows through the beehive before it goes in the engine.

By the way the radiator looks good on the outside but it's full of crust on the inside. I'm sure that reduces over all cooling effect. Still, the dash guage reads below half way.

 

yah..i'll be out at the next taco 7 on the 26th..

 

Yay I'll try to bring the S model. It needs a driver's seat and the interior put back together. I might not get around to doing the igniton this week because it's supposed to rain from now until November. That's probably ok though because I can't decide whether to do DLIDFIS or 2GCDFIS. It will get TLIDFIS eventually so maybe I should start out with three coils, or leave it alone since I solved the bad ignition it used to have, and it seems to have plenty of power. I'd still like to experience the difference though. Oh for free time and an empty garage to work in.

 

I still sit too low. The cushion is basically dead but at least the backrest part looks better now. I swapped the back and the tracks from another driver's seat of the same style.

The exhaust is rather noisy. It quickly gets anoying, even on short trips. The stock '81-'82 muffler can't quite handle the RB dual pipe center section. If you've ever tried to drive on just the center section, you'll know how disturbingly loud it is, and why the stock muffler has trouble. The RB stuff will come off and I'll throw a temporary manifold and a couple of old muffling devices on there.

I've gotta pull the exhaust to change trannies. While it's out I might as well test the pedal effort of a street strip pressure plate. I don't need a grabby clutch at the moment so I'll use a stock style disc. Lastly, instead of the RB light steel flywheel I was going to use, I think I'll try this interesting thing here.

Anyone know what brand this flywheel is?



It's a super light steel flywheel from either Australia or Japan. Only compatible with 215mm discs and pressure plates. Unknown miles, but looks to be a lot. Some ridges on the wear surface. That's ok because the stock disc also has ridges. They'll break in to each other.

I suspect it will drive like an aluminum flywheel.

 

Hey Jeff,

Looking good. I would recommend flipping the battery around so the negative terminal is closest to the front of the car, though. Let's just say I know from experience that having the positive closest to the front of the car is a bad idea (especially if the batt isn't strapped down good). The previous owner of my old SA (first car) had it this way. I hit a pot hole in the rain. The battery shorted out against the hood and melted a bunch of wires, melted the throttle cable, hot start, and CC cables (one which then sliced through the fuel line like a hot knife through butter and started a fire!). Luckily, I was able to put the fire out before too much damage was done. Did about $450 in damage plus the cost of a tow. Now I always make sure that the neg is closest to the front and the battery is held down really well.

Kent

 

Love threads with lots of pictures... Keep em' coming...

 

Thanks for the friendly caution, Kent. The PO apparantly had a mini melt down of sorts because you can see a couple arc marks on the hood hinge. Also the B+ wire on the alt has had trouble as well, and he ran a new red 10 guage wire from the alt directly to the battery. He also kept the stock wire that runs over to the fuseable links. I've done project cars both ways and had success, but never ran it parallel like this before. Seems to work fine.

I just found the old battery hold down from the white car a day or two ago so I'll certainly install it before I drive the S again. The battery does slide around a bit I noticed.

Thanks, 85TIIDEVIL. I will. Next on the list is to change out the bad trailing coil and put the interior back together.

 

The center console stuff is back together. Just gotta fix the light combination switch.

I found out what was wrong with the trailing coil. There was corrosion in the metal sleeve. I swapped it with one from an old points coil. It stopped the arcing problem. Then I discovered a new problem. Both coil wires leaked. I could only see it at night. I swapped them out a couple days ago and haven't run the engine at night to check yet.

Next is the tranny swap. I've decided against the light steel flywheel for now. It's ok since this engine will only stay in the S for a little while longer.

 

we've learned 2 things about rx7's along the way. i forget what the other one is....

BUT

if you do not have ps or ac, then you NEED the battery hold down. WHEN the battery FALLS off the tray, the POSITIVE battery terminal WILL, SHORT out on the BRAKE LINE.

so you loose the brakes. you loose the battery, due to it dead shorting. you gain fire, do to the sparks from the battery arcing, lighting the brake fluid on fire.

its quite fun...

 

Always use a battery hold down device. Gotcha.

My bro's GSL-SE had a battery slid into the AC pulley, which cut throuth the handle and nearly cut into the plastic keeping the acid in. That could have been a mess.

 

jeff did you bring this to the taco meet ? I saw two light blue fb's there and I know who owns one but not the other. Very clean install by the way.

 

Yeah I did, and thanks. Were you the tall guy with the red FB with the headlights up? Like in your avatar picture?

 

not sure what kind it is but I will give oyu $20 bucks for it