Oh ya our Rabitt is your Golf!
Wow that sounds funny if you didnt know what we were talking about.

 

If this works I'll be at the junkyard tomorrow!

 

 

 

Won't that bump you into the $$$ = Speed category?

Ugh... There's so much I dunno about SCCA classes and rules and whatnot... I have the 2000 Rulebook, but it reads like the 1040 Instructions... It's especially hard to weed through all the piston info for what you can do to a rotary..

 

Won't that bump you into the $$$ = Speed category?

I have no idea what you are talking about. I dont AutoX at all, ever. Never ever.LoL
These are just a few pics, I cant get more loaded up tonight. Tommorow!!!!!
Thanx

 

So assuming all this works out for you, it would be a "simple" bolt in mod for the rest of us? I want rack and pinion like you wouldn't belive but I'm not ready to hack my car apart to make it fit. thanks for keeping us updated.

 

I should check my rules. I'm in Canada so we run by the WCMA rules, which differ substantially from the SCCA rules. Let's see now...

I suppose that swapping steering componentes would put me into MOD because it's a modification that isn't expressly mentioned in the rules. And if it's not mentioned, you can't do it unless you're in MOD. There goes that idea. There's no way I can compete in MOD. Not to worry, my steering box is still in great shape.

 

Guess you'll just have to spend some more money and fix 'er up a bit more then, eh?

 

The whole idea behind this setup is to "NOT HACK"
the car in any way shape or form. The only part you will not be able to reuse is your steering box because you have to use a chop saw and cut the top threaded portion of the box off, approx. 20mm from the top edge. This is done so the steering shaft has a holder with a bearing at the end where the VW universal will attatch. The bracket that will hold the rack connects ONLY to the factory bolt locations that was for the old RX7 system. This is whats taking so long. I could have done this in SO many different ways which would have been much easier for "me" but it involved moding the chassis and such, if others were going to use this setup a great majority of people would not want to do this. So this involes no cutting or welding to the car in anyway only the box.

 

Why not make a new mount rather then cutting the box? If you can not find someone to make one i can have it done for you. Just send me the prototype and i will see how much it will cost to fab up a new one.


Or just take it to a machine shop, any REAL machine shop should have no problem making one. just need to find the right sized bearing.. maybe a wheel bearing with a sleave?

 

Hey Zyounker! How udoin? I know where yer comin from about having a machine shop make one. I am a machinist and it would have been easy for "ME" but most people cant. I want people to be able to do this alone and if the box is crap anyway why not everything you need is right there. The hardest part to fab up is the simple but large (similar to the front motor mounting plate in size and shape) mount for the rack. It can be cut out of 1 peice of plate steel in many different ways, Im using a plasma cutter but I also made one with a jigsaw and steel cutting blades or even a cut-off wheel will do or just buy it whatever you want.

 

Well, if you are looking to sell these, get a few made and sell them as part of the "Kit"


Just use the stock mounting location when you pull the box out.


I just think if it was all bolt in, and it didn't require them to cut up the box it would be much easier to sell.


And i will probably just buy one.. i am fabbing way to many things already for my car.. if i can get a bolt on rack&pinion i will do it

 

This would be the top of almost everyones want list I'd imagine, I know it would be on mine.
If you get final dimensions and want to make kits, I work at a metal fab shop and we can make just about anything. even laser cut the parts up to 1/2 steel. form, weld and powder coat/plate.
I've seen many people over the years try this, and they either never complete it, dissapear or it didn't work out.
If you get it to work, you will become one of the greatest RX-7 guru's

Keep up the good work !

 

I know i would too. If the price was only about $30-50 more than what it would cost me to make it myself. To me, that price would be worth not having the hassel of cutting up something, or takin it to the machine shop and having them make it. Im kinda lazy when it comes to stuff like that.

So if you were to come up with a kit that you could sell for about $50 more than you paid for the parts/labor. I would Defianly buy one.

 

Yes, I would definatly pay for a kit.

 

Hmm, how long are we talking here? A few months or a few weeks? Also, what kind of price are you projecting? I may be willing to test this kit out. I agree with getting cores and doing a few of the box mods yourself. You could sell two kits, one with the mod and a core charge, one without.

 

is it going to affect the front geometry at all?
the idea of a rack and pinoin setup would be awsome (and i would pay as well for it) but only if it does not compromise the handeling or feedback.

 

It will "NOT" affect the geometry. AS I said earlier it utilizes the stock mounting locations and the tie rods stay in the same position as before thats the whole Idea here. I will not put this much time into somthing that I dont think will work far superior to the Steering box setup.
Thanx for all the imput guys! And ME, a Guru, uh no. Well maybe one day I'll let the setup speak for itself!

 

Where does the rack itself mount? or did I miss that part?

 

wouderful... sounds like (hopefully) you have your work cut out for you , to get a kit out to the rest of us lazy people who donot want to do it them selves.

 

The rack sits where the old steering rod that connects the drivers side to the pass. side was. Just under the oilpan, it fits here because it is a small but strong VW rack. I will post a pic tonite of it in place with a template. The motor is out of the car so you can see it easy.

 

Oh ya, Im not sure if it will work if you have a V8 swap.

 

just one more reason to keep a damn rotary in a rotary car

 

BAH!!!! rotary BAH!!