Kim

I'm fairly tall, 185cm, the FD seats makes you sit higher and have less wheel/lap space
The seats are great and lightyears ahead of the stock FB seats in any way.

Mounting is a real bitch too, I ended up making custom, non slideable brackets
If you are willing to cut or remove the reinforcement/seatmount it might be easier, atleast for the drivers side.
Passenger side is even worse, theres really not alot to do other than drill and run a bolt through the floor(rear) for the front I installed threaded rivets, but still the stock rails required alot of persuasion

rotaryboy23

iTrader: (1)

Hands down the MSD 6A was a giant waste of money. Swapped it back for the stock after a year and it hasn't made a damn bit of difference either way.

michael_santiago@hotmail.com

Eliminating the whole AC system.

elwood

iTrader: (1)

+1 on the MSD. I really flushed cash down the toilet -- I was running a pair of DIS-4 HO boxes. I don't think the capacitive MSD spark is as good as a strong inductive one (unless you're running very high boost).

Jimbo II

Mine is going from a twin 2 inch exhaust to the diff to a twin 1 7/8 inch exhaust. I got that cos the exhaust hung too low under the car. Now there's plenty of clearance but it just dosen't seem to pull in the high revs so much. Could be the fact it changed the power curve slightly?

On the MSD, I did get that cos it seemed to miss a bit above 7500. Now I have msd coils and fatter leads it dosen't seem to.

Its all in my head most likely.

I LOVE my 2nd gen slotted brakes though! When they get warm I can dust off what seems like 100k (62mph) in a few seconds!!!

turbo_dave

iTrader: (50)

putting turbo on my fb rx7,always want to give it it extra throttle to feel the boost=less gas mileage,and taking the a/c system off a year ago.

Rogue_Wulff

I don't regret any mod I have done to my car.
I kinda wish I had waited a couple weeks longer before I installed the GC coilovers though. I bought them lightly used, and they came with SE strut housings. A couple weeks after I installed them on my 83, which required modding those strut housings, I acquired an SE. Now, It looks like I will be putting the ST springs under the SE, even though I would rather have the coilovers on it, since it will take over the track/autox duty from the 83.

83gslRX-7

i havnt got a chance to do any mods to the new fb but i do wish it didnt have this damn alarm system! its giving me such a headache trying to get rid of it!

Dan_s_young

iTrader: (1)

CP racing flushmount headlamps, hands down worst idea ever... Worst product I have ever purchased and not cheap either. They are so bad I would never sell them because I would feel like I was ripping someone off doing so.

Hmmmm still wanting to see someone come up with a decent flushmount setup for production...

OneRotor

iTrader: (3)

so far i have not regretted anything. No need for the air pump or the a/c system, so out they came, replaced the tall radiator with a shortie and a FMOC with Aeroquip fittings, a big remote mount oil filter, and MSD coils, along with a full RB SP exhaust system. Every one has been a great mod, now all I need to do is drive a Sterling equipped car to see if I want to trade in my stock reliability for Sterling power.

orion84gsl

iTrader: (5)

Have a talk with Kentetsu, maybe he'll let you go for a quick parking lot test drive. If not, I'm in Ontario 2 hours from Detroit, so if your up for a drive in the spring, I'll let you see what my baby's got. Go to my cardomain page in my sig and go to the last page to see what my Sterling looks like.

Kerebrus

iTrader: (30)

Really? I know someone running one MSD 6A on his stock port 13B SE motor that has a 48DCO carb on it, said adding the MSD was a nice addition over stock.

4portgsl

It seems like everyone really likes the respeed coil overs. I was thinking about getting the rb springs but now i might not. Only question is what spring rates to get?

I somewhat regret removing the 48dcoe i had on my 12a. yeah it was too big for the stockport 12a and stumbled below 3k, but oh man did it scream up to redline. The 45dcoe i replaced it with just didnt pull as well.

I'd say i regret pulling the motor, but im sure i wont once my streetport 4 port 13b is up and running...

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

i've been thinking about it for as long as it took for me to read the whole thread thus far, and i really don't think there was mod that i regretted in 5 FBs and 21 years. i suppose the closest i come is thinking i should have gone Weber IDA instead of Dell'Orto DHLA in 1994, but at the time i was in college and the price difference made the decision for me, but i really don't regret the DHLA.

i know it's not a mod per se, but i regret assembling that motor in haste back then, but now i think i'm about to get my redemption, because three-fifths of that same motor are what i'm using to build my semi-PP! circle of life, eh ...




on a sidenote, thank you, DirectFreak, for posting with honesty and the insight of hindsight. speaking for myself, i appreciate that because i was sort of stressing over what rear to put in my racecar, but given what you said, i'll postpone the Ford rear until i add turbo to the mix. i definitely want to run NA for a while ...

RustyRacer

My biggest regret is not figuring out the idle screw has a nut on it. So I did what anyone would rather do. Buy a header, remove the rats nest and then adjusting the idle. Which I need to do again.

slowautoxr

iTrader: (6)

I bought one of my current RX-7's new. It's been modified some over the years. The bad things I've done were
1. an uncollected exhaust system with 2 Supertrapps.
2. buying nonhubcentric Enkies when I could have bought other wheels that were.
3. temporarily installing a non RB Holley.
4. installing 4.44 gears even though I was commuting in the car.

Another bad thing done to a RX-7 I had for a while was a hollow cat on an otherwise stock GSL-SE.

OneRotor

iTrader: (3)

You coming in town for the 2 day auto-x event?

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

If anything, it's not having a complete final plan, finished picture for the widebody. It started simple enough, I picked up a set of Epsilons and they wouldn't clear the stock fenders with lowering springs. From there it grew to a major restoration project that seems to have no end. I originally wanted to do a TII swap, but thought building a 12A 1/2 bp would fun and a learning experience in porting and engine building. Before I even started the body work I had already completely redone the brakes and suspension. Handling and braking was superb. Better than any car I've ever owned.

With the engine and widebody install, braking and suspension needed further upgrades to match the huge tires. I spent around 1k in brake and suspension parts the first time. Now to upgrade the brakes for the larger wheels/tires, I needed to go with the ReSpeed 2nd gen package. That meant the Epsilons had to go due to the 4X110 pcd. Thanks to a forum member from Japan, I bought a set of 5X114.3X 9/10" SSRs, the front big brake upgrade, MazdaComp adjustable tension rods and LCAs. With those parts, some other parts that I had bought for a TII that I sold and buying the rest of the parts for the rear big brake kit, I've dropped nearly another 2k in suspension, brakes, tires and wheels.

That part is almost finished, but I still don't have a TII engine built/installed. Even though I'm sitting on 2 complete TII engines and trannys that need rebuilt, which I need another 4k to finish up for my hp goals. The 1/2 bp is loud and fun most of the time, but it isn't what I wanted in the long run and affording the TII now isn't in the budget.

This project has taken so long to get to this point that I've been losing interest in finishing it and have other ones that I really want to get started. Particularly the REPU and a GSL that was the first 1st gen I ever bought that will one day be my DD replacing the 2nd gen that I DD now. I've even been thinking about selling the widebody once the big brake upgrade is finished.

To make a long story short, whatever upgrade one plans, have a final goal in mind and research the forum until your eyes bleed. Once you have a plan laid out, start over and rethink it again until you're sure that's what you want/can do and can afford it. When I started the widebody project some of the upgrades weren't availible, i.e. ReSpeed and some are no longer in business, think CP Racing. Since I damaged the front airdam during an offroad 'excursion' and cracked the front fenders trying to get in/out of my driveway, I can no longer buy just those parts. Black Dragon sells the same kit, but they will not sell individual parts. I either get really good at fiberglass repair or spend 1400 bucks for the entire kit.

I'm in the same mind as Hyper, yes I would do it again, and yes I would do it differently with what I know now. One thing I wouldn't trade is the experience from doing the build nor all of the new skills I learned in the process. Those 2 things alone were worth the money spent on the build. In the long run it was cheaper than going to a trade school.

Another upside to the project is I've been able to pass along much of what I've learned to other members on the forum and have several 'How Tos' in the archives. Somedays just that legacy makes it all worth it, even if I am a an old grumpy smartass somedays.

ray green

iTrader: (14)

This looks like a good post to resurrect right about now, there must be a few more interesting stories to tell since Trochoid's back in '09. Anybody?

Twilightoptics

iTrader: (1)

Biggest regret?

1: NPR Isuzu alternator.
Stock one couldn't keep up even after I upgraded grounds and put in relays for the ign. Bought a used S5 from here. It died. Second one I had to rev up to get it to "turn on." So my part dept at work was tossing an NPR alternator because of a cosmetic defect. Scooped it up and put it on. Same plug as the S5. Bought an FD pulley and modded it to fit the shaft. KILLER power now.... but when I turn the head lights on, even though all connections are good, the RPMS drop about 200 from the alternator load! It's a beast. I used the load machine at work to confirm.

2.: RockAuto Brake Booster
Trouble coming to stop lights with the engine dying. Found booster was leaking, as was the master. Put the new booster and master on. Still dies and still acts like a vacuum leak with the pedal depressed and coming to a stop. Put the vacuum gauge on the booster, new one doesn't hold vacuum either. AND it's not painted! Thing is starting to rust. It looked like it was painted silver.... doh.

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

i don't know that i regret going PP with peepers its awesome, it would just be nice to be able to street it more. i'm in CA so i need a smog to get a license plate.... i like my FC, but i'm jonsing to drive a 1st gen, its been too long

i do regret BOTH exhaust systems i've had on there, its been $$$$$$ and um they are too loud and don't work, the third i'm just going to build on the dyno, after #2 melts off the car...

Take-7

biggest regret.... catching my sa22c LS on fire. it was in the process of modding, so it fits, and was the scariest thing i've ever done in a car, (drifting, rallycross,autoX, soloII, top speed runs down the freeway, all had nothing on this.)

hemotape

my most regretted mod was installing seats from a 2002 celica in my car. They look perfect and work well, but people are constantly harassing me to do custom work locally now.... mech. secondaries, straight pipe exhaust, and audio upgrades were all much needed and well worth it though.

justinfox

iTrader: (3)

I built a crazy muffler out of a walker muffler that looked kinda like a stock but longer. I had the over axle pipe bent at a local muffler shop and welded it all together. It's louder than I want and the pipe bangs off of the lower spring seat sometimes.

cshaw07

iTrader: (14)

I don't really have any major regrets yet, but I'd probably say the worst I did to this car was replace the rear brake line on the axle. A month later I bought a gsl rear...