phoenix7

What does that have to do with a 20K FC???^^^^

Black91n/a

You have to remember that the typical FC owner is in their late teens/early 20's and is a poor student or has a fairly low income job. They want a cheap fun car and the FC fits the bill. Most of you have no concept of what racing really is and what it costs to do it. There are some very restrictive rules and maybe you could build a faster car for less, but it'd be illegal in all but the unlimited classes where you'd get absolutely demolished by some 800hp tube frame Corvette with 13" wide slicks.

Racers are typically 40+ professionals with established carrers and money to spare. That is who this sort of car is aimed at, most of you need not apply. Just wait untill a well sorted EP FC comes on the market, then you'll really be amazed at the price.

TougeRoads96

Damn, I would jump on that if I did not fit into the broke student category! I have a half year of NASA track time that I would love to burn up with that thing in HPDE4 or a race class!

TheAbsence

iTrader: (19)

Because I found it after going to the auction of the OP!

Roen

iTrader: (2)

lol @ funny auction.

My wallet already feels the pain of my ITS project. And I've barely started!

87 t-66

iTrader: (133)

per racing beat: http://racingbeat.com/resultset.asp?PartNumber=16425

their exhaust adds 59HP and i bet its been dyno tested.

Roen

iTrader: (2)

mmm.....boost creep for power.

TheAbsence

iTrader: (19)

To a stock TurboII? Nahh.

Roen

iTrader: (2)

yup, it was a stock tII, though here's the rumor that i heard in the form of a self-quote

MmSadda

iTrader: (2)

for real. it probably makes significantly less power than most of the turbo guys on here, but n/a tuning is ******* EXPENSIVE, especially when it takes a car to that level.

Oh, someone care to fill me in on Van Steenberg? Evil Aviator, would you be so kind?

MmSadda

iTrader: (2)

buyer protection?

Roen

iTrader: (2)

there is no NA tuning!!!! there is no porting on that car!!!!! the most that's been done is a rebuild/rebalance for a higher rev limit. It's probably putting down between 170-190 whp on a stock port engine.

Black91n/a

The absolute highest numbers I've heard from an ITS car is 174whp. They use stock ports, stock intake manifolds with exhaust, pullies and computers being free, basically everything else (well when it comes to power making anyway) is stock. They even have to use the stock flywheel.

Roen

iTrader: (2)

I've heard 174 but that was speedsource exhaust on stock computer. I make 170 on rtek 2.0 and rb exhaust. I wouldn't be surprised if it at least gets to mid 180s.

NeilTII

I'm going to take a beating on this one. This FC is built great and all but here in Japan the craftmanship is of higher quality. I don't want to sound stupid but, just like in the movie "The Last Samurai" where Tom Cruise says that when the samurai get up in the morning they dedicate every waking moment to their purpose. Although most of the movie is fiction, this part is true from what I've seen in the rotary garage communtiy. You could go to an almost no-name garage and they would build a better car for the same amount of cash. Now I know the majority of RX7 owners in America are young and just want a street cruiser but here it's different. You can go to the mountains and see a 50 year old man there on a night race with his RX...what ever it may be. Details: When I look at this FC's dash, engine, interior, installation of everything, and $$$. They are doing it better here for the same $$$. My favorite RE shop locally right now has an FD and a Mark II for $20K that are inspected and ready to go, built for a company but they lost their driver and backed out. These cars are insane, not gonna post HP #'s because that a different topic. I'm not saying that the craftmanship is horrible though. If I were there (US) the car is every bit worth the $20K. The Japanese have been building for a long time though, and most young guys here would live with their parents until they were 30 and spend every last dime on their RX...I've seen it many times. It's sad but they drive BA cars. I am trying everything in my power to not sound like a cocky ******* that thinks he's better because he lives in Japan, I'm just stating what I see...this is a forum Hopefully I will be able to learn some RX7 tricks of the trade so when I return to America I can make a shop and raise the bar in the RE community. Although anybody and everybody knows people don't give thier trade secrets lightly. Once again, I'm not saying the Garages in the states are junk, it's just a whole 'nother ball game here so please don't take offense because I would take my car to get worked on by almost any rotary garage in America to this date.

micah

Ooh!

Roen

iTrader: (2)

I'd believe it....I saw Phoenix Factory's White 2001 FD the other day.......pure sex, and quiet too!

DaveB

Van Steenberg - owner of ISC racing in Florida. Kip has been a winner in rotary powered cars for a number of years. Along with the gang at Speedsource, considered to be among the best prep shop and suppliers to the rotary racing community. They build and supply SERIOUS racers not so much street tuners.

Currently, they also rent cars for IT, Prod, and Spec Miata. Search them to see what they really have. I buy splitters, springs, and other things from them. They are good business people and very professional.

NeilTII

They are the type of shop we need more of.

dguy

iTrader: (8)

Wow, the amount of stupid in this thread is amazing.

DaveB

www.iscracing.net

Black91n/a

It all comes down to class rules though, sure you can build a faster car for the same or less, but it wouldn't be legal in that class. To win in a particular class you need to maximize everything to the limit, that means stuff like $5-10k suspensions and things like that, it adds up pretty quickly.

Valkyrie

Which is why buying a purpose-built race car ready to drive is a much better idea, if you have the cash.

And if you don't, you should either buy a kart, or stay out of racing until you do.

Sports racers and entry-level formula cars are probably a better investment than a modified street car unless you've got a sponsor.

DaveB

Just be VERY careful about touching a wheel to anyone else. That's when things get VERY expensive.

RETed

It's to keep buyers from getting phished.
Phishing scammers will see that you're willing to pay big bucks for a certain product.
Your typical scam will go like this...
The con will send you an email (or try and figure out your email) claiming they have another identical item for sale - they want to do the transaction outside of eBay.
RED FLAG.
Or, you get an email claiming you didn't pay, and eBay threatens to close / suspend your account.

I find it funny that these crooks think they can get away with **** like this.
Truthfully though, I bet they do..."A sucker is born every minute..."

I just had to look at the eBay link since this thread seems to generate a lot of replies.
JRZ - nuff said.
If you don't recognize that, you're not a serious racer.
The dampers alone is worth than what most of you FC owners spend on your cars.

Top tier "pro" racing usually requires this kinda money.
I've heard you want a consistent winner, $100,000...$200,000 budgets are not unheard of.


-Ted