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-   -   Awd/ 4wd Fc (https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/awd-4wd-fc-641723/)

lax-rotor 04-12-07 02:47 PM

Awd/ 4wd Fc
 
I know that back in the day there was a AWD/4WD FC that won the world rally championship. My question is more about the technical aspect of it. What gear box were they running, how did they do it basically. Anyone have any insight on it? I'm going to do some hunting about it, but if anyone knows anything it would be helpful. (technical knowledge, etc...)

It was Dag Bakken and Sal Dagens RX-7

Syncro 04-12-07 02:50 PM

It was a 3 rotor using a mazda MPV drivetrain.

I think.

Theres pictures floating around... have you had any luck searching?

lax-rotor 04-12-07 02:52 PM

Just bits and pieces of snippets about it. I'm still looking though

MidnightOwl 04-12-07 02:54 PM

Rod Millen had a AWD FB back in the day.

lax-rotor 04-12-07 02:59 PM


Originally Posted by MidnightOwl
Rod Millen had a AWD FB back in the day.

True. But would his setup be the same as the FC's since they had both the 12A and 13B in them?


The RX-7 even made an appearance in the World Rally Championship. The car finished 11th on its debut at the RAC Rally in Wales in 1981. Group B received much of the focus for the first part of the 1980s, but Mazda did manage to place third at the 1985 Acropolis Rally, and the Familia 4WD claimed the victory at Swedish Rally in both 1987 and 1989.
All they have on wikipedia about it.

https://img.alibaba.com/photo/502362...ansmission.jpg
Looking at the MPV tranny this is probably what he ran.. But I can't find any for sure sources that could verify that.

Now would everything mate up right? I'm going to guess no, it seems a little longer than normal N/A, but then that just might be a different bell housing. Not quite sure. but here's a link to an ebay one:
here

lax-rotor 04-12-07 04:02 PM

I was searching in the wrong section... I found some information on the suspension forum on here, here's what they have:
http://www.realautosport.com/pics/PPIHC/millen.jpg
That's Rob Millen's. Nothing about his set up though. Can reference this forum for more information.
although they don't have much infomation concerning the exact transmissino to use. They say a 626. Any one have any further insight?

YaNi 04-12-07 05:04 PM

I am pretty sure they used the driveline out of a 323GTX.

cool_as_crap 04-12-07 05:09 PM

i know a shop owner that owns an awd fc that had a 12a. i believe he used a subaru tranny, but i may be wrong

MidnightOwl 04-12-07 06:29 PM

Millen's FB was before 13b's were in FBs. I think he had a few though, so one of them probably had a 13b in it. It was like 82 up until 86 or so that he ran it. I'm not entirely sure.

lax-rotor 04-12-07 06:46 PM

lol, So basicaly any mazda made AWD tranny could work? I'm curious about how much modification he had done to it. IE, did he modify the back bone to support the transfer case, or did it fit lock stock and barrel? How did he get the front end to work? did he just use the respective front end pieces and mated them together?

Questions, questions, questions.

ramses666 04-12-07 07:01 PM

How about this from my '88 brochure.

Ramses666

lax-rotor 04-12-07 08:00 PM

and for those who can't read the micro print I put on my super eyes!

The Legend Grows

The racing world witnessed another rotary debut in 1982, again at Daytona. A single RX7 with a new and larger 13B rotary was enterred in the GTO class, in a field crowded with the higher-powered BMW M3's, Porsches, and Corvettes. When the checkered flag waved,the winner was RX-7, with only one GTO contender within seven miles. And in the 1980 Daytona GTO event, yet another 13B-equipped RX-7 in the maiden race was again the winner. And in the first full season of GTO racing, in 1984, RX-7 emerged Champion!

Such tremendus accomplishments did not pass unnoticed. The inherrent advantages of a rotary--small, light, high power to displacement, few moving parts and proved reliability--would become important assets in other areas of racing's world.

It is these reasons that the Mazda rotary engine is the predominant powerplant in IMSA Carrel light GTP class--and Jim Downings Mazda-Arfo was champion in the inaugural 1985 season, and again in 1966.

And so it was that the RX-7 became a formidable force in Sports Car Club of America racing. RX-7 optimal SOCA GT2 national championships in 1982, 1983 and 1985--a spectacular feat, comendering(?) the competition.

So it was, too, that the RX-7 was twice champion on the SCCA 1980 Rally circuit of diabolically torturous open-road endurance races--in 1981 in two-wheel-drive configuration and in 1985 as a four-wheel-drive RX-7. Now, the new-generation four-wheel-drive RX-7, seen here, will see action in special events such as the farred(?) Pike's Peak Hill Climb.

And so it is, finally, that racing is the quintecential proving fround for Mazda technological advances. And with every Mazda win, the ultimate winner is you.
Thanks ramses666 for the post!

ramses666 04-12-07 08:04 PM

I can give you a better resolution if you like. I have my original '88 brochure & a scanner. I am on a primitive dial-up so I shrunk it down. The whole brochure is pretty kick ass with 20b's & everything!!!

Ramses666

lax-rotor 04-12-07 08:46 PM

I was able to read it and what not. It was just a pain trying to write it out and what not. is there any shots of the drive train?

ramses666 04-12-07 08:58 PM

Nope... no drive train but I think I might have something in my archive...

Check these out.. not much help

Ramses666

dean23 04-12-07 08:58 PM

awd would be amazing.... are you planning on using a turbo? i might follow this up and make plans for a winter rx7.... even though rwd is fun in the snow... :)

lax-rotor 04-12-07 10:16 PM

nothing set in motion yet. I am planning on a major upgrade, but unless I get some input on exactly how to accomplish a mod such as this it will be rather difficult. I figure something like this will cost some dinero, so I'm trying to plan ahead as much as I can. First things first though i'm going to be doing a N/A->Turbo conversion. This is for "future" knowledge.

What i've thought of so far would be that if you have an AWD/4WD tranny with the right length on the shifter bit to align right and the transfer case is able to fit in the back bone without serious modification then it might be an easy bolt on to the motor (maybe an exhange or modification of the bell housing to accomplish it, but relatively simple). Considering that the RX7 has already an almost perfect weight distrobution it could really utilize the AWD to a huge benifite of power distrobution.

Thanks ramses666 for the pics. It's so close... so very close. I don't see any modification to the internal structure of the back bone, but maybe I just didn't look close enough.

thefeez 04-12-07 10:26 PM

seems to me the extra weight and loss of power thru the awd would not be worth the benefits on a motor that already suffers from zero torque...

osiris7442 04-12-07 10:28 PM

I always heard 626 drivetrain, and he had to modify the firewall so the engine could sit back further.....there were also pictures of a 20B all wheel drive 7 floating around...that thing was awsome but the engine sat almost entirely in fron of the front axle...so no one seemed to approve...search around I knwo there is stuff in the internet about them

lax-rotor 04-12-07 11:00 PM


Originally Posted by thefeez
seems to me the extra weight and loss of power thru the awd would not be worth the benefits on a motor that already suffers from zero torque...

Depending on what the setup is it might not prove to be beneficial. If you think about it you're not adding a whole lot onto the car. the only addition to weight would be the transfer case and the front portion of the drive train. You'd have to figure out how to mount the engine in the proper spot but if you're laying down big numbers (read that as 400+) AWD would definatly prove more beneficial than not. Especially if you're able to maintain a 50/50.

TougeMonster 04-12-07 11:43 PM

3 Attachment(s)
i have these pictures but no info. all i know is that they look tough

RETed 04-13-07 12:15 AM


Originally Posted by YaNi
I am pretty sure they used the driveline out of a 323GTX.

NO.
The engine's power output would kill the 323GTX drivetrain in a jiffy.
If we're talking about Rod Millen's car, it was a ONE-OFF custom drivetrain that used a 626 FWD transaxle (don't ask me how) that Millen's shop somehow managed to get coupled with the rear.


-Ted

Stanello 04-13-07 12:52 AM

http://mrec.rotary.net.nz/millen/

cluosborne 04-13-07 09:17 AM

Those pictures were very illuminating.

Millen's 4WD FC used a custom tube chassis covered in a stock body. From the looks of the drivetrain, it (or something similar) *could* fit in a stock FC chassis, but you're looking at some fabrication. The transmission tunnel, front end, steering, and front suspension are going to need some custom fabrication. Chances are, you'll want to relocate as many systems as possible (the battery, engine bay fuse box, etc) to make room.

You'll probably need to chop off the front of the car's unit body and construct a tube frame; that'll give you more space to package the front differential. Maybe go to a dry sump pan for more ground clearance.

lax-rotor 04-13-07 10:29 PM

http://mrec.rotary.net.nz/millen/millen1.jpg
Seems kind of an interesting setup, while being fairly straight forward (not saying that it is an easy thing to do)
http://mrec.rotary.net.nz/millen/millen9.jpg

I think the tubular construction of the frame might have been to reinforce the chasis while not sacrificing tons of weight (as compared to straight forward reinforcment of the uni-body). It also looks like He changed over the rear to a solid axel--perhaps to handel excess power delivery to the rear?


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