Ok here's the story:

I bought the F/C with the specific purpose of a weekend drift car. The car didn't cost me much to get and I went into researching what i needed to do immedietly. I joined rx7 club, searched, reasearched, searched, researched and what I came up with was dissapointing.

I've found that while the RX-7 is a very capable drift car, it just cost alot more money versus the likes of a 240. My car is N/A and Base model, wich made it seem like a 4cyl Mustang wanting to dragrace (non-SVO). I was going to buy a GXL shell this weekend for $500. It's problem was a blown motor, but it would have at least given me LSD, 5-lug, and 4-pot brakes. Still, there would have been the engine rebuild and associated cost (labor to take the engine in and out), suspension, SuperNow, clutch & flywheel. It all adds up to so much.

A friend told me he found a 240(s13) shell for $375, so not I'm considering not buying the GXL and selling my Base for $600.

Can you guys convince me to stay with the FC, I'm really at 50% with my decision, but I need some biased opinions.

 

The FC is a Rotary. Rotaries are Superior!

 

Yea, but it's N/A and doing anything to it far execeds what I can do. Just to do a rebuild I'd have to save for 6months.

 

i personally think if your going to drift use a 240, theyre cheaper and they fit the drift catagory better. plus i dont want you to ruin another fc by drifting into a wall/pole/tree/car/ ect.

 

meh, you can drift the FC just fine.

You just bought the wrong model......I don't see a "T" anywhere in the model description

 

Drifting is gay, 240's are gay, so they are a perfect match. Leave the rx-7 for someone who will treat it halfway decent, versus holding it at redline for minutes at a time and shocking the drivetrain to hell and back on a daily basis.

 

Well the 240 would require many of the upgrades you're looking to get with the GXL.

The 240
4-lug - 5 lug requires s14 rear hubs and aftermarket front hubs,(plus the cost of new rims and tires)
LSD - stock LSD is rare and it was a viscous unit plus it would likely be worn out by now
4-pot brakes - stock the 240 came with single pot calipers however many people upgrade to 4-pot 300zx brakes.

You're looking at doing serious upgrades either way. Go with the pure sports car rather than the sporty economy car.

 

How is an NA a bad drift car when a 240 isn't when they have similar horsepower/torque output?

 

look, follow what you instincts tell you. 240's are nice, they really are. my heart beats all rotary. every time i buy another car and put the 7 on the back burner, i always end up coming back to the 7. its where my heart is. no other car i've driven can give me what the 7 gives me. its almost too rotary to explain. im not concerned with how fast the 7 is. it gives me so much more than just the thrill of speed. its an all around fun car. its all around rotary and no other engine can make me smile like a rotary. a freind of mine is selling a 240sx for $400, complete, low compression on the engine. your call. give the rotary a try, you might just be amazed with what you come up with.

 

I really do want to stay with the Rotary, but the cost of getting a rebuilt engine is extravagant. Finding a competent mechnic to work on it is rare, they way people describe it's problem with Apex seals make it seem as though they are supposed to automatically go out (and with the abuse I plan on putting on the car I expect it.. holding it a redline for "minutes" at a time as described before).

You guys are making some incredibly vaild points and reasoning, but the money is my concern.

$2000 to rebuild a N/A engine using old parts vs $2000 for a SR20 swap

ehh, I just really don't know.

 

Wow, 2,000 sounds a bit extravagant. Try this site.

 

I should be having another 1-2 NA---> turbo swaps in the next 2 months, which will sell for $2600+ with a rebuilt block, depending on mods and such. Something to consider.

IF you were building a car specifically for drift and nothing else, you'd want more than the basic used housing rebuild. The internals is where you'd want to put your money...upgrade the oil pressure, apex seals, corner seals, rotor clearancing, maybe even ceramic apex seals or rotor housings.

Not saying a stock motor won't hold up, but it won't hold up for as long as you'd like under those conditions.

 

I was looking here since it was closer too me. My friend Joe pointed out rotaryresurrection to me last nite. That's a very long drive out there. (when I went to TOTD it ran me $71 in gas). And that place is even further.

The price to do a N/A rebuild vs going Turbo AND rebuilding that vs SR2)DET is what I'm really looking at.

What all included in that swap RotaryResurrection?

 

Ask him yourself, he happens to be in this thread.

BTW, shipping is always an option and also quite reasonable.....

 

The swap would be about like this one which has already sold:

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showthread.php?t=586172

Other info:

http://www.rotaryresurrection.com/2n...to_turbo2.html

http://www.rotaryresurrection.com/2n...in_differ.html

 

look man the 7 isn't that easy to drift as far as competions go that is...the 240 is good for beginners so run with it if you want....my experience is that if your heart isn't with the rotary than you shouldn't own it, typicaly rotary owners are die-hard i don't think that is common with 240s so where'syour heart at?

'contact' is right though you'll be doing the same upgrades for both cars and both can be inexpensive....i would say that you should start with a TII and then upgrade from there based on your needs(i.e. suspension, tires, engine upgrades) different people need different setups.

i drift with a buddy who has a S13 coupe W/SR20 and some mods...he's been drifting for a few years now and is pretty good....i have been drifting W/ my 7 for 1.5 summers as N/A and now it's Turbo'd...my point is that i could hang with him as a N/A and now that it's turbo'd i have no doubt that my 7 will own him...

personnally i will always own a rotary and thats my $.02

 

The SR swap will cost alot more than that... My good buddy has done it, and expect a shop to do the swap for about ~$3k-$4k.

You should look into RotaryResurrection's rebuilt engines. Just take care of the car and it will work fine, but neglect and driving the car beyond its means is a fast way to a destroyed car and lots of dissapointment. This car will need attention, and a fair amount of $ to keep up, especially if your looking into drifting. Good luck!

 

For $3600 I could go TII with a rebuilt engine from RotaryRessurection.

For $3600 i could go SR20+LSD on an old engine.

It's begging to make more sense go to TII, keep conviencing me.

 

i own a fd and s14.5 with sr20

Im selling my s14 to get a FC.

Rotaries are just the ******* ****.

FCs are better cars, no ricers ( 99% of the time ), rarer, etc

list goes on and on

 

Easy solution, sale what you have now and put that towards a decent TII that someone has taken care of. Saves you time, MONEY, and hassles.

 

Yes, the motors are expensive to rebuild.
No, the motors won't blow easily, especially N/A's. Just don't let it overheat or knock (N/A's shouldn't knock).
Yes, it is a good drift car. And it has a 50:50 weight distribution.
No, I don't want you to drift it either 'cause you might break it .

 

Take note, the 2nd generation rx7 really likes to hug the roads, and is hard to drift at first. The shorter wheelbase combined with the 50/50 weight balance makes the car somewhat challenging to maintain a drift, but with lots of practice, the car can do wonders in the corners. If you have the patience to work on the car and to the time to learn how it handles at its limits, you'll be happy withthe Rx7, otherwise, if you want to go the easy route, get the 240sx.