I am buying a 1989 GXL this Saturday, 111k miles, for around 2700. New paint, very clean interior, cd player and speakers, paint bubbles a little in one tinyyyy spot.

This car is going to be my daily driver. It's 100% stock. I am looking to not make it a 600hp beast that shreds the manliness apart on even Billy Mays. What I want is to make it a quick, powerful car with good acceleration, but I'm not wanting to modify it crazy. I just want to where I hit the gas, you are plastered to the seat.

I been using the search function and finding tons and tons of helpful infomation, but none of it has made me know what I can do to make it the way I want it. What should I do? I have around 1,500 (right now) for modifications, which after I am used to the car and how it handles, I'm going to begin spending.

Please, fill me in! =)

Oh, and I do want to put a turbo in it, at one point.

 

The biggest bolt-on modification you can make on an NA is going to be with the exhaust system. A header back system with no cats will let the engine breath better in the top end.

Check out Racingbeat & Corksport for pricing / options.

 

If you have 1500 for modifications and mechanically the car is sound, i would save up 300 dollars more and purchase an s5 t2 engine from japan2la.

Engine alone will probably run you 1200.00 or so. I would use my na trans since you are not wanting to make rediculous power, and purchase a beefier act clutch for the na trans.

Sensors, throttle cable ecu, etc will probably eat up the rest of the money.

That is what makes the most sense performance wise.

Do your research because there is a lot of hidden cost.

good luck with what ever you choose.

6port turbo is another option. Research aaroncake's website.

john ny

EDIT VVVVVVVV based on 40k rebuild....you can prob sell na engine to reup on some $ for swap and peripherals

 

What I've conjured up so far on what I want to do, is what you stated above (new exhaust, ect). Piggy back system, a short intake (the intake makes the engine so bulky looking, and makes it look like a pain if I ever have to tear the engine out). A turbo, bigger injectors, of course. Put racing tires, and suspension on it. A electronic fan is something my buddy put in the front of his engine, curious if this helps (and if it was even an electronic fan? I believe it was...).

The guy I'm buying this from said the engine was rebuilt 40,000~ miles ago, previous owner had it done but has no receipts, but the current owner said he had a compression test ran on it and it came back excellent.

I'm still a noob when it comes to rotary's, I've been studying them for only a short time.

 

I was thinking of swapping the engine, but I really don't want to do that.. It was just a thought. The reason I am not wanting to do anything crazy is I don't want to risk my engine blowing and having tons of work. I live 4 hours from the nearest rotary shop, in Michigan. Few of my buddies have extensive knowledge on rotary engines, and I am thankful for that, but still. :/

 

In that case, don't buy the GXL. Look for a Turbo II, which will only cost about $500 more than a non-turbo RX-7 in the same condition. There is no point in spending many hours and $1,500+ to convert a non-turbo car into the Turbo II configuration.

 

but if u go turbo then its not a good idea to use for a daly but if stick to NA then u will bie fine i have a 1989 GTU and its at 135XXX and still runny strong just keep a eye out on ur oil and water and u will be fine

 

What about the "I'm cool" factor from swapping!?

Indeed. If you haven't bought it yet. Don't. Save for a nice TII. They have more advantages then the N/A. In terms of racing.

TII won't cost too much more then an N/A most of the time. But, when buying a used rotary, def. get compression checked. Sadly, the TII will have probably been driven much harder then an N/A. When you got boost, why not use it?

 

Hehehe.

Hey, I just got an idea! Most TII conversions cost $1,000 to $4,000 more than simply buying a TII. Therefore, if anybody sends me $500 I will post your name in my forum signature, along with an offical statement that you are cool. That way you will save many hours of work, as well as save $500-$3,500, and you will still be cool!

 

I have been talking to flipside from this forum, and swapping is easier than putting a turbo in. Way easier from the way he's said it.

I'm still wondering what modifications I can do though to the NA to still make it fast and powerful.

 

Essentially there's no modificaitons you can do to make the N/A *fast*

N/A's are fun to beat on and will run until the cows come home, but they'll never be *fast*. Like, 250hp fast. And 250hp isn't that fast.....

Exhaust and intake, tune up - thats all. And it'll be lucky to breach 180whp :p

(Disclaimer: The above statement does not include high RPM P-port engines)

 

i had a 150whp CRX that was tons of fun! it was fun because the suspension was heavily modded, light, and redlined at 8200 rpm. It was definitely not fast but it was really fun to toss around. don't make the same mistakes of other people, doing too much to the car. my car has gone to the point where it's almost too much to drive on the street, so it's not as fun as the CRX but way faster.

My suggestion is to start by making sure the engine is healthy, maybe get an exhaust to make it sound a little better and focus on suspension and tires. That way you can beat the **** out of the car and not worry about damaging the engine.

 

When I say fast, I mean one that shoots when I hit the acceleration. Top end, I don't care. The car won't see those fast speeds =p

 

You bought the wrong car.
A car that "shoots when I hit the acceleration" has torque and that's something that stock (Turbo or NA) Wankel engines just don't have.

So, it seems to me that you have two options.

Spend your money bringing your car up to snuff- tires, bushings...whatever it needs- and then learn to drive it on it's own terms.
A RX-7- even a NA- can be a relatively "fast" street car if you bend to it's will instead of trying to force it to yours.
Basically it's just like the difference between riding a two-stroke bike and a four-stroke.

Or, swap in a V-8.
Viola!, instant bottom end torque which will snap you back into the seat.
Similar- if not better- gas mileage (if you care), and substantially better parts availability.

The second option is not the most popular advice here but, after living with your car for a while, you still crave some "neck-snapping", it's one one you should at least look into.

 

+1

I have a 2006 Eclipse GT (approx 263 hp), and I have more fun driving my 88 SE N/A! There's just something about my SE... it feels like I'm wearing it rather than sitting in it 251k miles and its just snappier than ever!

 

Get a TII (other poster - note he hasn't bought the car yet).

Quickest and most direct route to where you want to be in the future.

Whatever you consider buying, get a compression test (at Mazda or someone with the Mazda tool that registers each chamber on each rotor).

Welcome to the club.

 

Yup, no torque coming out of these things. Sounds like what your looking for would be more satisfied by an FD

 

I am sticking with the 7. I drove my friend's today. Stock 1991 NA, it is what I am looking for. I am very excited for Saturday to come around. !

What I want is complicated to explain. The 7 surely gave me it, though. I love the feel of it.

 

The 2 most fun to drive cars I have owned are a 94 NA Miata and an S5 NA RX-7. I have owned and driven much more powerful cars, however these 2 cars remain at the top of the list of fun to drive cars.
I have an S4 turbo now and sometimes think about going to NA because of the fun factor. One of the downsides with a rotary is you don't get that push you back in the seat feel. As I said that shouldn't limit how much fun you can have with an RX-7.