Project 1987 Mazda RX-7 GXL-T
 

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y25...on/myspace.jpg
Decided that since it was no longer a TII I was working on that I would start a new thread on it. The car now is a 87 GXL. Exterior is in good condition. Could do with a good cleaning and a little work on the paint on some parts but otherwise in good condition. The interior is good as well with some bad points but overall good condition. Mechanically its in fantastic condition. The motor runs strong and starts great. Transmission is smooth and nothing has been bastardized. Even has an FD alt on it so thats a plus. Well enough of the intro here we go!


I decided to pick out a theme for this car. While thinking about it I wanted a car that I could daily drive, but could also do some track work. Nothing extreme. so the goal was to make a sports car, a drivers car. so scratch out anything that would take away from performance. The car will handle good and be bearable on the street. It can't have any crazy ways to start it, it should just start and warm up like a car from factory as with my previous project.


Lets start with suspension and steering. For performance sake I will be lowering the car a bit. The key with this is what kind of setup I will go for. Considering that I don't need anything extreme and I won't be doing too much constant adjusting so I think I may not go for full on coilovers. I am thinking eibach lower springs with kyb agx shocks. I will also be going for racing beat antisway bars. New bushings are planned as well. For steering feel I may go for a manual steering rack but I want to try out a car with it first.

A step back from performance we'll go into my interior plans. Considering that for the most part the interior is clean I don't think I'll be replacing any of the carpet until the very end, but even then it will only be if it bothers me later. I was considering black interior but I like the grayish interior. The bin tops are worn out so I might replace or restore those. For entertainment still debating on what head unit I want and if I am going to use the bottom din spot for anything else. Also I have the 6 speaker system so I am debating of I should just use 4 speakers and just get good speakers. Right now they have Kenwoods in the door and pioneers in the dash. Probably keep the dash speakers and rear speakers.
For exterior I might get some skirts and a lip and maybe the duckbill spoiler. Then a good repaint. Completely sand down and repaint. For this I'll completely strip down the car and will be painting it from red to blue. Since this is the last step in the project I will be assuming that I would have a turbo and debating on how I end up doing it I am considering getting shine auto's reverse vent hood.
Now for the engine! This is going to be an N/A to turbo project and not a swap. Plan on keeping the 6 ports functioning to help with any lag that I'll be getting from the turbo, which will be either a stage 3 or 4 BNR hybrid. Will be swapping out the UIM for a custom manifold. Planned on using the VDI manifold but I don't know if that would work well with a turbo so unless someone can show me otherwise I won't be using it. To control all this I will be using megasquirt for several reasons. Price, flexability, and dammit I love working on electronics!


Now thats enough talk about my plans! Anyone with suggestions or tips feel free to post!

I'm not sure about many tips, but damn, you have my twin in that pic, if that's indeed Sunrise Red I see there. Also, I only have a GXL, so I'm not positive on what the T is for.

But enough about me, I'd definitely go for a mild lowering setup, maybe even start with just lowering springs and go from there... since I really don't have much of an issue with the stock sway bars, unless your bushings have been abused :wallbash:

More importantly, if you've got a 6 speaker sound setup, I'd stick with it... one of the nicer parts of a 7 is going fast and still hearing clear, loud music. But that's just me :lol:

Eager to see some more pics!

Looks clean! Sounds about like what Im doin, but I have an 88 SE and an 88 GTU for a doner. 6port turbo, GTU front, and rear hubs/brakes, lsd, megasquirt, sway bars, and every bushing to delrin/UHMW. Already have tien springs and agx struts and I love em.

Might stick with the 6 speaker setup and in regards to the T that is more towards my ultimate goal for the car to be turboed =P

Ah, sounds sweet ^^ I thought about turboing mine, but I'm spending more time just getting it back to stock... I like that untouched appeal :D

Sounds like it'll be a great project though, might even give me some ideas for mine!

Interesting. Are you thinking linear or progressive rate? For sway bar have you looked at Mazdatrix's 3 point? Might be another way to go.
Wait... what? Kenwoods in the door? Coupe FC's don't have speakers in the door stock. They have them on the lower portion of the dash... Are you sure a Megasquirt will do everything you need it to? Depending on how you keep the 6PI functioning you may need to rethink activation. You simply will not have room with the Air Pump in the way. You'd have to remove that. Which won't be a problem if it's an S4, to which case activation is accomplished by back pressure feed from the split air tube from the cat. I'm curious on how you actually accomplish this. My plan (for a similiar set up--keeping the 6PI active without a ACV) will eliminate the ACV and Air Pump, which means I can't use back pressure as an activation means. If you get rid of the ACV you won't be able to have a functioning 6PI and most turbo manifolds are too close to allow the use of it.

As for EMS you may wish to consider other alternitives for more price. You get more bang for your buck (not just resolution, but various other controls).

Yes, obviously, you have no idea about what the hell you are doing.

You seem enthusiastic, and like you THINK you know what you are doing, but to be honest, you dont know the car and how to mod it properly in order to undertake such a project. Before that, you should just keep it stock, and study... a LOT.

If doing a N/A turbo project, like Aaron Kake did, the engine should be the FIRST thing you worry about, and all the other crap can wait.

In all, this sounds like another one of those "failed projects to be" because of lack of money, experience, knowledge about this particular type of car, and interchageability of parts between different models, years of it.

PS: Easy example: "I will use a custom upper intake manifold" WHY? WHY keep the 6 port injection when it's such a bitch, and doing a T2 swap will yield so much more of a work/reward ratio for you? Have you NOT read Aaron's writeup about this swap? Honestly, I'm sorry if I come off as a bit harsh and all, because I dont know you, I don't know your personality, your skill level, and a lot of other things. However, from the limited info that you posted, I will repeat myself, you sound like you dont have much experience and dont know how much effort it takes to do stuff like this.

-Asterisk.

What wait?

S5 coupes do. Pay attention.

I got speakers in the doors, dash, rear towers, 91 S5

Ummm....

Since when does an 87 GXL become an S5?

If there's another thread where he changed over to S4 from an S5 TII then please provide the link.

Actually, you dont need to modify anything in order to get this to work, since the holes are already there for the location next to the door handle on the S4.

you could also easily put it into the S5 location, but it will need a bit more work for that.

EDIT: Again, sorry that I came off as such a hard ass in my other post, I was hungry as a bear!

Anyways

It's not a GXL-T its a GXL that may possibly have a turbo, you sound all talk and wont get near doing it.

As from my experience skinnier sidewall tires lowers teh 7 enough, she scrapes speed bumps almost and their not that skinny (50's), start doing stuff then post a topic, most def get a suspension but don't lower it much more, don't go with large rims either, get something like 17's

I should go create a topic how I'm going to combine two 20b's, slam my fc to the ground and drift it.... I shall name this GTU-1337

Tansversely mounted and linked transmission boxes for AWD RX7??!?!@?!?@#@!one!!@@#!@!!!!

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...ss/MyT2001.jpg

see that speaker hole in the door panel? that is stock in my 87 T2. It is missing the speaker cover.

wtf

that must suck having a viberating speaker next to your arms

Mines below the door vent...

Actually was looking at the 3 point when I had my TII. Not sure on if I will go linear or progressive haven't down heavy research on suspension yet. I do remember reading some topics in the suspension section but that was a few months ago and I really didn't look too hard yet.
the 6 speaker was an option for S4's GXL's and TII's. Stock speakers have been replaced (rears removed by a previous owner)

I have been looking at rotaryressurection's electric 6PI conversion.

Honestly don't know yet. Since i haven't thoroughly planned this out yet, most of this is a general outline of what I have planned to do. Depending on how I plan on getting everything to work together and how the firmware is doing at the time I actually do any engine work.

Oh yes I have no idea what I am doing I have done no research and I plan on doing all this within the next month and have an uber 1337 care with super power. yeah I could do the TII swap but you know what power isn't really the main goal of the project. I want to try something different. I have been done research, and yes I do need to do more but its not like I have a deadline set. This project will probably not start for a year or two. Hell I probably won't even be modding the engine for a long time. Right now I just want to drive it and enjoy it for what it is. The reason for posting this was because I originally started a topic for my s5 TII. Due to some unfortunate circumstance I ending up selling the car. Then a few months later things got better I after an unfortunate accident I had to get another car and a fellow forum member I had met previously was selling his car which is why I decided to jump on it.

As stated above this is just to replace my previous project thread.


To summarize this project is still in the planning phase. Yes I am still learning but I do know a bit about these cars. This is my 3rd 7 (1st one sold to buy my second one which ended up being sold and then purchased my current one) I'd just like you guys to know that I have been reading around the forum quite a bit and none of what i have planned was just pulled our of my ass. I have actually been to aaroncakes' page quite a bit and inspiration for this project actually comes from things that he has done.

OMG I got quoted, sweet

Anyways good luck, just get to doing it and deliver teh club sum pix, all we care about is pics

pics pics pics

You got a girlfriend? Include her next to the 7 also aha

Pictures say a thousand words, your words bore us

Just joking of course, don't mean to be a asshole but I want pix!

QUOTED AGAIN MUAHAHAHA o.o

I'll get some pics up when I wash and wax the car. Washed the engine bay already but with the rain here haven't washed the car yet. XD

mmm nice

Wadabout that women, wax wax waxxxxxx

no woman? :(

Forgot about this thread so here is the update!

I am still in the up and up of the final goal of this project though 350 seems to be a number I like to look at in terms of power =P

However my current life situation won't allow me to complete the project as I like (no corner cutting) so for now its all about maintenance and restoration. And so here is a list I have compiled of my to do list for my car


Brake Master Cylinder: Needs to be rebuilt or replaced. Looking at kragen I can get one for about 40-50 bucks after the core charge so I might go with the replacement instead of rebuild. The cylinder is leaking where it meets the booster and is also tearing up paint in the engine bay. While I have it out I am going to check the booster to see if its okay to go and will also get down and repaint the now paint stripped areas.

Alternator: It charges fine for the most part but after a little run time it starts to get iffy and sometimes it charges and other times I see the volt gauge go down to about 12 and the lights all dim (when loads such as lights are applied). My guess is the regulator is going out but I'll go ahead and replace this with reman FD alt.

Sunroof: Its gots some scrapes and its starting to rust (not just surface rust). So I am looking into possibly getting a moon roof if I can source one, replacing with another sunroof, or attempting to to repair the current one.

Battery Wires: Had to replace the connectors for the battery as the positive would not stay tight and the neg actually broke on me so right now I have those temp connectors. Plan on either just replacing with new connectors or redoing the main battery cables.

Those are actually the only major issues I have with this car. The rest of this stuff is moving into cosmetics and other misc stuff.

A/C: Blows cold but not really. It seems like its low so hoping that recharging it will do the trick. If it turns out that something like the compressor needs to be replaced I will probably end up just leaving it the way it is until I can afford to purchase a new compressor as well as replace the lines for a proper conversion. The PO did say he recharged but looking through the sight glass it looks like there are bubbles in the slight glass and the temp between the low and high lines aren't that much different. So I'll attempt to recharge that and go from there.

Mufflers: I am missing tips but other than that they are fine.

Paint/Body: Its got a few minor dings here and there that I'd eventually want to get fixed.

Speakers/Audio/all that stuff: Still debating on whether or not to put a carputer in I may just settle for getting a new deck (Or modifying the current one) for an aux input and just use my mp3 player(aka phone) for music. Then for the speakers I want to get rid of the dash speakers which aren't really doing much and putting some rear speakers in. The door speakers sound perfectly fine and I think adding some 6 in speakers into the towers would be more than enough for my taste.


Some things that I have currently fixed after owning the car.

Wiper switch: Works on all settings. replaced the relay myself and gained quite a bit of skill at desoldering. Have a second switch with the board already desoldered (which went a lot smoother the 2nd time around) ready for relays should I need to replace or if someone would like to buy it off me.

Power window Switch: Plastic broke replaced with MPV switch. Repinned it instead of splicing it in.

Exhaust leak: A bolt had come off at the precat and made the car extremely loud and the interior smelled like exhaust fumes. Replaced with bosal exhaust gaskets (Do not recommend them btw, go OEM) which I actually had to modify to fit! Had to double up also because just one still left open a leak =/

Factory Alarm: Got that working which was actually related to a CPU issue. Looks like there is a problem with the connector which I fix by just moving the wires around but I should probably take care of that.

Thats pretty much it. No regrets so far, the member I bought it from kept it in fantastic running condition and I am happy that someone kept such good care of this car. I find that a lot of my motivation to keep this car comes from the fact that he cared enough about it to maintain it.

No turbo yet :(

Its in the works, right now I am deciding on a power goal and a motor. I've decided that turboing the N/A motor may not be what I want. However if I do swap I'd want to do a complete TII swap (entire drivetrain not just the motor) Then there is also the 13b-re which I only consider because the thought of potentially having twin turbos is nice. Don't know if the extra work is worth it though for my goals. I really just want to hit aprox 350whp.
If I do end up turboing the N/A (which I partly want to do because I hate the idea of removing the original engine) Do I try something unique and try to keep the 6 port? do I want to keep the stock turbo (maybe hybrid) and deal with a spacer? Either way I don't want to half ass anything.

My current idea is:
Stock motor
Hybrid turbo+ spacer and relocate wastegate actuator.
Some form of piggyback
Stock transmission etc etc.


Though I still feel like I am ghetto rigging it up.

Another idea I have is
TII motor and tranny
Hybrid Turbo (BNR Stage 2)
Modified Top mount or something similar to the ARC top mount (trying to keep it stock looking)
microtech
plus all the random bits like TII hood and such.

My last and final idea is a restore. If I wanted to build something I should have looked into getting a sport or a TII I feel like I am taking away from the car by shoving the TII motor in there or turboing it. If I go the restore route it'd involve just basically repainting, cleaning up the rims maybe repainting (they've grown on me) cleaning up the suspension all that stuff. I am actually happy with my car as it sits, I just get that turbo itch after owning a TII.

In the end I might just go the route of restoring the car. Then down the road buying a shell and turning that into a beast. I could have started this build already but just haven't quite set my mind on anything yet.