Exterior Modifications
 

Exterior

Recap of modifications:

• Pettit Racing 99 spec front bumper
• 99 spec front turn signals
• 99 spec front lip
• 99 spec brake ducts
• Pettit Racing rear flares with stainless steel hardware
• Custom 4 light pop ups with Hella 50mm Xenon HID projector low beams, Hella 90mm high beams and Kilo Racing custom shrouds
• LED light conversion including “Audi-style” turn signals
• Custom vented OEM hood
• Rotary Extreme hood dampers
• Shine Auto Project FRP under tray
• 3.5 inch stainless steel downpipe
• Magnaflow midpipe
• Greddy stainless steel exhaust
• DEI exhaust shield and heat wrap
• JLK carbon fiber rear exhaust guard
• Rotary13b1.com aluminum rotor oil cap, rotor dipstick, rotor shaped valve caps

Pics:

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1331587648

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1331587720

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1331587720

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1331587720

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1331587720

Note since these pics were taken, the center of the wheels were powder coated black and I removed the 99 spec fog lights.

First, the FD is one of the most beautiful, timeless designs and it is my opinion that even unmodified, the car looks just great. As I recall, the design was to reflect water flowing over its entire surface without interruption, leading to what Mazda called “the visceral excitement of classic high-performance sports cars, while making the most effective use of latest technologies…” I think Mazda nailed it with the FD. From when I first saw a 3rd gen to now, I still believe its one of the sexiest cars out there. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked the year of the car and when I answer “it’s a 1994”, the response is, “you mean 2004?” That’s a testimony to the test of time.

So, why make any exterior modifications to a car that is so brilliantly done right out of the box? First, there is no need to and I’ve seen many fine examples of stock FDs that look great. Ross in Asheville has a 10K mile completely stock version red one that should be left as is. Still smells brand-new in the inside and looks like to came off of the show room floor.

As alluring as the stock FD is, the answer is simple, to reflect our own personalities. We all like different things and what better way to illustrate individuality than through the appearance of our cars? Note I didn’t say this was the cheapest way, just one way of expression. So, to each his or her own when it comes to exterior styling modifications and my car reflects my vision of what Mazda should have offered stock.

So on went the “new and updated” 99 spec OEM parts, including the front bumper, turn signals, front lip, and brake ducts. Note I joke a little about the new and updated part as these mods are now over 10 years old. I do think however, that the front end looks more aggressive so I am happy with the result.

Fun Fact – Went with the Pettit Racing FB 99 spec front bumper because I am not a fan of how the “brick” front license plate holder looks. Wanted something that continued the lines of the car. Didn’t know how well the FB version would hold up but the part has been on the car now for over 7 years and it’s shown no signs of any issues at all.
I must admit my “inner ricer” got to me with my Audi-style LED front turn signal modification. Have always like the way the Audi DRLs look, so I retroffited the FD with the same LEDs used by Audi. The look is certainly controversial but I like it.

Future Plan – Am thinking about changing the Audi LEDs into one single curved tube of light similar to what is done on BMWs. So, instead of seeing a bunch of LEDs like what I have now, you’d see a single curved tube of light in each turn signal. Think this would look great but we shall see.

My taillights are also converted into all LED units. Won’t rehash the pain of that experience here, but suffice to say the taillights are now safe and reliable and I look the way they turned out:

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/david-hayes-diy-led-taillight-modification-955336/

The painful details here:
https://www.rx7club.com/shops-part-suppliers-vendors-206/theorie-first-production-run-led-taillight-conversion-review-important-information-976420/

Speaking of lights, my headlights reflect how I think Mazda would design the units now, if they were limited to using popup technology. Yes, I know Mazda wouldn’t use popups now but since I want to keep the look, that’s were I started. I’ve done my own design here, modifying the KS look into one that is more sleepy eye and thus, to me better looking. I’ve also incorporated into the units some pretty awesome light, namely Hella projector HID low beams that are frankly better than my Range Rover units. For more info see:

https://www.rx7club.com/potential-advertisers-223/fd-sleepy-eye-hid-conversion-879394/

These are now being made into a kit courtesy of SuperDan50 on this forum.

The most controversial of my exterior modifications are my Pettit rear flares. “That baby’s got back!” for sure as my backend is wide and beefy with the Pettit flares wrapping around my Michelin 335s. Fist saw the Pettit flares years ago down at Cam Worth’s shop in FL and I don’t know what it was that made me so attracted to them but whatever it was, I did the modification and haven’t looked back (pun intended). I have them bolted on with SS bolts and this was only going to be temporary as my initial thought was to have them made out of metal and welded on. However, I’ve really grown to like them the way they. That’s good as there’s no turning back with the flares. You have to cut some of the rear fender panels out to get them to fit. Not something you want to do if you are really not sure this is the way to go.

Other than that, my exterior mods aren’t all that radical. You’ll note the vents cut into my stock hood. After doing the 3-rotor conversion, I needed a way to vent some of the heat out of the hood and ran across a pic of a hot model sitting on an FD hood. Being the car guy that I am, naturally (cough cough) I was drawn to the hood vents and replicated the look on my car. No hot babe sitting on my car but the vents do work well ☺

Not sure why I stuck the exhaust pieces in the exterior thread, but, speaking of them, one of the nicest mods I’ve done is to install a Magnaflow muffler in my mid pipe. For me, the sound can’t be beat as the car is now nice and quiet, almost to stock levels. I’ll wager a guess it’s the quietest 3-rotor out there. Don’t get me wrong here, when you romp on it, it dumps to atmosphere so it screams. For normal driving though, it’s got a great sound, one that you can talk over and actually enjoy the car.

Future Plans
To keep the car the way it is. It has original paint on it so that will have to be redone sometime in the future. I’m going to keep the car black but will add in extra “depth” into the paint job to give more of a wet look. Also thinking about removing the engine when I paint the car so I can paint the engine bay silver. Saw this on another car and loved it. Think the engine would really stand out with the bay being silver. We’ll see.

Next Installment – Interior

More pics
 

Hood:

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1331587994

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1331587994

Headlights:

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1331587994

Taillights:

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1331587994

Sorry about your CAT. The 1400* they allude to doesn't necessarily mean EGT. Your EGT can be low, however, if you have enough excess fuel and free oxygen in the exhaust, it will react in the CAT which will soon self destruct. (Persistent misfires are a common cause for this--and it often occurs at idle or part throttle/light loads.) Note that while metal cats have a somewhat higher tolerance for high temps, they are by no means immune to this melt-down phenomenon. Some investigation is indicated.

I love it....someone actually "gets it."



Congrats on a nice build you can be proud of and enjoy!

Here is what I went with: http://www.verociousmotorsports.com/...ytic-Converter

You void the waranty if your AFR is below 11.5 and temps are over 1200. Hopefully it will last on the car though. Cheap enough to test and see how it goes at least.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...C/IMG_0982.jpg
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...C/IMG_0984.jpg

^Yep was going to pm you on this. Obviously we go below 11.5 AFR and above 1,200 so I am now looking for another option. I've got an email into SMB so we'll see what they say.

I'm definitely not going below 11.5, but you are right, the temp is going to by high. Maybe I'll get lucky and it will last. Made in the USA :) haha

love it all! I might steal your hood design :D

I don't know if the SMB cat will work, mine melted after about 10k miles, maybe that's a good life out of it?

https://www.rx7club.com/showpost.php...0&postcount=22

Wow, took a look at your thread and that is not good. Looks like mine but at least you got 10K out of them versus my couple of hundred miles. Not that either is good.

At WOT you will be above 11.5? I'm a little above 11 at that point. The temp will get you regardless but that will certainly get you thru the Modified Mag challenge I would think.

Is your catback the Greddy Evo?

Well, its a Greddy of some sort. I had another brand and didn't like the way it sounded. Pettit Racing was kind enough to let me try several different used exhausts they had and this was the one that sounded the best. Swapped out the one I had for this one. Never found out any more details that that. It's a quality piece though.

David, or anyone else who's found another cat that'll do the job?

I did some searching around, RiceRacing seems to swear by this one upon installation:
http://www.performanceweaponry.com/P...riesRaceCC.pdf

Yet we don't know how well it's held up.

Didn't know about them and will find out if they can handle the rotary heat. Thanks for the info.

I'll get back to this thread sometime. I have a lot going on with the car (all good) and life in general.

Yes.

^ May I ask how you know this? Thanks!

not sure how i just found this thread, but it is a great sum up of your build thread, but offers great advice for others!

Thanks Dan, I was trying to do something that would illustrate what I've done while helping others to make smart decisions regarding their builds.

I temporarily stopped posted as I picked up a bunch of sponsors so changes have/are occurring and I wanted to wait until these were done before finishing up the posts.

Hopefully these will all be done soon and I can post up results.

I would be really upset if your thread were to stop. It has been a tremendous help to myself and I am sure a lot of other members @David.

^ Thanks, I appreciate that. I will get back to this and the build thread in the next few months. Lots going on with the car and way too much outside of it.