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Finally replaced my Totalled FD!

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Old 07-31-06, 09:19 PM
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Finally replaced my Totalled FD!

If you aren't familiar with my story, here's the link:

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/bad-morning-550685/

I Still Haven't settled the deal with my FD, But I did happen to come across a beautiful 1994 FD just like mine: Montego Blue with Tan interior...I happen to like the color combo, I feel it's a little more sophisticcated than some other colors.

This car is MINT! Absolutely nothing wrong with the car inside or out. The only thing bad about the car is this guys choice of rims...nasty '90's bling. He's owned it for over 10 years and it only has 33,000 original miles on it with absolutely no mods!

I bought it yesterday with the original wheels on it in West Palm Beach and can't believe how different it is from my previous street ported, full exhuast '93.

Now the question is, do I leave it unmolested, or have some fun with it?

Here's the link where I found the car:

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...en&cardist=178
Old 07-31-06, 09:23 PM
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what did you pay for it?
Old 07-31-06, 09:29 PM
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Allright, I say you should mod the hell out of it. If it is in such perfect condition then you could have a really nice car if you start to mod it. You also have a daily driver so you can just resort to the 7 when you want to get sucked into your seats or feel the g's. So why not?
Old 07-31-06, 09:30 PM
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Originally Posted by 3GRX7
Now the question is, do I leave it unmolested, or have some fun with it?
Have fun with it!

Congrats!
Old 07-31-06, 09:31 PM
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Where has my $ gone?

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Welcome back young grasshopper! You got your hands on a nice fd, only 33k miles!? well you can decide not to spend the money but the bug has gotten to you before obviously...so theres no point in fighting it!
Old 07-31-06, 09:40 PM
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single turbo!
Old 07-31-06, 09:52 PM
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Originally Posted by 3GRX7

I bought it yesterday with the original wheels on it in West Palm Beach and can't believe how different it is from my previous street ported, full exhuast '93.

How so? Sure, I can guess the obvious things, but I'd be interested to hear you compare the pros and cons of each.
Old 07-31-06, 10:00 PM
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I would do the reliability mods for now. Enjoy the greatness of a stock FD. However, when it is time for a rebuilt, do what you always dreamed of. Let me guess... 20B?
Old 07-31-06, 10:32 PM
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All the nice FDs are in West Palm Beach. Seriously, the last 2 I have bought were both from there!
Old 07-31-06, 10:50 PM
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Bro, you gotta do it with me, nothing but bolt ons and reliability mods. Try and make it better then it was without molesting it. The CYM goes to Edgar this month, then to Steve Kan for the dyno runs. Congrats...your right about those wheels, man what was that guy thinking.
Old 07-31-06, 11:08 PM
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Track it and flog it like the nasty girl she is.
Old 08-01-06, 12:56 AM
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Nice find. Those are one of the ugliest set of wheels I have ever seen on a FD.
Old 08-01-06, 07:18 AM
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I bought the car for $18,900 cash....we originally agreed on $19K, but when I picked it up, the windshield washer sprayers didn't spray, so I asked the guy to knock off 200 bucks for parts & labor...we agreed on $100 off.

As far as the difference between my previous '93, here's my Top Ten list how they differ:

1. The main difference is the speed. I bought my previous car street ported, so I never really knew how different it was from a stock FD until now. It feels the same at higher RPM's (when the turbos are engaged) but my previous car felt like a rocket off the line compared to this one!

2. Handling...this car isn't nearly as tight as my '93, but it may just be that I need to put on my 18" wheels with 275's in the rear. The stock suspension feels like it's in fine condition, so I question whether or not to put on my Tokicos 5 way adjustables & Vogtland Trak Pro 1" Lowering springs now or wait until it's needed. My Tokicos only have about 3,000 miles on them. I took them off the car before it was taken by the insurance co. My only hesitation is that I needed to roll the fenders on my '93 to fit the wheels with the new suspension. I don't want to damage the paint on this car.

3. The sound! This car is silent! I can't believe how quiet it is...my other car was so loud (no cats, hks exhaust, greddy blow off valve, etc.). I personally don't love the loudest blow off possible...is there a not so loud blow off valve that does a good job out there?

4. This car feels so much more sophisticated to drive, where the previous one, in my opinion looked more sophisticated inside with the full tan interior(doors, headliner, etc.). This ones feels more sporty inside with the black doors, headliner, and so on. The guages also look cleaner in this one, but the newer '94/'95 plastics are a little cheaper feeling. My '93 had pealin issues on the doors, but I had replaced all the center console parts & I prefer the painted feel of those parts.

5. Shifting: My previous car had a Pettit Super Short Shift Kit. I loved the short shifts, but I hated how tight it was to get from one gear to the next. Extremely overly notchy. This car however, the shifter feels like I'm rowing from one gear to the next...I little too far in my opinion, but I do like the complete lack of notchiness between gears...I'd like a compromise between the two. I heard that the Mazdaspeed short shifter is the best of both worlds, any comments?

6. I'm really happy I have a passenger airbag...I always felt a little uncomfortable having my girfriend in the passenger seat while driving fast in my '93.

7. Smoke....this car has no smoke. My '93 billowed smoke on startup and smelled to high heaven, then after it warmed up, there was no smoke. I was wondering if I put a downpipe, resonated midpipe, & RB duals on my new car, is there a greater chance of me having smoke and smell, or is that because the previous car had 70K miles and was modified? I'd like the least obtrusive sounding exhaust system.

8. The engine bay...this car is so clean under the hood, it makes me question whether I should put my intake, polished piping, greddy elbow, etc. on it. It's so virgin it's crazy.

9. The radio...The stock Bose system is in perfect condition and sounds pretty good, but I have my stereo form my previous car (Brand new Alpine head unit, Boston door speakers, 10" Sub custom made for the trunk area, & I'm not sure whether or not to put my aftermarket stuff in this one, or keep it totally OEM inside. Is it possible to add a subwoofer to the stock system?

10. Sunroof....I like the looks of the glass sunroof better than the painted one on my '93. Does the panel inside come off to see through? I thought it would, but I'm afraid to break it.

Basically, it's a different beast, but a great one still. With time (and money) it will little by little become tweaked and fine tuned by me. I'm glad I have the opportunity to start with a blank canvas and do the mods I feel the car should have. I loved my previous car, but I didn't do 90% of the mods and I felt like a fraud telling people what was done to it, since I didn't do any of them. Now I can do the mods myself, feel proud of the changes done to the car, and see the car transform before my eyes!

Any comments would be greatly greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Ian
Old 08-01-06, 07:32 AM
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congrats!! sounds like you are happy...I would want to believe the reason for a glass sun roof is to be able to see thru it.
Old 08-01-06, 08:03 AM
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Congrats! Car looks great with the exception of those atrocious wheels. I cannot fathom what the previous owner was thinking. Thank you for rescuing her from his evil clutches .

Based on all you've posted I say leave it close to stock. All the power mods are going to lead to more fumes, smell and noise in addition to the power.
Old 08-01-06, 09:50 AM
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Wow, nice find. I'd like to see some pics if you have them?
Old 08-01-06, 09:56 AM
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leave it as it is. by the time your happy with what you have let it be like that.
you ll also pay less for petrol
and ran out of extra troubles
Old 08-01-06, 10:03 AM
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i am curious to hear the replies about the short shifter. I have yet to put one in, and my daily drivers is an WRX STi, so i like the shorter throws, but don't want an overly notchy feel. Per the thread what is best of both worlds?
Old 08-01-06, 12:17 PM
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Originally Posted by 3GRX7
1. The main difference is the speed. I bought my previous car street ported, so I never really knew how different it was from a stock FD until now. It feels the same at higher RPM's (when the turbos are engaged) but my previous car felt like a rocket off the line compared to this one!

10. Sunroof....I like the looks of the glass sunroof better than the painted one on my '93. Does the panel inside come off to see through? I thought it would, but I'm afraid to break it.
Sunroof : the panel is definately removable. Mine's in the basement, I have it with just the glass all the time. The glass has a coating on it that blocks some of the sunlight anyway. I've never been uncomfortable. If I remember correctly, you open the sunroof, and pull it out towards the back... Havn't had it back in in a long time.

On the speed difference off the line, I'm surprised you attribute it to the street port, or am I reading that wrong? From everything I've read, porting trades low end torque for high end power(albeight the lost torque might be minimal, it doesn't go up). Ala this thread :

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...low+end+torque

Maybe it was just the rest of the tuning that made the old car faster off the line, not the street port?
Old 08-02-06, 01:27 AM
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Its those 50 lbs rims the car has on them....LOL...
Old 08-02-06, 01:56 AM
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Looks really a beautiful car but yes those rims are horrible. I would say just do realibility mods. If it is in perfect condition why mess with it.
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