My FD experience thus far...
 

I've always been in love with RX7s in general, but I always knew if I could get my hands on an FD I would be in heaven. Well I was scouring the country for FDs while I was 18, I was talking to the mechanic that does all the work to my parent's cars and he said he knew a guy locally with one and I should give him a call and see if I could drive it to know what it's like. Well I called him up, and not only would he let me take it for a short drive, he was looking to sell it too! Within a week of turning 19 (legal age to take out a loan in the state of Nebraska) I purchased a 93 VR touring for 11k, fairly clean except for some fade in the paint on the hood.
http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/q...1/_MG_6040.jpg
shortly after this I installed tokiko illumina shocks with H&R springs, and put in a Fidanza flywheel and an ACT stage 2+ clutch and pressure plate. I regrettably don't have any pictures from when it was lowered, but it was SLAMMED. A month or two later the opportunity came up to trade the stock rims for a set of 18 inch 8.5 front and 9.5 rear ADR M-classics, black with a chrome lip and I jumped on that. At this point I was experiencing some rubbing issues so the stock shocks/springs went back on. I also had put in a Greddy intake and Sparco steering wheel.
http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/q...x716shrunk.jpg
http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/q...x711shrunk.jpg
at this point the car started burning coolant, so I started amassing parts for a rebuild. Greddy FMIC, PFC, Chadwick idler pulley, 850 injectors, efini y-pipe, height adjustable HKS coilovers. None of the parts were installed as I was planning on doing one big build this past summer/comming winter due to the leaking coolant seals. I also had a boost leak, and the stereo went kaput, which I replaced. Then in early May, not even a year after I purchased the car, this happened.
http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/q...1/IMG_4377.jpg
http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/q...1/IMG_4390.jpg
yeah, the three rims/tires still have tire shine on them from the detail I did earlier that day. :(
I was driving it one night and the power steering got very intermittent, it seems I was leaking (we found a trail of it the next day) and three blocks from home something caused it to ignite. I was crushed. I drove this pile around for a while as I was at this time looking for a new daily, which ended up being a 93 BMW 525, also black (no pictures).
http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/q...90706-1611.jpg
I eventually purchased another FD, I had always wanted a BB R1 and I found one somewhat locally (an hour away). The owner was having problems with it and I was more than willing to take it on as I had a general idea as to what was wrong.
I picked it up for more than it was worth, but I was ok with that as a lot of work that I would've had to do to it was already done. It had a basic HKS filter intake, Koyo rad, Greddy FMIC, relocated battery, PFC, full exhaust, and 15k on the reman with non-sequential twins. But it had idle problems, a fairly crappy tune as far as the timing went, an empty A-pillar gauge spot, and a broken driver's side door handle.
When I bought it I went straight to work. AEM wideband (which I haven't had problems with, including data-logging), adjusted the AAS, replaced the clutch switch, and got it tuned with the help of these members:
http://www.1320video.com/img/album19...6095.sized.jpg
and yes, that black r1 is my new FD
http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/q...1/IMG_5651.jpg
I also replaced the door handle, tucked the wires for the PFC, got a commander and put in the rotary performance commander holder.
Current plans for this winter are a walbro, 4x850s, meth, and the HKS coilovers that are sitting in my garage. I also will purchase a replacement rim and tire for the one that didn't survive the fire.


now, my old red FD, I got 12.6k from the insurance company...
and that's AFTER I kept the car. I later sold it for 1000 dollars minus the rims and tires, motor and tranny, and a few various other parts. The new owner is the owner of this little beauty...
http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/q...1/IMG_4288.jpg
http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/q...1/IMG_4289.jpg
Yeah... it's a turbo LS1 FD
My old FD is going to be a wide body, LSx, gutted track car. Eventual goal for the new owner is 600+ hp, under 2500 lbs. He keeps flip flopping on weather to boost it or go NA.

and yes, I learned, I now keep a fire extinguisher in my new FD
http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/q...1/IMG_5659.jpg

I still love these cars after all the headaches my first one put me through.

damn dude, thats rough! i hope you have better luck with this one though! they tend to be a head ache at times but gotta love them. im 19 and i have no future plans of selling mine...

I consider it a blessing in disguise. VR is my second least favorite color on FDs, I was able to get not only my favorite (well tied for favorite with CW) color, but also an upgrade in the form of an R1. In addition I was also able to sell the spare front mount and PFC that I had lying around as the black FD came with them already installed.

:Kill1:

hahhaha nice man, atleast that worked out for ya. too bad she caught on fire though.. thats the shitty part

yeah, it was the last day of finals week too, I was gonna start pulling the motor three days later.

and saying VR is my second least favorite color on FDs is like saying the 612 is my least favorite ferrari...
not really a losing situation there.

Glad to see you back in another fd. This reminds me to go purchase a fire extinguisher.

+1 to the fire extinguisher i need to get a new one i used mine on my friends car

thanks :icon_tup:
also thanks for the coilovers, they're still nice and shiny in my garage.

That sucks. I'd be scared sh!tless if my car caught on fire while I was driving it.

there was a LOT of random stuff that would have needed to been done, the interior door panel had melted a bit due to the polishing agent I used heating and melting and causing the finish to bubble and peel. The entire wiring harness would have to be replaced. The insurance company would have wanted to just throw in a new motor as getting it torn down and inspected and rebuilt would be more money than it was worth to them. the majority of the wiring would need to be replaced. The windshield would need to be replaced (giant crack) honestly COULD it be done for less than 12k? Yes if I did a lot of the work. But I honestly do not have the time nor knowledge of the electrical system to do it. It is my opinion that in the condition that it is in, the car is in better hands with the current owner as he has done a fire restore before. It will be a track car, and that's what I would've done to it also, however even with the 12k I doubt I would've had enough money to do it properly and I didn't want to be sitting on another unfinished FD project as I feel we need to keep as many of these gorgeous cars on the road as possible. Even in LSx form.

The strangest part about when it caught on fire, I didn't see any smoke or flames until after I got out. The car died when I was about three blocks from home and being a nice night I had my windows down and even then I couldn't smell a damn thing. It was actually someone that drove by that informed me that my car was on fire. I actually somehow had the good idea to roll the windows up (for whatever reason) but it ended up saving my 1000 dollar camera that was in the car as well as a few other things because it kept them from getting soaked. At least I think my windows were down, honestly some of the events of exactly what happened are blocked from my memory. I THINK my windows were down, otherwise how else would someone have informed me my car was on fire? I THINK I rolled them up as the interior didn't get any water damage.

Mako:

I do kinda miss the way a VR looks wet when it is clean and polished. Unfortunately the car will be white with blue flecks once it is repaired and repainted.

I was just giving you a hard time, VR isn't even my favorite FD color :p:

This. I always say im gonna do it im gonna do it and i never do :(

I know ill be soo mad at myself if god forbid i experience this and not have one to be ready.

Sorry to hear about the fire, thats prob the scariest thing to be driving around and all of a sudden it catches fire.

But at least you're ok, you got some money out of it and you're back in a colored FD you wanted.

I like VR more than black ;) though but hey, we all like different things.

One positive thing to take away from this:

You're very good at finding nice FDs.

And maybe you'll convince others to carry a fire extinguisher in their car. I keep one in all my, ahem, fire-prone vehicles.

Dave...

I'm actually more surprised I've been able to find, not only nice FDs, but find them in Nebraska, I think I know 80% of FD owners in the state, there aren't many of us,

Glad you have full coverage insurance. It's been a few times on here where people for some reason or other total their FD's and guess what they only had liability...

yeah, in no way will I ever own a vehicle (other than that pos camaro or something similar) and not have full coverage on it. Hell it only costs me 200 a month for full on both the current RX7 and the BMW and I've only got a 250 dollar deductible, and I don't exactly have a clean driving record.... Just haven't gotten a ticket in almost two years, I learned fast.