Aeka GSR

iTrader: (4)

California haters forget that we have some of the best mountain roads to drive our 7s on.
Not to question you, but I'm not sure an RX7 is the best first car. A beater is always a good start since kids tend to crash their first car. My first car given by my parents was a tercel. Once I got used to a slow car I stepped up to an Integra, turboed it, then got a 7. Now I'm living on my own an have 2 FDs. I still have the tercel for most of my daily driving.

scootenscott

hey you still got?

vacanyols

lol would u imagine??? ppl adding 7 inch open downpipes... no exhaust... just a cry tat would make pavarotti shake in his tomb.... AGRHRHHAHHAHANAHAH

700 DB to the PIPE!!!

arghx

iTrader: (3)

yup, I recently got an inspection in NC with leaded race gas in the tank... the techs just compliment me on how well my car has been taken care of. we don't have sniffer tests anymore, and most inspection stations don't even know what they're looking at when they pop the hood.

Tim Benton

iTrader: (1)

And it's not just the fix it ticket that has him wanting to sell the car. Add in the body work, paint, suspension stuff and the fact the son doesn't apparently want it, or want to deal with car up keep at the moment...that makes the dad want to sell now rather than deal with the extra expense for no reason. I'd make the son buy his own car next time, or get him a cheap, no thrills car.

Tim

GOB

Hey foaxaca,

I live in California too (bay area). A couple months ago I was at a crossroads as to whether to buy the hi-flow cat or the stock cat (which was ~ $2k new). My mechanic who's been servicing Mazdas for 19 yrs mentioned exactly this, that I might be able to pass emissions w/ the aftermarket cat but not sound.

I actually have 2 stock cats now (and am still collecting more b/c i live in CA. haha). I could loan for the test if you decide to keep the car. It's a sad day whenever a man has to give up his FD. PM me if you need help. Otherwise, g'luck.

Montego

iTrader: (1)

we were talking about dB's aka power in a logarithmic scale. Yeah I know it can mean voltage as well but not in measuring sound intensity.

Montego

iTrader: (1)

lol

foaxaca

I got an offer from R&R Rotary Specialists (Glendora, CA shop that does all my FD work) to install a used stock muffler for $250 (includes muffler) just so I can pass the sound test. Any idea if this will do it for me? I have also heard that without the stock downpipe/pre-cat, I'm still not gonna pass. I've got an HKS intake kit and I don;t want to try to piece the stock airbox that I have sitting in pieces in the garage and put that back in. My other option is a silencer for the current cat back or this Apexi "sound controller" a previous poster mentioned earlier in this string.

Whichever way I go, once it passes, the car will be sold. It's already listed in the items for sale forum here and will be on Auto Trader and Craigslist by the end of the weekend.

Get more info here: https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=768641

Natey

iTrader: (19)

Try some steel wool. Seriously. It's a little trick that people use at the track for the same reason as you. Make a kind of mesh out of a coat hanger (to keep the the S.W from shooting out the exhaust pipe), then stuff a couple pads of steel wool into your exhaust tip behind it.

Also, if your exhaust tip is 3.5" let me know. I bought a silencer for my car, but my PFS exhaust has a rolled tip and I can't fit it into the pipe.

I'll let it got for CHEAP.

RiceFx306

iTrader: (7)

Maybe the kids not a car guy and/or has other things on his mind right now...honestly GOOD FOR HIM. I've been thinking about going back to college and really with as much as I study cars and shop online scouring forums for cars parts I'm sure I could become a doctor in no time. Then I can buy another RX7...hardest part is finding a suitable replacment. Let the kid be a student if he wants as there are more than enough distractions in college. You're def a cool dad though. I'd look for something a bit more practical and gas miser-ish for a college kid. Just some things to toss up in the air...at least you know when to cut your losses. I wish I did...now I'm in so deep that it'll really kill me to sell it. The life of owning these cars.

foaxaca

Natey: I'm liking that steel wool idea. I've got about a half-dozen pads in that garage left from a door refinishing project I did last summer. I've got coarse and fine. The idea is to create a framework from a hanger and wedge it and the steel wool into the muffler?

RiceFX306: Exactly where my son is. He just graduated from high school and has got more of a practical streak than I expected - he's asking for a Honda Civic or some other gas sipper.

GOB: Thanks for the offer. I think the plan is to try Natey's steel wool fix or the HKS silencer if I can pick one up at a local vendor. If it fails again, then it's silencer AND steel wool. If that doesn't work, then I'm gonna invest in the Apexi Exhaust Noise Controller that Fd3s4e recommended.

Anyways, washed and detailed the FD today and took it out for a drive. I had forgotten how much attention you get driving an FD.

foaxaca

money: pix of R1 fin below.

RiceFx306

iTrader: (7)

Yeah I was actually going to sell my car for a Porsche 911 but after seeing how much the average student after med school ($120K) I might even get myself a gas sipper. I love the RX7, but it's just not worth it to me to risk it all...I'll be working to get my car into selling condition and probably getting a Civic or some other type of gas miser. Haha I see why people don't go back to school after they've stopped. Good for him though. I envy your son's practicality...it's taken me til 23 to have the thoughts come into my head...and I'm still hesitant to do it, but honestly it's for the best. I hope you get back your money invested and you son really enjoys the college experience...plus they say green cars are the cool new thing to have. *shrugs*

Super77

I wonder any Harley-Davidson riders with straight pipe exhausts have the the same problem??!!!

Here in Virginia, the annual Rolling Thunder bike fest occurs every Memorial Day. Bikers from all across the country - to include California- come to D.C., stage at the Pentagon, then ride to the Mall. Most of them, clearly violate any noise ordinance, yet nothing is done.

Sorry to hear that you have to go through such a hassle.

Best of luck with the sale.

Super77

Natey

iTrader: (19)

Exactly. My muffler has a rolled tip, so it keeps the steel wool in there nicely.

We're basically making a hillbilly version of this:
http://www.jegs.com/p/Dynatech/750920/10002/-1/11533

g/l, and like I said, if your tailpipe is 3.5', I have a silencer for ya.

BigWillieStyles

I think all cars are money pits and i personally i would rather drop my money in the FD rather than some other boring Honda.

MrNizzles

iTrader: (5)

Wow, that is some serious pie in the sky dreams my friend... I was pre-med for 3 years, and let me tell you, if you haven't had college level, not Junior College **** (that's easy), I mean 4 year university level courses, you are in for a SERIOUS awakening!

I've had 1 year of each:

biology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, organic chemistry (my fav!), anatomy, physiology, advanced exercise physiology, biomechanics, kineselogy and ... every other health and science class under 3 units.

Here's an easy mid-term question for ya. Work out the atomic model of 1 ATP molecule in it's first phase of the electron substrate. I got every component right, except that I had my hydroxyl (that's one H-OH molecule for every Carbon counterpart) groups upside down. I guess I missed that small detail studying till 5 am. The next question is to finish the next 11 phases of the electron substrate path... which takes half the semester to learn. Your books are $300 bucks a pop and over 500 pages of the tiniest print you've ever read. Getting through 40 pages takes about 3-4 hours .. and then there's lab books, fees, reports, equipment and exams for them.

Best grades I ever got was a B, mostly C's ... I scored above 1200 on my SAT's and I was no where close to going to med school. Without close to a 4.0, several years work in research AND knowing someone special .. somewhere, you don't have a chance in hell, not even selling your sole to the devil will get you in, certainly not with any flimsy comment about working on cars and trolling forums... my god you just named a millions of people worldwide... not exactly what anyone would want from a Doctor! GAH!

$120K in debt after med school .. that's not counting the first 4 years to get your undergraduate, all the tutors you're gonna need, and then being poor a$$ broke the entire time AND never going out because you're nose to the grind night after night after night.

Do yourself a favor... PHUK SKOOL. Keep the FD, go have some FUN.

JHew84

iTrader: (9)

You have to live in CA to take advantage of it's roads? ... I think I'd rather live in MI where there are no worries about getting my car not passing emissions (ever) and when I have the time take a little road trip down to the dragon, or even out to CA if I choose, much less of a hassle IMHO .

I applaud your son for having such a straight head at a younger age. If it wasn't for my hobbies (mostly auto related) I'm sure I would be much further ahead with my schooling than I currently am .

MrNizzles

iTrader: (5)

Bingo!! Or how about student loans for college? big waste there. Pre-med? not a chance, LOL.

It's funny, you guys who were into your cars and the car scene wish you had gone to school and done something "special" with your life... I wish I would of went into the car scene instead of going to college, or at least went pre-med. I should just gone to ITT Tech or DeVry and got something useful ... 4 year university is for :

- people who actually will become Dr's and Lawyers, not just pie in the sky dreamers
- rich people

foaxaca

I know where MrNizzles is coming from but it's all about paying now or paying later. I did the 4-year college and then did the MBA after being out of school for about 20 years. Best thing I ever did and my company paid for half of it. My son figures that if he works now he can afford that car he wants later on.

Already have a high probability buyer - wants to trade his very nicely kept '97 Civic with a recently rebuilt engine plus cash for the FD. Looking at it very seriously.

RiceFx306

iTrader: (7)

Well it was a bad comparison just in passing and super exaggerated my SAT was ~ 1400...doesn't really mean anything though since it's just what you SHOULD know then college is all new. I'm actually a pretty smart guy that learns quickly, just a little rusty on study habits, but that's easy enough to fix. I know I'll be in for a hell of a road with no social life, but after thinking about possibilities in this world it seems to be something good to do. I want a job where I can be comfortable and not have to worry about finances. More importantly though it's an opportunity to help others...something you can do and actually make a difference in day to day life of various people. It would allow me to give money to parents so that they can retire peacefully. That to me seems to be the real reward. Only other jobs that I've come across as interesting would be teaching English in Korea or maybe even Japan. The pay is good, but I think it could get old. I will keep the FD though...can't bring myself to part with it. Love/hate relationship I wasted enough time on cars over the years....tech school and whatnot. I definately love cars, but as a hobby not a lifestyle. Right now I'm trying to decide between going back to Hawaii to finish up my degree or just wait to get my residency in Texas. I have a month to decide...so clock is tickin. Haha plus you see doctors in the hospital...obviously someone thought it was worth it to push for the goal. The world changes too quickly for me to invest in certain fields that I would like pursue...just not sure if there will be a job there tomorrow. I'll have a lot more work ahead of me...if I can't handle it...I can always change majors.

RiceFx306

iTrader: (7)

I reread what I typed and it did come off as ignorant and naive. Haha.

RiceFx306

iTrader: (7)

I hope it's a lot of cash.

MazRx7FD

iTrader: (2)

wow that better be Tons of cash. 1X,XXX.

97 Civic for an FD??? where was this when I had one. In CA you can find a civic anywhere, for next to nothing.

Awwelll though, your choice, good luck with sale/trade.

Any luck passing the sound test?

-Rob