Well said

I am getting back into motorsport after quite a hiatus. Built for the best laps I can safely (Dad mode - getting home to the kiddos is the key priority) put in. Counterintuitive not looking to set track records or win trophies, with more of a fun track car build than the full on racecars I'll be competing in class against. Set out 22 years ago to build the car how I want it versus a car built to fit in a certain class

I will be happy to get into the data with a new digital dash for driver input analysis with AiM Race Studio. This was a tool I didn't have before, and will be revolutionary compared to the video analysis I would do. Working with a drivers coach in the data is going to help as I get acquainted in how best to look at it all to avoid analysis paralysis


Quick release and serviceability are key. Those quick release brackets will help, or dzuz fasteners where you can as well


Nothing wrong with wood at all. My friend Jamie made his splitter out of wood, extended back with diffuser channels like you're considering. Adding some skid vanes will help extend the life of your splitter, and the sparks will be an added bonus for spectators to go with your exhaust flames

I am sure you have a design in mind, but here's how Jamie's came out for another design consideration










Looking forward to seeing your design - inspirational stuff

 

Fellow συνονόματε Costantino i am going to need some training for Spa and/or the ring. I hope 2026 will be the year i will finally take my fd and come over there

 

Do you need some ballast to ride shotgun with you ?

 

Wow, your conservative wheel and tire set-up shows are really using your driving prowess with FDs nimbleness, and straight line speed.

Just looking at your fitment it appears to be 17x9 +35 with 255/40-17. Correct me if Im wrong.

The next step (after getting f/r balance sorted) would be to add grip to your FD like you had with your s2000.

For the last 25 years 18x10 +50 285/30-18 square fitme thas been the go to track set-up for the FD. More grip, less sidewall (too little for my local broken pavement auto- environment) and preserves stock wheel offset to keep FD natural good manners.

In 2013 I pushed this to 18x11 +45 295/30-18 square fitment. The grip and increased sidewall were welcome.

I am still on 11k/11k ohlins like you, but I see all the Japanese FD with GT wing use 16k front 18k rear

(or something close)- even on the bicycle path Gunsai Touge. The higher rear spring rate helps offset the downforce of GT wing at speed.

 

Very intersteing! Thanks a lot for the info.

This time it was actually the wood the broke, but the point where the brackets were welded on the sandwich plates at the bottom.
A person who knows welding a bit said that the original welds didn't have enough AMPs and didn't go through.

I have a short video on instagram showing this up close.

 

Speaking as a coach and as a father of two as well i will just say that i fully understand where you are coming from and what your new goals are.
Enjoy the trip, use the technology and all that cool input we have from all the sensors. Spend as much time as you will on track also off track!

I actually dont have any kind of design yet and i am certainly looking for ideas and opinions on how to proceed forward.
Any kind of input is much appreciated an thanks a lot for the pics!
Like i said for your case earlier... the more info in... the better the result is going to be!

 

Hhahah! Hello συνονοματε!

Where are you coming from and where do you live?
By all means let me know when you plan on coming first of all to meet and if i can infuse some speed then great!

Just let me know!

 

As you can see from the vidoe, even when i am trying to go fast in the Ring , i don't mind carrying a second person with me!
You see the seat free? You just ask for it!

 

Oh you are so right!

I have changed the wheels and maybe i most certainly have forgotten to update the build thread (if this is where you get the 17'' RPF1 numbers from).
It is because i went again for RPF1 that definitely hides the nuance, but the current set-up on the car is 18x9+35 265/35 Front and 18x10+35 295/30 Rear.
So indeed i have a lot more rubber than before and the car feels sooooo good!
A lot of people mention that they see understeer in the video and i think this is simply the staggered setup. But it feels so good and controlable.

Regarding the springs rates you mention.... Now you make really doubt my thinking and my future plans.

My feeling for the moment is to stiffen only the front. From 14 -- > 16 and leave the rear at 14.
But now you say that the go stiffer back and softer front!

Can you provide some names of the accounts/cars that you know do this so i can have a closer look and investigate if this is relatable to my car and what i am doing?

Car setup is so interesting! So many parameters to take into account!

 

i also switched my springs from 11k to 18/16k and at the track is just a different animal. I am not sure i would have done a 14/16k instead but i am very pleased with my current on my PCVs. First few laps were quicker than my quickest setup on the 11k . With that being said a lot of things were changed in the process including a laggier turbo so the car is more manageable at the corner exits

 

i live in the states but my car is in Cyprus . So if all goes well summer/fall of 2026 i should be able to finally pull the trigger… @JhnRx7 may wanna join us 😅

 

Interesting info @R-R-Rx7 !

Is it in Cyprus with Mike from Superlap maybe? How come its there, are you Cypriot in nationality?
Anyway this is just my curious side poking around!

The setup that you mention regarding springs is leaning more towards the direction my head and knowledge are suggesting me to go.
Talking with an Ohlins service center yesterday on the phone they told me that the springs available from Ohlins are 14 - 16 - 19.
And for some reason, with how i felt the car these laps, it felt that i don't need to jump so radically and go for a 19kg spring.
But maybe this is wrong and with the right valving maybe that would also be ok.
The one thing i wouldn't want to have in the end is a jumping car that destabilised on each undulance at the Nurburgring.
I had the same with my S2K. I had a TEIN Monoflex with 10kg springs and the car was ok in other places but not great over there.

 

Ah, you dont watch Video Options/Hot Version.

In these videos retired JGTC racer snd Super GT team manager Keiichi Tsuchiya (the Drift King) uses his connections to have former JGTC and former and current Super GT race car drivers test the tuning industries company/demo cars.

The videos always list the demo car specifications before the timed lapping.

FD tunerswith demo cars include-
Re Amemiya
Fujita Engineering/Feed
Panspeed
FAMspeed
Knight Sports
R-magic
And more.

They have stock turbo " boost up" demo cars drawing from decades of N2 racing the FD , single turbo cars for time attack competition and even NA FDs now for NA time attack records.

They all use 16k-20k spring rates either square or higer in the rear with GT wings.

I took a couple screen shots for you.





If you check machine specifications in the videos you will see whether was 255/40-17 in early 2000s or 295/30-18 now on their demo FDs the spring rates didnt change.

 

Thats so kind of you mate!

Thanks a lot for taking the time and sharing the info.
You cannot imagine the hours i have spent watching all these videos and KT and Orido driving these things.
I still have this image in my head of that blue rx7 being thrown into a sequential slide.
Or the other video from Tsukuba where Ghan San (i think that was the name) the elder driver at the time is driving the wheels off the thing!

Countless nights at home at 56kbps line, walking up in the morning hoping that the line hadn't disconnected over the night or someone called in the morning at home to drop the connection.
All that just to download a Hot Version Video. I still have most of the episodes, in hard copy at some CDs in my room in Greece.
Epic times...

But with all that said, i also have left all of this behind me since a long time now.
With 2 kids now 1.5 and 3.5 years old, work and a lot of traveling i literally did not have any free time.
So driving the RX7 had been put into backburner, let alone finding time to investigate to further develop it.

I will have a look, discuss with the service center and see where this takes us!

Thanks again! Much appreciated!

 

I want to point that the typical spring rate goes up to 24 kg time attack and race cars with more aero, lower ride heights, and wider tires.
I think the trend here is to use stiff springs but to leave the sway bars stock.

 

I know Mike, but no association with him. I bought a couple of things in the distant past. We meet on the track once in a while. His build is sick. Our builds are completely different and of completely different philosophies. My car is a street car and obviously nowhere near as quick as he is and i am okay with that. I do like to make my own stuff and this is what makes this journey different and unique in my eyes. All while maintaining all street car functions, even the A/C. Cyprus can get disgustingly hot in the summer time and the car is still at the track even when its 45 celsius outside

Yes, cypriot born and raised but i have been away for over 20 years. Been building it “remotely” for a while but i do take it to the track every time i am there. My visits used to be more frequent .

i am using swift springs. I had my Ohlins PCV revalved in Cyprus at AMC (Cacouratos) which is a rally specialist shop. Carlos , the owner’s son, has put together a phenomenal suspension shop there, custom building everything.

 

Oh, excelent. Im the biggest wannabe- so I am always thinking of the ways the JDM tuners do things.

And then doing my own weird shirt.