The DRKNYT (Dark Knight) Rises
 

This is my first proper write up, so go easy on me. As you can probably tell I don’t usually post a lot on here.

Growing up between the years 2004 and 2011 I learnt a lot about cars. Being around a wide range of engines from old school rotaries (R100, RX2, RX3, RX4 & RX7) to old school V8’s. I remember sitting there quietly in a school class room at the age of 15 whilst my friends discuss engines and cars around me I absorbed all the information. I made up my mind from an early stage that rotaries are my favorite engine because they are unique and different from anything else. I connected with this because I feel I am unique and different from anything else :lol:

Since the young age of 15 I always wanted a Mazda RX-7 FD, especially a 2002 model (series 8). In early 2011 (when I was turning 21, I am now 23 turning 24) I had enough money to fulfill my boyhood dream. I didn't think it will lead to this.

I have always been obsessed with Batman and every time I look at a RX-7 FD I see a Batmobile, those sleek lines of the body, that low front end and that fierce ass end, I felt I was destined to be Batman.

My obsession with both the FD and Batman led me to want a Black FD. So the search begun and I all I got were dead ends. Here in Sydney there are a lot of dealers that directly import cars from Japan and a lot of them said the colour I wanted was very hard to find etc.

I left my number with a lot of the dealers hoping they would call me back when a Black FD will be available. After hoping and wishing for over 3 weeks I finally get a phone call and on offer was a black RX-7 FD 2002 model with 38,000km on the clock, the dealer wanted $24,000 AUD, I would be the first owner of this car in Australia, it was fresh out of Japan.

I quickly jumped on it and that moment in November 2011 I was a proud owner of a Black 2002 Mazda RX-7 FD.

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The car was pretty much stock all it had was a cat back exhaust and some dark ass tints. As you can see my License Plate reads DRKNYT (Dark Knight). I previously had these plates on my old 1996 Honda Civic CXi Hatch when I was 17-18 years of age knowing that one day they will go onto a RX7.

I always wanted to build this car it was just a matter of when.

That when would come on the 29th of November 2013; yes 2 years after buying the car.

The Paint
 

I drove the car around for 2 years. In that two years I started to get a lot more interested into the upgrades for these cars.

I would stay up night after night reading about specs, upgrades, what to do and what not to do when finally, after 2 years of driving it stock, I got bored of the power and wanted more, but what?

Everyone high and low was telling me to do something that they thought was best for this car, ignoring everyone I decided to plan what I wanted.

Currently the car is almost finished being built, just need to tune the engine and its good to go. I will lead up to all of this shortly.

On November 29th 2013 and with 50,000km on the clock (yes that's right I only put 12,000km on the clock within 2 years) I decided to start the build.

Within these the 2 years the Solenoid gave way meaning only one of my turbos was coming on boost and the paint had scratches and blemishes, not to mention a few dings here and there due to parking it on the street and having idiots hit me and drive off.

None the less the build began with sanding back all the paint and getting it ready for a fresh coat of Dark Jet Black paint. Just before the sanding back happened the engine was pulled out and ready for a rebuild.

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The car was finished being painted within a few days.

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The Engine
 

Now that the paint has been finished it was time to start on the engine. I didn’t want something as crazy as a bridge port but I still wanted a nice idle. I had my good mates over at JC Racing in Botany, Sydney to give my engine a Street port with 2mm JCR Unbreakable apex seals.

I also decided to get rid of the sequential turbo and go with a single turbo. I shopped around a little and finally chose a Precision Turbo 6466.

I wanted the engine and engine bay to be painted as black as possible but seeing it was too much black I broke it up with silver.

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The turbo will have a Precision Turbo External Waste Gate.

With the engine finished I now had to upgrade the radiator.

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I had a look around and saw a lot of FD’s with a V Mount Intercooler but they did not appeal to me so I installed a Front Mount Intercooler. The FMIC was anodized in black.

The bar had to be cut to snugly fit the FMIC.

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Now that the FMIC has been fitted it was time to upgrade the clutch. Installed a EXEDY Sports Tuff Heavy Duty Cushion Button Kit.

Whilst the engine was out refreshed the oil in the gearbox and diff.

All that was left now was to put the engine back in, connect an exhaust off the turbo, connect all the braided lines to engine & components and get all the piping for the FMIC.

The Everything Else
 

The Coming Together
 

WOW... you are a very well financed 24 year old.

:lol: ill take that as a compliment? :scratch: i guess i have just been working really hard and saving alot, plus the job i have at the moment is really good pay. hard work does pay off!

stay in school kids. :icon_tup:

Awesome car and great progress! (nice avatar too!)

I'm more than a little jealous that you are able to import the LAST of the FDs legally there. Here in 'Murica, the EPA/Politicians fear we will kill ourselves/others/the earth if we don't buy what is normally available here. Apparently a non-US spec is terribly unsafe and the exhaust emissions border on eco-terrorism, lol.

BACK on topic:

Keep up the good work, and hope to see more pictures.

Vince

Nice build.

dannng minium wage is $16.87 an hour here.

thanks alot bro! :) yea laws in some countries are so so stupid! the way i see it is that they should let us drive and have our fun! all these laws in 'Murica i was reading about how certian types of cars are illegal is stupid, but in saying that the laws here in Sydney are very strict also, we can get huge fines for having big wheels on our cars or even just having a BOV venting to atmosphere is like the biggest crime lol and yet drug dealers and killers roam the street :scratch:

will be putting up pics and vids soon hopefully! :)

Thanks alot bro @ Mps_hell

The Sound
 

Couldn't agree more bro. Love your build!

Thought about joining the Aus FD forum?

Very nice build man. Very excited to see it all tuned up. What kind of numbers are you expecting?

thanks alot bro! :) i havent looked into joining the aus FD forum as of yet, will def look into it tho!

Thanks brother!, the run in tune is set and ready to go, ill post up another vid of a few revs and spools tomorrow.

depending on the psi, im looking at around 415-420 rwhp at 18psi. it will be 12psi when i drive it around normally tho.

Hopfully down a 1/4 mile will get anywhere between mid to high 10's with everything at 100% shifting etc.

FDRX7.com if you are interested.

My build is very similar to yours... mind me asking how long it took from building the engine to where it's currently at?

approx 5 months bro

Run In tune is all done.

Below is a video giving it a few revs with spools and idle.

http://vid1353.photobucket.com/album...psf265746b.mp4

Will now put the wheels on, suspension etc and drive it around to clock 1,000km on the new engine then time for the full tune.

More pics and videos to come :)

Nice setup! Is there a reason your not running a BOV?

thanks bro!

i just don't like the sound of venting to atmosphere.

all my other cars that had BOVs leaked.

plus after doing extensive study on forums about the arguments if BOV are needed or not i have made up my mind they are not needed.

one less defect i have to worry about if the boys in blue pull me over, even the filter off my turbo will be enclosed so if i do get pulled over the only thing that i will have to worry about is my external waste gate.

but ultimately i just don't like the sound of BOV i get sick of them too quick.

Nice work & the FD is looking great :icon_tup:.

Is it weird the part I like best is the floor mats? Been after a set of those ones for years :lol:.

thanks bro, ill help you get some! :)

On facebook add: https://m.facebook.com/marcus.mazda?...com.au%2F&_rdr

his profile pic is of a white SP II, add him say DRKNYT sent ya.

He has a sh*t load of floor mats just like those in my car plus alot of other goodies.

Let me know how you go!

This is why I get mod plated.

P.s aus fd forums is full of trolls and other unsavory types:icon_tdow

i prob will get it all engineered when i go E85 and start tracking it alot more for now ill just creep lol

thanks for the heads up bro :icon_tup:

Love the black work meisters. Pics of them installed?