When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Must be easy to source parts since you live in Japan. What was the cost of those Defis?
Well, sometimes more than others. I sourced these off of nengun.com because I wanted something new so I was sure it worked. Also varies based on the exchange rates. sometimes I can save nearly 25% on things. In those cases it's nice.
Originally Posted by neit_jnf
awesome! you need an IC duct tho, otherwise it becomes an interheater...
I took it out in preparation for a Vmount install. I've since installed a cooling plate that should help things. Monitoring my temperatures, I see no real variance with and without the stock ducting with my driving habits.
Originally Posted by TomU
FYI (and you may already know this by now), the Pettit column pod does not have the factory pegs so you either need to glue it or tape it. Also they are made for LHD. It should be usable, but the opening for the turn signal and wiper will be off a little. RE Amemiya made a RHD version that is much better construction with factory pegs. You may be able to find some over there used (not sure they are made anymore)
This is actually news to me. But, so long as it works as intended and looks fine while doing it, it's good by me for now. The Amemiya ones are ridiculously expensive, I wasn't going to do that. I'll figure that out when i get there, I suppose. Maybe find another column cover break the tabs off and use plastic cement or something to fuse them
Great stuff happening, I would have clear coated the wheels after painting though. How they came out on mine.
Well, the thing of it is, I put a couple coats of clear on it. But it made it far too glossy. I didn't have any other matte clear that I could source at the time that would suit this. So, I put another coat or two of the matte black. Trouble is, it has made cleaning them a real pain because they're rough and hold on to all the brake dust in the world. They're actually tinted rather brown now. until i scrub them down
This is actually news to me. But, so long as it works as intended and looks fine while doing it, it's good by me for now. The Amemiya ones are ridiculously expensive, I wasn't going to do that. I'll figure that out when i get there, I suppose. Maybe find another column cover break the tabs off and use plastic cement or something to fuse them
A better solution might be to glue a piece of plastic to the inside of the top clam shell that extends into bottom shell (that is not glued). That will align the top with the bottom w/o having to source another top shell. To hold the pieces together, you can then either tape them (I would tape in the front (behind the steering wheel) and back with black tape so you don't see the tape as much), or use some silicone that can be divided if needed.
Are you planning on bringing the car back to the U.S. with you when you return?
Yes. Very much so. Though, how it makes its way there is kind of up in the air right now. I'm trying to find employment over here meaning I'll have to ship it back on my own dime. But, if I don't get that opportunity, the military will ship it. I just have to throw the airpump and cat back on and figure out the source of this bloody oil leak I got going on.
Great build Marine! As for the leak the pan is good place to start and a relatively easy fix (so it wont be that). Bring the rx back just be ready if you are coming to California. FYI, unless its too late for you, the Corps is always looking for people to go back to Oki, so a return trip shouldn't be a problem. Great work on the 7.
I regret that we had to leave it like this for a day, but, short shop hours and a power outage stopped us here
Getting the transmission off the engine was the most difficult part
Miraculously, it actually started on the first try. I don't know how we got quite so lucky.
I don't know why, but apparently the previous owner splice into the harness. How I even got it home, I don't know.
Upon further research, what was spliced was apparently to the secondary injectors. Explaining why it was in limp mode the whole way home. Here I thought I fouled the plugs or something. Rejoined it and she runs fine now!
I think I'll upload the video to YouTube and add that in here later
A year (or two) later and some updates!
Not very much happened for the car in 2017 and 18, but these are the highlights picking up from the previous post. Engine finally all tucked back in and running smoothly despite previous wiring issues. A nice drizzle one night made me want to take some pictures, so I did. Car was/is experiencing some bucking issues, so, to try to head them off in the near future, a purchase was made from J-Auto. Also recently got a spare set of brake calipers back from the powdercoater, ready for a rebuild A welcome cosmetic upgrade
A much more flattering angle including those brand new calipers To test the reliability of the Rotary, a friend and I decided to take a road trip to Tokyo in April '17. It was all well and good, we had no issues. But I did realize that without some way to dry the air in the cabin, you can't see! When the engine was pulled, the AC was evacuated and hadn't been recharged. So this was real fun. We did stop near Mt. Fuji. I do wish that I had taken more pictures of the car during this trip. Upon returning to Okinawa, I got that AC recharged that was a welcome fix
The remainder of 2017 was pretty much nothing, as was the majority of 2018. 2018 did include this addition, though: One of the more recent additions... These are going to get refinished before putting on the car. It's going to take quite a bit of work.
And the most recent updates: The end of 2018 did include the repainting of my hatch including the fixing of a few small rust areas as well as a new window seal. It also included the installation of a '99 Spec wing from a friend's car. I like this much better than the old one. The most recent picture and how she sits at the end of January 2019. Recently fitted '99 Spec rubber lip and I like it a whole lot more. Just a few more things to do on the outside for my girl.
Car looks great! I was just in Tokyo earlier this month, we also drove to Yokohama and Fujikawaguchiko. It's a nice drive, I actually thought to myself I wish I have my FD with me.
All good things from you with this car. Excellent work. I was in okinawa from 2011 to 2015. Greatest time of my life. I left before my car was eligible to ship back and I ended up having to pay to get it shipped when it became of age.
I was. On the first engine. It was alright, but, at the time i neglected to take into account the other changes (emissions) that I did to it. It ended up fouling a set of plugs leaving me stranded for the first time ever. Luckily I had a spare set back at my barracks and had them brought to me. Worst hour or whatever ever trying to get those plugs out without a lift.
On the new engine I'm running the ECU that came with it. Stock, or stock flashed. Honestly I'm not sure. It works very well for me, though.
As a general update to this thread, The original engine ended up getting rebuilt and dropped into a friend's car after his popped. His engine is chilling out waiting for me to get it rebuilt. That engine was previously built by Judas Rotary up mainland, as far as we could tell. It will be a streetported engine mated to an EFR8474 IWG controlled by an Adaptronic Select (as of this writing). Hopefully come the end of this year. Possibly early next. It depends on how my employment is looking at the time as some things are in the air right now.
Minor changes as of the other day:
Put some of the stock 17" wheels on since the rubber was going on the other set. Doesnt look as bad as I thought it was going to.
This without spacers:
This with spacers, +15 F and +20 R, iirc:
I went with the spacers all the way around. They look decidedly more modern to me. I was pleasantly surprised.
Specs are 17x8+50 and 17x8.5+50, with spacers (iirc) 17x8+35 and 17x8.5+30 with 235/40 and 255/40 rubber, Hankook Ventus V12 evo 2
Boy it's been a while. So, I've got a bit of a back log here. But, do my best to pick up right after the last post.
During the course of changing the wheels out this time, I made the decision that I will never again purchase aluminum lug nuts. For any preventative measures that may have been taken, wasnt enough and had a heck of a time removing this one.
But we were good after that.
I got an update on the MS-01s, their powdercoating coming along
And I also picked up a front strut tower bar to match the rear one I had put away to hopefully put in one of these days
In the spirit of renewing things, I also decided to replace my side indicators as they were getting a bit clouded. Sadly the picture doesnt do justice to how big the difference was here. As well as swapping the type of LED bulbs in the position lights to something with greater area to use the reflector, rather than more directional shooting forward. Old on car's right, new on car's left.
Picked up some goodies from JP3 and Garage Alpha to add to the mix. With my Bubbletech heel plate replacing my floor mats (which I hate), everything in the pedal area now has a common feel to it like I think it should have been.
And a change of one rear hatch strut that has mad a significant difference
As the years go on, I'm noticing a significant degradation of my paint overall... This Okinawa sun has killed it. This needs addressing. And will be addressed in early 2023, this photo of my roof from September 2020.
Before the paint is addressed, I've started planning version 2 of the car and started with the parts collecting. Greddy VMIC kit has arrived, as well as my future front bumper from Border Racing, second hand. It'll need some love. As there wasn't any one particular body kit that I liked more than another, mine will be a combination of bits that I think work well enough together. This bumper is my ode to Initial D, which I can thank for getting me into this car in the first place. For any who aren't tracking, later in the series Kyosuke in his yellow FD battles Ryoko with her black FD. This is the front bumper from Ryoko's car.
As for side skirts, I found some from the MazdaSpeed A-Spec kit which I like. They're in rough shape, but, I also figure this is a decent opportunity to try my hand at some fiberglass work since I've never done that before. Is it perfect? Nah. But seems just as strong as the rest of the part, even where I had to build it back up from entirely missing pieces.
Finally picked up the MS-01 bits from powder coating. Came together pretty good, I think. We'll see when they go on. Also had the strut tower bars taken care of, and returned to me as well. Heck of a glow up on them. We'll see when they go on.
I also got my old SBG projectors installed finally. And boy are they a whole lot better than stock. Might need some aiming but they look and work great.
And also, I decided to move. While my old place was cheap, my new one has a garage. So I can finally work on and store the car how I want. This was worth what is essentially double the rent.
01-26-17, 03:54 AM
