Dark_Sub_Rosa

Where all were you searching to try and find a car to start off with?

funnyscreenname

iTrader: (7)

i searched auto trader and a few other sites online and while on craigslist i found this one. at first i just looked at it then quickly closed the page and kept looking. after seeing others that were running starting at $12k i started thinking more about this one. i went back to the page numerous times to check it out. i kept researching the car and motor and also the swaps that are pretty common and fairly easy to do. i figured i'd go ahead and get the car and get it running and upgrade the turbo as time progressed.

i've been thinking a good bit about the car the past few days and what i want out of it. i keep thinking more and more about the engine in the car now and the unknowns. i know what i was told and then i know what i have read. even if the car had a rebuild 2 years ago, the engine hasn't ran in alittle over a year. i'm alittle worried about getting the turbo hooked up and getting everything tuned and then a seal go. i just don't want to spend a bunch of money on a bunch of quality parts only to have them damaged if a seal goes.

i've thought of pulling the engine and rebuilding it so that i know it's going to be reliable but even then there aren't any guarantees. i've pretty much decided to go with an ls1 swap. they're readily available in my area and i'd like to get started soon. i'd really like to be able to do some racing by the end of the year. another plus is that i can sell the rotary engine and components to help fund ls1 and other parts needed. i'm gonna do alittle more research and decide which company i wanna order the swap parts from. if anyone has any info i'd appreciate it.

i've also began reading around norotors.com. there's some good info on there from what i've read. it looks like there used to be another great site, v8rx7.com, but it's no longer up. i'm fairly certain i've made up my mind on what i wanna do with the car. i've even looked around and found ls1's starting at $500 (the iron blocks). granny's and hsc has many swap parts available. anyone else have any good sites? also if alotta the parts can be fabbed or you know of any diy's please share as a friend of mine said he'd help me with the welding.

that's it for now. i'll begin selling parts soon so if you need any engine parts let me know.

killingtime33

iTrader: (1)

its a shame to see you decided to go with out the rotary ive built v8s and many other piston motors ive even put some of those motors in rx7s but hands down they are in no way any where close as amazing or as fun as a well built rotary engine but hey to each their own by sticking to what they know have fun and good luck

funnyscreenname

iTrader: (7)

one deciding factor was my location. i live in MS and there just arent any rotary specialists shops or anything close that i could get the proper help from. the other day i got a call from a member on here (Barry) and he lives about 60 miles from me. he was a really friendly guy and offered to help with any rebuilding or anything i wanted to do with the rotary.

i considered it for awhile, and although i do wanna learn more about the rotary motor, i'm gonna go with the LS1. i may end up keeping the rotary motor in the long run and rebuilding it just so that i can get more hands on experience with it. i'm really interested in the rotary but, i wanna get my car built so i can start enjoying it. the rotary will be on the back shelf for now if i don't get rid of it.

killingtime33

iTrader: (1)

for a good price ill take it off your hands !!!

funnyscreenname

iTrader: (7)

well i've got somewhat of an update.

i've been pulling and selling parts outta the engine bay for the past month or so. it's definitely been an experience. i've met alotta great people in the process. one of them is allrotor93. he actually has some LS swap parts i need and i have some parts that he needs so i'm pleased to say that we've worked out a trade and i've officially found the first bit of parts i'm gonna need for the swap. that's gotten me really excited and i've been reading or slowly gathering info and a few small parts. i ordered a wilwood 7/8" master cylinder that i'm going to need. i was also browsing around and found a complete set of agency power stainless brake lines for a great deal. i'm also looking into getting some quality brake fluid. anyone have any suggestions?

i've had a few people interested in the engine. i wanna pull it soon so i can sell it to help fund the LS. first i've gotta get an engine hoist. i'm thinking of borrowing one rather than buying. i found a like-new hoist for cheap but i really don't want it taking up real estate in the garage after i'm done with it.

a friend of mine has a few neighbors that race and all. supposedly one of them has an LS with ~69k on it. it's still in the car so i can hear it run and all which will give me alittle more peace at mind. he also has a hoist that i can borrow too. i need to get a truck so i can pick it up and get the engine out. the faster i sell it, the faster i can get an LS. i wanna get the car on the road asap but, i'm not gonna just jump on the first engine i find. i'll wait until i find the right deal. i wanna do a few upgrades on the engine before it goes in the car. a mild cam, intake, maybe some heads, new hardware, and some new seals as needed. i keep reading about how much easier all the engine work will be while the engine is outta the car so that's what i'll do.

i met a local guy with an rx7 that needed some help working on his car. i've been helping him fix little things here and there. he has a few other cars and is preparing for school so he's thinking of selling the car. so far we've just did minor things that needed to be done. new overflow tank, radiator, some loose fender lining, fixed the headlight angle, and put his gauges in. his car is red like mine so we decided to trade hoods. i traded my oem hood for this:



it's alittle faded and there are the usual scratches and all. nothing some buffing and polishing couldn't take care of. i'm still alittle unsure if i really like the hood or not. i think it's ok. i know i'll like it better once it's painted.




everyone's seen this hood before so you know what it looks like on the car but if not there's the pics.

here's how the engine bay sits now:


and this is how the car sits in my garage...minus the red hood:



i'm slowly doing little by little. there's so much to do and never a lack of work. it'll get there eventually. i'll post more pics as i do more. thanks for looking. comments welcome.

funnyscreenname

iTrader: (7)

BAD NEWS!

Well the deal with allrotor93 fell through and I'm now back to where I was before...only with alittle less money. I'll be getting all the parts I traded to him back...eventually. Turns out he can't use my turbos and an intake manifold was damaged in shipping. Unfortunately the package was shipped to a location 4 hours from his house per his request and it'll be awhile before he can ship them back. The harness, turbos, air pump, fuel rails, and injectors will be for sale again.

I guess everything happens for a reason. I'll most likely go with the Samberg components this time around. From what I've read the subframe is alittle better than the Hinson unit and it's made just as well.

Anyway, I'll update again as time progresses. Thanks for looking everyone. Comments welcome.

funnyscreenname

iTrader: (7)

btw, if anyone has a clutch/brake pedal assembly please let me know.

funnyscreenname

iTrader: (7)

ok alittle bit of an update. i've started ordering little things for the swap here and there. right now i'm just storing it all in the trunk until i'm able to use it.

since the car sat up awhile under a tree it collected a good bit of leaves and other debris. it even got between the hatch seal and sat up. i started cleaning the panels on the rear around the top of the tail lights but, they were pretty badly faded. i saw a thread about polishing the plastic pieces so i decided to give it a try. the parts ended up coming out looking smooth and shiny. they didn't have the textured look anymore. they don't look that bad but i wanna maintain an original looking finish on the panels.

after i finished cleaning the panels i started cleaning the area around the tail lights and all. there was alotta leaves and dirt. i took out the vacuum and air compressor and vacuumed all the loose material and also blew out any areas i couldn't get to well. i also removed the hardware and went over everything with a small wire wheel. there was some rust on some of the studs that the center tail light section mounts to so i cleaned them with a wire brush as well. i snapped a few pics of before and after:

this is how it looked after i vacuumed up all the loose material. it was still a mess so i wiped everything down.


i think you can kinda see how the studs were rusted here


finally clean. there's still alotta debris to remove around the car. i still wanna remove the rear bumper as well and get to all the stuff there.


here's everything all reinstalled. i'd like to get some 99' spec tails eventually. i think they really make the car look better. may just do the diy on them. i dunno. not really too worried about the aesthetics at the moment since there's so much more i need to actually get the car on the road.

anyway, so far i've got a few things for the swap and other little things i've wanted to get for the car. list includes wilwood master, hinson trans mount, agency power braided brake lines, ate brake fluid, and a few new bushings. haven't installed any of it yet tho. here's a few shots:




just collecting parts right now until i get everything i need.

on another note, i borrowed this from a friend:




i may get to pulling the engine within the next few days. i'm ready to get it out and start cleaning the bay and also go ahead and remove the accessory bar brackets and the little section of the lip up top. i'd like to get a few of the small mounting holes filled and get the bay resprayed. i'm guessing it'd be best to weld the holes instead of using filler to just fill them.

so much to do. it's ok tho i've got plenty of time, now everyone go to my fs thread and buy something so i'll have plenty of money too.

comments welcome. i've got plenty more coming eventually. really wanna freshen everything up with the sandblaster and get it coated to make it all look nice and clean again. not sure if i wanna get more solid bushing or just replace with oem. we'll see.

funnyscreenname

iTrader: (7)

ok well yesterday i decided to get out in the garage and try and clear the interior panels of all paint that the previous owner applied. i started by taking out all the panels and the seats as well since they're painted as well....yea. you'll see in the pics. after i got the panels out i coated them in brake fluid, yes, brake fluid. i let them sit while i continued removing panels. unfortunately i ran outta day light and brake fluid after just a few parts so i'll have to pick up where i left off another day.

i've noticed a smell in the car since i first got it. it's a funky mildew smell. i was hoping to be able to salvage the carpet but, i dunno if i'll be able to get the stains and all out. i may try soaking it in degreaser and hitting it with the pressure washer. i'm sure the old sound deadening fluff is harboring some of the mildew so that's gotta go. i've been looking into dynamat and similar sound deadening materials to replace it with. any ideas? i may get some dry ice and remove the other sound deadening as well but i wanna be sure of what the plan is as far as replacing it. i definitely want the car to be driveable and not ride around listening to road noise and all.

one thing i haven't made up my mind on is interior color. the door panels were painted as well. they actually look ok tho. i don't think black door panels with tan everything else is going to look good. i need to either find some black panels and seats or paint my panels and get seat covers. i dunno what the hell to do tho really. anyway, here's some of the pics i snapped.


pretty much everything was painted in the car except the headliner


this is the "carpet material" that was covering the carpet. it was filthy. i did find about $2 in change tho.







i took all that out hoping the smell was in it.






i vaccumed up all the trash but, as you can see, there's alotta stains and spots in the carpet. really hoping i can clean it up and get rid of the stains and smell. just dunno if the tan carpet is gonna look ok if i do decide to go with black interior. i guess if i can get all the panels cleaned and back to their original color i can find some tan seat covers and door panels. dunno. maybe black door panels with black seats would look ok with the rest of the panels tan. what do you think?


...yea....




the brake fluid works pretty well taking the paint off.



after i vacuumed it looked...the same

i'm really hoping i can find black interior after awhile. i'd like a set of bride or recaro seats. spirit r seats would be amazing.

i've found most of the major components for the v8 swap and will be getting them in a few weeks. really looking forward to that. i'm really excited about it and can't wait to make some major progress.

anyway, i wanna say thanks to everyone that's bought parts from me and helped me fund this project. i've still got a good bit left so if you need anything let me know.

comments, questions, and advice are welcome

funnyscreenname

iTrader: (7)

so today i decided to go to a junk yard and look around and to my surprise i found a steering wheel i like. i've been checking out these wheels for awhile now but, i didn't plan on getting one so soon. luck was on my side as the price was unbeatable. i went home and grabbed some tools and steering wheel puller and quickly went back to pull this:

as expected, it was dirty. luckily the protege i got it out of had all the windows up and doors closed so the weather wasn't able to beat the wheel up

after i got it home i got out some cleaner and wipes and went to work cleaning the wheel.

luckily, what i thought was clear coat peeling on the airbag emblem was really just a spot of dried grime that was easily removedl

overall the wheel is in great shape. there's really only one scratch that you can see when you really look but, all in all it's nice.

although i don't have a cruise equiped FD i think i'm gonna keep the controls to hide the little area on the side. i also have the clockspring just incase i may need it. i intend on using the airbag for now i guess.


i may get to install it in it's new home tomorrow but not sure. i've kinda been debating whether or not to keep it. there are a few other wheels i like as well but deals as good as this one don't come around too often and there's definitely other parts taking priority over aesthetics.

anyway, let me know what you think. thanks.

funnyscreenname

iTrader: (7)

update 10/22/12

well the other nite i got alittle bored and decided to go ahead and install the protege wheel. here's the results:



i think it looks great and really adds a very much needed update to the interior. as far as the install, it all went well. had to drill 2 small holes on the back of the wheel where it mounts so the clock spring thing sits right. also had to rewire the airbag and horn. it came out really well.

also have this on the way:

it's a used kit from another member. it's from granny's speed shop and has had all the kinks worked out. while it's not the complete kit it's more than enough to get me started.

i'll probably pull the engine and trans within the next few days....maybe. the engine sits as seen in the pics above. i was wondering, should i unbolt the engine from the trans and pull the engine then do the trans separately or should i just pull them together? i'll most likely be doing it alone so i'm just trying to make it easy on myself. i'm sure a leveler would help but, i don't have one so...what should i do?

csikinc

nice so far hoping i can find a rx7 by spring

funnyscreenname

iTrader: (7)

update 10/23/12

well today i decided i was gonna get out in the garage and do alittle work on the car. i first began taking all those painted interior pieces and started trying to remove some more of the paint that the previous owner left me. i was thinking about my swap parts coming in soon and needing to make some progress. i decided i'd go ahead and remove the driveshaft and make sure everything was disconnected from the engine. after that was done i was still under the car and i decided i'd go ahead and get the trans loose and ready to pull with the engine. once that was done i hoisted the engine up alittle to make sure everything was clear and ready to be pulled. when i did that i figured what the hell, might as well go ahead and pull the engine....so i did





i forgot to drain the trans so of course the fluid went everywhere. after the engine was out i spent an hour with old towels getting up as much of the fluid as i could then i got out the degreaser and covered the floor. i was gonna let it sit for awhile but i was tired so after about 5 mins i go the hose and sprayed out a bit of the garage. i really wish i would've painted the garage when i first bought my house. oh well. so now i've actually made some progress. i'll be sure to let you all know as i do more. i really need to get a good camera instead of just taking iphone pics all the damn time and apologizing for the shitty quality but, that'll have to wait.

funnyscreenname

iTrader: (7)

Update 11/1/12

My subframe, trans mount, and bump steer kit came in.


I'm excited that it's here. I'd really like to get it powdercoated. Not quite sure if I'll be able to or not but, I'll at least rattle can it to freshen it up. My first thought was to get it coated black but, after seeing some different build threads I'm thinking of getting a color. Not sure which one yet tho. I don't really like the color of the car so I don't wanna get the subframe coated in a color that'd compliment it. Anyone have any ideas? I'm open to whatever. I just wanna coat it so it's protected from the elements.

My fender vents came in as well.


I found a set in the U.K. for $90 shipped. They're in great shape. The color is alittle off but once the car is washed and polished I can probably get them to match really well. Just one of the many things I can cross off the list.

I wanna say Thank You to Matt Korthuis for hooking me up with the swap parts. Really great guy. Thanks again Matt.

funnyscreenname

iTrader: (7)

1/8/13

well it's been awhile since i've updated my build thread. not alot has really changed. i've still been selling off parts that i don't need to help fund parts that are needed. i'm wanting to powdercoat a few parts and also clean and paint the engine bay before i put an engine in. i've got a decent deal on getting the subframe powdercoated. the more i keep looking the more i'd like to buy the kit from eastwood and coat the smaller parts myself. i would do the subframe myself but, i don't have an oven big enough to cure it. as of now i'd like to get the subframe, trans mount, brake booster, toe links, and a few other brackets powdercoated.

for now i've just painted the subframe with some high temp engine paint but, seeing it's not durable enough i really wanna get it powdercoated.



i've also picked up a hinson torque arm from a forum member. i originally wanted to go with the samberg diff brace but, when the deal on the torque arm came along i went ahead and got it.


i've got some superpro toe link bushings but, after pressing out the outter bushings i decided it would be better to find a set already pressed in or wait until i could find someone with a press. what i ended up finding was an aftermarket set of adjustable toe links.


unfortunately one of the spacers have been misplaced so i'm gonna either have to find another one or make one. i'll figure something out.

i also found a clutch and brake pedal assembly. i went ahead and pulled my auto pedal assemblies to install the manual pedals and while i was in the car i decided to wait until i can put down some dynamat. i really wanna line the firewall and tranny tunnel to help keep out heat and noise.

i put them in the blast cabinet to clean them off alittle. not sure what wiring i'm going to need for them to function correctly. still need to find out.

while i've been wanting to get the engine bay in order and clean before an engine goes in, i've sandblasted a few other parts too.

still not sure if i'm going to keep my abs or not but if i do it'll be clean and ready to go.

as of now, this is how the engine bay looks right now

still have alotta cleaning and prep work before painting.

really wanna get rid of all this epoxy the factory used to help hold the panels together. for some reason i just really hate seeing it. i'd like to use a wire brush or some other attachment (any ideas) to remove it and possibly get the seams spot welded.



went ahead and removed the accessory bar brackets. the area desperately needs alittle filler and paint


the previous owner made a few holes for the batterys power wire that extends to the hatch area. definitely need to clean things up here and find a cleaner location to run the wire.

well there's definitely alotta work to do here. for Christmas i bought myself a cordless impact from Craftsman. so far so good. works great and cuts the time down on wrenching considerably. will hopefully get more done within the next few weeks. really wanna get those parts powdercoated and start prepping the bay for paint. i'd like to be able to do the powdercoating and painting myself. gonna wait and save some more money up so i can buy some equipment. this engine bay has turned into a project of it's own.

as always, questions, comments, & advice are welcome. thanks for looking.

ObliqueFD

iTrader: (32)

You're making good progress! For the seam sealer you can hook up a wire brush attachment to a drill, making sure you clean and prime the areas immediately after. Now would be a good time to paint the entire engine bay if you can.

That interior sure was a mess. Glad you are getting that under control!

funnyscreenname

iTrader: (7)

are all the rx7's this bad off with the seam sealer?

i'd love to paint the bay before a new motor goes in. i really really want to but i'd like to do it myself.

as far as the interior is concerned, right now i wanna take the carpet out and try pressure washing it. my friend is gonna hook me up with some dry ice that his work usuallly throws out so i can remove the factory sound deadening before replacing it with dynamat or similar material. as far as the panels go, i guess i'm just gonna find some landau black paint and paint the panels. that's the plan anyway. right now things have slowed. just need some money to do the things i want and that means holding off on the engine and all.

ObliqueFD

iTrader: (32)

Yep, all of the FDs I have worked on have sloppy seam sealer.

For the interior I would recommend a dye. Almost anything you do will make it better I'm sure. Follow the instructions in this thread. https://www.rx7club.com/interior-ext...thread-823903/

You're seats are another story though. You'll most likely have to recover them.

funnyscreenname

iTrader: (7)

i'll check out the thread. thanks for the link.

as for the seats, i'm not sure exactly what i'm going to do. if i find covers for them i'll recover them but, i'd like to find a set of the recaro or bride seats. i really like the oem recaros but, i doubt i'll be able to find any within budget. once in awhile i browse the local forums to see if there are good aftermarket seats for a deal. i can definitely wait on them tho.

perf0rmance

iTrader: (49)

Filler not necessary for your frame rails.
You should paint them though.

As for your subframe, you will regret not getting it powdercoated.
Figure out your fuel lines/setup now before installing the engine. You'll save your save time/headache.

With the interior, you should address the carpet now (if you want to change it). Panels will be easier to change at a later point, if you decide so. Same with seats.

g'luck!

funnyscreenname

iTrader: (7)

i do wanna paint the bay but i wanna clean it up first. by filler, i just meant maybe use the filler to smooth out the little indentations where i drilled out the accessory bar. would also like to fill a few of the bolt holes that won't be used.

as far as paint prep goes, can i use any automotive primer? if i'm gonna spray the bay red again is there a certain color primer to use?

perf0rmance

iTrader: (49)

I wouldn't bother with a filler (weight savings LOL).
Automotive primer should work just fine.

funnyscreenname

iTrader: (7)

i went and got some groceries at wal-mart today and decided to pick up a can of rustoleum primer. specifically it's rusty metal primer. there were a few kinds such as the rusty metal primer, clean metal primer, etc. i figured i'd get the rusty metal primer because it's a lighter grey and some spots are rusted. i was gonna get a wire wheel and then i decided to wait and go to lowes and try and find one for my grinder instead of my drilll. just seems like it'll be easier to use on the grinder.

i'm not sure if i wanna sand the area above the firewall lip or not. i'm thinking i'll just make sure the paint is still nice and just do everything below the lip and then the rest of the bay. not sure if i'll get started on it this week or wait until i'm off.

funnyscreenname

iTrader: (7)

2/1/13
here's a bit of an update of what i've been doing lately.

guess i'll start with a few pics




as i mentioned in an earlier post, i wanna remove the oem sound deadening material and line the cabin with dynamat to help with heat and sound. i went ahead and started removing the sound deadening and also pulled the dash. i was going to leave the wiring in until i had the rest of the sound deadener removed but, it looks like i'll have to remove it all to get the carpet out then finish what's left of the deadener.



removing the sound deadening hasn't been so bad. i've used dry ice, hammer, and a chisel to do alittle. once i was outta dry ice i remembered someone said they used an air hammer with good success so i broke out the air hammer with a chisel attachment and went at it. it worked really good. just gotta finish removing what's left then lay the dynamat-like material i got. i got 100 sq ft of it so it'll the interior nicely.



here's the material. it's 45mil thick if i remember right. i've never applied the material before so if anyone has any advice let me know. so far i think what i'm going to do is use a wire brush and remove as much of the seam sealer as i can then spray some adhesive promoter and put the material down and use a roller to make sure there's no air bubbles or anything.

i'd really like spot weld the seams. i originally wanted to do it in the engine bay but, since i'm removing everything outta the interior i figured i might as well go ahead and spot weld all the seams in there as well. i don't weld but i really wanna learn. i was thinking of getting a machine from harbor freight to learn with.

i also got a powdercoating kit and have done a few brackets and things. it works really well. i've only down parts in black so far. i'd like to find a large oven so i can do my own subframe. i'm doing the rest myself. just sucks the subframe won't fit in the oven.



gonna do a few more coats soon so i know they'll be coated well.

i've also decided to get rid of the cf hood i've got. gonna sell it locally and also get an oem hood and bumper. they'll need paint but, i think i'll be happy with everything. the bumper is just an r1 bumper without lip so i'll get everything painted and find a nice lip and should be set unless i decide to abandon that idea and find a 99+ front.

also picked up a shiftknob from an rx8 i liked. saw it online first and thought it looked nice. i was looking around in a local salvage yard and found an rx8 that happened to be manual. grabbed the **** and couldn't make up my mind whether or not i wanted the wheels, seats, pedal covers, or anything else. i'd like to grab the dead pedal too while i'm thinking about it. a friend is also giving me an rx8 seat so i'll try and use it in the FD. should look pretty good





is it sacrilegious to use a rotor shaped **** and seat in an LS powered RX7? lol

anyway, that's whats been going on here. slowly but surely making alittle progress. hope to get the interior figured out soon so i can move on to the engine bay. it'll be nice to get one thing done and crossed off the list.