no thank you.... im happy with my current set up

 

To each his own. Cliche but true...

So as far as your current progress where are you starting?

 

Step one is stripping the car down and look at the big picture. Take a step back and see what im working with. Im starting with the interior then i will be moving to the engine bay. Im doing a wire tuck so i want to make the tucked harnesses while the engine and everything is still in and on the car. This way i can make a changes and test as i go.
Once that is done then i will start stripping down the engine bay and various body parts like the front and rear sub frames and all the suspension components and rebuilding and/or replacing everything. Everything will be getting fresh coats of paint and new bushings. Im still unsure of which bushings i should go with. I dont want any bushings that require maintenance. The sunpro or superpro bushings, whatever theyre called, the purple ones. They seem to be the most popular but i think they need to be lubed every so often.

Im gonna be doing all sorts of little projects here and there too. I will be doing a rebuild of the motor also. Its only got 3000km on the motor that was supposedly rebuilt already but i dont know that for sure. I would feel a lot better if i went ahead and did the rebuild myself.

By that time, my rear fenders should be here from shine then i can drop off the car at the body shop. Once i get it back i will put it all back together and then i can start buying some cool performance parts like a big brake kit or a different exhaust and some really nice suspension.

I will be making myself some nice charts and stuff to be better organized with progress and what still needs to be done. Im doing it all with this build. Everything. I also have no time limit. I can take as long as i want.

Im expecting to be done in a year or so if i can maintain the pace and i dont get any curveballs in life.

 

Good luck with that... You´re running an APO address which means you´re military, or military affiliated.

You are NOT likely to get your (Japanese) car shipped back to the states by the Gov´t... You might really want to confirm exactly how you´re going to get this vehicle back, and legal, in America before you pour a bunch of money and effort into it...

If you haven´t shipped a vehicle over yet then there is a chance you can still purchase an FD in the states and have it shipped over as an addendum to your HHG´s. Not to come off as a wet blanket, but you REALLY might want to consider how you´ll get your 20m target before you pour all your attention into the 5m...

 

20m? 5m? what does that mean?

the car will be in the states one way or another. worry not, it is taken care of....

 

5 meter target vs 20 meter target... If you focus only on what´s in front of you right now you may be surprised by what´s coming down the road.

I´m not really worried, I just think it would be a shame for you to have to smuggle in a car you´ve put a lot of effort into, then be faced with the decision of either not using the car on the street, or doing so illegally...

I went through the same thought process before I bought my FD.. I could either spend a little more for one in America, or pay less for a Japanese one in England. I decided to pay more to KNOW that I´d be able to keep the car after I left the country... Even so, I had issues with mine getting cleared for shipping because the Seibon hood I got for it didn´t have the EPA plate that came on factory cars.

I´m just suggesting you talk with your TMO now, before you decide to (potentially) waste a bunch of time and money on a car that you´re not going to be able to bring home with you.

 

they're right buddy, I just came from Iwakuni earlier this year and unless the car is 25 years or older, the gov't won't ship it back for you.....the same rules apply to all services

just FYI, and i'm curious to know how you think it's "taken care of"

 

=)
The final post of this thread will be pictures of me picking it up in america. Trust when i say, its taken care of
=)

 

just ordered my radiator from rotary works. the only thing left i need is an oil cooler. im only going to be running 1 nice sized cooler. i only have the one stock one now and i dont really see a need for 2 aftermarket coolers. the one stock cooler is working just fine and getting a bigger aftermarket one will be just fine as well.

 

I think the most important part of being a guru is actually consuming the advice of others. I will be waiting to see the "final post"

 

the advice of others in reference to life decisions or related to aspects of the car?

or are you talking about the non-seq vs seq

 

I'm surprised it didn't have some serious issues with mods and no ducting to the stock IC. Glad you will be going V mount.

Is your plan for the car to be LEGAL and insurable here in the states? Or just here as a track car?

 

I also am surprised. It ran very well along with giving me ~200km to a half tank. Track days it was flawless and nights at the touge ran perfect. Run after run after run........ i couldn't have asked for anything better.

Once the build is done i will be taking the car out to all the track days and most likely getting temp tags every now and then to just drive around.

The car will be 100% legal when it is in america. No grey areas.......

 

^ how will it be legal? Please enlighten us.

 

Wow........ such a fuss over this. Why does it even matter? Theres literally a thousand other things that could be asked or talked about....... =/

 

probably because there is no legal way of importing a RHD into the US so it instantly makes people curious.

 

Because, despite being an up-and-coming "guru" you clearly lack understanding on a basic LAW which governs these vehicles in America. Sticking your head in the sand and refusing to even remotely acknowledge that your starter car might not be coming home for you says a lot about your credibility. But not necessarily in a good way..

What he said.

For whatever reason (see: The Fast & The Furious movies) the US Gov´t has a hardon for Japanese sports cars. EVEN if they were sold as USDM models. Just because the RX-7 was sold to the American market does not mean that YOUR (Japanese) RX-7 is going to be allowed to enter the US market.

Keep doing what you´re doing though, don´t listen to those of us who have already been through that process and *just might* know what we´re talking about. You´re right, don´t listen to the "haters", we´re clearly just jealous of your JDM tyte whip ... Your only *legal* option will be to wait until the vehicle is older than dirt, and try to import it then. But honestly, why not just get a good condition US model to use as your base for the build?

I went through the exact same thought process before I was stationed overseas, I decided to buy a USDM FD so I wouldn´t be wasting my time with a car I couldn´t bring home. Even though my car was purchased in Virginia I still had some issues getting it accepted back in America.

Do what you do though... at the end of the day it´s your car, your money, and your effort. If you waste it all "because you know better" than so be it.

 

which is the reason why only clips are allowed in the states, because the cars are unrebuildable.

people will and do bypass the whole thought process behind it, cutting firewalls and putting RHD components into USDM cars. all we're doing is preparing you for the most likely event that your car won't even make it off the boat.

 

I see you get pretty worked up over nothing. Where did all those ridiculous statements come from?

If youre just here to be silly and make insane accusations like that then please leave the thread. Theres no reason for that.

 

I just don´t like to see genuine effort wasted.

Pray tell, what´s your super special way of legally getting a car, which is illegal to import, transported to America then registered and insured?

("Because I said I could" is a bullshit answer btw, and will only prove that you´re building your expectations on a fantasy)

 

Oh, and I´m not even remotely worked up over this... I just think you´re on the road to being an idiot, with regards to getting the car road legal in America

 

The effort wont be wasted....... regardless of the fate of the car, all the work im about to put into it will be worth the end result...................... whatever that may be. I appreciate your concern.

The name calling is also unnecessary. You really arent here for a real reason other than talk down. I read your post before the edit btw

 

The only ridiculous statements I see in this thread are the ones where you think you found a legal way to bring a non USDM rx7 into the USA and operate it on public roads legally.

 

Maybe you will suprise all of us. Want to get the thread back on topic? Post more pics! Glad that IC didn't cook ya

 

If I were to move to the US to live, could I not bring my RHD car with me as a personal import?