JDM dual purpose track/street
 

Hi!

This spring I bought my 93 JDM FD rx7.
It had less than 9000km on it and in reasonable good condition.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...5675178bcc.jpg
This is the car as I picked it up.

It had some minor modifications already.
Juran adjustable coilovers
Slotted discs and Redstuff pads
Advan AVS VS5 17" wheels
Fujitsubo catback

I drove 600km to pick it up and 600km home. Immediately when I got home i made the rear wiper delete before going to bed.

I continued on with working on the car.

I removed the old dead turbo timer since I let it idle for a while after hard use anyway. I also removed an crappy 8" sub form the trunk, the space is needed for the track days I'll go to.

Then I changed the oil, coolant, brake fluid and spark plugs.

I installed some 6.5" subs in the rear speaker location. Later I will get an small digital amp and better speakers for the front as well. I had some dynamat lying around so I fitted it to the doors.

I also changed out some bushings in the rear to powerflex and 4 of the pillow balls.
The aftermath was that I think the powerflex bushings is to soft, so I will upgrade them to hard plastics or a traction kit later.

Fender rolling was necessary not to rub.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...9da782bbf4.jpg

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...4453eee214.jpg


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...6aa9a54de8.jpg



https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...f9d43841c4.jpg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...850d9ffbb5.jpg

First track day was a fact.
The car worked well even with 8 year old street tires.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...4c2538f08d.jpg
Here is a short video from the track day.

I use my FD as much as I can, here you see I went on an fishing and camping trip. Of cause my Accord daily would make more sense on such a trip, but sense is not the reason we buy these cars is it?
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...3d9a16206b.jpg



I just had to do the 99 spec tail light mod. I simply painted the inserts in the taillights, this looks so much better in my opinion.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...3c6a562fdd.jpg


My second track day. I felt the car would understeer more than the previous time, however it was apreciated since the track had a somewhat tricky high speed corner.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...fe14a6e1cb.jpg
Here is an video of my FD shot from a friends miata.

Are your tires square (same width front and back)? Staggered setup will cause understeer. Also see....

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-gen-arch...0/#post3645765

And, you should retitle your thread, "JDM multipurpose track/street/camping" :lol:

My tires are 255 40 17 rear and 235 45 17 front.
However at the first track there were no understeer at all, even with the same tires.

It is definitely a camping car.
After the first track day some friends and I rented a cabin to celebrate midsummer's eve. One night we lost the key to the cabin. Had to sleep in our cars.
I slept in my FD of cause. Slept like a baby, even if I'm quite tall :lol:

Got some more work done to the car.

The boost pattern was 7-5-7 when i bought the car.
I didn't mind to have low boost as I was doing the maintenance and installing wideband, boost CLT gauge and trying the car at the track for the first time.

Now I installed an Apexi Power FC to tune and tried to fiddle with the boost setting.
Since there was no response to the boost settings I figured it was a hardware problem.

I had a look at how the boost control system works and found out that the problems was cracked hoses to the wastegate and pre control valve, as well as the restrictor pills was missing.

Since I had no pills i just made some out of brass in the lathe.

Now I was hitting 10 psi. However I reached full boost a lot later than when just running 7 psi.

So I figured I'll just do the rest of the vacuum and boost hoses.
It definetly is a time consuming job, and I unfortunately broke some of the fragile solenoids, despite my carefulness.

Ill continue on tomorrow and source some solenoids.


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...c56fae1ddf.jpg

So finally the hose job is done!
I hade to source some solenoids since they broke.

Went out to test the setup. Runs fine however the apexi likes to flash the knock warning sometimes and the knock log inicates numbers up to 100.
However i pulled 5 degs of timing across the board, not much difference...

The AFR datalog shows the fuel is good, as you can see for yourself in the plot below.


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...de299f8286.png

Since winter is coming I decided to put her on jackstands and start modifying for next season.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...71278c65d9.jpg


The differential bushings were shot, I got the back race bushings from powerflex. It was either them or delrin, but I was to lazy to fire up the lathe and polyurethane seemed more suitable for the street.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...6af80954ed.jpg

I wanted to have adjustable swaybars so I put the ends of the swaybar in the hydraulic press to flatten the pipe further than from the factory, allowing for two more holes to be drilled.
Adjustable swaybar for free.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...9a6597de6e.jpg

The radiator has to be upgraded since the coolant temp was climbing during the trackdays. Im considering the koyo N flow, and I'll probably upgrade the intercooler to a larger SMIC or front mount.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...f6ce00e285.jpg

Got the swaybar painted and installed. DIY adjustable for free.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...9428a5d551.jpg

Installed black race poly bushings and painted the differential mount.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...0356db2c71.jpg

Decided to get rid of the underbody coating. As it usually is, it is a real pain to do it. But the car us much cleaner underneath now, and much more pleasant to work with.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...52372ec0be.jpg

There were some paint damage on some parts of the car, so winter is the approperiate time to fix them!
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...32d20b3bad.jpg

Great idea with the swaybar :)

I Overhauled my JDM Juran coilovers. They are height adjustable and adjustable compression damping.

I am currently running 6.4kg front and 4.7kg rear springs.
I took some measurements to figure out if I can run some harder springs, I would like to go for 8kg front and 6kg rear.

Unfortunately no standard coilover springs seems to fit, I might convert them to 2.25" springs with threaded tubes in the future.
I could move the front springs to the rear, but it will lower the car a bit, at the moment its set at the highest height.


Before
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...14618810f7.jpg

After
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...3e067add8d.jpg


I decided to get rid of some unnecessary wiring. Saved about 0.5kg so far by removing the wiring to the rear windshield washer and power antenna.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...e39cbbb2f4.jpg

I have been thinking about the spring rates on my car.
My opinion that the car has too much roll in the corners at the track.
After reading Coleman's guide, he suggests running 8kg front and 6kg rear.
At the moment my FD is sitting on 6.4 kg front and 4.7 kg in the rear.

So I simply moved the front spring to the rear, and borrowed a standard 2.25" coilover spring from a friends racecar.
Some modification later and my Juran coilovers now accept 2.25" springs. So I will order some 8kg springs soon.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...57c373d66a.jpg

I hate the old hardened wire harness wrap, so I went ahead and strarted to re wrap it with tesa harness tape.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...75da1cc1cf.jpg

The hubs is the last things I need to clean up underneath the car. Taking off everything and cleaning it with the air grinder and wire wheel is quite an time consuming task, but it is well worth it in the end.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...7477d9fbc0.jpg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...718f96fffb.jpg

I previously modified the driver seat foam to be able to sit lower in the car.
While carrying a passenger it felt a bit wierd for them to sit higher then the driver.
I therefore took out the foam from the passenger seat as well, and cut about 25mm off.
My process was using a hacksaw blade to cut the most part off, and finishing with a worn flap disc on the angle grinder (a new disc is to agressive).
I really recommend doing this mod if you are a tall driver.
My modifications for a better driving position includes; seat foam mod, washers on the steerng column to raise the steering wheel, miata nardi steering wheel and finally modifying the seat rails to allow me to adjust the seat as far back as possible.
It makes a huge difference in comfort and my ability to drive the car.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...6723dbef19.jpg

I found a neat way to relocate the front relay box.
I essentially turned the box upside down, and flipped the metal mounting backet over by adjusting the plastic with a hacksaw blade, as well as cutting off the plastic bracket.
Drilling and tapping a new hole and its nice and secure. :icon_tup:


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...b929bdbd5f.jpg

interesting, thxs for sharing.

I finally ordered the Koyo radiator and it arrived today.
I proceeded with the install immediately.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...8da23464fb.jpg

However my plan is to shift the radiator lower and backwards, in the direction its already angled at.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...1f0d9f9cfb.jpg
The purpose of this is to enlarge the inlet to the intercooler between the radiator and "frame".
Later I want to buy a new SMIC, and make a custom duct, much like Howzer tech.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...e60ecf9df2.jpg

Can I get any thoughts on this? I'm thinking about removing the plastic duct on the plastic belly pan, it lets air bypass underneath it and not go through the radiator itself.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...7dad41eea9.jpg

I cut and welded the lower brackets to shift the radiator 25mm backwards/downwards.
The upper brackets had to be modified as well as the oil cooler lines had to be moved a bit.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...96d72149c4.jpg

It resulted in a nice big slot above the rad, where I can get sufficient air for a larger IC and new air filters. Its approx 40% more area for the IC duct.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...3bd35323b2.jpg

Reinforcing the sway bar brackets and welding up the radiator mounts. :icon_tup:
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...48be91e255.jpg

Great idea on the relay box, I'm stealing that for sure. I'm doing the same radiator set up as well. As far as the plastic belly pan goes I was think of getting the metal belly pan then fabing up some ducting to direct air through the radiator.

Sounds nice, put pics somewhere so people can see. :nod:

Mounts finished and painted. Painted the intercooler mount as well.:nod:
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...daa3213038.jpg

Its all the small things...
Well it went really smooth to fix so no biggie :lol:
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...3df5c27ca0.jpg

Got my new springs for the front. 8.9kgs (500lbs).
I chose these out of Colemans Rx7 handling thread.
Ill now be running 8.9kg front, 6.4 kg rear

I adapted standard 2.25" coilover springs to my juran coilovers by modifying the top mount, and I used a piece of silicon hose to center the spring on the bottom mount.


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...276358b7b9.jpg

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...d8a42cb6de.jpg