minor update

I dropped the seats off to be recovered Saturday, and they got them finished today! Unfortunately, it will be Friday before I get off early enough to go get them :(

Also, I painted the gauge cluster surround with Duplicolor Custom Wrap Matte Graphite Metallic. It turned out really well I think:

Attachment 627624

Looks like I may get this done one day!

Vince

minor update

Thanks to Cr-rex I have replacement pop-up assemblies since the screws that hold the covers on were rusted and broken off into them

Got both in and the passenger side finished!

Attachment 627255

Also, removed the A/C & radio panel, and shifter console to prep for painting to match the gauge panel.

Vince

This looks great! Mind throwing up a quick how-to and photo of the can?

Thanks! I will try to post one tonight.

Vince

Here's the paint I used:

http://autobodysource.com/images/man...or/CWRC797.jpg

I've been crazy busy, but finally got back to working on the car.

Where I left off:
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...pszz8qoih0.jpg

Vacuumed all the sanding dust out and cleaned the carpet.
Sanded and POR-15 the rusted seat rails.

Pulled up the driver's side carpet and found this:

Attachment 624939

Luckily, it was just the metal plug that was rusted out, the actual floor was solid. So, I removed it and sanded all the rust down. I made a new plug out of aluminum and put it in with seam sealer, and covered all of it in POR-15 so it should not happed again!

Attachment 624940

Installed my newly recovered seats and JasonS floor mats:

Attachment 624941

And lastly replaced the busted and cracked defroster vents:

Attachment 624942

I still got a ways to go, but it is starting to look almost as good inside as it does outside!

Vince

Looks good dude! I like the dash paint. Seats look good also, 2 tone?

Thanks for the compliment!

The seats are two tone black and gray.

I'm trying to have a theme here:

Titanium gray exterior
Black and gray seats
Graphite gray interior plastics

Still undecided on what to do on the steering wheel. I've got a Protege wheel that I'll be recovering. Either going to stay with black leather but perforated on the sides, and have gray stitching.

OR go with black and gray leather on the sides like this:

http://0bb978c02451195d44d5-7960774a...b_DSC01229.JPG

Today's progress

Did not get a lot done today, but it was time consuming.

Finally installed the DS headlight cover and trim (no picture).

Finished disassembling, sanding, painting, and reassembling the A/C panel. Then installed it and the console trim.

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...pszqh32pb1.jpg

Did not get the gauge cluster back in as I wanted to drop the steering column down so I have a bit more room.

Vince

Hot damn those seat covers look great with your paint color!

Thanks! IF I could only remember who I got those from ;)

Vince

IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE DONE!!

Finally got the gauge cluster back in. That took some time, I dropped the steering column to get a little more room, but it was still tedious to try and get it into place and plugged up without scratching it!

Attachment 624369

SPECIAL THANKS to DaleClark and his write up on the gauge cluster, I successfully swapped the mileage chip from my original to this new one and it WORKED!

Then, I used a brass brush to clean up the aluminum pedals.

BEFORE:

Attachment 624370

AFTER:

Attachment 624371

Next, installed some hushmat on the doorskin:

Attachment 624372

Might not make any difference at all, but it was cheap/easy enough to do I had to do it :icon_tup: If nothing else, the door does sound less tinny.

I made some new door water shields since one was MIA and the other was trashed!

Attachment 624373

And finally, installed the water shields and speakers. All I could do for one day.

Attachment 624374

Also, got a 99 spec lip I need to paint/renew and install. Still need to get the new flying M emblems, but that'll be a bit further down the road.

Thanks for looking!

Vince

Resurrecting the FD or "How I spent a week's vacation"
 

Wow Vince! It's been a while since I've been on here. Your car is looking great!
I just sanded and sprayed my center console with dupli-color flat black bumper coating since it was already out and the color is pretty similar to stock next to all the other interior parts.. How hard was it to pull the gauges and a that?

Looking good. I love threads like this because they give me a good idea on what's missing from my car lol. Anyway the color change on the plastics look good. I've got some duplicator paint and I'm going to attempt to paint a few pieces (vent frames, and some other parts).

Thanks for the compliments.

Pulling the gauge cluster is not too bad. Here is the short version:

Pull off the side cover on the left side of dash.
Remove 2 screws on knee panel below steering column and 1 screw on left side.
Pull knee panel off.
Then remove screws from clamshell on steering column and remove it.
Remove 2 bolts holding steering column so it will drop down.
Remove 2 screws at bottom edge of gauge cluster surround.

And the HARD part. The cluster and hood come out as a unit and are held in with clips. You may want a helper to assist you. The cluster pulls straight out to the rear. Be sure to pull level and attempt to spread the force evenly or things will break!

Then u can unplug it!

Vince

I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT I'M DOING ANYMORE!!

So, I did manage to get up the courage to finally drill the holes and install the 99 spec spoiler a few weeks ago.

Attachment 620975

I installed an Autovation CNC aluminum dead pedal cover last week, and I really like it a lot.

Attachment 620976

Then, today I finally installed the passenger door panel after having to do some surgery to repair the "handle."

Attachment 620977

Finally, I went to move the car closer to the house so I could wash it and nothing happened. No click. Nothing. Jacked it up to check out the starter:

Attachment 620978

The S terminal had corroded. Cleaned and greased it and it would turn over, but no joy! That was when I noticed I could not hear the fuel pump. I had power to the pump, but it would not run. Pulled it and confirmed it was bad!

It was the original pump, so it had done it's time. When a new pump arrives, the journey shall continue...

Vince

MAJOR UPDATE!

After several fights with the starter and fuel pump power sources, a new Walbro 255 pump and lots of effort, the car is alive!
Then I had to fight with the wiper motor as it wanted to start going down instead of up. Ended up resetting the arm on the motor to fix it.

It even passed state inspection. Although the backup lights would not work. Turns out the reverse switch had a wire break. A new switch is on the way for that.

Then, I mounted the inner fenders, 99 spec lip, made a new offset front plate bracket, and changed the oil.

Drove it for a few days, and then went to holiday laps at VIR.

Waiting in line:
Attachment 618806

Out on the track:
Attachment 618807

What a blast! I love this car. Need to drive it more!

TO DO LIST
Install new reverse switch to fix backup lamps.
Order and install new flying m emblems and rx7 emblems.
New windshield and surround, and get new trim installed on rear hatch glass.
Repaint the wheels at some point.
And a buddy of mine is giving me a set of Tokicos with eibach springs.
RH rear wheel bearing has some noise, so it's next to be replaced.
Replace factory steering wheel with the Protege wheel once I get it modified to fit.
Maybe a set of Feed style side skirt.

Vince

looking good

Congratulations! Great chronology--just read it from start to finish, and you gotta love the VIR pics.

^Thanks for the compliments!

I pulled it into the shop the other night and got a few things off my to do list!

Replaced the worn out front sway bar links and found out 1 was BENT!

Attachment 618348

Replaced the broken back-up light switch so we have working reverse lights now:

Attachment 618349

Replaced the PS rear wheel bearing with an OEM KOYO bearing as it had become loose.

Attachment 618350

I discovered 2 other issues that will need to be corrected.

The rear sway bar mount bushings are worn and loose, they will need to be replaced.
The PS rear lower control arm camber bolt was not tightened when the alignment was done. I will have it realigned when I get the new shocks/springs.

Vince

A little more progress!

So, I was able to pick up the Tokico adjustables with Eibach Pro-Kit springs from my buddy over the Christmas break. He did not many miles on them, but replaced them with K-Sport coil overs.

The only thing they were lacking was the strut boots. However, they are part of the upper perch. So, I MacGuyvered a solution. Using Monroe Strutmate 63619, I was able to fix them.

Attachment 616241

On the rear, I had to zip tie them to the upper mounts. On the front, I was able to stretch them over what was left and used a zip tie at the bottom. Also, not pictured, I cut the included bump stops in half and replaced the missing ones on the rear.

I cleaned up the struts and springs, and painted the springs with flat black epoxy paint.

Attachment 616242

Ignore the fact that I have a front spring mounted on the rear shock in this photo, because I'm dumb. Luckily, I realized this before I reassembled any more of these. The black on the shock is overspray from when his car was painted.

I also replaced the rear sway bar mount bushings with Energy Suspension polyurethane ones.
Attachment 616243

And here is the after, no longer 4X4 status:

Attachment 616244

REACTIONS
What a difference! Both of the front shocks were leaking badly and completely shot. Between these and replacing the rear sway bar bushings, it feels like a completely different car. The shudder and sometimes darty feel after a bump are gone. Now it just feels stable and planted!

I'm going to replace the tie rods and get it realigned before I drive it again.

But that may be a while:

Attachment 616245

BONUS CONTENT!
Attachment 616246

I found this at Cracker Barrel. It's nearly a perfect copy of my car.

Vince

Almost another year gone!

So, it's been another crazy year. Got a few more things done. Still have things to do, but it's getting closer and closer.

Managed to get a starter cover panel, since it was missing on my car.

Attachment 607332

Picked up these sweet 3D printed sun visor repair kits from ESH Upholstery, and they worked great.

Attachment 607333

Replaced the outer tie rod ends with Moog ones and had it realigned.

Attachment 607334

Then, a few months ago we moved back to MD.

Attachment 607335

Recently, I swapped out the factory steering wheel for a Protégé wheel, ditched the A-Pillar gauge pod for the Prosport Triple pod that replaces the center speaker, installed a Banzai Racing commander holder, and a cheap flip-out DVD/Bluetooth radio.

Attachment 607336

In tracking down my intermittent A/C operation, I pulled the dash panels out again. That of course went terribly, with most of the plastic parts breaking. I took apart the blower fan switch and cleaned the contacts, which were green and corroded. Then, coated the parts with dielectric grease.

After several tubes of plastic weld epoxy, and some MacGuyvering, I got the interior reassembled. I will need to repaint the dash plastics, because the paint got damaged. I didn't want to wait any longer so I could use what little time was left before winter to drive it a few more times.

Everything has been pretty good with the car, but the ABS light started coming on as soon as the car starts to roll and the clutch slips in 5th if you roll into the throttle (high boost low RPM).

SO, I just put up this sweet temporary garage from Harbor Freight that I got for my birthday and put the car up for winter.

Attachment 607337

TO DO LIST

• Replace clutch and possibly lightweight flywheel
• Diagnose ABS issue
• Diagnose battery drain issue
• Delete giant BOV on intercooler and remake duct
• Swap mileage chip and convert 99 spec cluster
• Repaint dash plastics
• Recover A-pillar after removing pillar pod
• Get a wideband and water temp gauge
• Get Redline goods leather wheel wrap
• Still haven't got flying M emblems
• Maybe a Twinpower

Most of this will have to wait until my other house sells, since $ is tight paying mortgage and rent, lol.

Vince

I SUCK AS AN OWNER


So, a lot more time has gone by and nothing more has been done. I did get my house in VA sold a few months ago and I'm finally in good financial standing to start working on the FD again.

I may not have gotten any work done, but I have amassed some parts.

• Feed side skirt replicas
• Banzai underdrive main pulley
• Lightweight steel flywheel
• ACT Street/Strip clutch
• Pettit intake heat shield

I swapped my buddy Dave's ACT clutch for a OEM Exedy clutch as the ACT was too hard on his knee. That went really well all the way up until it got about 100 FT from his house and the clutch pedal stayed on the floor. AWESOME! So, once that issue is solved, then I will put his ACT clutch in my car, then finally get it MD inspected/Titled/Tagged!

Photo of picking up his car and our combined Insight sickness :icon_tup:

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...485618496f.jpg


I do miss driving my car. Just driving my buddies car the short distance from his house to my dad's garage was great!

Then most recently, Photobucket decided to take a giant leap into doucheland and all of the photos are no longer viewable. So, I'm tempted to remake this thread if I can get all of my photos downloaded. I will then attempt to host them here.

Vince