It's been since 2010 that I've had my RX-7 out. I started a new career engulfing a majority of my time and focus, bought a new daily driver (Sedona - a 2008 Subaru Legacy Limited) that was short lived due to me not being able to adjust to an auto transmission, traded her in essentially for another toy (Adelia- a 2004 Audi TT 225 quattro Coupe). With Mia (the '93 brilliant black touring RX-7) being garaged 75 minutes away at my moms, she pretty much took the back seat as I settled in to Providence.

Well, long story short, she couldn't stay there forever! I have begun paying her some much needed attention in 2012.

As I'm not on bookface or instagram, you guys will have to deal with me unloading my pictures on you here.

A 9 year continual work in progress, here's the mod list to date:
ENGINE MODIFICATIONS Rotary Amuse Carbon Fiber Cooling Panel; Rotar Extreme Twin Turbo Track V-Mount Intercooler kit, Hood Dampers, V-Mount Koyo Radiator; Derale Performance Power Steering Cooler; Hose Technique Cooling Hoses; HKS Racing Suction Kit, 3" Downpipe, Carbon Ti Exhaust, Circle Earth Grounding Kit, Twin Power Ignition Amp and Harness (work in progress), Super Sequential Blow Off Valve; Pettit Racing 3" Resonated Midpipe, Air Separator Tank, Air Pump Eliminator Kit; GReddy Throttlebody Elbow; Unorthodox Racing SS Pulley Kit; Pineapple Racing Oil Pan; RC Engineering 550cc Primary Injectors, 1200CC Secondary Injectors; Walbro 255lph Fuel Pump; Carbing Cooling Panel; Westco Mini Miata Battery; BMW Battery Terminal Box; Taylor battery Relocation Kit; NGK BUR9EQP Trailing and Leading Spark Plugs; Idemitsu Racing 20w50 Rotary Engine Oil; Mazda FC3S 180* Thermostat
ENGINE MANAGEMENT A'PEXI Power FC, FC Commander; KDRotary/Speed1 Tune (10psi: 330.99 rwhp, 277.06 rwtq; 13psi: 348.18rwhp, 315.94 rwtq) (to be retuned with new v-mount intercooler setup)
DRIVETRAIN ACT Heavy Duty Pressure Plate, ProLite 9.8lb Flywheel; OEM Clutch Disc, Automatic Counterweight; Cusco 1.5Way RS Limited Slip Differential; Redline 75W90 Gear Oil, Friction Modifier; B&M Short Throw Shifter; Rotary Performance Solid Differential Mounts; Techna Fit Stainless Steel Clutch Line
SUSPENSION TEIN Super Street Coilovers (F670/R560), Solid Upper Pillow Ball Mounts F/R; Racing Beat 1.25" Front Sway Bar, Front Sway Bar Brace, 3/4"Rear Sway Bar; Rotary Performance Rear Toe Link Set, Trailing Arms; Cusco D-Style Front Strut Tower Bar; Gotham Racing Engine Torque Brace; Noltec Polyurethane Motor Mounts; Synaptic3 Suspension Tune (25.5"F, 26.25"R, +5* Caster F, -1,5* Camber F, -1.4* Camber R, +0.08" Toe F, +0.02" Toe R) (to be retuned for new wheel/tire setup)
BRAKES FrozenRotors by Diversified Cryogenics Cryo-treated Rotors F/R; Hawk HP Plus Brake Pads F/R; Hard Brakes 0.02" Titanium Brake Shims F/R; Motul RBF600 Brake Fluid; Alcon Brake Temperature Strips; KVR Performance Stainless Steel Brake Lines
WHEELS & TIRES OEM Powdercoated Wheels (for now); Dunlop Direzza Z1 Star Spec 225/50/16 Tires (for now); CCW Classics 17x10F, 17x11R (work in progress); Kumho Ecsta XS 255/40/17F, 295/35/17R (work in progress)
EXTERIOR Rotary Extreme Carbon Fiber N1 Hood, Carbon Fiber Side Skirts; RennenMetal Rear Tow Hook
INTERIOR Rotary Amuse Carbon Fiber Glove Box Panel, Carbon Fiber Stereo Deletion Panel; Sparco EVO Seat, Sprint V Seat, 5-point Cam Lock Harness, 4-point Cam Lock Harness, 345 Suede Steering Wheel, Leather Red-Stiched Shift Boot, Leather Red-stiched E-brake Boot; MemoryFab Super-lo Seat Rail; Autopower 4-point Race Roll Bar; Mazda RX-8 5-speed Shift ****; NRG Short Hub Steering Wheel Adaptor, Quick Release Steering Wheel Adaptor; Tri-Power Center Channel Dual Gauge Pod; Autometer A-pillar Triple Gauge Pod, Carbon Fiber Gauge Cup; A'PEXI FC Commander Holder; Rotary Extreme Rear Harness/Strut Tower Bar, Carbon Fiber Door Sills; Rotary13B1 Remove Before Flight Ribbon
ELECTRONICS HKS EVC V Boost Controller, US Spec 1 Turbo Timer; AEM UEGO Wideband Air/Fuel Ratio Gauge; Autometer Carbon Fiber Series Oil Temperature Gauge, Carbon Fiber Series Boost/Vacuum Gauge, Carbon Fiber Series Oil Pressure Gauge, Carbon Fiber Series Water Temperature Gauge, Carbon Fiber Exhaust Gas Temperature Gauge; Lo/Jack Auto Recovery System



Here's where I left off in 2010:

Monticello Motor Club with Trackacardia. Photo by Sean Briggs at AWOL Media


New Hampshire Motor Speedway with COMSCC

Photo by Sean Briggs at AWOL Media


Photo by Sean Briggs at AWOL Media

Photo by Sean Briggs at AWOL Media


Photo by Sean Briggs at AWOL Media

 

I had purchased a beautiful set of SSR Competitions in 18x10.5 that I would run 285/30/18s. They arrived quickly, but I found they wouldn't fit the bill (just a bit too wide up front).

Thanks anyways Phil. Can't wait til next years DGRR. There are only so many years I can keep putting it off!

 

I ended up selling the SSR's (still makes me a little sad) and ordered a bespoke Rotary Extreme Track V-mount Kit for twin turbos and an HKS Racing Suction Kit

Thanks to Ben at Rotary Extreme

Ben is not only an awesome engineer or one crazy mechanical artist, but also pretty awesome at packaging


Derale Power Steering Cooler

 

Thanks to Mark for the countless hours and late nights, Ben for the 24 hour tech support and feedback, Brian, Tony, Jay, Nak, Steve, Josie, Jeremy, my Mom, Elizabeth for the help with the painters tap, Hunter, and especially Heidi for her months of patience and support



Along the way, we plugged the accelerated warmup system. Still testing if this was the best approach.


Had to extend the fan wiring, and found that the wires were hacked with the FMIC install. This could have been the main reason I couldn't keep temps down on track and why I had to replace my previous HKS S-type FMIC for the v-mount. No regrets though!

 

Thanks for the rotor Josie, thanks for the Idemitsu Ari and Mary, and thanks for the Protek R Cam

 

Thanks to Mark, Brian, Tony, Jay, DSG in Norwood, and Rich for the feedback on the TiSpeeds.


Had to notch out the hole a bit to get it to fit properly

 

Thanks Nak, Japan2LA, Toby Von Dinoshark for his awesome bumper inspection skills (see below) and magazine subscriptions, Adam at Advanced Autobody in Worcester, and Ray at Malloy Mazda.

I need to get a new flying M badge


Touched up the door jambs (quite hard to tell, but I put a lot of time into it)


Modified the CF stereo deletion panel. Template and full measurements available upon request



Straightened this mess out

 

What's pictured are 17x12s and 17x11s. Barrels to convert the 17x12s to 17x10s should be here shortly.

Thanks Brent




I appreciate any feedback, positive or negative, so long as it's constructive.

Cheers!



Next up:

 

Love this car.

 

^
what he said

 

This car os godly .. Love the way it looks and its function.

Good job man keep up the good work

 

I doubt it. At track speed the fans shouldn't be more responsible for moving air than the car moving through it. You did the right thing.

 

Looks great, I'm rocking the same CF Autometer gauges

 

Try as I might, I just can't keep up with the SBG/RA crew! Thanks Tom, the feeling is mutual with your car. Congrats on the engagement by the way. That's right around the corner right? My fiance and I are getting married in September 2013. Balancing the wedding, work, social life, and the cars has been quite the hassle. I can't imagine how you managed a move to FLA and the new job in the middle, but I hope all's going well. Did you throw the motor back in yet?

Thanks Patrick

Thanks. It's been 9 years of blood, sweat, tears, and a mini fortune, but she's getting there. It's been a constant process of "alright sweet, that's (v-mount) awesome, now what (wheels)? And then (.$.$$.$$$..)?"

good point. Definitely a good decision to switch up to a v-mount.

Thanks. I kind of went on a carbon fiber binge between 2003 and 2005. Hate that CF overlay in the interior, just haven't gotten around to redoing the dash. Maybe over the winter.

 

I grew up loving Legos - I knew there was a reason I loved CCW's! Mix and match 3 pieces to your desire!

The barrels came in today to convert the 17x12s to 17x10s. The barrels to convert to 12"s wide may be available. PM me if interested.

Thanks again Brent!

 

Keep an eye on the outer piston seal on the brake calipers... I run SS lines, ATE super blue fluid, ti speed shields and hawk HP+ on my... civi--- CAR!! and noticed tearing/melting. Granted, this is not sealing in the fluid, but it is on the outside and could start letting things into the bore if it fails. Once you get the confidence to really use the brakes, you're going to give them a good workout. You don't want anything to let you down in that department.

 

I need to refinish the CCWs and I'm getting hung up on which finish I want to go with. With powdercoat, I really won't have the option to redo them.


Option 1: Add a significant amount of elbow grease and keep them as is.





Option 2: Satin Bronze



Option 3: Copper



Option 4: Satin Black Center, Gloss Black Barrels

 

Thanks for the feedback. I'll definitely keep that in mind.

And no worries on your civi--- CAR; I saw you out there on Monticello, you're doing it right! Nothing to be ashamed of! You getting a good amount of track time in it?

 

I rebuilt my OEM calipers with all new seals and dust boots.... the brand new dust boots cracked after one track event and I had fully ducted front brakes. If your tracking the car hard there is not much you can really do about it. Thats why race calipers don't even have dust boots. However if you service your brakes frequently its not a huge deal... the rebuild kit is only like $30 from Ray.

 

Plenty of track days since... and just did my Skip Barber 3 day formula school. The day after, I stayed at limerock. I proceeded to lap nearly everyone and had to pit in for space way too many times. Was already in intermediate group. I think I'll move on to the advanced run group from now on. Poor (daily) car... must get my FC finished!

 

Either option 2 or 4, I like BB with bronze but not satin bronze, maybe some brighter bronze like the FN01R-C color.

 

Awesome! That's great to hear. I clearly haven't been doing any track days lately and haven't taken the plunge with the daily driver. I can't wait to get back out there. Let me know if you come back up to New England for an event. If I'm not racing, maybe I'll come check it out for the day and give you a hand.

 

This sealed the deal for me. My weekends are booked through July, so I will be chipping through them through the work weeks.

Minor set back: one of the outer barrels had several cracks in it, so the replacement will be a couple weeks out. I can't stress it enough, thanks a lot Brent! Honestly a stand up guy, great asset to the community! I am going to also order new hardware, as I'm not sure how old this set is.

I have been chipping away at them throughout the week with some Initial D as background noise (yea I still like it, what of it?) Nothing like bear hugging wheels for hours on end to get 120 bolts out.


8 lbs each. Does anyone know what the swissed faces weigh?

12"s up front, 11"s on the left, 10"s on the right


Anyone else going to ALMS at Lime Rock Park this weekend?

 

That's a very nice gesture. You should try the daily just once. Sucks you never made it back in the past 2 years
I'm reluctant now to bring the daily because it's slow and not enough car anymore. Need more! I want to get the FC to the track, but I need to plan my days off/vacation time and getting my cousin to trailer me. I trust the car to make it there, but who knows what will happen once it hits the track.
I believe in late october SCDA does one saturday at limerock. A weekend is always nice.

 

I have been fighting the tuning bug hard with the daily driver. She's a little heavy, but wouldn't be all that bad out on track. I'd want another set of wheels and tires first. Almost pulled the trigger on some BBS wheels a couple months ago, but they needed a little more love than the CCWs. I might just give him a call, pick them up, and refinish them. They were a good deal.

Maybe I'll show Adelia some love after I get Mia settled in and back to track ready. I have a set of Bilstein's for her in the garage and I'm looking to get a set of H&R's soon. I've been going back and forth on possibly doing an APR tune to bump the power from 225 to ~265hp. Unfortunately options for the daily driver are also endless! I essentially bought another toy instead of something practical like an idiot.

I would love Lime Rock in October. The RX-7 would love that cool, crisp New England air as well.