So my SE dropped an apex seal yesterday. 6 good years that engine lasted me, and many more before I bought the car.

So here is my idea. I'm seeking to create something I like yet not be too blasphemous either. So in my head, the car will be an amalgam of 60s through 90s sports cars. Nothing regionally specific, but I intend to do this in a cohesive fashion. I'm an architect so it's not really a new concept for me.

Engine/Drivetrain:

The plan here is relatively modest. Looking for about 175-190bhp. I'm hoping to accomplish this with a stockport S5 engine with my Dellorto setup. I think I'm going to switch to a one-piece intake manifold to get rid of all the port miss-matching that comes with the racing beat upper. I might also revise my exhaust system in favor of a long-primary setup, but I'll have to see how that would work with my long-runner intake manifold.

The keyword here is simplicity and reliability. Well that's two keywords. Oh well. There will be no OMP and there will be no 6 port system. It's a weekend car so I don't need these luxuries. I also want very crisp response from the engine, so a lightweight flywheel and possibly even a twin plate clutch will be going in.

Question: Does the S4 or S5 or RX-8 tranny offer more closely spaced gears than the GSL-SE trans? I don't like how much the revs drop off, especially shifting from 2nd to 3rd with the stock trans.

Interior:

I really feel I want to go 60s with the interior. I want to keep it very simple, which might mean simplifying the factory interior somehow. I'm not certain what I want to do just yet, but it will be something special.


Exterior/Body/Suspension

Well I'm reasonably happy with the way the car looks on the outside. I'd like to lower the rear another 1/2" or so.

I also want to do some kind of rear spoiler, but I haven't found one I like yet. I might design one. I don't like any of the typical ones I see.

Anyways, I will update this thread as I go. Cheers.

 

The whole thing sounds good to me. I really wanted the Dellorto 20 some years ago, good idea to keep it. But I'm a dinosaur. Can't really answer tranny questions, but I'm in slow process of acquiring a 4.78 or so gearset and LSD for my drum braked purely recreational 85. That's old school and may help with your shifting woes.

So many paths, each leading to others.

 

Sounds like it could be an interesting build. As for the transmission you could consider the Miata trans. Not a ton of work to swap in (some machining required) and much closer ratios. The FC ratios are different but only slightly. Can't really comment on the Rx8 trans - but if you did go that route you'd need to figure out the speedo since the Rx8 uses the ABS sensors to operate it's speedometer.