Daulton's new GTU | Project Cone-Killer
04-02-12, 02:02 AM
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Daulton's new GTU | Project Cone-Killer
New project, new thread. My old one was simply too cluttered and had too much in it just to get to this new car. So as I have talked getting this new car in my old thread, I now finally have it. Picked her up on Saturday for $2100 
Just a simple base GTU with 113k mi on the clock, and about as perfect-running 7 as I have ever come across. I am simply more in love with this stock as can be FC than my previous two "modified" FC's simply because older cars kept stock bring back a certain feeling of nostalgia that simply can't be felt from a heavily modified street-warrior of an old car. You get to go back to all the simplicity that we all loved back in the days this car was born, you get to enjoy driving in its simplest, purest, and most refreshing form.
I am pretty confident I must be the only 19-year old in the world who wants to spend money making his near-bone-stock RX-7 into an (almost) completely OEM SCCA racer. I currently hold an SCCA license for one year and I'm in the INR region (for those who might be close by.) I plan on running this car in the ES class and just using this year as a break-in year.
The only non-stock modifications will be things for reliability such as gauges. Other than that, it will remain about as OEM as possible. It already has a working aftermarket head-unit in it so I will just remove the original and fit a couple Prosport EVO series gauges in its place. Also, I am hoping to hear that swapping parts from the different sub-models will be legal in my class. I have extra 4-pot calipers from my first FC and I would like to swap them on with new rotors and pads, as well as stainless steel lines and probably MOTUL Racing Brake Fluid (higher boiling point, crucial imo if you're going to be autocrossing.) The clutch slave line will also be swapped in favor of the stainless steel unit.
I forgot to mention it in the beginning but I did a buff job today and man did it make the car look a million times better than it did. Took a good 6-1/2 hours to do from start to finish, but the end result was astounding. The paint was absolute trash when I picked it up -- sun-washed, faded, dull, hazed, oxidized; the whole shibam. It now looks almost like it just rolled off the showroom floor. Well, apart from some deep scratches, white spots, and some rust that is. I used Meguiar's Ultimate Compound with a 10" random orbital buffer to do the job, and I would DEFINITELY reccomend it to anyone who has lack-luster paint.
It even brought back the clearness of all the light lenses on the car which were hazed beyond belief. Overall, this is the happiest purchase I have ever made. The car has it's problems, but nothing major and it can all be pretty easily fixed. The thing that sold me on the car was how well everything just... worked. I can't find one thing on the car that doesn't work as it should. Even the freakin gas door opener works without a problem. And I would give the interior an 8.5/10 in terms of condition. Has a few cracks and a rip on the driver seat, but there is nothing else to complain about.
Well I hope you guys enjoy my new project and I also hope you appreciate an OEM "restoration" as much as you do the high-end high-budget builds that I simply cannot compete with on this forum. Keep an eye out for progress with the car and please leave comments to keep me from feeling lonely in my new little thread
Thanks!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6891733140/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6891733140/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
Just a simple base GTU with 113k mi on the clock, and about as perfect-running 7 as I have ever come across. I am simply more in love with this stock as can be FC than my previous two "modified" FC's simply because older cars kept stock bring back a certain feeling of nostalgia that simply can't be felt from a heavily modified street-warrior of an old car. You get to go back to all the simplicity that we all loved back in the days this car was born, you get to enjoy driving in its simplest, purest, and most refreshing form.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6891733620/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6891733620/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
I am pretty confident I must be the only 19-year old in the world who wants to spend money making his near-bone-stock RX-7 into an (almost) completely OEM SCCA racer. I currently hold an SCCA license for one year and I'm in the INR region (for those who might be close by.) I plan on running this car in the ES class and just using this year as a break-in year.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6891733424/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6891733424/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
The only non-stock modifications will be things for reliability such as gauges. Other than that, it will remain about as OEM as possible. It already has a working aftermarket head-unit in it so I will just remove the original and fit a couple Prosport EVO series gauges in its place. Also, I am hoping to hear that swapping parts from the different sub-models will be legal in my class. I have extra 4-pot calipers from my first FC and I would like to swap them on with new rotors and pads, as well as stainless steel lines and probably MOTUL Racing Brake Fluid (higher boiling point, crucial imo if you're going to be autocrossing.) The clutch slave line will also be swapped in favor of the stainless steel unit.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7037827671/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7037827671/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
I forgot to mention it in the beginning but I did a buff job today and man did it make the car look a million times better than it did. Took a good 6-1/2 hours to do from start to finish, but the end result was astounding. The paint was absolute trash when I picked it up -- sun-washed, faded, dull, hazed, oxidized; the whole shibam. It now looks almost like it just rolled off the showroom floor. Well, apart from some deep scratches, white spots, and some rust that is. I used Meguiar's Ultimate Compound with a 10" random orbital buffer to do the job, and I would DEFINITELY reccomend it to anyone who has lack-luster paint.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7037827379/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7037827379/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
It even brought back the clearness of all the light lenses on the car which were hazed beyond belief. Overall, this is the happiest purchase I have ever made. The car has it's problems, but nothing major and it can all be pretty easily fixed. The thing that sold me on the car was how well everything just... worked. I can't find one thing on the car that doesn't work as it should. Even the freakin gas door opener works without a problem. And I would give the interior an 8.5/10 in terms of condition. Has a few cracks and a rip on the driver seat, but there is nothing else to complain about.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6891733108/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6891733108/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
Well I hope you guys enjoy my new project and I also hope you appreciate an OEM "restoration" as much as you do the high-end high-budget builds that I simply cannot compete with on this forum. Keep an eye out for progress with the car and please leave comments to keep me from feeling lonely in my new little thread
Thanks!
04-02-12, 02:37 AM
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Car looks great! This is all very exciting.
When does your racing season start? Will you be posting videos??
Also... Check this link out -> https://www.rx7club.com/detailing-restoration-284/detail-my-oxidized-red-fc-557830/
When does your racing season start? Will you be posting videos??
Also... Check this link out -> https://www.rx7club.com/detailing-restoration-284/detail-my-oxidized-red-fc-557830/
04-02-12, 07:26 AM
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Thanks! Season starts April 15, so I'm hoping to have it ready to go by then. And I hope so, I have a buddy with a GoPro that I will ask to borrow.
04-02-12, 02:37 PM
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I'm glad your happy with the purchase and I hope those feelings last!
The car looks good and well taken care of and it seems to be in good hands.
One question though. Why are you parked on the sidewalk?
The car looks good and well taken care of and it seems to be in good hands.
One question though. Why are you parked on the sidewalk?
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04-03-12, 12:10 AM
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Nice find! I'm getting increasingly frustrated with trying to undo a lot of ridiculous mods and finding OEM pieces missing all over the place. That being said, I'm on a first name basis with the parts crew at the local Mazda dealership. Love the red as well.
04-03-12, 12:34 AM
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Thanks, I am very pleased with how well the car has been maintained and how stock it has been kept. I'll tell you guys what, I have gotten more good stares at my car in the past two days more than my last two got me combined. Needless to say, I love every look with a smile my car gets, it really makes me feel proud of what I own (not to mention how well the paint came back to life).
Today I clay bar'd it after washing it. So much pollen in the air the car was just covered in it.
btw, I <3 Lamb of God
Chris Adler is my hero
Today I clay bar'd it after washing it. So much pollen in the air the car was just covered in it.
btw, I <3 Lamb of God
Chris Adler is my hero
04-03-12, 07:42 PM
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Mini update: went to the dealer today and worked wih the parts guy to find new trans mounts and shift boots plus bushing. Quoted at $250 for everything so thats cheaper than both mazdatrix and atkins. I'll post pics later of the boots. Put short, they are kinda like hot fudge in consistency
04-04-12, 06:39 PM
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Okay time for those pictures I promised you guys. This is kind of a mixed post but still something to talk about while on vacation.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6900100218/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6900100218/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
Got a couple stickers with the licence so I decided to slap them on the car. I put one next to the IMSA and Full Circle stickers. Man I wish someone would have signed that inspection sticker! I think putting it there adds some more to the cars history.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6900100210/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6900100210/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
This was me setting up sort of like a studio to very accurately use the Mothers clay bar kit I picked up. It works very very well at removing surface impurities, even after buffing the paint.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6900100108/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6900100108/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
However there is one product I DO NOT reccomend, and that is some sort of wheel cleaner that I cannot remember the name of, but I will let you guys know when I get back home from vacation. I bought it to remove all the horrid brake dust that has accumulated and it doesn't look like it's been cleaned for years at least. It worked decently, but it also took the clear coat right off the wheels! And the center caps that shield the lugs had the paint wiped right off.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6900100226/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6900100226/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
Okay now for the shifter stuff. I didn't have the tools on me to fully investigate what is going on with it, but I think it is pretty obvious just what is going on. The rubber boots are simply too old and are leaking oil out of the shifter hole. This allows the oil to escape, and along with the heat that is generated from the transmission and the exhaust right next to it, the oil heats up to a point where it is melting the boots away.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6900126020/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6900126020/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
As you can see here, it is literally eating away the inside edges of the boots, rendering them completely useless. When I visited the dealer to order replacements I was suprised at how easy it was to see what parts we needed to order (well, not like I didn't know what I was looking for to begin with since I've bought them before) but since they are older parts the parts tech had to search the availability for each one individually. Also, don't assume the part numbers you get from Mazdatrix and Atkins are 100% correct. The format that those websites give you are XX-YYYY-ZZZZ, the way the numbers come up at the dealer are ZZZZ-XX-YYYY (IIRC).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7046223825/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7046223825/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
This was something that I was very excited to see, and truth be told I never knew existed on our cars. It was another (what seems to be) heat shielding boot. None of my past FC's have had them and to find this one in perfect condition really made me smile.
Not too long before I begin making some good progress on the car. Like I said earlier, I have a quote saved from my dealer for all the parts so as soon as I can go buy them and change them out. Then my next order of business will be fixing the exhaust leak between the pre and main cats and finalizing what tire's I will be going with. I really like the Hankook RS3's but it is hard finding a size that will fit the stock GTU wheels.
Stay tuned...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6900100218/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6900100218/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
Got a couple stickers with the licence so I decided to slap them on the car. I put one next to the IMSA and Full Circle stickers. Man I wish someone would have signed that inspection sticker! I think putting it there adds some more to the cars history.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6900100210/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6900100210/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
This was me setting up sort of like a studio to very accurately use the Mothers clay bar kit I picked up. It works very very well at removing surface impurities, even after buffing the paint.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6900100108/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6900100108/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
However there is one product I DO NOT reccomend, and that is some sort of wheel cleaner that I cannot remember the name of, but I will let you guys know when I get back home from vacation. I bought it to remove all the horrid brake dust that has accumulated and it doesn't look like it's been cleaned for years at least. It worked decently, but it also took the clear coat right off the wheels! And the center caps that shield the lugs had the paint wiped right off.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6900100226/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6900100226/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
Okay now for the shifter stuff. I didn't have the tools on me to fully investigate what is going on with it, but I think it is pretty obvious just what is going on. The rubber boots are simply too old and are leaking oil out of the shifter hole. This allows the oil to escape, and along with the heat that is generated from the transmission and the exhaust right next to it, the oil heats up to a point where it is melting the boots away.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6900126020/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6900126020/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
As you can see here, it is literally eating away the inside edges of the boots, rendering them completely useless. When I visited the dealer to order replacements I was suprised at how easy it was to see what parts we needed to order (well, not like I didn't know what I was looking for to begin with since I've bought them before) but since they are older parts the parts tech had to search the availability for each one individually. Also, don't assume the part numbers you get from Mazdatrix and Atkins are 100% correct. The format that those websites give you are XX-YYYY-ZZZZ, the way the numbers come up at the dealer are ZZZZ-XX-YYYY (IIRC).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7046223825/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7046223825/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
This was something that I was very excited to see, and truth be told I never knew existed on our cars. It was another (what seems to be) heat shielding boot. None of my past FC's have had them and to find this one in perfect condition really made me smile.
Not too long before I begin making some good progress on the car. Like I said earlier, I have a quote saved from my dealer for all the parts so as soon as I can go buy them and change them out. Then my next order of business will be fixing the exhaust leak between the pre and main cats and finalizing what tire's I will be going with. I really like the Hankook RS3's but it is hard finding a size that will fit the stock GTU wheels.
Stay tuned...
Last edited by REAmemiya_fan; 04-04-12 at 06:50 PM.
04-05-12, 12:45 AM
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Since I am up with nothing better to do, I figured it would be a good time to start planning out what I will want fo the car and start creating a budget.
Since the car is going to both be tracked and daily drven, one of my main concerns is going to be the reliability of the engine and it's health accordingly. So one of the firt upgrades is going be a Prosport water temp gauge with their in-line temp sender. If the car had the same style thermostat neck as the S4, then the best spot to mount the sending unit would be in the recessed hole near the bottom of it. Simply drill through it, tap in the appropriate threads, and place the sending unit there. But since the S5's have the plastic neck, that isn't really possible. Luckily mine looks pretty new and sturdy. Fingers are crossed there.
Next order of business is the tires. The ones on the car are mis-matched and going to need to be replaced soon, so as it stands, Advan AD08's in 205/50R15's are going to be my weapon of choice. I still need to read through the rules a few mre times before I have them memorized, so I mightnot be able to go with them as I think in the stock class you have to remain at the OE specs in terms of tire sizing.
Then it will be on to things like upgrading to SS braided hydraulic lines and flushing the fluid in favor of fluids with higher boiling points (I'm thinking MOTUL as of now). I also am trying to see If I am able to switch in parts from higher-end models (like the four-pot calipers and larger discs from my old Sport, and the clutch-type LSD from the S4 GXL). I also need to think of a good pad to use. I'm thinking of some HAWK pad on new OE-spec Brembo's will do the trick just fine. Oh andI will need to rebuild the calipers just for my piece of mind. I am also sure that at least my front rotors are warped, as the car shakes pretty violently when braking from high-speed.
Lower down on my things to do are additional gauges monitoring oil temps and pressure. I know our engines aren't very prone to oil-related failures as long as they are well taken care of (at least for NA engines I assume) so I'm not as concerned about those as I am core engine temps.
And of course the obvious things like the 60k tune up and flushing fluids and such. I personally like using Redline fluids in the trans and diff. Although expensive, I know I will be able to trust their performance. And as far as oil, I'm not sure if I should switch to Royal Purple Synthetic like I did in my last two cars. I know that modification to the OMP to run pre-mix would be an illegal modification in my class so I will have to retain it. So I think changine the lines for Karack's SS version would be a good thing to do while I have the UIM off in replacement of a new one. I traded my blown S4 engine for a rebuilt and professionally painted one as well as a few other parts I need.
Next up is I don't know if I should switch over to the manual rack that I have or not. While technically I could make the car a little lighter by removing the pump anf its fluid in it's entirety, I am not sure if it would be class legal or not. Also, I feel like I would be sacrificing a lot of the ease of cornering. But again on the other hand, the GTU power steering is sensitive to engine speed, and not vehicle speed like the GTUs, GXL, or Turbo. So if I'm high-rpm in the corner I'm going through, will the P/S be more active or less? My assumption is that if you are low-revs, the car assumes you are going low speed, thus giving you more power steering boost. But I could be totally wrong and the opposite may be true. So for Solo racing, I am not sure if an engine-speed sensing power steering rack would be wise or not.
Another good thing I should probably look at is replacing the bushings. the springs are good and the shocks are new, so I am not worried so much about those. I have yet to be able to check the condition of the ball joints so those are still a mystery. The engine mounts are new so I'm not really concerned about them at all.
This should be good enough now to think about so I will leave it at that. Better that I get it down on 'paper' so I don't forget later. If you guys have any other suggestions by all means do share. I am by no margin an expert on this stuff lol.
Since the car is going to both be tracked and daily drven, one of my main concerns is going to be the reliability of the engine and it's health accordingly. So one of the firt upgrades is going be a Prosport water temp gauge with their in-line temp sender. If the car had the same style thermostat neck as the S4, then the best spot to mount the sending unit would be in the recessed hole near the bottom of it. Simply drill through it, tap in the appropriate threads, and place the sending unit there. But since the S5's have the plastic neck, that isn't really possible. Luckily mine looks pretty new and sturdy. Fingers are crossed there.
Next order of business is the tires. The ones on the car are mis-matched and going to need to be replaced soon, so as it stands, Advan AD08's in 205/50R15's are going to be my weapon of choice. I still need to read through the rules a few mre times before I have them memorized, so I mightnot be able to go with them as I think in the stock class you have to remain at the OE specs in terms of tire sizing.
Then it will be on to things like upgrading to SS braided hydraulic lines and flushing the fluid in favor of fluids with higher boiling points (I'm thinking MOTUL as of now). I also am trying to see If I am able to switch in parts from higher-end models (like the four-pot calipers and larger discs from my old Sport, and the clutch-type LSD from the S4 GXL). I also need to think of a good pad to use. I'm thinking of some HAWK pad on new OE-spec Brembo's will do the trick just fine. Oh andI will need to rebuild the calipers just for my piece of mind. I am also sure that at least my front rotors are warped, as the car shakes pretty violently when braking from high-speed.
Lower down on my things to do are additional gauges monitoring oil temps and pressure. I know our engines aren't very prone to oil-related failures as long as they are well taken care of (at least for NA engines I assume) so I'm not as concerned about those as I am core engine temps.
And of course the obvious things like the 60k tune up and flushing fluids and such. I personally like using Redline fluids in the trans and diff. Although expensive, I know I will be able to trust their performance. And as far as oil, I'm not sure if I should switch to Royal Purple Synthetic like I did in my last two cars. I know that modification to the OMP to run pre-mix would be an illegal modification in my class so I will have to retain it. So I think changine the lines for Karack's SS version would be a good thing to do while I have the UIM off in replacement of a new one. I traded my blown S4 engine for a rebuilt and professionally painted one as well as a few other parts I need.
Next up is I don't know if I should switch over to the manual rack that I have or not. While technically I could make the car a little lighter by removing the pump anf its fluid in it's entirety, I am not sure if it would be class legal or not. Also, I feel like I would be sacrificing a lot of the ease of cornering. But again on the other hand, the GTU power steering is sensitive to engine speed, and not vehicle speed like the GTUs, GXL, or Turbo. So if I'm high-rpm in the corner I'm going through, will the P/S be more active or less? My assumption is that if you are low-revs, the car assumes you are going low speed, thus giving you more power steering boost. But I could be totally wrong and the opposite may be true. So for Solo racing, I am not sure if an engine-speed sensing power steering rack would be wise or not.
Another good thing I should probably look at is replacing the bushings. the springs are good and the shocks are new, so I am not worried so much about those. I have yet to be able to check the condition of the ball joints so those are still a mystery. The engine mounts are new so I'm not really concerned about them at all.
This should be good enough now to think about so I will leave it at that. Better that I get it down on 'paper' so I don't forget later. If you guys have any other suggestions by all means do share. I am by no margin an expert on this stuff lol.
04-05-12, 08:00 AM
#17
I'll address some of your points one by one. You have mentioned stock category, so everything I say is related to SCCA Solo II Stock category rules. Street prepared will be slightly different.
Tires should not matter size wise for stock class as long as they fit on the OE wheel.
Brake lines are fine for anything cars manufactured before 1992.
As I understand the rules, you would be in SP if you were to do a four piston brake swap. The same goes for the addition of an LSD and the use of any suspension bushing other than OE rubber. The steering may be tricky. You may want to pose that question to the racing sub-forum. It is definitely allowed in SM, and possibly allowed in SP as FCs did come with manual steering. That may get into an ethics debate.
Do not take my word as gospel. Consult with the racing sub-forum or some of your local SCCA Solo II organizers. I haven't autocrossed in a long time as my car has been non-running for almost three years now.
Tires should not matter size wise for stock class as long as they fit on the OE wheel.
Brake lines are fine for anything cars manufactured before 1992.
As I understand the rules, you would be in SP if you were to do a four piston brake swap. The same goes for the addition of an LSD and the use of any suspension bushing other than OE rubber. The steering may be tricky. You may want to pose that question to the racing sub-forum. It is definitely allowed in SM, and possibly allowed in SP as FCs did come with manual steering. That may get into an ethics debate.
Do not take my word as gospel. Consult with the racing sub-forum or some of your local SCCA Solo II organizers. I haven't autocrossed in a long time as my car has been non-running for almost three years now.
04-06-12, 01:44 AM
#18
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Thanks Jerry, I did as you said and feedback has been pretty good so far 
Now time to start devising a budget. Okay, so my subway pay is $7.55 / hr (scary isn't it) with an average of I would say ~25 hours per week. So that puts us at ~$170 after taxes come out. In one month that is about $680.
Subtract $80/month for insurance: $600
Subtract about $50 per week for gas: $400
Subtract another $100 per month to keep the girlfriend happy: $300
So at this point, I have about $300 for spending money per month, minus any additional money I get from selling parts or detailing cars.
Parts I need:
New tires: Dunlop Direzza DZ101 (4) 205/50R15 - $352 w/ free shipping
Trans mounts & shifter rebuild parts: Dealer ordered - $250 no shipping
S5 middle intake gasket: Atkins rotary - $4.50 plus shipping
60k tune up items: Atkins rotary (tune up kit, injector grommets and o-rings)- $138 plus shipping
New fluids (Pegasus Auto Racing Supplies): 5qts Royal Purple 10W-30, 3qts Redline MT90, 2qts Redline 75W90NS, 500mL Motul RBF 600 DOT 4 brake fluid, 1 bottle Redline Water Wetter- $113.41 shipped
Brake Pads (RacingBeat): Hawk HPS front and rear- $128 plus shipping
Gauge (Prosport): 52mm water temp Halo gauge w/ in-line temp sender & gauge mount- $136.95 shipped
Total thus far (minus some shipping): $1,122.86
Not too terribly bad but it will take some time to be able to get all of that, and some things will have to be placed as more important (such as tires and dealer parts). So If I just did my straight up saving with no extra money, I would be sitting at about four months to be able to acquire everything. Which truth be told really isn't that bad. BUT, that is in a perfect world. And unfortunately, we do not live in such perfect world. So I would expect about 5-6 months to have everything, and by that time priorities might change a little bit.
We will see how things pan out, just good to get some sort of organization going for a budget.
Now time to start devising a budget. Okay, so my subway pay is $7.55 / hr (scary isn't it) with an average of I would say ~25 hours per week. So that puts us at ~$170 after taxes come out. In one month that is about $680.
Subtract $80/month for insurance: $600
Subtract about $50 per week for gas: $400
Subtract another $100 per month to keep the girlfriend happy: $300
So at this point, I have about $300 for spending money per month, minus any additional money I get from selling parts or detailing cars.
Parts I need:
New tires: Dunlop Direzza DZ101 (4) 205/50R15 - $352 w/ free shipping
Trans mounts & shifter rebuild parts: Dealer ordered - $250 no shipping
S5 middle intake gasket: Atkins rotary - $4.50 plus shipping
60k tune up items: Atkins rotary (tune up kit, injector grommets and o-rings)- $138 plus shipping
New fluids (Pegasus Auto Racing Supplies): 5qts Royal Purple 10W-30, 3qts Redline MT90, 2qts Redline 75W90NS, 500mL Motul RBF 600 DOT 4 brake fluid, 1 bottle Redline Water Wetter- $113.41 shipped
Brake Pads (RacingBeat): Hawk HPS front and rear- $128 plus shipping
Gauge (Prosport): 52mm water temp Halo gauge w/ in-line temp sender & gauge mount- $136.95 shipped
Total thus far (minus some shipping): $1,122.86
Not too terribly bad but it will take some time to be able to get all of that, and some things will have to be placed as more important (such as tires and dealer parts). So If I just did my straight up saving with no extra money, I would be sitting at about four months to be able to acquire everything. Which truth be told really isn't that bad. BUT, that is in a perfect world. And unfortunately, we do not live in such perfect world. So I would expect about 5-6 months to have everything, and by that time priorities might change a little bit.
We will see how things pan out, just good to get some sort of organization going for a budget.
04-06-12, 02:27 AM
#19
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Whoops, messed the fluids up; they don't carry or supply motor oil so I will have to just get that from the auto parts store. No big deal though.
04-10-12, 04:21 PM
#20
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So started my rear brakes today, the rear caliper is kaput, so ill have to order a new one along with the rotor. There was negative pad left, so the rotor is also shot. I'll end up replacing all the brakes soon with nrw pads and rotors and possibly calipers if need be. I just got whatever the advance auto brand was just to get some pad on there for now. I'll go full Hawk HPS by the time its done.
04-10-12, 07:22 PM
#21
For what its worth, I love the Hawk HPS pads. I had the HP+ one time and they were even better, but way too much dust and they did start grooving rotors fairly quickly. As far as Hawk products are concerned, HPS is a good compromise between performance and longevity.
Budgets are always handy. I try not to even look at mine anymore for my restoration.
Budgets are always handy. I try not to even look at mine anymore for my restoration.
04-12-12, 04:56 PM
#22
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Ordered the new set of trans mounts today after school, $174.79 for the normal mounts, Y-bracket, crossmember and circular bushing. Expensive but needed. It sucks not being able to rev past 4k in fear of total trans failure (or what at least feels like what it would be.)
04-15-12, 09:36 PM
#23
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Parts come in tomorrow, and then it's back to saving for more parts. Next on the list is the shifter complete rebuild. But for now I changed the oil. I used Royal Purple synthetic 5W-30 at 4k change intervals in my last engine, but this one I am trying Castrol GTX mineral 10W-40 at 3k change intervals so we will see how the new changes are.
I also used Redline oil in my trans before and now I plan on using Valvoline 80W-90 synthetic and see if I can tell any differences in performance. For the diff I will most likely stick with Redline just because I like how it performed on my LSD equipped 7, so I trust it with the open diff on this 7.
I also plan to replace all calipers and discs on the car, I'm just going to use the 4-pots from my last 7 and the full-larger disc combo from the GXL/Turbo models. I highly doubt anyone in my region will notice, and I doubt they will care any as I don't see myself winning just yet. I need some opinions on discs and fluids though. I've been trying to research a little on fluids like Motul but I'm still in a grey area. I also plan on moving to a full SS braided line setup for both brakes and clutch hydraulics. It's legal in the rules of stock category so I'm covered there. Might do the oil cooler lines as well, can't hurt. Still need to make my mind up on if I want to get the braided lines from Karack for the MOP. Might be a good time to replace those as well.
I also used Redline oil in my trans before and now I plan on using Valvoline 80W-90 synthetic and see if I can tell any differences in performance. For the diff I will most likely stick with Redline just because I like how it performed on my LSD equipped 7, so I trust it with the open diff on this 7.
I also plan to replace all calipers and discs on the car, I'm just going to use the 4-pots from my last 7 and the full-larger disc combo from the GXL/Turbo models. I highly doubt anyone in my region will notice, and I doubt they will care any as I don't see myself winning just yet. I need some opinions on discs and fluids though. I've been trying to research a little on fluids like Motul but I'm still in a grey area. I also plan on moving to a full SS braided line setup for both brakes and clutch hydraulics. It's legal in the rules of stock category so I'm covered there. Might do the oil cooler lines as well, can't hurt. Still need to make my mind up on if I want to get the braided lines from Karack for the MOP. Might be a good time to replace those as well.
04-16-12, 12:34 AM
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So I decided to put some more work in the detailing department while I can only wait on new parts. Burned the midnight oil a couple nights ago and had some pretty decent results. Still has ways to go but so far not too bad.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7082910011/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7082910011/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
Started with cleaning up the wheels with some steel wool. used #3 on the cast sections followed by #00, and started with #00 on the polished part (not shown in pictures) and then I will follow those up with #0000.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7082910127/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7082910127/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
Some of these spots are just retardedly hard to clean up...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7082910557/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7082910557/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
Then started the engine bay detailing. This will for sure take the longest time (apart from those wheels) and the trickiest work to get done. For most of the detachable metal objects I will just remove them, sandblast them, then repaint them either silver or black, depending on the item. So far though I've just been cleaning what dirt and crud I could followed by a quick spray wax to make them shine.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7082910823/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7082910823/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
So far so good, and you would be surprised a what just some WD40 and shop rag will do for cleaning the black plastics and rubbers, look below.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6936834944/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6936834944/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
The bottom cover looked every bit as bad as the top cover (apart from being ripped) and it cleaned up really nicely. I might try a trim restorer on the black pieces though... not sure yet.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7082911597/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7082911597/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
Probably my least favorite thing to do was clean under the hood. But as I am a freak about having things look good, I did it the best I could and it shined up really well.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6936835618/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6936835618/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
Even though you can't see it, I kind of started to re-shine the exhaust a bit. This will be much easier once I take some power wire brushes to it, then follow up with steel wool. Cheaper than buying new pipes though!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6936835922/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6936835922/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
Steel wool is a great thing to have, just look at the shine on that coil pack!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6936866470/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6936866470/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
And the current overall engine bay. I'm having the whole intake repainted right now (well a separate S5 one) and once it is done I will swap that on. So I'm not too concerned with how that looks now. I will continue spending my nights forever alone and cleaning the engine bay until it is tip-top shape!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7082910011/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7082910011/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
Started with cleaning up the wheels with some steel wool. used #3 on the cast sections followed by #00, and started with #00 on the polished part (not shown in pictures) and then I will follow those up with #0000.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7082910127/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7082910127/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
Some of these spots are just retardedly hard to clean up...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7082910557/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7082910557/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
Then started the engine bay detailing. This will for sure take the longest time (apart from those wheels) and the trickiest work to get done. For most of the detachable metal objects I will just remove them, sandblast them, then repaint them either silver or black, depending on the item. So far though I've just been cleaning what dirt and crud I could followed by a quick spray wax to make them shine.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7082910823/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7082910823/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
So far so good, and you would be surprised a what just some WD40 and shop rag will do for cleaning the black plastics and rubbers, look below.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6936834944/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6936834944/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
The bottom cover looked every bit as bad as the top cover (apart from being ripped) and it cleaned up really nicely. I might try a trim restorer on the black pieces though... not sure yet.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7082911597/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/7082911597/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
Probably my least favorite thing to do was clean under the hood. But as I am a freak about having things look good, I did it the best I could and it shined up really well.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6936835618/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6936835618/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
Even though you can't see it, I kind of started to re-shine the exhaust a bit. This will be much easier once I take some power wire brushes to it, then follow up with steel wool. Cheaper than buying new pipes though!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6936835922/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6936835922/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
Steel wool is a great thing to have, just look at the shine on that coil pack!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6936866470/http://www.flickr.com/photos/globekidd/6936866470/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/globekidd/, on Flickr
And the current overall engine bay. I'm having the whole intake repainted right now (well a separate S5 one) and once it is done I will swap that on. So I'm not too concerned with how that looks now. I will continue spending my nights forever alone and cleaning the engine bay until it is tip-top shape!