ivegonemad

Finally decided to make my build thread and chronicle my experience thru the build. Starting off with some history, I was out the rotary game for some time prior to 2011 I think after I sold my last two fc's which I regret and had me itching for another






After I sold it, i still wanted another and after I got in touch with an old friend i was able to have the opportunity to get an original GTX for dirt cheap, sounded like a deal at the time




Well.....it sat for some time, and just being hauled left and right to different storages before I even tried to get anything done but it wasn't happening and it sat for two years till I finally decided to part it out and chop it



Well that was just this January, it was a learning lesson for me and after a month i was able to get another fc, which led me back to the club and on Craigslist, at one point I was gonna do a min truck build but I had to redeem myself from having to send a few 7's to rotary heaven in due time I found it! a one owner '86 GXL NA with extra goodies and a rebuilt engine, only issue was that the tranny was stuck in gear and the sunroof had rust on top and the paint was bubbling up from the masking they put on it almost as if it was an oven other than that it was clean with an almost perfect interior







I already knew what type of car I had in mind, one that I've been wanting to build for the longest with that being said I always loved the time attack look like the Super Now time attack fc, a simple look with aggressive aero, I've always enjoyed the stock body but with the help of aero

ivegonemad

Now the fun really starts! I started looking up parts left and right, from a tranny, single exhaust, diffuser, headers, itbs, etc I sourced out a lot of parts the first weeks







The pic doesn't do justice the exhaust is huge!! It's 3.5in piping but the canister is At least 5in or more, at the same time I got a splitter for an fd but will cut it to make it fit the fc, got JIC strut bars front and rear, but what I did need I couldn't find it a tranny for sale, I finally found one from a buddy of mine during the mean time I got a new clutch As well, picked up a Rotora GT wing from another buddy this thing is a little under 60" but it fits on the fc pretty well it ends a little further out the end of the trunk when I measured it



Throughout searching for parts I was also looking for wheels, I was in Google/the club for just ideas what wheels look good on the fc, but I found these yoshiharas in 18x8 +15 offset that looked well taken care of from a fellow member same week I got some shine auto 30mm front fenders as well they do have some minor cracks but for the price it was a deal not to pass up

ivegonemad

Over the next week, i sold the racing beat mufflers, I did the emission removal, loosely installed the exhaust, headers also went in, as well as the diffuser






Didn't do much to the car for a few days till I got my weekend off, I really didn't want to do the tranny on floor, I've been spoiled to have lifts at work oh well I stepped up did it any way, so when I got the "new" tranny I didn't pay attention my buddy told me it was an s4 NA but i never bothered to check, anyways i found out the hard way when I was putting the tranny mounts it was an s5, I thought I was
f-d, but I remember I had a brand new s5 crossmember from the Gtx, good thing the tranny came with the Y mount too problem solved. when I was putting the clutch on the flywheel, the new one was just a mm or so bigger, that wasn't gonna work, ended up using the old it was still pretty good condition, didn't wasn't time and got it all back together. We also installed the over fenders and tested the wheels in the front

Old is the top one



I didn't know what tires to run on the yoshiharas, but finally decided to some 235/40's installed them and they look good but I think I could've ran a 225/35 but these will work for now once I got home I had to install them but I had to but new lugs cuz the guy at the store gave me 1.25 instead of 1.50 thread pitch no worries we




I really like how they came out, all I need now is to get some coilovers and drop it a little, won't be going to low tho, I might not have to roll the rear we'll see though

ivegonemad

time to finally get the wing installed, so I ordered some bcl mounts the corner brackets with the cut out stands, The wing is a universal type so the mounts on it are way too close for my taste so I drilled them out to reposition them, with the help of my brother we measured and re-measured took a while to just start drilling some holes, finally got the mounts in also I picked up some fd side steps, shine auto feed replicas I couldn't wait to install them too while i was at it




In the last pic we had to measure like 20times to get the spacing even and centered took about 2hrs we lagged it a bit eventually we did it




I love how it's coming out so far! The mounts are tall but the side steps/diffuser make it pop out so much better, well I also got around to test fitting the front splitter as well



Gonna wait till I can have it on a lift to fully install the splitter, so I don't have to do this on the floor it's a killer plus I need a bigger lip, I forgot I did pick up a 99 spec lip in carbon Kevlar it's a bit roughed up but I can make it work just need to shorten it and cut certain areas so it sit flush on the fc bumper from the looks of it



I went thru my closet of stuff I had left Over from the gtx, and I saw the side view mirrors and realized they folded oh dang, all this time I just found out I had them so these had to go in too



The engine needs clean up big time, Will be doing that on my weekend off, I pretty much have everything installed, last things I need is getting the exhaust welded, and just waiting for the ITB's to get finished that's pretty much it for now

ivegonemad

I have to say the more I look into the car, it's really unmolested, the PO did the reliability mods I guess installed the SS oil lines, racing beat spark plug wires, the Kn filter, etc he really took care of it was an older gentleman

ivegonemad

It's been quite these past days, I got to mocking up the 99 spec lip I got it's a little beat up, which was a perfect candidate, had to shorten it and I'll be adding more material to the ends so it can sit flush to the bumper. I'll post pics later, the mock up was a bit horrible with minimal lighting to get a clean shot.

ACR_RX-7

iTrader: (1)

I do like the look of those side skirts. You say they are for an FD? How is the fitment?

unek87

Plus 2 on them pics of the side

ivegonemad

yes they are from an FD, their the shine auto Feed replicas side steps, as far as fitment, they are pretty good, the base where it bolts on to was a little long which was only problem because the the rail for the jacking points on the car were bent and it didn't let the side step sit flush as it should, meaning i can either make the side step have a shorter base or grind of the jacking rail underneath the car, which is what I intend to do.

going taking them off again and bend/grind off the jacking point rails since i have some t2 side skirts i want to use too ill get more pics later when i get home itll give you a better idea of what I'm saying

ivegonemad

due to my phone being broken again, I cant post updated pics but anyways I had some time with the FC and installed some Megan coil overs for the mean time, also got to fixing the dreaded driver outside handle, seems like theirs a 10mm or some type of c-clip that holds the opening mechanism that pushes the rod on the actuator and mines well its gone, couldn't open the driver door thru the outside, just JB welded it for now until i get the handle, works for now also i got a manual rack coming in. still unsure if Im going to remove the AC,just trying to make it to seven stock will get pics later

ACR_RX-7

iTrader: (1)

inb4 pics or it didn't happen

ivegonemad

still havetn forgto about the fd sideskirt pic request


well still phone-less might have to use the wife's phone to post pictures up but i got my manual rack in today and gonna be putting that in this weekend, aslo cleaned up the engine and took off the AC/PS and miscellaneous brackets. tried to clean up the engine bay but didnt go well need some of the dirt is on there gonna remove some parts so i can really get in there and scrub all the grease

not much of an update, but progress is there !

ivegonemad

Finally some pics! First off, for the guys that asked for the fd side skirts:









Now, here's the update I mentioned before and with new parts installed as well

Before:


After:


Came out better than I expected but I did put some time to clean it, and I re-routed some wires and with out the p/s and AC bracket all gone looks much cleaner





Megan coils for now

My GTX came with rotors, I dunno if their a standard option, does anyone of this? I had them laying around so I installed them while I did the manual rack




I wanted clean interior so I decided to take apart the dash and remove the carpet to clean it, so that's where I'm at right now

ACR_RX-7

iTrader: (1)

The fitment is surprisingly good. For a while there, I thought you forgot about us.

ivegonemad

I almost took them off before snapping some pics, I think I can get them fitted better but I have to wait cuz I have to find the front piece to my t2 side skirts, that way I get more room to push them out a little further



Well, the car is finally ready to run, last weekend I got my exhaust welded up, and today I put the interior back together (without breaking much of my plastics topped off all the fluids. I finally got it started! it took a while, I'm having issues where my throttle isn't responsive, it has a delay I have to rev it past 2 to keep it going, if I don't engine shuts off
I drove it around my complex but didn't last to long, my neighbors started complaining so I couldn't get a video, but my idle is low somewhere between 500-700 but it idled for a few seconds on its own and died.
I'm guessing that I need to adjust my idle, didn't have time but will do that this weekend, i might just get it towed to my job, it's near Torrance airport and I can drive the car without no one complaining about noise

ACR_RX-7

iTrader: (1)

The three things I would check is ignition timing, TPS adjustment, and your grounds.

I wish I could get my hands on some T2 skirts for a decent price, but I've only found battered and beaten ones for close to $300. I am probably just going to buy shine skirts at this point.

ivegonemad

no update following, have been busy trying to get my cousins car started the last two weeks. I did get the FD lip fixed which ill try to mount tomorrow, but all is the same, hopefully ill be getting the Carbs in two weeks

ivegonemad

the weird thing is I only did the emissions removal on it, all the rest stayed the same, didnt touch timing, nor tps. prior to the emissions removal, it ran perfect, but you you never know. i cant start it for long since my neighbor complains so much within the first 5 min, but ill still try to work on it tomorrow

ACR_RX-7

iTrader: (1)

During the emissions removal, make sure you don't have any vacuum leaks or any lines routed incorrectly. I did that to my old FB and it ran like crap, until I sorted out that I was pulling full vacuum through the crankcase

ivegonemad

ill find time to double check it but for sure the tps might need adjustment



not much progress due to helping my cousin with his car, and im currently moving as well, so no time for mine hopefully this weekend i will find time to put the fd side skirts back on and weld a muffler on the exhaust, as well as to register the car and smog

ivegonemad

well yesterday i picked up a roll cage from circuit theory, its a 6 pt for a rhd but still couldnt beat the price, plus no one was selling any and i wanted it now...ill be sanding it and re-painting it tomorrow and ill be installing it next week pics tomorrow

ivegonemad

finally a pic! so here's the cage painted ready for install next week hopefully by tuesday itll go in the car but im debating whether if i should keep the interior or not ill have time to think about it. Also im taking the car to get a a muffler installed tomorrow, its way to stupid loud and i have no back pressure at all. hopefully by the end of the week ill be driving if all goes well

ivegonemad

Finally got around to getting cage in the car and I'll be taking it to work to do the last finishing touches; cutting the carpet around cage legs, drilling holes and bolting it up, cutting panels that's not a for sure thing cuz I want to keep my interior but we'll see, I have to clean my rear carpet again due to my cat pissing on it

Had help from my brother....eventually he'll be inheriting this car...








Next thing on the list is getting that diagonal bar that goes from the main to the driver strut tower, but the carbs should be here soon, also I ordered another diffuser from shine auto since my buddy was pressuring me to sell mine also I ordered v8 roadster frame rails not much happening so far just waiting

By any chance, I was curious of doing a transmission/diff oil cooler? ? Any info would great

ACR_RX-7

iTrader: (1)

You might want to save your pennies there, bud.

GXAC-UTC002 GEAR-X TRANSMISSION COOLER KIT ? Special Projects Motor Sports

You can always assemble one cheaper, but this is how to go about it.

ivegonemad

yea, i have some spare oil lines and all and an oil cooler somewhere in my storage iirc, i can get a pump from work, and the rest that's why i was kinda looking into for a bit but it wont be until its a fully dedicated track car till then its just ideas

thanks for the link tho but damn those pre assembled kits are pricey for what they are