My free 88 Turbo II.
 

I don't want spill too many details but I basically got this from a friend who had left it in his dads garage for 10 years.

The good when I got it:

• Former Cali car
• Mostly complete condition
• Misc mods
• Tires held air pretty well only had to fill them up a little bit
• was relatively safe inside a garage

The bad when I got it:

• Although it was a former Cali car, my friend drove it through winter a couple years. Some underbody rust but it is mostly minor.
• Missing some basic things like a stereo, battery, flash to pass lenses, and an air filter. Air filter was missing because it had some janky looking custom intercooler kit and there was no room for an air filter
• Intercooler kit hung low and was obviously bottomed out once or twice. Uneven in grill. Also had a metal clip holding an HKS BOV on.
• Misc mods. I know this can also be a plus but although I got some of the information about what was on the car from my friend, he bought the car with all this done already. Between his memory and the janky low quality mods on the car this had plenty of drawbacks. Been slowly figuring out whats what. Although my account is old I never had an RX7 myself, only my friends. New to the platform.
• Although the tires held air I didn't feel safe driving on tires that sat 10 years.
• 210k on the odomotor. No idea if this is accurate.
• Tons of misc lines were unhooked. Things were deleted but not entirely. PS, AC lines, and washer lines.
• Rear quarter panel damaged pretty good on drivers side. Bondo'ed
• Worst rear hatch tint job ever. Can't see crap.
• Sunroof rust and barely working / assist required
• Cracked S5 Drivers side light.
• Questionable wiring and plenty of things I had to figure out what the previous owners did

Before starting I reached out to my RX7 owning friends for advice on getting it running. I did an oil change, put oil in the plug holes, and added coolant. After getting it a battery it fired up surprisingly easy! Here is the very first start up in 10 years. After driving it home (it made it), I did compression test it. All 90's. I'm sure the coolant jackets are gunked up or rusted.

Pictures the first time I got to see it before working on it.
https://i.imgur.com/QVaqQMJh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Ymmz5qsh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/GFIHSGMh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/27wknlEh.jpg





Here is now.
https://i.imgur.com/rj7cGJuh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/eXJdT1kh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/LxrWxhoh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/9JIuLhvh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/wheq387h.jpg

Some minor before and after pictures of the engine bay, intercooler, and headlights.
https://i.imgur.com/cslT4eWh.png
https://i.imgur.com/9ROIkYwh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/KmSNOkyh.jpg

Mod list:
⦁ Hybrid Turbo (unconfirmed) Going to switch this to a S5 BNR Turbo/manifold. Right now it does not have the vacuum line hooked up for the S4 actuator to spool quicker.
⦁ Mild Street Port S5 Keg (uncofnrimed)
⦁ Rtek 1.7 (confirmed) Switched to Rtek 2.1. Started up and selected the preset injector sizes that 1.7 had but that's it. Car is put away for winter.
⦁ 550 Primary, RC 720 secondaries (confirmed)
⦁ aftermarket puck clutch and short throw shifter (unconfirmed but very likely)
⦁ AC/PS/Added Spare delete/Added Rats Nest delete/Added Antenna delete/Added washer fluid res delete
⦁ Custom or Greddy knock off IC Kit Switched to CXRacing FMIC kit. I did this early because I wanted to run an air filter and fix the crappy fitment.
⦁ Added Fuel Pump rewire
⦁ Walbro or FD fuel pump (uncofirmed) I will check this in spring
⦁ Autometer Narrowband Switched to Autometer Sport Comp Wideband
⦁ Added Autometer Mechanical Boost Gauge
⦁ Added MBC Replacing with an EBC
⦁ Cross drilled and slotted rotors
⦁ SS Brake lines
⦁ 3+" DP back single exit exhaust
⦁ Added NGK Plugs and Wires
⦁ Added OMP Delete
⦁ Koyo Rad (confirmed)
⦁ Samco upper rad hose (confirmed)
⦁ Tons of other Misc delete kits I didn't do and don't know all of them
⦁ Added Odssey 680 AGM Battery (15 lbs)
⦁ Added Corksport Front lip
⦁ Added RX Project Type IV RE Carbon Fiber Replica
⦁ Added 17x9 +22 white rpf1's (17.9 lbs) 245's in front 255's in rear
⦁ Added gorollia blue achorn lugs
⦁ Added charcoal cansiter delete
⦁ Added uel pressure damper delete Didn't want an engine fire. I found a all metal alternative suggested here on the forums but after I already installed the delete. I will get that in spring.
⦁ Added LED headlights
⦁ Lowjack anti-car theft. Found this when I was doing my spoiler. I'd google if you aren't familiar. Very old model of course.
⦁ Added Brand new flash to pass lenses One of my favorite features of the FC so one of the first things I ordered!


What's next?

• Rebuild and powder coat calipers the same color blue as the lugs
• As stated above BNR S5 Turbo and Manifold
• PBM Suspension and subframe bushings
• CF Hatch and Lexan rear window
• Titanium Exhaust
• Shine front fenders
• RE Shift knob. Already ordered.
• RE Skirts and Rear diffuser
• CF Sunroof and CF Turbo II duct. Already ordered. Thinking about doing the entire roof in CF and selling the CF sunroof. Also thinking about doing an RE Turbo II duct instead.
• Headlight cover duct. Already ordered.
• Half cage eventually
• Manual rack or depowered. Car has the PS rack but its not hooked up to anything.
• Stereo
• Body restoration and paint.
• Blue Turbo II decals instead of read. Already have them.
• Rebuild will probably be needed eventually I'm sure.

Just want a light weight fun and simple car! I'd be happy with the car at a light weight on a stock turbo around 350whp. That's the goal! Low budget as I said, but I do have a modified G37 I've been debating selling. I am still a newbie! So if anything I did looks questionable I'm still learning! I got it in March of this year.

Wow... what a score, look forward to the progress on this one.

Congrats, that is indeed a score if I've ever seen one

It sounds like you found that FPD thread, lol. I'd prioritize putting an FPD on when you can since you have a T2

If you're looking to ID the block (everything bolted to it looks S4, i.e. thermostat neck), easiest way to do that is to look for the knock sensor. S4, it's in the middle iron, S5, it's on the rotor housing. The picture is of an S4 NA block, so it doesn't have the hole tapped for either, but I couldn't find another image of this exact angle. As for whether it's streetported, you probably can't tell without opening the engine

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...ccffb3f7b5.png

Agreed that brand new FTP lenses look amazing. The JDM DRL version is high on my want but can't spare the funds for list

Sorry to butt back in, but this important part was brought up and I just want to clarify for the record. I too don't want my car burning down.

Is this "all metal" version of the pulsation damper the Herko PR4188 mentioned in this thread
I think i need to address this so I don't worry about it.

That is where I got the idea, yes. It seemed like after much debate when that information was provided a delete kit was made irrelevant. Wish I would have known about that before installing it, but oh well!

cool car!

if you wanted to go the extra mile with ID'ing the engine, the intermediate housings all have casting letters
i don't know all of them, but a JDM S4 is G,G,G, the US S4 has a different center because of the EGR, not sure what it is.
the S5 is D, ?, D

the S5 rotor housings have the knock sensor bosses
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...8da37a4cf1.jpg

nice car.

i have a question about your wheels. i know they are 9-inch wheels, but i'm curious. are they just bolted on or do you have spacers with them?

No spacers. I found a thread of others here rocking the same offset. Most ran smaller tires and if you are lowered you'd probably have to in the front, or have some camber. I plan on getting shine wide fenders in the front for when I eventually lower it. No issues so far, but I did pull and roll a little, and I'm not lowered.

Got a good deal on both of these! Not sure when I'll put them in yet. Shine fenders ($300 locally!). And some PBM parts from a member here.
https://i.imgur.com/GbcJdvhh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/1RPLYcEh.jpg

Car was put away all winter. Sadly I decided to finish my other car before going crazy with money on this one. So it's going to be small upgrades for now. I did get a new shift knob. I know I had a cool old school greddy knob, but it wasn't going for the color I'm trying to add to the car. This one is aluminum from suremotorsports. I did find out that the shifter is the same pitch as an S5, so possibly has an S5 trans for some reason?
https://i.imgur.com/HkHmvk2h.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/0bH9o37h.jpg

Any chance it has a short throw shifter? I think they're all normally built with the S5 knob thread

Yeah there is a good chance it does. I'll take the boot off and look. That makes a lot of sense!

Rewired my fuel pump, re-did all the grounds, eliminated some more parts, painted my calipers (on the car, this is only temporary), switched hatches to get rid of the bad tint job, deleted rear wiper. Just some random pictures of some of the progress. What's next? Probably sunroof repair, mine doesn't work well at all.

https://i.imgur.com/Lsa8NXch.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/TsBxoCEh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Sh0V270h.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/dUOSbiIh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/IGoXQDqh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Y7F1gMeh.jpg

ive found that the type of lube in the sunroof makes a big difference, and i'd recommend you try the Shin Etsu stuff (and then slobber it all over anything rubber, its magic stuff)
type in the Honda part number, its available everywhere
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...41fa01c40a.png

Here is the old hatch before and after. I also finally got my cf sunroof and cf duct from retrospec (10 months wait).

https://i.imgur.com/R7d77SSh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/6NXJIiVh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/eBp7oOyh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/RKT6pGnh.jpg

Very nice! That's quite a score!

Looking forward to continued progress.

Nice car! Free is best, I remember when rx7s were sub $1000 for a non-runner, now you would be lucky to find a shell for 3k.

Good luck on the RE reverse scoop. I have looked for half a decade and one came up for sale in 2011 for $150 bucks and I regret not buying it then...

I commissioned a 3D printer designer to model a factory scoop and try to emulate a RE style reverse vent one and I am waiting to hear back about the proof of concept.

how about this one? https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp...on/v1134691608