Project OldTree: The 12 Days of Rotormas
03-14-14, 03:36 PM
#428
Deep Impact, and now the 5th Most Viewed FC Worldwide
So today I decided to take a deeper look from inside at the damaged areas on the car. What I found is best illustrated in these four pictures:
Everything outside of the license plate light area is deformed, bent downward and inward towards the most deformed area
The bolted-on steel plate is supposed to be underneath the bumper cover. You can also see how the "RX-7" badge isn't straight anymore.
All of the mounting studs minus those nearest the license plate light are torn out of the taillight housing
This shows just how tough the FC really is at the B-pillar. The outer layer is crumpled from the impact, but the middle layer only has two slight creases and the inner layer of sheetmetal is completely untouched.
What surprised me wasn't the extent of this damage, but the fact that the spare tire jack well is COMPLETELY INTACT with the innermost body sheetmetal only being buckled 3-4mm at the weakest part
Considering how the City of Columbus only occasionally plowed, but never did not salt the streets where both hit & runs occured, leaving a solid sheet of ice underneath the visible snow, this is the root cause of what has occured. Per instruction from Gregory M Carr, the Manager of Columbus's 311 Service Center, I have obtained two estimates, from Germain Mazda and Byers Mazda, and a third opinion from Bob-Boyd Mazda, all of which concur with the extent of damage indicated in the pictures. Germain's estimate was to the tune of $19,288.07 and 19 days in the shop, Byers weighed in at $19,574.03 and Bob-Boyd stated that Germain's estimate was quite thorough, but one wouldn't know the true extent untill they jump in, a perfectly rational and logical approach that I agree 110% with. These items have been submitted with Claim# 1402193488, which you may follow at this link or by calling (614) 645-3111: CITY OF COLUMBUS 311
I have audited both estimates against each other to see that Byers's estimate lacks any frame alignment rack time at all, and includes the use of 4-lug FB01 suspension/brake parts instead of the correct FB05 GXL/TII parts, making up the difference in such costs with padded mechanical labor to allay suspicion to all but the most trained eyes.
Coincidentally, while getting the estimate at Germain, a young guy in a Mazdaspeed 6 was having issues with his car behaving oddly after having the rear bumper replaced and painted. They said it was the battery, but it didn't sound right to me as a sketchy battery would show up on every circuit and with a simple voltage test. So I did the good samaritan thing and took a listen. Searching idle, AFRs all over the place on his wideband and running like a dog, so I pinned it as a vacuum leak. Turns out I was the 3rd person to say the exact same thing. When he asked how I figured it out in under a minute, I gave him a quick rundown of my build, and how to find it. He was quite impressed.
Everything outside of the license plate light area is deformed, bent downward and inward towards the most deformed area
The bolted-on steel plate is supposed to be underneath the bumper cover. You can also see how the "RX-7" badge isn't straight anymore.
All of the mounting studs minus those nearest the license plate light are torn out of the taillight housing
This shows just how tough the FC really is at the B-pillar. The outer layer is crumpled from the impact, but the middle layer only has two slight creases and the inner layer of sheetmetal is completely untouched.
What surprised me wasn't the extent of this damage, but the fact that the spare tire jack well is COMPLETELY INTACT with the innermost body sheetmetal only being buckled 3-4mm at the weakest part
Considering how the City of Columbus only occasionally plowed, but never did not salt the streets where both hit & runs occured, leaving a solid sheet of ice underneath the visible snow, this is the root cause of what has occured. Per instruction from Gregory M Carr, the Manager of Columbus's 311 Service Center, I have obtained two estimates, from Germain Mazda and Byers Mazda, and a third opinion from Bob-Boyd Mazda, all of which concur with the extent of damage indicated in the pictures. Germain's estimate was to the tune of $19,288.07 and 19 days in the shop, Byers weighed in at $19,574.03 and Bob-Boyd stated that Germain's estimate was quite thorough, but one wouldn't know the true extent untill they jump in, a perfectly rational and logical approach that I agree 110% with. These items have been submitted with Claim# 1402193488, which you may follow at this link or by calling (614) 645-3111: CITY OF COLUMBUS 311
I have audited both estimates against each other to see that Byers's estimate lacks any frame alignment rack time at all, and includes the use of 4-lug FB01 suspension/brake parts instead of the correct FB05 GXL/TII parts, making up the difference in such costs with padded mechanical labor to allay suspicion to all but the most trained eyes.
Coincidentally, while getting the estimate at Germain, a young guy in a Mazdaspeed 6 was having issues with his car behaving oddly after having the rear bumper replaced and painted. They said it was the battery, but it didn't sound right to me as a sketchy battery would show up on every circuit and with a simple voltage test. So I did the good samaritan thing and took a listen. Searching idle, AFRs all over the place on his wideband and running like a dog, so I pinned it as a vacuum leak. Turns out I was the 3rd person to say the exact same thing. When he asked how I figured it out in under a minute, I gave him a quick rundown of my build, and how to find it. He was quite impressed.
Last edited by Akagis_white_comet; 03-14-14 at 03:39 PM. Reason: Revised Title
03-22-14, 09:10 PM
#429
So It Begins
So today, one of my best buds came by, we broke out the angle grinder, did some exploratory surgery and...GOT THE DOOR OPEN! Much to both of our surprise, the B-pillar is almost perfectly intact in the areas concealed by the door from a structural standpoint.
As for the door itself, here's the first glimpse of the damage that's hidden from view when it is closed:
Here's the hole that made it possible, about 3"x4":
And the inside, minus the inner door panel:
Finally discovered why the window wouldn't lower, it was hitting the reinforcement bar:
Armed with the trusty come-along, a chain and a couple bolts, the car was turned around, hooked up to the big old tree in my backyard and started cranking on it using all of the holes from the previous owner's bodgery, conveniently concealed by the now-gone 1/4" thick layer of body filler. Notice the BIG kink under the "7" in the RX-7 badge. The entire corner needs pulled & hammered upward or replaced.
So here we are now:
It took some effort to get everything working again, but right as it was about to be closed up, one of the lock rods broke and the latch refused to operate anymore. I think the latch has bought the farm.
I'd like to take this time to reiterate that it was the latch being broken was what was holding the door shut. As far as I can tell, the door opening is within spec. This is a testament to how amazingly tough the FC is. Its power rating is OVER 9000!
Now, onto another matter. I called up Gregory Carr today and he informed me that my claim with the City of Columbus (#1402193488) was forwarded to the Columbus City Attorney, and that I should ask to speak to Ashiko Hudson. When I spoke with him today via his direct line, (614) 645-8603, Mr. Hudson assured me that they will have an answer next week.
Here's a link to the claim:
CITY OF COLUMBUS 311
I'll let you know of any updates as soon as I receive them.
As for the door itself, here's the first glimpse of the damage that's hidden from view when it is closed:
Here's the hole that made it possible, about 3"x4":
And the inside, minus the inner door panel:
Finally discovered why the window wouldn't lower, it was hitting the reinforcement bar:
Armed with the trusty come-along, a chain and a couple bolts, the car was turned around, hooked up to the big old tree in my backyard and started cranking on it using all of the holes from the previous owner's bodgery, conveniently concealed by the now-gone 1/4" thick layer of body filler. Notice the BIG kink under the "7" in the RX-7 badge. The entire corner needs pulled & hammered upward or replaced.
So here we are now:
It took some effort to get everything working again, but right as it was about to be closed up, one of the lock rods broke and the latch refused to operate anymore. I think the latch has bought the farm.
I'd like to take this time to reiterate that it was the latch being broken was what was holding the door shut. As far as I can tell, the door opening is within spec. This is a testament to how amazingly tough the FC is. Its power rating is OVER 9000!
Now, onto another matter. I called up Gregory Carr today and he informed me that my claim with the City of Columbus (#1402193488) was forwarded to the Columbus City Attorney, and that I should ask to speak to Ashiko Hudson. When I spoke with him today via his direct line, (614) 645-8603, Mr. Hudson assured me that they will have an answer next week.
Here's a link to the claim:
CITY OF COLUMBUS 311
I'll let you know of any updates as soon as I receive them.
04-26-14, 12:27 AM
#431
And now it begins...
I appreciate the good cheer from everyone whom, despite the situation, has contributed positively to turning this mess around. The City Attorney has shirked responsibility unilaterally with a claim of unbelievable audaity in that they wanted to argue physics and mechanical function, claiming that the braking system on a more-than-likely neglected GMT400 Suburban (weighing nearly 3 tons) was perfectly capable of stopping said vehicle every single time at its stated distance at the stated speed under the same conditions.
Let's not forget that this is the same office whom refused to charge the suspect with GTA, lack of FR Coverage or fleeing the scene of three Hit & Run accidents, and the system whom did not sentence said suspect to jail or even a fine. I was tempted to ask how many dicks that person sucked in a row to get their job. Probably 37...thousand
After that lunacy, I needed something to reaffirm logic and reason. So I rented the coolant system pressure test kit from Advance Auto Parts and gave the system a long test. What I'm about to say is something that anyone with a car will laugh at: It leaked at EVERY SINGLE HOSE CLAMP. I couldn't believe it either, every clamp felt nice and tight but leaked as soon as the system was pressurized to 15psi. So each one got cranked down tighter and the leaks were finally gone!
Since the car has been a real PITA to put into gear, one of the clutch hydraulics had most likely given up. A quick look showed it was the Slave Cylinder that was leaking, presumably because of age and unknown beginning condition. So both the Clutch Master & Slave Cylinder got replaced just to cover all bases. Also put new crush washers at both ends of the hydraulic line and gave the new SC a speedbleeder. 5 minutes of pumping the pedal made it work just like it should. Only problem is that biking everywhere had boosted my strength so I wasn't sure if it was properly bled or not. It just felt too easy despite the ACT Heavy Duty pressure plate.
This got me thinking about how to permanently solve the "I keep blowing clutch hydraulic parts" problem once and for all. Turns out there's a 'dimensional' design flaw that makes it nearly impossible to rebuild the SC and have it be reliable, hence why Mazdatrix doesn't recommend such. This is very reminiscent of what plagues Toyota ZZ engines as well. And if you know how ADHD works, one thought led to another, then to another and another and the result is something AMAZING.
On a really cool note, as of today, I am now employed by Internet Brands to write technical articles for various forums. I'd like to give a big thank you to Nolan and John at IB for pulling a few strings to help me keep the awesomeness coming for all to enjoy. This new job has given me some interesting new ideas for my car that I'll finally be able to start putting into action. One such bit of cleverness is a simple way to eliminate the fir tree interior trim clips such as those used on the rear side carpets. Anyone who has removed these knows how much of a PITA they are to extract without damaging the carpet. On my car, they will be eliminated permanently with a simple yet elegant replacement.
Something that has always bothered me with one project I wish to undertake, a T56 Conversion, is that most people either use a Dakota Digital or Cable X converter box. This just seems poorly executed to me, converting a mechanical signal to electronic and then BACK to mechanical. If there's one thing I dislike, it is unnecessary self-defeating signal conversions. So I got to thinking that somewhere in automotive history that such a problem was encountered and overcome on an OEM scale...
What I found was that the answer lies in our cars' extended family: the Probe!
It turns out that Ford, GM AND Chrysler all played around with dual outputs from the transmission in the late 80s & early 90s. Ford & GM did so on their pony cars' and their four door siblings equipped with automatics and T5s, which are quite similar to the T56. Chrysler did a dual output on the 1986 Omni GLHS as well. See the wheels turning now?
I have solved the FC's Speedometer dilemma when retrofitting a T56 into a FC, WITHOUT using the aforementioned adapter boxes. It is not 100% done yet, but I will keep everyone posted on what is yet to come.
Let's not forget that this is the same office whom refused to charge the suspect with GTA, lack of FR Coverage or fleeing the scene of three Hit & Run accidents, and the system whom did not sentence said suspect to jail or even a fine. I was tempted to ask how many dicks that person sucked in a row to get their job. Probably 37...thousand
After that lunacy, I needed something to reaffirm logic and reason. So I rented the coolant system pressure test kit from Advance Auto Parts and gave the system a long test. What I'm about to say is something that anyone with a car will laugh at: It leaked at EVERY SINGLE HOSE CLAMP. I couldn't believe it either, every clamp felt nice and tight but leaked as soon as the system was pressurized to 15psi. So each one got cranked down tighter and the leaks were finally gone!
Since the car has been a real PITA to put into gear, one of the clutch hydraulics had most likely given up. A quick look showed it was the Slave Cylinder that was leaking, presumably because of age and unknown beginning condition. So both the Clutch Master & Slave Cylinder got replaced just to cover all bases. Also put new crush washers at both ends of the hydraulic line and gave the new SC a speedbleeder. 5 minutes of pumping the pedal made it work just like it should. Only problem is that biking everywhere had boosted my strength so I wasn't sure if it was properly bled or not. It just felt too easy despite the ACT Heavy Duty pressure plate.
This got me thinking about how to permanently solve the "I keep blowing clutch hydraulic parts" problem once and for all. Turns out there's a 'dimensional' design flaw that makes it nearly impossible to rebuild the SC and have it be reliable, hence why Mazdatrix doesn't recommend such. This is very reminiscent of what plagues Toyota ZZ engines as well. And if you know how ADHD works, one thought led to another, then to another and another and the result is something AMAZING.
On a really cool note, as of today, I am now employed by Internet Brands to write technical articles for various forums. I'd like to give a big thank you to Nolan and John at IB for pulling a few strings to help me keep the awesomeness coming for all to enjoy. This new job has given me some interesting new ideas for my car that I'll finally be able to start putting into action. One such bit of cleverness is a simple way to eliminate the fir tree interior trim clips such as those used on the rear side carpets. Anyone who has removed these knows how much of a PITA they are to extract without damaging the carpet. On my car, they will be eliminated permanently with a simple yet elegant replacement.
Something that has always bothered me with one project I wish to undertake, a T56 Conversion, is that most people either use a Dakota Digital or Cable X converter box. This just seems poorly executed to me, converting a mechanical signal to electronic and then BACK to mechanical. If there's one thing I dislike, it is unnecessary self-defeating signal conversions. So I got to thinking that somewhere in automotive history that such a problem was encountered and overcome on an OEM scale...
What I found was that the answer lies in our cars' extended family: the Probe!
It turns out that Ford, GM AND Chrysler all played around with dual outputs from the transmission in the late 80s & early 90s. Ford & GM did so on their pony cars' and their four door siblings equipped with automatics and T5s, which are quite similar to the T56. Chrysler did a dual output on the 1986 Omni GLHS as well. See the wheels turning now?
I have solved the FC's Speedometer dilemma when retrofitting a T56 into a FC, WITHOUT using the aforementioned adapter boxes. It is not 100% done yet, but I will keep everyone posted on what is yet to come.
05-02-14, 01:15 PM
#432
And now it EDITED
Everyone, I would like to say thank you for all of your support throughout this project. Fate has chosen a path I do not wish to endure anymore, so I am choosing to EDITED
I make this decision of my own free will, and of sound mind and reasoning. The system has denied, declined and refused all means of my survival at every turn, and I will not make myself endure this anymore. I am being evicted from my home because of this systematic refusal of rights, and I have lost the will to EDITED without an answer to how I can EDITED. I owe my landlord $900 at this point, but I have no means of paying it at all.
My phone bill is past due and may be shut off at any time as well. I owe T-mobile $86 and cannot pay.
My princess, Trula Marie Rockwell, believes that I wished to isolate and control her which is not true. She is the one person whom I trusted with knowing me, the REAL me on the inside. from the first time we talked, I knew she was the one I was destined to marry. Because of the fearmongering and jealousy of her Narcissistic best friend, Kallie Daniele Eitel, that brainwashed Trula to being isolated by Kallie, and the blind actions of her mother, Jeanne Carter, acting as Kallie's unwitting pawn, Trula now hates me.
Since August 18th, the only thing that has kept me alive was hope that Trula would somehow be de-brainwashed and return to her normal self. Now I must accept that will never happen. I cannot go EDITED. Continuing on would be the definition of Insanity. With that said, I am choosing to EDITED.
Trula, I love you.
I make this decision of my own free will, and of sound mind and reasoning. The system has denied, declined and refused all means of my survival at every turn, and I will not make myself endure this anymore. I am being evicted from my home because of this systematic refusal of rights, and I have lost the will to EDITED without an answer to how I can EDITED. I owe my landlord $900 at this point, but I have no means of paying it at all.
My phone bill is past due and may be shut off at any time as well. I owe T-mobile $86 and cannot pay.
My princess, Trula Marie Rockwell, believes that I wished to isolate and control her which is not true. She is the one person whom I trusted with knowing me, the REAL me on the inside. from the first time we talked, I knew she was the one I was destined to marry. Because of the fearmongering and jealousy of her Narcissistic best friend, Kallie Daniele Eitel, that brainwashed Trula to being isolated by Kallie, and the blind actions of her mother, Jeanne Carter, acting as Kallie's unwitting pawn, Trula now hates me.
Since August 18th, the only thing that has kept me alive was hope that Trula would somehow be de-brainwashed and return to her normal self. Now I must accept that will never happen. I cannot go EDITED. Continuing on would be the definition of Insanity. With that said, I am choosing to EDITED.
Trula, I love you.
Last edited by Akagis_white_comet; 05-04-14 at 07:45 PM.
05-22-14, 06:40 AM
#437
I am still here, and I want it known that I considered taking my own life earlier this month.
Now I am 3 months behind on my rent ($450/month), plus court/eviction fees ($130). My phone was shut off, I have shutoff notices for every bill now, averaging $175 each, an empty fridge, and I'm down to my last $2. I can't get a job that pays anywhere near enough, can't get to a job because of what that ******* davis did to my car, can't get unemployment (illegally denied) and welfare is just too slow and not enough to do a damn thing.
My entire life has been built on overcoming the one-in-a-million odds against me. But this situation is the culmination of several one-in-a-million failures all happening simultaneously and overlapping each other. It's just too much, even for me and I've always been one to find the tiny chance of making something work against all odds.
So as much as I despise asking for help, I've no choice but to ask publicly for help in righting myself. I cannot repay financially, but what I can do is get information on any subject faster than anyone else can. Thanks to this, I've designed a D585 ignition coil conversion kit for FCs and FDs using the stock N3xx ECUs. The FC's coil & igniter toggle system works identically to a common IC that I've been playing around with on another project (re-purposed FC vert headrest audio switches), the 4013 Flip-flop chip. With a little time, I can even rework the schematic to adapt D585s to GSL-SEs too.
Also, I have discovered something that will make T56 conversions much simpler. Just by taking a look into automotive history, I found that GM, Ford & Chrysler all made speedometer senders with both Electronic AND Mechanical outputs in a single part. It was in the mid-late 80s and early 90s during the digital dashboard era. Even the speedometer gears that would be needed on our cars are regular, common, dirt-cheap, off-the-shelf SN95 Ford Mustang parts. Here's a reminder of what any donations are going into:
Where I started from:
Where I am now:
If anyone wants to make a difference, my paypal address is cd9asherwood@yahoo.com. The goal is $2500 by June 1st.
thanks,
Travis
Now I am 3 months behind on my rent ($450/month), plus court/eviction fees ($130). My phone was shut off, I have shutoff notices for every bill now, averaging $175 each, an empty fridge, and I'm down to my last $2. I can't get a job that pays anywhere near enough, can't get to a job because of what that ******* davis did to my car, can't get unemployment (illegally denied) and welfare is just too slow and not enough to do a damn thing.
My entire life has been built on overcoming the one-in-a-million odds against me. But this situation is the culmination of several one-in-a-million failures all happening simultaneously and overlapping each other. It's just too much, even for me and I've always been one to find the tiny chance of making something work against all odds.
So as much as I despise asking for help, I've no choice but to ask publicly for help in righting myself. I cannot repay financially, but what I can do is get information on any subject faster than anyone else can. Thanks to this, I've designed a D585 ignition coil conversion kit for FCs and FDs using the stock N3xx ECUs. The FC's coil & igniter toggle system works identically to a common IC that I've been playing around with on another project (re-purposed FC vert headrest audio switches), the 4013 Flip-flop chip. With a little time, I can even rework the schematic to adapt D585s to GSL-SEs too.
Also, I have discovered something that will make T56 conversions much simpler. Just by taking a look into automotive history, I found that GM, Ford & Chrysler all made speedometer senders with both Electronic AND Mechanical outputs in a single part. It was in the mid-late 80s and early 90s during the digital dashboard era. Even the speedometer gears that would be needed on our cars are regular, common, dirt-cheap, off-the-shelf SN95 Ford Mustang parts. Here's a reminder of what any donations are going into:
Where I started from:
Where I am now:
If anyone wants to make a difference, my paypal address is cd9asherwood@yahoo.com. The goal is $2500 by June 1st.
thanks,
Travis
Last edited by Akagis_white_comet; 05-24-14 at 11:07 AM. Reason: grammar/spelling
05-24-14, 11:14 AM
#439
I started a donation campaign on GoFundMe as well to help spread the word and included a video explaining what is going on here:
Stop my eviction, RX7Club Mod in need by Travis Sherwood - GoFundMe
Currently has $40 donated via Paypal from a good fellow here. Thanks Ian!
As a reward for donations over $100, I'm offering custom designed circuit schematics for any automotive project. Whether it be power window relay mods, Arduino based fan controllers to operate a 2-speed Taurus fan with A/C & Speed-based inputs with a Corvette coolant temperature sensor, Power Lock conversions using common, off-the-shelf Ford parts, the only limit is your imagination.
This is just my way of saying thanks
Stop my eviction, RX7Club Mod in need by Travis Sherwood - GoFundMe
Currently has $40 donated via Paypal from a good fellow here. Thanks Ian!
As a reward for donations over $100, I'm offering custom designed circuit schematics for any automotive project. Whether it be power window relay mods, Arduino based fan controllers to operate a 2-speed Taurus fan with A/C & Speed-based inputs with a Corvette coolant temperature sensor, Power Lock conversions using common, off-the-shelf Ford parts, the only limit is your imagination.
This is just my way of saying thanks
Last edited by Akagis_white_comet; 05-24-14 at 12:05 PM.
06-05-14, 11:54 AM
#440
Can you see me now???
I haven't been evicted, thanks to everyone whom donated to my cause. However, I am still behind on monthly bills. Phone is off, gas is off, electric will be shut off in 8 days on the 13th, water can be cut anytime and so on.
So I'm offering a small, yet essential bit of cleverness to all of my fellow FC owners. When I ducted the radiator temporarily, I had to take apart the headlights and found the passenger side motor had stripped one of its internal gears, stopping halfway up every time. Then the driver's side headlight practically fell out into my hands as some of its adjuster hardware was missing.
As some of you may know, certain parts are becoming difficult to find, unreasonably expensive or are being discontinued. One such case is the headlight alignment parts, namely the screws, grommet nuts and springs. The last time I dealt with these parts a few years ago, I found out that the springs were backordered by Mazda with an unknown ETA. As for the screws, the average dealer prices are just plain ridiculous as demonstrated by Mazda Parts - Authentic OEM Mazda Parts direct from Jim Ellis Mazda | Jim Ellis Mazda
FB01-51-037 for bottom adjuster screw: 3.88, 2 required ($7.76 total)
FB01-51-047 for side adjuster screw: 3.16 each, 2 required ($6.32 total)
FB01-51-036 for adjuster spring: $3.91 each, but are now NLA! ($7.82 but still SOL!)
0483-66-061A for Grommet Nut: $4.08 each, 4 required ($16.32 total)
Total: $38.22, plus tax/shipping
Suffice to say, this is completely unacceptable. So I found a better way using Dorman# 42117 (screws) and Handi-pack #88199 (spring). These are parts you can find anywhere, fit like stock and are cheap. The screws cost me $4.29 for two, with the grommet nuts included (and are long enough to fit either side or bottom locations!), the spring was $1 each and everything went in just peachy. The aftermarket spring is a bit lighter than the stock one, but I am not sure how it will effect aiming them in the real world yet. When I pulled lightly on the driver's side light which has the aftermarket spring, it felt about the same as the passenger side one with the original Mazda spring.
Another problem solved
So I'm offering a small, yet essential bit of cleverness to all of my fellow FC owners. When I ducted the radiator temporarily, I had to take apart the headlights and found the passenger side motor had stripped one of its internal gears, stopping halfway up every time. Then the driver's side headlight practically fell out into my hands as some of its adjuster hardware was missing.
As some of you may know, certain parts are becoming difficult to find, unreasonably expensive or are being discontinued. One such case is the headlight alignment parts, namely the screws, grommet nuts and springs. The last time I dealt with these parts a few years ago, I found out that the springs were backordered by Mazda with an unknown ETA. As for the screws, the average dealer prices are just plain ridiculous as demonstrated by Mazda Parts - Authentic OEM Mazda Parts direct from Jim Ellis Mazda | Jim Ellis Mazda
FB01-51-037 for bottom adjuster screw: 3.88, 2 required ($7.76 total)
FB01-51-047 for side adjuster screw: 3.16 each, 2 required ($6.32 total)
FB01-51-036 for adjuster spring: $3.91 each, but are now NLA! ($7.82 but still SOL!)
0483-66-061A for Grommet Nut: $4.08 each, 4 required ($16.32 total)
Total: $38.22, plus tax/shipping
Suffice to say, this is completely unacceptable. So I found a better way using Dorman# 42117 (screws) and Handi-pack #88199 (spring). These are parts you can find anywhere, fit like stock and are cheap. The screws cost me $4.29 for two, with the grommet nuts included (and are long enough to fit either side or bottom locations!), the spring was $1 each and everything went in just peachy. The aftermarket spring is a bit lighter than the stock one, but I am not sure how it will effect aiming them in the real world yet. When I pulled lightly on the driver's side light which has the aftermarket spring, it felt about the same as the passenger side one with the original Mazda spring.
Another problem solved
06-29-14, 05:25 PM
#441
So I finally got motivated to do some more hammering on the car today. After removing the bumper cover, I tried pulling the reinforcement bar and all of the underside bolts (M8x1.25 thread, 12mm hex) either broke or stripped 
But with a little ingenuity and a previously damaged reinforcement bar, the come-along, jack and a few blocks of 2x4 and a wooden garden stake (Thanks Mom!), I got things coming together a lot better here.
The rear bar is straight again and 7 of the 8 mounting holes line up with the studs, so I put in the new taillight
For a home based bodge job, that's pretty damn good to get it about 1/2" from flush at the most crumpled area
It's still not 'pretty' from the side, but it's street legal yet again.
All in all, not too shabby for an afternoon's effort by a single person.
But with a little ingenuity and a previously damaged reinforcement bar, the come-along, jack and a few blocks of 2x4 and a wooden garden stake (Thanks Mom!), I got things coming together a lot better here.
The rear bar is straight again and 7 of the 8 mounting holes line up with the studs, so I put in the new taillight
For a home based bodge job, that's pretty damn good to get it about 1/2" from flush at the most crumpled area
It's still not 'pretty' from the side, but it's street legal yet again.
All in all, not too shabby for an afternoon's effort by a single person.
07-21-14, 12:05 PM
#442
Seeing is Believing
Well friends, it's time for another update on Project OldTree. This part is a LONG overdue project, but necessity has motivated me to get it done now as the passenger headlight motor has a stripped gear and stalls halfway between raised and lowered.
As we all know, the FC's H6054 headlights leave much to be desired, even when they're new. As funds have been especially tight since my mom died, this has delayed the eventual HID Conversion to an unknown date. But there is hope, my friends. A few months before my mom died, I found a pair of driving lights that fit the car's style and period quite well, possessing a striking resemblance to the Finish Line and Japan-spec 86-88 fog lights. For $15, it was worth giving them a shot. But since that purchase, I've been in a quandary about how to mount them properly and intelligently untill now. They're on the car now, attached using existing holes on the bumper support via a pair of flat brackets, using a relay in the VW panel and have an illuminated switch that fits the stock location, wired into the old Automatic Transmission Overdrive switch/light circuit for power and ground. All of the following pictures are at regular battery voltage with the engine NOT running and no flash or outside lights present.
Work in Progress Mounted:
WIP and lit up, not aimed properly:
They're impressive for being so cheap:
When aimed about where the high beams would be, they do a nice job and are actually a tad brighter than the stock H6054 high beams are:
What you see:
The end result is that it looks damn near identical to the unobtanium S4 Fogs:
And on the inside:
Also while I was at it, I broke the Light Box on my S5 stereo trim. The mount holes snapped off, then I dropped the whole thing! Even my cat laughed at me. And prior to this, I accidentally broke my center console! So I've been on a fixing spree with my most favorite adhesive: Duco Cement. It is the ****! It'll glue almost anything back together, including our trim panels! Bonds plastic to metal, vinyl, just about anything you can think so. The only downside is drying time. Parts have to be held together for 5 minutes and that's fine, but it takes 16 hours to fully cure. So if you're impatient or have to piece something back together one piece at a time, it gets old quick. But for what it delivers and at a cost of $1, waiting is a small price to pay.
While on the repair spree, I decided to fix something that's been bugging me since I got my FC back in late 2007. The center console's mounts were broken off, so the whole thing would move around. So after it was reassembled, I set it in the car and measured the depth to the sheetmetal from the inside of the storage box where the screws go. Measured 23mm, so I took off 5mm to account for the thickness of the console plastic and sliced off the broken remnants to glue on some new mount barrels made from Dremel #420 cut-off wheel containers.
As an added bonus, I found something interesting. My 11/86 build FB05 GXL was pre-wired for a factory alarm! I found this out after accidentally breaking the center console and seeing an unused 2-pin connector which just happen to fit a factory alarm light sourced from a junkyard a few years ago. Another bit to support this is an unused T-shaped 2-pin connector (just like the S4 alternator connector) in the Front Harness. I would presume this to be for the alarm's dedicated horn. Based on all of this, it stands to reason that every GXL was wired for the alarm and dealers just installed the an alarm "kit" on a per-order basis.
And to complete the upgrade, I've de-pinned the AAS switch connector (switch side) partially de-pinned the Vert Headrest Audio switches and moved the Illumination, Illumination Ground and Power wires to the recycled AAS connector housing. This was more annoying than it sounds, thanks to the KET 118PA series terminals needing Tool #18 to be used sideways to push the locking tab out of the terminal's path. I'm not too happy about the vert buttons now having two connectors as space is at a premium under the center console switch panel, but it's the best I can do as I don't have a perfectly matching connector and had to improvise a bit with a modified stereo connector from a Geo Tracker, whose terminals are not interchangeable with the AAS/Vert headrest ones. The Tracker's connector was a breeze to de-pin, using Tool #15.
The finished product:
Here's a little tidbit for when you're installing the center console: Move it back about 1" from where it normally goes, put the switch plate in the opening, connect everything, then move the console into position while tucking everything as needed and then put in the two screws. Also, when threading wires through the center console, it helps to leave a loop in the shifter area. The slack here will make it infinitely easier to remove the switch plate if you ever need to.
As we all know, the FC's H6054 headlights leave much to be desired, even when they're new. As funds have been especially tight since my mom died, this has delayed the eventual HID Conversion to an unknown date. But there is hope, my friends. A few months before my mom died, I found a pair of driving lights that fit the car's style and period quite well, possessing a striking resemblance to the Finish Line and Japan-spec 86-88 fog lights. For $15, it was worth giving them a shot. But since that purchase, I've been in a quandary about how to mount them properly and intelligently untill now. They're on the car now, attached using existing holes on the bumper support via a pair of flat brackets, using a relay in the VW panel and have an illuminated switch that fits the stock location, wired into the old Automatic Transmission Overdrive switch/light circuit for power and ground. All of the following pictures are at regular battery voltage with the engine NOT running and no flash or outside lights present.
Work in Progress Mounted:
WIP and lit up, not aimed properly:
They're impressive for being so cheap:
When aimed about where the high beams would be, they do a nice job and are actually a tad brighter than the stock H6054 high beams are:
What you see:
The end result is that it looks damn near identical to the unobtanium S4 Fogs:
And on the inside:
Also while I was at it, I broke the Light Box on my S5 stereo trim. The mount holes snapped off, then I dropped the whole thing! Even my cat laughed at me. And prior to this, I accidentally broke my center console! So I've been on a fixing spree with my most favorite adhesive: Duco Cement. It is the ****! It'll glue almost anything back together, including our trim panels! Bonds plastic to metal, vinyl, just about anything you can think so. The only downside is drying time. Parts have to be held together for 5 minutes and that's fine, but it takes 16 hours to fully cure. So if you're impatient or have to piece something back together one piece at a time, it gets old quick. But for what it delivers and at a cost of $1, waiting is a small price to pay.
While on the repair spree, I decided to fix something that's been bugging me since I got my FC back in late 2007. The center console's mounts were broken off, so the whole thing would move around. So after it was reassembled, I set it in the car and measured the depth to the sheetmetal from the inside of the storage box where the screws go. Measured 23mm, so I took off 5mm to account for the thickness of the console plastic and sliced off the broken remnants to glue on some new mount barrels made from Dremel #420 cut-off wheel containers.
As an added bonus, I found something interesting. My 11/86 build FB05 GXL was pre-wired for a factory alarm! I found this out after accidentally breaking the center console and seeing an unused 2-pin connector which just happen to fit a factory alarm light sourced from a junkyard a few years ago. Another bit to support this is an unused T-shaped 2-pin connector (just like the S4 alternator connector) in the Front Harness. I would presume this to be for the alarm's dedicated horn. Based on all of this, it stands to reason that every GXL was wired for the alarm and dealers just installed the an alarm "kit" on a per-order basis.
And to complete the upgrade, I've de-pinned the AAS switch connector (switch side) partially de-pinned the Vert Headrest Audio switches and moved the Illumination, Illumination Ground and Power wires to the recycled AAS connector housing. This was more annoying than it sounds, thanks to the KET 118PA series terminals needing Tool #18 to be used sideways to push the locking tab out of the terminal's path. I'm not too happy about the vert buttons now having two connectors as space is at a premium under the center console switch panel, but it's the best I can do as I don't have a perfectly matching connector and had to improvise a bit with a modified stereo connector from a Geo Tracker, whose terminals are not interchangeable with the AAS/Vert headrest ones. The Tracker's connector was a breeze to de-pin, using Tool #15.
The finished product:
Here's a little tidbit for when you're installing the center console: Move it back about 1" from where it normally goes, put the switch plate in the opening, connect everything, then move the console into position while tucking everything as needed and then put in the two screws. Also, when threading wires through the center console, it helps to leave a loop in the shifter area. The slack here will make it infinitely easier to remove the switch plate if you ever need to.
08-12-14, 10:06 AM
#443
RE-Tronix: Doing the impossible with automotive electronics
Help me start my own business! by Travis Sherwood - GoFundMe
I have brilliant ideas to create, I just need funding. Going to be homeless in 6 days, 8/18/2014, so this is my last shot. Attempting to raise $10,000 to start my own electronics/modification business, aptly named RE-Tronix.
Stuff like Two-Turn power windows combined with one-touch in both directions, one-touch sunroof and all of it integrated, expandable and universal in a way that makes even OEMs blush. I've already designed a complete upgrade that works on ALL RX7s, has an OEM grade alarm and can include a remote start if desired too, but I need your help to make it happen.
I have brilliant ideas to create, I just need funding. Going to be homeless in 6 days, 8/18/2014, so this is my last shot. Attempting to raise $10,000 to start my own electronics/modification business, aptly named RE-Tronix.
Stuff like Two-Turn power windows combined with one-touch in both directions, one-touch sunroof and all of it integrated, expandable and universal in a way that makes even OEMs blush. I've already designed a complete upgrade that works on ALL RX7s, has an OEM grade alarm and can include a remote start if desired too, but I need your help to make it happen.
08-13-14, 07:19 PM
#444
If you're about to be homeless in a few days, I think it's time to rethink things... By all means if you can get a kickstarter going for a small business, do it. But if not, time to get rid of the RX-7 and put a roof on your head. You need to get some income and stability in your life. RX-7's are fun and all, but what good are they when the tank is empty, you're hungry and waking up on the side of a road?
I've donated to you before, and was pretty baffled you paid it back, as it was yours to keep, but I won't help you with money now.
I think you need to get your act together. Yes, we all want to have fun and enjoy life, but sometimes you need to suck it up and deal with the lousy parts, such as working a job you don't like.
I wish you the best of luck. And even though i don't have an rx-7 anymore, and never will, I'll keep checking the boards.
I've donated to you before, and was pretty baffled you paid it back, as it was yours to keep, but I won't help you with money now.
I think you need to get your act together. Yes, we all want to have fun and enjoy life, but sometimes you need to suck it up and deal with the lousy parts, such as working a job you don't like.
I wish you the best of luck. And even though i don't have an rx-7 anymore, and never will, I'll keep checking the boards.
08-14-14, 12:10 PM
#446
It is not acceptable practice for a well-known shop whom has been in business since the 1970s to do so when the proper parts are readily available.
On a different note, I received a letter from Elaine Brunney at the City of Columbus Claims Office about my claim, requesting that I re-submit all of the relevant forms, and whatnot. This makes no logical sense as they ALREADY HAVE THEM and such was denied by someone at the attorney's office whom wanted to re-construct the physics of a Suburban on Ice as being impossible to not stop when ham-fisted at 25mph
08-25-14, 01:46 PM
#447
This is my last chance for survival. I will be homeless tomorrow and I have nobody that can help me. I have no family in Ohio since my mom died last year and I've been struggling as hard as I can since then to hold things together, but the rug keeps getting pulled out from under me.
Been unemployed since February thanks to being a victim of not one, but TWO hit & runs which got me fired from my fulltime job and the police REFUSED to do anything after they caught the perpetrator. Was illegally denied welfare, unemployment, food stamps and disability. Can't get a job despite being able to find answers and solutions to anything you can imagine, because I can't even get to a job now.
I am down to under $1 now, all of my savings is gone, I won't be able to eat today and I will be homeless tomorrow. I've been trying to start this business for 3 years now, but no money and crises keep happening keeps stalling it at every turn.
Help me start my own business! by Travis Sherwood - GoFundMe
Been unemployed since February thanks to being a victim of not one, but TWO hit & runs which got me fired from my fulltime job and the police REFUSED to do anything after they caught the perpetrator. Was illegally denied welfare, unemployment, food stamps and disability. Can't get a job despite being able to find answers and solutions to anything you can imagine, because I can't even get to a job now.
I am down to under $1 now, all of my savings is gone, I won't be able to eat today and I will be homeless tomorrow. I've been trying to start this business for 3 years now, but no money and crises keep happening keeps stalling it at every turn.
Help me start my own business! by Travis Sherwood - GoFundMe
08-26-14, 03:50 PM
#448
Full Member
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It is probably a really hard decision, but selling/parting out the car may be a good option now, the 20B alone could pay 6 months rent for an apartment, use the rest to purchase a daily driver and have transportation for work.
