archaphil

iTrader: (1)

there was a LOT of liquor consumed in the early stages of Refreshing this car. lmao

archaphil

iTrader: (1)

Been playing in the garage today. So nice out.
I presently am removing the axle shafts as the noise is coming from the rubber seal that the shaft rides in.
Edit:

Found it. Made a rookie mistake and when I uncovered it I immediately said to myself "dumbass" in my best red impression. I failed to grease the axle shaft where it meets the bearing seal. It wore the seal a little, but does not look too bad. Greased it all up, and did a rear end brake hardware kit that I had laying around. Everything seems right in the world again

trickster

Actually I think the wheels look really good, won't the rear camber a bit once it's down on the ground anyways?

Btw what are your wheel sizes and offsets so I can note it down for the future?

Broke_A_Baller

iTrader: (26)

Told you the rims would poke :-p...at least I believe I did lol.

Anyways, you can either stretch the tires in the back or rock that stupid camber fcs have when lowered.

I'm not a fan of camber personally. I'm rockin 3.5* on fronts/rears as my adjustable arms don't do crap for me and my tires at being consumed by the road.

Yes it's my daily, but man the tire bill is a killer.

archaphil

iTrader: (1)

meh, the fronts sit perfect, I am sitting close to zero * camber in the rear right now. might have like 1* but I am starting to finish up my front suspension. Control arm are getting same treatment as the rear to keep the panda theme going.

Front is going to be getting 2-3* and some sway bar work to accommodate for all this extra traction. Rear is looking like another degree negative and slim profile sidewalls. Hence our discussion the other night about tires

The aladeen news is I can adjust everything. Top hats are making there way to my machinist soon for some special sauce. Something PBM should of done in the beginning. At any rate, biggest hold up on wheels is money. still paying them off, and other little problems creep up and keep pushing tires further and further away.

Battery decided to **** on me, tie rod ends and ball joints. Then there is the little matter of the special lug nuts the J9fds informed me of. Trying to find a single nut local and get the same machinist to make a set. Then they can sell the sets in any color.

As far as tire bill / wear... I don't daily this thing.

Jager

iTrader: (10)

But what you decided what to do with the car yet mate?

Broke_A_Baller

iTrader: (26)

Must mean a red panda theme? :p.

archaphil

iTrader: (1)

well, That has been the true question. As of now its just a street car with a nice suspension and (hopefully this year) nice wheels. But, when It leaves the garage, it gets driven as an rx7 should. On the weekends I like to go and cruise out of the city in search of curvy roads but MN is not a state for much of that.

BIR is on the agenda this year, and if the little NA blows on me..... that is when the real decision comes into play. As an entire S5 TII setup sits under and around my bench. If the original engine goes, then I must decide to rebuild it to hold the value, or plop the TII in as clean rx7's are all starting to go up in value.

Broke_A_Baller

iTrader: (26)

Did you buy this car for resale?

I feel like I repeat this to my fellow Minnesotans ahha.

If you wanted a stock oem car you should have kept it oem (suspension/arms/bushings/etc.). Why? Because a REAL collector in a resale market would likely want either all original or all Oem.

But I'm no collector I'm just going off of what those auction show guys say.

I'm hoping by complete s5 swap you are including driveshaft? Ideally it would be nice to have a better diff too, but it's whatever I guess.

Are clean 2nd gens going up in value? I was under the assumption the prices are decreasing. I know the GTUs is at a decent rate or the s5 T2, but I mean you've seen the market locally I'm sure? This year already there have been 2 T2s come up for sale under $4000 (including the s5 with bad motor).

On a side note, I admit your car is one of the cleanest I've seen in Minnesota for its age.

My buddy had an 88 GXL (blue interior), 2 owner car, as clean as yours and recently brought it to Texas when he moved and got $4500 for it. He also had coilovers/other steering components, but nothing removed.

I'm just pessimistic on these increases in pricing a I guess (I think we have different opinions every time we talk about that ahhaha). 10 years from now I may be changing my view, but I digress.


What you should really do is slap a "Red Suns" sticker on the rear and increase the value 10 fold

Question: if I got you a sticker that says "Red Panda" would you put it on your car? Ahhaha

Anyways, I think you should drive the car and keep it stock if your intention is to sell it or keep a "collector" value on it. If your motor blows and then you swap it to a t2 then does the fact you have low mileage on the car matter after that?

And didnt you want to use that s5 swap in another car?

archaphil

iTrader: (1)

local prices are garbage, that much I agree. And I have kept all the original OE parts in a box for when/if I put it back to stock. I look at both sides of the coin for resale. I know that it will be sold out of state if that day comes. I have watched a few "average" but still "decent" sub 100k mile albeit S5 go around $8k on here in recent times.

But yes, market right now is a buyers, not sellers market. 10 years is about the length of time I foresee myself owning this, and by then we both know that drifting will have killed off 90% of the "clean ones" off. So, for now the go fast bits remain on the car so I get to enjoy it more

As for complete swap, I mean complete. I have it all baby. diff, axles, shaft, trans, engine, turbo, everything. I am missing the ECU and injectors, however, I was planning on standalone out of the gate anyways and the tiny H18T will be replaced with something more.... mwahahah juicy.

It will ultimately end up in this car depending how long the current engine runs. Remember that I pulled this thing from sitting for 20 years, and while I did completely go through it, I never touched the inside of the keg. Now fast forward to its second year of life on the road again and who knows if something will decide to poke its ugly face out. I would keep the Original engine and rebuild it and just sit on it.

But I did have this crazy idea to swap the TII into a prius..... I saw a silver one, with matte black wheels and I was not visually offended. I was not impressed, but I could see it as a decent sleeper. They can't way much with all the EV **** removed.

Broke_A_Baller

iTrader: (26)

A Prius...what a waste -_- hahahah

Jager

iTrader: (10)

That's how I felt about my low mileage FC.

I do drive it hard when I get it out.

I decided with my RX7 that I was going to enjoy it. I decided to put on a full exhaust and a 4.88 gear. When the engine goes I'll have a rebuild done and a streetport, but not much else if any. I don't plan to sell it really, but I do plan to keep the stock rear end around and a few other things so it can be reverted fairly easy.

TII's are legit too though :o.

archaphil

iTrader: (1)

Was working on all things not my own cars yesterday. But I aquired some new tools, one of which is a monster 3/4 Drive Torque wrench capable of 600FT/LB!!!! I am set for that E shaft nut on my Turbo keg now. The deal was too good to pass up on the torque wrench *cough cough* $10 *cough* I gave him $50 because I wouldn't sleep right stealing it at that price.

Any how, check out the mecha:


Today I get to do Ball joints on the Jetta, finish the line on the keg meister / get the 5# C02 Tank Filled and Maybe slap another coat of caranuba on the 7.

archaphil

iTrader: (1)

It was an impromptu "bring your sports car to work day" yesterday at work. I am actually really surprised by the size difference of an NSX to the FC. Have to literally be next to it to appreciate it.







Also, sanding mud sucks *****.

Broke_A_Baller

iTrader: (26)

Yeah nsx are unique. My buddy has one. Looks like a baller car though. Your fc looks boxing and outdated next to it :-p.

archaphil

iTrader: (1)

Right? I kid you not that nsx looks like a go kart next to the fc. It's insane.

clokker

iTrader: (2)

Your picture conveniently supports my contention that the second gen FC is a GT, not a "sports" car.

The NSX looks like a go cart that grew a body, the FC looks like a station wagon that went to the gym.

trickster

we demand more progress videos

nice photos with the NSX, I remain jealous that you are out and about in the GXL

Jager

iTrader: (10)

So when do we take our low mileage FC's and make them hug?

Nice car yo. What tires you be running son?

archaphil

iTrader: (1)

they are.... ha. Was an impulse buy once I got it running. They hold grip rather well so far. However I am still not done completing the front suspension. The car at speed points all over the place and is rather unpredictable at this moment in the straights at speed. It feels fine in the corners.

I am already aware from my first alignment session that my front ball joints and tie rod ends are shot. I just finished up a spare set of S4 FLCA with Energy Suspension and a fresh panda Paint job. New Ball joints, and waiting on the mailman for the outer tie rod ends. I am starting to suspect my inners are worn from sitting as well. The car acts weird in a straight line in top end. The rear is planted, but the front is moving around a bit.

Originally the rear was walking out on me from loose tolerances from the PBM Spherical Rear control arm bearings. We welded ears onto the arm to keep them from shifting around. After that the rear became instantly predictable. the front however still has me hardly confident.

My new wheels are just about paid off and I expect rubber to be placed on them in the next month, assuming I can locate the special lug nuts that these wheels require..... sigh.

archaphil

iTrader: (1)

little update:


Give it a few if 1080p is not showing. Youtube likes to take its time doing magic

Broke_A_Baller

iTrader: (26)

It's a red panda theme. NOT a "blood panda." Hhaha :-D

trickster

awesome! you came through with a video haha

weird about the starter.. its almost like my problem except everything electrical in my car switches off when I try and start it haha. I really don't think yours is the same problem. Could you have a loose connection on the starter solenoid activating wire? How are you going to go about trying to diagnose it?

archaphil

iTrader: (1)

started with my multimeter verifying I had a charged battery, power was getting to the alternator still, and power getting to the starter. Fuel pump turns on, all other electrical stays on when turning to on, just no starter.

It is very intermittent, but just recently snuck up on me. I have a spare laying around if need be.

archaphil

iTrader: (1)

I met with another member today and his very clean 10th Anniversary FC, and we rolled out to a foreign car show event. It was a lot of fun and zoom 7 is a cool guy. We need more guys like him in the community.

Any how, here is a few pictures I took with my potato phone that I enjoyed. I should of took a video today, but never made it that far.







Zoom shot some fireballs and both of our cars were running great. Only casualty of the day was my driver side window switch for the passenger window lost the ability to "raise" it. It still functions enough to "lower it". Silly cars, these are.

EDIT: I had photos of our cars, but forgot to blemish the plate and photbucket is not letting me overwrite them. Will upload later.