Thepersian

iTrader: (3)

Hi all,

I am fairly new to car projects and even less experienced with rotaries. I'm planning on starting a FC project within the next year and want to plan it appropriately. I want to use this FC mainly as a weekend car, and maybe take it to the track once in a blue moon. I understand that when comparing a N/A and Turbo with similar set ups and power, a N/A is a superior motor (I know this is an oversimplified statement, please correct me if I'm wrong).

With all of this in mind, in regards to a project car: which is more affordable, easier to work with, has more room to be flexible (with regards to mods), and more suitable for a novice?

Thank you for your input.

archaphil

iTrader: (1)

a 240sx. jk seriously though. NA is going to cost you more to make "reliable power" and I use reliable loosely in regards to rotary. Turbo is going to give you alot more room for power modifications. If your NA still runs well, keep it till it blows and get to know the car while saving for the TII swap. or..... buy a TII to begin with, as in the long run, it will cost you less time and money.

I went the young and dumb route. My NA still runs fantastic with 165k on the clock, so I am getting to know my car as I add suspension upgrades ect before I start throwing more power at it. However, I am also swapping my NA s4 to a TII S5 at the moment now that I am comfortable with the car.

You have come to the right place for information. I recommend checking out a rebuild video of a rotary on youtube or wherever to get a decent understanding of the engine ( and really, just how simple it is inside). I have owned numerous 240sx' and they are a lot more "noob" friendly, and parts are a dime a dozen, the RX7 is a lot more fun IMO.

In short, Turbo will give you more flexibility and affordable in the long run.

trickygotmein

I agree, you should either swap a complete TII or spend a lot of $$$ builging the N/A. This forum will give you all the info you need.

Antinull

iTrader: (2)

I am a big fan of N/A stock powered cars
but if you want more power, turbo is the way to go

Thepersian

iTrader: (3)

Thank you for your input.

Evil Aviator

No, you are doing it all wrong! You are supposed to act like you know everything there is about modifying cars, but the one small thing missing from your mega-knowledge is rotary engines. You know, as if rotary engines are the last little thing that you need to learn before you are officially known as the Tuning Master of the Universe. Then you are supposed to ask really stupid noob questions, get offended when we quickly figure out that you are a poser, and then you move to a different car forum that will hopefully fall for the BS.

You need to decide what "take it to the track" means. First, you need to decide on the genre, which would be either drag racing, road racing, rally, or drifting. Then, you need to decide on a racing organization (SCCA, NASA, IDRC, etc.). Finally, you will need to get a rule book for that organization to see which specific class you would like to race in. Since these rules are sometimes difficult to interpret just by reading them, it really helps if you visit your local track or race shop and ask for help, especially if they are racing an RX-7. We also have a Race Car Tech forum, but I would try to get local help first because racing rules and conditions will vary from region to region.
Race Car Tech - RX7Club.com

Once you have a good idea about what kind of racing you would like to do, THEN you can decide which car will best fit those needs. For example, some classes only allow non-turbo engines, in some classes you will only be competitive with a turbocharged engine, some classes do not allow a sun roof or convertible top, some classes require a carburetor, some classes do not allow an automatic transmission, some classes will restrict the year or model type, and so on. Most importantly, race classes will require a certain amount of original, unmodified parts, so you want to make sure that your prospective new car has these items intact, or at least make sure that you can afford the time and money to restore these parts of the car.

In my opinion, a non-turbo 86-88 RX-7 is the most affordable and easiest to work with, and the most suitable for a novice. A close second is the non-turbo 89-92 RX-7.

The most flexible car would be a toss-up between the 87-92 Turbo II and the 93+ RX-7s. The 87-92s are less expensive and less complicated, which would allow you to spend more time and money on modifications. The 93+ cars have more body kits and other aftermarket parts available. Since you have already specified an FC, I assume that you have already figured out that the 93+ cars are expensive to own and operate.