RX-7 Build Questions
03-17-12, 03:24 PM
#1
Racing is life.
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RX-7 Build Questions
Please excuse my long post, I'm just looking for some valuable input here on this potential race project I'm looking into.
The rundown is I have a chance to buy a caged 1st gen shell with some misc. suspension still attached and what not but needs quite a bit of putting back together. I am going to look at the car this week, so will know exactly what I will need, but know another guy selling 1st gen donor cars so will have to buy one of those as well.
My main concern is price and time. I want seat time, not a long term project, so if I can build the car up and have it ready to run economically then I'm all for it, but if it's going to cost too much it's just not worth the time. I don't mind busting my butt to get the car done and put in some intense elbow grease, but I don't want to spend more than it's worth.
I have some questions...what needs to be replaced? lol I did some research on what I THINK seems like it should be replaced, but I am new to RX-7 chassis so don't really know for sure.
Here is my list and pricing:
Race car chassis: $350.00
Donor car: $500-$800
Parts
Race suspension: $400 (Mazdaspeed IT kit $1098)
Upper strut mount: $100.00 (fronts) rears?
Idler arm (competition) $80.00
Pitman arm: $130.00
Rear links: $370.00
Watts links plus competition mount: $160.00
Clutch: $200.00
Brake pads: $147.00 - $230.00
Brake rotors: $80.00
Brake master: $45.00
Steering wheel: $70.00
Hub: $60.00
Harness: $70.00
Padding: $30.00
Transponder: $350.00 (rental)
Wheels:
Tires:
Engine/Rebuild: $200 - $800.00
Paint: $100.00
Front control arms: $340.00 (complete + bushings)
Tie Rods: $228
Seat: $80.00 - $150.00
Seat mounting: $40.00
Seat back brace: $40.00
Steel braided lines: $100.00
Engine mod (exhaust, header, carb) $280 header, $100 air filter, $100 exhaust.
Fuel pump/regulator/filter: $310.00
Misc. $300.00
Now...do I need all of this? My biggest concern is that these cars may have been sitting long so a lot can be dry rotted, what is suspension life on these? Can I find decent used pieces and save a lot?
The car was a 12A car and we will run a 12A until we look into an RX-8 swap for a new class and for my donor car they don't run that I know of. So that also worries me, the seller is a huge rotary racer so said he can help...but once again...money.
As you can see my mind is just going everywhere and I'm looking for some valuable input on what to really expect. Could I get this thing on track for say $1500 or would I really be looking at $4000+?
My overall goal: a cheap race car build that's reliable, doesn't need to be a class winner, but decently quick, reliable, and cheap to build. I'm not new to racing but know building is always harder than buying a race ready car but I see an opportunity here.
The rundown is I have a chance to buy a caged 1st gen shell with some misc. suspension still attached and what not but needs quite a bit of putting back together. I am going to look at the car this week, so will know exactly what I will need, but know another guy selling 1st gen donor cars so will have to buy one of those as well.
My main concern is price and time. I want seat time, not a long term project, so if I can build the car up and have it ready to run economically then I'm all for it, but if it's going to cost too much it's just not worth the time. I don't mind busting my butt to get the car done and put in some intense elbow grease, but I don't want to spend more than it's worth.
I have some questions...what needs to be replaced? lol I did some research on what I THINK seems like it should be replaced, but I am new to RX-7 chassis so don't really know for sure.
Here is my list and pricing:
Race car chassis: $350.00
Donor car: $500-$800
Parts
Race suspension: $400 (Mazdaspeed IT kit $1098)
Upper strut mount: $100.00 (fronts) rears?
Idler arm (competition) $80.00
Pitman arm: $130.00
Rear links: $370.00
Watts links plus competition mount: $160.00
Clutch: $200.00
Brake pads: $147.00 - $230.00
Brake rotors: $80.00
Brake master: $45.00
Steering wheel: $70.00
Hub: $60.00
Harness: $70.00
Padding: $30.00
Transponder: $350.00 (rental)
Wheels:
Tires:
Engine/Rebuild: $200 - $800.00
Paint: $100.00
Front control arms: $340.00 (complete + bushings)
Tie Rods: $228
Seat: $80.00 - $150.00
Seat mounting: $40.00
Seat back brace: $40.00
Steel braided lines: $100.00
Engine mod (exhaust, header, carb) $280 header, $100 air filter, $100 exhaust.
Fuel pump/regulator/filter: $310.00
Misc. $300.00
Now...do I need all of this? My biggest concern is that these cars may have been sitting long so a lot can be dry rotted, what is suspension life on these? Can I find decent used pieces and save a lot?
The car was a 12A car and we will run a 12A until we look into an RX-8 swap for a new class and for my donor car they don't run that I know of. So that also worries me, the seller is a huge rotary racer so said he can help...but once again...money.
As you can see my mind is just going everywhere and I'm looking for some valuable input on what to really expect. Could I get this thing on track for say $1500 or would I really be looking at $4000+?
My overall goal: a cheap race car build that's reliable, doesn't need to be a class winner, but decently quick, reliable, and cheap to build. I'm not new to racing but know building is always harder than buying a race ready car but I see an opportunity here.
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