RX744CSP

iTrader: (4)

Sweet! Yours looks to be a bit more, ah, 'streetable'.

I live in Goose Creek, between 176 and Highway 52. There's going to be a local autocross at Summerville High School 2/5, bring 'er out!

Got a couple more pics, and I finally figured out how to insert them into a post:



Amazing what can be done with junkyard aluminum!


More aluminum work.



Dirt cheap race seat ($35)

The rear suspension. Easily the most intricate and time consuming part of the project. Shortened Miata upper control arms, lower arms of my own design, Miata suspension uprights and brakes.



Legends car fuel cell

jfxp

iTrader: (4)

that....is.....so.....COOL!!!

Xavier8

surprised that you are using the spitfire electronic tachometer. I tried, but it literally stopped when it hit 5500 rpm. Just sat there while the engine revved higher. I like the fuel cell, and the subsequent brace in place of the original tank. I also see that you did not shorten the gear lever assembly to place the lever in a more original (and comfortable) position. That is less important for you though. My car has a full interior, and still relys on mostly triumph suspension. What rear gear ratio are you using? That rear end is awesome, and daunting. But that is probably why my conversion took a month and yours took a couple years. I would like to see her in person, so I will try to get out there on sunday, or would love to drop by and take a look at your place if you have any time. I love it!!
Aaron

RX-Midget

Don't run without a filter. I used a filter from one of K&N's IDA setups with the DCOE style endplates to end up with the larges filter that would fit.

I spent a long time looking over mouting choices for the Spridget, and the mid motor mounts from the 2nd gen RX-7 just will not fit. The Spridget engine bay is a bit tighter and forces the exhaust to exit where that motor mount wants to be. Even if it would fit, the mid mounts would then place all the torque to some small "frame rails" and not directly to the front crossmember.

Those are some cool looking Spits! I'm headed down to Deals Gap this summer to run the "tail of the dragon" and go to MG2006 in Gatlinburg. IT is about as close as I will be to you guys down south!

later,
B.

RX744CSP

iTrader: (4)

I'm using the Spit tach mainly because of the Challenge budget. I plan to replace it with something else after the Challenge is done. I use a GTech Pro, and it has shift point/overrev LED's. I use that more than a tach, anyway. The late tachs were designed to work with electronic ignition, maybe that's what is the problem with yours. BTW, Smiths tachs have an adjustment potentiometer that can help; when I switched my Jensen Healy to electronic ignition, I had to adjust that to get the tach to work.

Believe me, that shifter is SHORT. Like 5". It's hard to tell from the pics, but it falls in just the right spot.

The diff is a 3:90 2nd gen RX7 GXL limited slip. I'd like to run a bit steeper gear, like a 4:44, but that's not readily available for the 2nd gen diff. To do that, I'll have to get a 1.8 Miata diff front housing or 'hoghead', a B2600 4x4 front ring & pinion, 1st or 2nd gen RX7 limited slip diff carrier, and my custom modified rear diff housing. Then I can cobble up a diff with a better ratio.

A diff swap in a Spitfire is pretty much always going to be a major undertaking, since the diff is an integral part of the rear suspension. Grassroots Motorsports modified a second gen RX7 housing and used a 1st gen limited slip and kept the transverse leaf spring on the first version of the RoSpit. I have the article; it's simpler than what I did but is still a major undertaking.

That's a nice clean looking Spitfire.

Xavier8

You seem to have thought everything out to the fullest. I am interested in more info on the shocks that you used. Did you have to modify the lower a-arm or the spring top to get it all to work. And if so, how much? I am still using stock shocks in the front and they are junk. More info would be a great help. Thanks,
Aaron

RX744CSP

iTrader: (4)

I dunno about that 'thought out to to the fullest' thing. I'll find out Sunday, I guess.

I used Yamaha R1 motorcycle shocks. I had to make an adapter plate for the top shock eye, and I originally had the shocks mounted to the stock Spitfire control arm mount point in the front. This made the front end stick way up, and by the time I backed off the preload to get the nose down, it was so soft in the front I could bottom the suspension by pushing on it with my hands, and the travel was very limited; it was almost on the bump stops at ride height. Not good. So I had to add brackets to the underside of the control arms to drop the lower mounting point, and make up the ride height difference up top with 1/4" aluminum spacers. I may have to add another 1/8" up top to get it just right.

If it weren't for the Challenge budget, I'd get some Konis or QA1's or something similar. After the Challenge, that will definitely happen. The cool thing about QA1's is they have a universal coil over with an interchangeable upper mount, which will greatly simplify things. But, the downside is about $1K for 4 shocks and springs. In your case, that's how I'd start out with the front.

On the rear, unless you swap out the stock Spit diff (which is a MAJOR undertaking, believe me!) you'll be stuck with the stock transverse leaf spring and maybe some adjustable shocks. A quckie upgrade is a GT6 rear spring, it's a good bit stiffer. But, the diff is the weak point: over about 100 HP it's not a matter of if but when the diff will fail. The spider gear shaft will break and rip it apart. BTDT.

Supposedly, someone out there is making brackets etc to use a Datsun 510/Z car diff under a Spit while keeping the original swing axles and transverse leaf, but I haven't actually seen one. Having actually set a 510 diff in a Spit frame, yes it's possible (isn't everything?) but it's not exactly a bolt in swap.

Xavier8

Been lucky so far with the spitfire diff, I just try to not do burnouts. The low torque of the rotary is helpful in not breaking spider gears. But I do have an extra one sitting in the garage just in case. A bolt in Datsun swap would be a godsend for so many spitfire guys, we shall see if anything ever comes from the project.
I have been looking at PRI's shocks for awhile, as they are not 1k and should make a huge difference in handling. I have had fine luck with the leaf spring setup, but I've never autocrossed the car and could find that it is horrible. Again, I applaud your efforts, and will try to make it out sunday. What time does the fun begin?

RX744CSP

iTrader: (4)

Setup starts at 6:30 AM, registration is from 7:30 to 9:15, first car out 10AM. Summerville HS is at 1101 Boone Hill Road in Summerville (duh!). It's supposed to be a school, too.

You mentioned PRI shocks; never heard of them. Got a link?

Xavier8

wow, 630 on a sunday.
Check out www.prirace.com. Spitfire heaven (if you have the money). You will like it. A car with his shocks and 16" rims and tires pulled over 1g on a skidpad. I just need the shocks and some tuning. hehe.

RX744CSP

iTrader: (4)

Yep, gotta be up early.

PRI has a really cool website, I like the Mikuni kits! Their shock kit is cool, but wouldn't work with my setup.

NoviceRotaryTech.

Hey guys, I was there at the event feb. 5th
I saw "xavier8"s spitfire running and I talked with u, I saw "rx744csp"s spitfire on a trailer. Awsome cars/work guys.

I was there as a spectator with my Red 2nd gen. RX7, with 2 other guys that had a Tan 2nd gen. RX7 and White 2nd gen. turbo RX7. I think we were the only ones there with RX7's.

I posted a march 4th meet in columbia, in the SE form, your welcome to come if u can.

Later

RX744CSP

iTrader: (4)

Thanks for the kind words. The Abomination puked a rear apex seal, finished the post mortem today 2/11.

I guess you saw me spin Xavier's car, right?

xrotaryguy

Hello again Xavier. Cool cars guys. I really like the pics that you have posted of your car Rx744. There is a lot of information in those. My wife and I are going to pick up a nice low miles Spit this weekend. We intend to swap a turbo rotary motor into it. I'll have to add this forum to my favorites.

Xavier8

good luck rotary guy, it has been done, but the engine bay is far from helpful in locating a spot for a turbo. Trust me, I know. Actually, space for exhaust is one of the worst parts of the conversion. Don't forget; talk to me about how to build AND drive a rotary spitfire, talk to RX744 just about how to build one. He doesn't have much experience behind the wheel. Hehe. As a side note, I did just buy a turbo 12a, there might be a future project in the works. Now, if I could convince Mike to help me build the header and exhaust for the turbo....... hmmmmmmm, whats a good engine worth these days???chuckle chuckle

xrotaryguy

Yeah I'm expecting turbo location and exhaust manifold dezign to be a bit of a challenge. Not like the rest of the project will be very conventional A turbo 12a would be pretty sweet from a packaging point of view. Are you going to intercool it or leave it direct and just run water/alcahol or something?

gerbraldy

NICE WORK!! I love spitfires, datsun 2000, mg's (use to own one)

Xavier8

there is actually plenty of room for an intercooler, but I literally just have the motor, no accessories, etc. Just a possible project. I am definitely not in to running any type of water injection, etc. The only way I would do it is if I could run premium with premix.

RX744CSP

iTrader: (4)

Jeez, at this point I'd trade my kid. She don't eat much.

I have access to a complete 13BTT, I did some measuring and while, like anything, it could be done, it would involve a complete rework of what I built. For starters, the front suspension would need to be widened. Then we move on to the 2 3/4" exhaust tubing.... man, it makes my head hurt. There's a guy on the GRM board who did a single turbo Spit, he built a complete frame to carry the engine etc then dropped the Spitfire body over it. Beautiful car, but MAN what a lot of work!

Beast From The East

The last Spit rolled off the assembly line in August of 1980, so you have one of the last made. Fun project for this type of pursuit....I am afraid the purist in my cringes a bit when I see swaps like this (we rotary guys go absolutely NUTS when someone says 'through a V8 in it'), but LBC owners are a bit more tolerant - they understand pain, and besides, if you turbo'd it, you'd add that same grenade-like quality of a MGA Twin Cam motor , and add more chassis flex that I'd care to think about.....

I have a 71 TR6 built to Group 44 racing specs - decided to go the vintage racing NOS parts route, triple DCOE 40 Webers, Quaife 4.1 locking diff, .030 over pistons, moly bushings, Koni's front and back (the kit that bolts to the original subframe, NOT the POS kit that bolts to the rear fender), racing springs, yada yada yada.

Congrats on a fun project - my friend with the Roots blower on his Midget would like it.

Beast

Xavier8

I don't care to do any suspension widening, but the right turbo might fit right up against my engine, and then it would only require a short section of a single pipe down to the "Cat back". Buy a carb hat and make up an air tight line to it, buy a rising rate fuel pressure regulator and get to it. Hmm, also might want a wideband to keep track of my fuel so i don't blow her up. That sounds doable. I'd finally get a chance to blow my spitfire rear end!! The possibilities are endless.

xrotaryguy

I talked to the guy with the Turbo Spit on the grass roots forum. He just about put a triumph body on an Rx7. He's also pretty "proud" of his car. I don't want to have a car as wide as his. It's fun to be able to pass people on the right at a stop light and turn right when there is no right turn lane.

I have been planning a fuel injected TII. Theres a guy here in town that has programmed several Mega Squirt computers. One of them was on a turbo rotary. Seems like an easy way to go.

I'll admit that the space available looks pretty dismal. My plan currently is to build a tubular manifold for the car after the motor is in place. Then, since tubular manifolds are a little weak to hang a turbo off of, I'll weld in some gussets to make it good and strong. Being carefull of course not to weld over anywhere that I may need to get a wrench The motor could also concievably be moved a bit to the left to make more room on the turbo side. You guys know how much room there is over there better than I do though. I wonder what kind of space could be created by laying the motor on its side. Like a 15 degree slant. That would mean a custom oil pan. Any way... just a few thoughts on that.

There was also a write up a while back about a company that does a rear mounted turbo. I didn't like that idea then, but now that I'm facing this packaging delima it might be a good idea. Even some kind of a compromise where the turbo is located under the passenger side floor board. Make a little room for it by cutting out some of the floor board and make something of a compartment for it. You could mount it at the end of a short header that way.

But someone just said super charger. Now that would eliminate all turbo location problems. Atkins rotary has that Holley 4 barel kit. Talk about simple. I wonder how it does in auto cross...

RX744CSP

iTrader: (4)

There's actually a spot between the right suspension upright and the front of the firewall which could accomodate a turbo. It would take one WEIRD looking exhaust manifold to make it work, and I kinda think the intake runner length would be less than optimal. If you were to use the .125 wall tubing that RB supplies with their header kits, you probably wouldn't have any strength issues.

I'd like to get my hands on a TII car and look it over carefully; it might be better to move the motor back and cut away part of the firewall (like I did in my car) rather than to try to re engineer what Mazda spent a wad of yen and engineer time to build. There's a considerable amount of room over in the right rear engine compartment corner, once the battery box has been eliminated. Scooting the engine to the left is harder than it looks; you have to consider the steering shaft. I had to use 90 degree plug boots to get my wires to clear.

And yes, a supercharger would fix a lot of the problems. Been considering the Rootes route, meself.

Xavier8

hmmm.. Definitely agree that movement of the engine over is NOT a good idea. 44csp and I went a different route, with me relocating and removing the suspension crossmember so that my engine would sit very low, and the 12a pan JUST fits between the frame rails. I do not have to use 90 degree plug boots because my plugs run right above and right below the steering shaft. Theres no where to go on the driver's side. I think removal of some of the body below the battery box is a better idea. I have not done this, but it would improve autocross performance anyway by placing that weight on the back. If I start playing with the idea of a turbo, I would probably go this route.
I would have already gone the roots route, as is fits with no mods to my car, but they are PRICEY!!! If I could find a full kit below 1800 or so, I would go for it, especially since my new motor is a 12a turbo engine. I'll keep saving and looking, and maybe one day. Blower whine on a spitfire, yummy.

xrotaryguy

Ok so moving the engine to the right is out. Sounds like there is still room for a turbo though. There are lots of tubular turbo manifolds that exced mazda's manifolds for performance so it shouldnt be too hard to make something that can at least compare to their final product. Heck... we're not trying to make the cars as user friendly as they are either. I especially like the idea of cutting out below the battery box. You can get a blower off a buick electra or something like that and then have someone weld on flanges to your liking. A guy here in town has one that has a nikki flange to the manifold and a Dcoe flange to the carb. You can find those super chargers in the junk yard for a reasonable price.