Great, we need more rotards on the hill! Turbo will be interesting for classing since rotaries get a displacement multiplier and turbos do as well.

I'm making the most of the cold weather. It's going to help me knock out the rest of the sound deadening.

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...63586229_n.jpg
Put it back together enough to roll and she's chilling outside until tonight. Then I attack with a hammer.

Oh and I sold my Miata.... Next up is a down payment on a new car and order the E-Prod widebody kit from AWR.

followersssss

Thank God for cold weather. Chilling the car was a good choice. This took 1.5 hours and 1 beer (Heavy Seas Peg Leg Stout)

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...11803160_n.jpg

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...63363714_n.jpg

20.5 pounds including the box. So we'll say 20 pounds.
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...50513408_n.jpg

20lbs?? Did you remove ALLLLLL of it? Man... when my buddy did that to his 88, he said it came out to 100lbs..... How the EF did he get to 100lbs...

maybe it was wet

There's no way there is 100 lbs of sound deadening in one of these. Maybe he was including a sopping-wet carpet too.

the rubber mats under the rear carpet are fairly heavy... but no way they're 80 lbs.

I'm actually surprised you got 20 lbs out of the sound deadening...

Do you think it being a GXL may have meant thicker application? This stuff was REALLY thick compared to what I've dealt with in other vehicles.

keep the updates coming! i have always wanted to do hill climb events but unfortunately im stuck in flat fl where the highest land mass in the entire state is the city landfill dump aka mt. trashmore. this place isn't good for hill climb lol. so instead im building for autocross, but isn't hte same i now. but fun enough for now i guess.

or decades of hardened cig ashes.

Placed an order with J-Auto for some toe links and camber bar.

Awesome! Didnt know it was you until just now. I've been checking in on this thread to see your progress/updates and now I can't wait to see these parts on your car and in action! Thank you for your order :beerchug:

My pleasure. Super fast shipping is much appreciated.

I like

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...06637119_n.jpg

Waiting on a couple things from RacingBeat before I dig into the rear suspension.

Davies-Craig Alloy EWP and controller incoming. Big chunk of the rear-mount radiator puzzle is solved.

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...48461365_n.jpg
Boom.


Got my new exhaust studs installed and test-fit the RacingBeat race header. Also removed the air pump and installed the block-off plate.Waiting on my new IR 2135Ti impact gun to come so I can remove the rest of the rear suspension and install my goodies.

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot..._3955431_n.jpg
Have an aluminum pulley setup I need to install. Need to dig up a couple electric fans too. Will likely do the rear-mount radiator during the summer while I have a little down time in July.

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...88429015_n.jpg

BOOM. Back on track now.

Hi Dave,

Thought I would say hi to a fellow rotor head and hillclimber.
I run the hills in Pa with the PHA and in a first gen in ITS.
I will try to check in to see what you are doing from time to time.
I do the PHA website, check out our hills there. Pahillclimb.org

I hope it's OK to push the PHA a little?
Here is a picture of my car at Weatherly last fall.

Haha push away! Butch always has great things to say about your events and I look forward to coming out to a couple when the car is more complete.

Our collection of first gen IT7 guys has been growing. I think we're up to four now.

nice, I've been meaning to make it up to a PA hill climb.

hopefully this isn't too off topic, but what's required safety wise for hill climbs? You need a SCCA legal roll bar at minimum don't you? bolt in ok? (autopower)

PHA hillclimbs
 

If you are running IT7 and following SCCA rules you should be legal.
If you have a purpose built hillclimb machine check the Time Trial Rules below.
If you want to find out more about SCCA compliance follow this link:
Rules | Pennsyvlania Hillclimb Association
If you want to see what safety equipment and other requirements look here:
Driver Checklist | Pennsyvlania Hillclimb Association
If you would like to join our forum, chat with other drivers go here:
Forum | Pennsyvlania Hillclimb Association
There is room at most of our events for new drivers and cars.
The tough part will probably be making it by Friday nite for tech inspection.
After dark we are usually enjoying our favorite beverages so stop by and say hi.
Hope to see you at one of our hills!

It's actually an SSM class solo car that I've been prepping for HPDEs...

autopower roll bar, 6 point harnesses and some sparco sprint Vs....

I'll look into the rules to make sure it's legal.

Thanks.

Our rules are here: New England Hillclimb Association (NEHA) - Rules & Regulations
Some bolt-in cages work, some don't. I believe our rules line up pretty closely with PA.

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...08615868_n.jpg

Making progress. Wrestling the windshield and rear glass out of the car. Go 3/16ths polycarbonate for the front and 1/8 for the rear.

Need to make some decisions about camber plates. My GC setup won't allow the use of my shocks without machining the shaft down. Thinking of selling them and getting the AWR setup, which is more robust.

Opinions?

What shocks did you get? the GC plates have 1/2" bearings on them, that's quite a large shock shaft...

mine work on my custom bilsteins (with some effort):
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-x...0/IMAG1990.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-0...0/IMAG2006.jpg

These won't fit my Koni yellows or my backup KYB AGXs.

looks like you just need different bearing spacers. Just put yours on a drill press and drill them out to the correct ID... looks like they're already different IDs as it is....

Yeah I tried to drill one out enough to make it work. They just never sit right with the shoulder of the shock.

I talked to GC when ordering my plates, and they sent me this worksheet:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3...P%2520FORM.jpg

I filled it out and sent it to them and they sent me bearing spacers that would work....

I bought these second hand. Might have to call GC and see if I can buy sleeves.

Catching up on updates:
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...84143897_n.jpg
Rear hatch removed to make getting the glass out easier. Fun fact, the hatch and glass weigh 52 pounds.

I pulled another 5 pounds or so in miscellaneous stuff too and started removing the headlight stuff. I'm saving all the bolts and nuts I pull out to weight them all. It's a couple pounds so far.

Gotta get spending some money to get this thing up and running. Need an electric fan and to wire in my electric water pump.

Cage will (fingers crosser) go into the car in early may.

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...59378931_n.jpg

That was a deeply unpleasant job. Had to keep heating up the cold knife with a torch to get through the sealant, which meant a LOT of unpleasant fumes. I didn't weigh the windshield yet, but it actually didn't seem that heavy.

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...04614492_n.jpg
Time to get cutting. I did most of it but didn't take an after photo. Forgot how easily Lexan cuts.

Stock RX7 windshield = 26 pounds

3/16th Lexan replacement = 10 pounds

New camber plates from AWR are due to come in tomorrow. Just got an order from Jegs with my wiring harnesses for the electric water pump and fan, as well as the electric fan itself. I went with a unit rated for 1900 CFM, which should be enough.

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...22325005_n.jpg

Stay on the track, kids.

No wonder it fought you so much

Jeez, is that a steering arm or a seriously bent lower 4pt from the rear of an FB?

That's his rear toe link from the fc off course at hill climb.

Yeah, its the left rear lateral link. This is case in point for removing the damn dynamic toe bushings. They make the handling pretty wonky - especially when you're running 10" slicks.

That reminds me, time to redesign the links on my car. One is bent almost this bad and the other is twisted (lower links). Uppers are fine, but FBs have some serious binding issues regarding these.

Adjustable 4pt with Watts link or Adjustable 3pt with Panhard. Decisions decisions.

Thanks for the amazing build, very inspirational. Sorry, didn't mean to get off topic.

Updates are far overdue. Here's some catching up.

SHE LIVES! Photos next to my buddies hillclimb Eclipse. We were both using autocross as a shakedown period.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.n...71583197_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.n...75251644_n.jpg

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...06761243_n.jpg

Car ran awesome for the one run I got before being shut down for sound violation (106db). Time for some mufflers. Car was less than a second off FTD despite my having only driving it once previously and with an entirely new setup. Very balanced and tons of grip. Pretty quick too!


Need to get my flares...
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...32033684_n.jpg

Some more weight numbers:
Stock exhaust manifold and cats weight 43 pounds
Stock steel hood is about 42 pounds (cut the webbing out and drop 10lbs)


First hillclimb of the season is this coming weekend.

To-do list:
Install lexan windshield
Change tranny and diff fluid over to Motul Gear 300
Adjust seat brace for more recline
Mix five gallons of fuel up
Add stickers for MOAR POWER!

I'll likely be attacking the car with a hole saw some more during the week as well. After the first hillclimb I'll be installing my electric water pump and fuel cell - that should shed some more pounds as I can hack up the steel in the back. Roll cage will be going in as well (funds fell short before the first race).

Any updates? I like your build progress. I'm building a 88 glx myself for time attack

Yeah, tons of updates haha. I've been bad about updating this.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.n...54694233_n.jpg
Lexan windshield got installed and braced.

I got my mufflers (Moroso Spiral Flows) installed and they made the car tolerable. My exhaust now consists of a RB road race header, RB road race resonators and the aforementioned mufflers. There's no crossover point.

The hillclimb went off without a hitch, other than my exceeding breakout time twice and having to shut down for the weekend. Breakout was 4:20 (HA!) and my first run was a 4:21 followed by a 4:13.32, which felt pretty damn quick.

The next morning I missed the fam run because it takes me forever to belt in with my Hans and arm restraints, so my first run of the day would be my fam as well.

It didn't feel that fast so I though I would be above the breakout time. Nope. Ran a 4:13.68. DOH. Done for the weekend.

It was definitely a case of my getting used to the car, and now I know there's a lot more in it, which is good since the class-winning time was 4:00.55. I can definitely match that with a little more seat time.

On to the few pictures I have from the event!
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...28306487_n.jpg

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...28306487_n.jpg

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...48108373_n.jpg

I think I need to go with a softer spring in the rear, as well as new shocks. These Koni yellows feel a little bagged out.

Since the race I've changed the transmission and diff fluid with Motul Gear 300. The diff oil looked nasty, likely with debris from the LSD clutches. The transmission oil didn't look that bad and there was just a little metal on the magnet. Good signs all around.

Next big project is adding a roll cage, which will end my breakout time woes and enable me to cut some more metal out of the car.

Took the car to autocross. Handling was a little wild and wooly as I tried to figure out tire pressures. Ended up at about 17psi front and 15 psi rear.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.n...65068832_n.jpg

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...06756927_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.n...31498055_n.jpg

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...73089910_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.n...59383458_n.jpg