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-   -   The Hillclimb RX7 - a saga (https://www.rx7club.com/race-car-tech-103/hillclimb-rx7-saga-1006736/)

DaveEstey 04-05-13 09:16 AM

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?

eage8 04-05-13 09:58 AM


Originally Posted by DaveEstey (Post 11429786)

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

DaveEstey 04-05-13 10:35 AM

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

DaveEstey 04-05-13 10:45 AM

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...74644824_n.jpg

eage8 04-05-13 11:42 AM

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....

DaveEstey 04-05-13 02:34 PM

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

eage8 04-05-13 02:55 PM

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....

DaveEstey 04-05-13 04:27 PM

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

DaveEstey 04-11-13 02:38 PM

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.

DaveEstey 04-11-13 02:39 PM

Stock RX7 windshield = 26 pounds

3/16th Lexan replacement = 10 pounds

DaveEstey 04-11-13 02:42 PM

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.

DaveEstey 04-12-13 10:02 PM

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

Stay on the track, kids.

dexter_5000 04-14-13 11:46 PM

No wonder it fought you so much

RGHTBrainDesign 04-15-13 10:10 PM

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

dexter_5000 04-15-13 11:33 PM

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

DaveEstey 04-16-13 10:14 AM

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.

RGHTBrainDesign 04-17-13 07:57 PM

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.

DaveEstey 05-12-13 04:09 PM

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

DaveEstey 05-12-13 04:15 PM

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).

Socalhatchy 07-24-13 12:52 AM

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

DaveEstey 07-24-13 10:44 AM

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

DaveEstey 07-24-13 10:46 AM

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

DaveEstey 07-24-13 10:47 AM

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

DaveEstey 07-24-13 10:48 AM

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.

DaveEstey 07-24-13 10:50 AM

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


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