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How do you like the FC as an autocross platform? Would you do it differently if you could start over with it and do whatever you wanted?
I've been running an RX8 in stock classes for a while and am tempted to get into something a bit more purpose built, and an FC seems like a pretty obvious choice from the parts availability and being a good starting point to begin with.
The car isn't built for autocross, so it's not fantastic at it - its set up for hillclimbs, which are basically tarmac rally.
I think as a platform the FC is a pretty good place to be. If I had had the budget to do so though I would have gone with an FD. Dual wishbones is much nicer than McStruts - but it's not a deal breaker by any means. I can't complain about the car's performance - I took 3rd yesterday autocrossing it - so 2 podiums in 2 events. First hillclimb for me will be Okemo in July.
Racing season is approaching so it's time for me to get my *** in gear. Made a little trip to visit these guys for some suspension advice.
They haven't discovered me yet, but I fear my time among them is short.
Great guys. Super helpful. Nice prices on valved Billys!
Time to throw some more money at this pig.
That checks off the ignition, and I finally decided to run my Weber 48 IDA rather than my Weber 48 DCOE, which meant I needed that nice shiny new manifold.
Playing with unorthodox fuel cell placement since the radiator eats a lot of real estate in the back. It will be mounted about 5" up on the firewall and boxed in for safety reasons. Centralize all the weight.
So now I'm waiting on AWR for my front strut housings and my tig-welding buddy to come down and burn in some 4130 Cro-Mo so I can mount the radiator and start plugging things into the car.
And just because having time and money is over rated, we decided we want to go Lemons'ing. Time for a second RX7! Turns out it's not a GXL - it's a GTU!
Hey Dave, I see three coils in that setup. Can you run through your ignition? I'm curious. And I assume that setup is carb only. How are you likeing the carb? Why not fi?
Also I ran through the tech and classing documents, it seems my ITS prepared car will find a home in the class structure but how competitive are our cars for this sport? I'll be at Okemo to scope things out, we hope to be ready to take the hills for 2016.
I converted one of the ignitors and use it as a signal generator for an MSD box, which uses a waste spark setup to fire the leading plugs (one coil each). The trailing coils run like normal from the distributor and share one coil. I don't see any reason why you couldn't run this setup with EFI, but also can't see why you WOULD haha. The fires up really easy though thanks to the powerful spark on the leads.
I like the carb, but man has it been a learning curve, mostly because I'm 32 and carbs haven't been part of my repertoire. I mainly chose it because it's way cheaper than a good EFI setup right now. I will be switching over to EFI eventually.
RX7s can be very competitive at hillclimbs if prepared intelligently, which basically means tune for reliability over outright power and don't spring it super stiff. This is tarmac rally and it's not all glass smooth.
Update on the car. I went out to MassTuning racewars saturday because SCCNH had been contracted to run an autocross course. For ***** and giggles I ran in Max Effort class, which combined fastest 1/4 mile drag time and autocross time. I've never done drags in my life...
The car ran a 13.7 @100 with me not knowing wtf I'm doing and short shifting. That seems like a healthy number.
I also got to take the car across the scales........ It weighs 2,290lbs with me in it. So 2,100lbs wet. That's 100lbs under my 2015 goal. The 2016 goal is 2,000lbs.
I converted one of the ignitors and use it as a signal generator for an MSD box, which uses a waste spark setup to fire the leading plugs (one coil each). The trailing coils run like normal from the distributor and share one coil. I don't see any reason why you couldn't run this setup with EFI, but also can't see why you WOULD haha. The fires up really easy though thanks to the powerful spark on the leads.
I like the carb, but man has it been a learning curve, mostly because I'm 32 and carbs haven't been part of my repertoire. I mainly chose it because it's way cheaper than a good EFI setup right now. I will be switching over to EFI eventually.
RX7s can be very competitive at hillclimbs if prepared intelligently, which basically means tune for reliability over outright power and don't spring it super stiff. This is tarmac rally and it's not all glass smooth.
I have AWR EP strut housings in the front, so my spring length will differ from the norm. Front rate is 425 and rear is 225. I'd have to double check the lengths. I'm considering lowering the front rate some since these were chosen when the car weighed 2,600lbs.
I like the carb, but man has it been a learning curve, mostly because I'm 32 and carbs haven't been part of my repertoire. I mainly chose it because it's way cheaper than a good EFI setup right now.
i did a 48IDA on my P port, mostly because i had it, and there was a learning curve, but once i got a handle on what does what, i really like the carb. it works way better than i would have thought possible, and i have no plans to go to efi anymore.
Originally Posted by DaveEstey
The car ran a 13.7 @100 with me not knowing wtf I'm doing and short shifting. That seems like a healthy number.
I also got to take the car across the scales........ It weighs 2,290lbs with me in it. So 2,100lbs wet. That's 100lbs under my 2015 goal. The 2016 goal is 2,000lbs.
i'd be really happy with that, 13.7 is quick, and 2100lbs is LIGHT
i did a 48IDA on my P port, mostly because i had it, and there was a learning curve, but once i got a handle on what does what, i really like the carb. it works way better than i would have thought possible, and i have no plans to go to efi anymore.
i'd be really happy with that, 13.7 is quick, and 2100lbs is LIGHT
I'll get it aligned, grab some more dyno time and then go back. The road race slicks aren't awesome at drag so my 60' times weren't as solid as a 10" slick would otherwise suggest.
Got busy last night on a new rear hatch setup with air intake. Should be less draggy than the previous design, as well as being stronger. Making use of the high pressure that forms at the top of the hatch.
Yes, the hatch can still open just like normal. I'll need to make two retainers for the side skirts inside as well as find a neater way of running my fuel cell vent line.
I use these for all my lexan cutting. Mounted upside down in a carpenters vice and I use it like a band saw. Works AWESOME. 18 Gauge Sheet Metal Shear
How is hill climb scored? Is it the summation of all runs like rallyx? Or best time? Or are you offered only one timed run like stage rally?
Saturday is practice runs. Sunday is timed runs. Best run counts. Usually you get 3-4 runs per day depending on weather and people staying out of the foliage.
