Ok, i am a turbo so bear with me...

I just got done installing a centerforce, the REV TII racing beat exhaust system, and a fuel cut controller. The power gained is AWESOME!!!

So now heres my question... I have about $2k to spend on wheels/tires/suspension.

What do you guys recommend as far as:
1. Wheel size.
2. Tire size for slicks.
3. Suspension upgrade with remaining money.

I am hoping to save money on the wheels. I could really care less what they look like as this is a track car, and not a sexy one at that. I'm looking for cheap and lightweight primarily.

This car is going to be used initially for drag racing, but i may move into some auto-x eventually. This is not going to be a daily driver so ride quality is not nearly as important as high speed stability. Thanks for any input, i'm indecisive on what to do at this point.

 

Buy some good R compound tires and put them on the stock rims. Get a good set of brake pads and flush the brakes with some high temp fluid. Save the rest for maintenance and repairs.

At least... that's what I'd do if I had a $2000 budget and really wanted to track the car.

 

buy one of the many ITA RX7'S for sale at dirt cheap prices and go have some fun

 

Let me clarify... 2k is not my total budget for this car, just what i have available at the moment. I plan on spending much more with time but right now the car just isnt very stable at high speed so i am shooting for tires and suspension upgrades with what i have now.

I totally realize that i'm gonna brake **** while racing, i'm a noob myself but i have plenty of friends doing drag racing so i realize that there will be a lot of expenses to keep it running. If something breaks i'll take care of it, or garage the car until i can afford too. I can tow it if need be.

I originally posted this in the second gen forum but i guess it didnt belong there, i'm really looking for FC specific answers.

My brake pads are good i just replaced them. Braking is not a problem at the moment.

Sticking with the stock wheels sounds good for now but what size of tires should i be looking at? Is it pretty much as wide as i can fit or is it subjective. I have 225s on it right now but the tires are meh... should i go wider than that?

What coilover kit offers the best bang for the buck on a FC?

I'm not gonna buy another rx7 i allready have 2, and i want the satisfaction of modifying the car myself. Not to mention that those ITA rx7s have allready had the **** and **** driven out of them... no thankyou. If i wanted a car that would be a constant headache i would get a FD. My FCs are both in excellent condition for the most part and they're very easy to work on. I have had my GXL for 7 years and it has been the most reliable car i have ever owned, so yeah i'm a little biased towards FC and self modified because i dont trust anyone else for building my car, and thats 2/3 the fun of it anyway.

 

Drag racing the car and tracking the car will not use the same spring rates or tire sizes.
Ground Control can sell you all the coil over stuff you will need for either application. There are many possible struts available. For drag racing the stock type may be fine.
As I understand it you want to transfer weight to the rear of the car for drag racing particularly during the start. This would require soft springs and struts with low compression rates on the rear of the car. The front struts need to have low rebound rates to help with that transfer. This will allow the front of the car to rise quickly transfering the weight to the rear.
This set up would completely suck on the race track (road course).
You can put as large as 255/40-17 tires on the rear with minor flaring of the rear fenders. You will need a 17 x 9 wheel with +18mm offset. I know I just did this. Tire selection will be determined by racing class. Slicks or DOT. Check all rules for class that you want to race in before buying anything. If you are drag racing the front tires in stock sizes would be fine. You do not want to add any weight if possible.
Cheap/light wheels do not exist. Be prepared to pay a premium for wheels in the 11-13 lb range. That being said light wheels will make a difference in drag or road racing.
The easiest way to make a car go fast is to make it lighter. Do not underestimate the value of this. HP/weight ratio is KING.
But most of all have fun. All racing is a blast.

 

If you want to see a well documented build up of an FC into a road course car, check our Crispy's site:

http://www.negative-camber.org/crispyrx7/fc/fcpart1.htm

But as Buzzin points out, what is good for the drag strip would suck on the road course. :o

-bill

 

Thanks for the info guys... Sounds like i need to do some thinking before i buy anything.