John Magnuson

Ok this is like three threads in one...

1) Tested out my customized Advanced Design Coilover system at Buttonwillow Raceway yesterday. (pic attached) The custom part of the system in that I adapted them to work with some stock size race springs and the stock rubber top mounts (to make them tolerable on the street too). The results were great... faster laps times, car felt great on the track and the fact that compression and rebound can be individually adjusted from the top of the stock is fantastic.

2) I've seen this guy at two track days so far with him immaculate almost stock FD. He's 6'7" and fits with a helmet. I don't want to hear anyone more tall people complaining! (pic proof attached)

3) Everything happens faster with a race suspension... including how fast you spin out. During the last lapping session I decided I was a better driver than a really am and went into a corner way too hot. The car spun and I slid off the track into a tire lined embankment. Fortunately I wasn't going super fast and a couple minor dents is all that occured (pics attached)... plus I had to spend three hours today cleaning the mud and dust out of the interior.

I knew I would crash someday... I'm glad it wasn't too serious and if this is the worst that ever happens to my car and me I'll be happy.

TracyRX7

Glad to hear you are ok, to answer the other two less critical threads...well...

I'm glad you're happy with the coil-overs, any specifics on specs, costs, time to construct, etc would greatly be appreciated. Most of the double adjustable FD coil-over kits are $$$$. (found this thread after reading here, I go Race first, then 3rd gen in my reading order: https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...47#post4086547 )

6'7", thats taller than DamonB even I notice he has some sort of Sparco seat which looks to be sitting REAL low. Do you know if it was mounted straight into the floor or if it is still on adjustable brackets? Also do you happen to know what helmet he was using? I've found a widely varied amount of added height due to helmet.

Michael_Rudy

wow and i thought i was tall for them at 6'5" but i am still growing so ya never know, did you ever actually see him crushed in it with the helmet??? was it very crampt?

John Magnuson

Attached is a not very good pic of the 6'7" guy in the FD.

I don't know what helmet he used... he did have a lowered race seat.

John Magnuson

New the shocks are about $400 each from Ground Control, http://www.ground-control.com

A complete kit from Ground Control would run about $2200 which includes 2.5" Eibach Springs (mine are for sale if anyone wants them, 500lb front, 400lb rear) spring perches and top mounts.

What you need to make the system I used:

1) Advance Design Shocks (~$400 each new, ground control)
2) Adjustable threaded spring perches for shocks (not sure of price, ground control)
3) Bottom spring mount from Koni Shocks (not sure it they're available seperately or not from the Koni Shocks)
4) RSR Race Springs (~$200. available from various venders like RX7store)
5) Stock upper spring mount (reuse your own or buy new)
6) Stock upper shock mount (reause your own or buy new. I bought new Mazdacomp ones for about $40 each.)

DamonB

Just to be clear, the other guy does but I don't. My interior is stock (and yes I do have to duck my head with helmet on because I sit very upright).

Michael_Rudy

how tall are you DamonB?

gnx7

iTrader: (10)

Sorry to hear about your crash. What tires were you running?

What track? Looks wet.

-Mark

John Magnuson

I was running a brand new unshaved set of Toyo RA1 245/45-16s. I was at Buttonwillow. The track was dry but there was a fair amount of mud off track due to the recent rains. It was strange to see no dirt at buttonwillow... just lotsa green grass.

I can't really fault the car for going off. Just my lack of driving skill. I went into the corner way to hot. It had been a long day, I was a bit tired, the car was feeling great and I was feeling confident... to confident and relaxed apparently.

The damage isn't so bad. There are some minor scratches to the finish that can probably be buffed out. The two dents MIGHT be able to be removed by a paintless dent removal guy I know. He's going to look at the car Wednesday.

I did slighty bend the left front lower control arm... so that's gonna cost me $350 or so and an alignment. I may just take this opportunity to replace all the front control arms as the ball joints have 148K on them.

But it could have been MUCH worse. A guy in a 350z went off and hit the EXACT same spot I did earlier in the day. His car was VERY badly dented up all over. I just have two small dents.

I'm signed up for another day at buttonwillow in may so hopefully I'll have better luck next time! At least it happened at the end of the day so I got to have my fun.

gnx7

iTrader: (10)

contact Fritz Flynn about suspension parts. He has a bunch! May as well do the JimLab Delrin bushings and new rear pillow ball bushings. $1K for them all...

DamonB

6'4" in my bare feet. I like to keep the seat upright so my arms are properly bent as I grip the wheel. With my helmet on I have to duck slightly to stay out of the head liner. Once I'm actually driving I find I do that anyway and don't have to think about it. When racing I have the seatback tilted fully forward and the seat itself 3 notches from fully back.

DamonB

Very sorry to hear about the damage to the car. FWIW I was on different tires for the first time on Sunday at a very fast autox and had the same problems. The car slid and recovered so differently I lept getting caught correcting it too late. Spun it once and nearly spun it a second time but held on after three very big oscillations.

John Magnuson

I replaced all the rear bushing and pillow ***** a few months ago. I have some new Mazdacomp front bushing I have not put in yet. I don't think I'd go with the Delrin bushings because I also drive this car on the street and I think they would probably transfer too much vibration for my tastes. I'm thinking I may just replace all four control arms and do the bushing at the same time that way I get new ball joints too... we'll see.

Thanks for the advice.

Tom93R1

iTrader: (2)

I dont fit in my R1 with a helmet and I am 6'5". I have to bend my neck down in an uncomfortable position then I cant turn my head. I was thinking I may head down to an upholstery shop and see if they can do some kind of removable seat cushion. Next time you see that tall guy find out what seat he has. I have kept away from buying a racing seat because I am afraid of getting one that ends up not giving me any more room.

Looks like alot of fun out there! I would love to be able to get out and do some of the same. The way I fit though I can barely drag race. Put the helmet on, get to the end of the track, pull it off and then exit the strip.

John Magnuson

He has some kind of lowered SPARCO seat. I'll ask him what kind. I think it might be bolted directly to the floor.

ghostrx7

I have a sparco roadster, made some custom brackets it sits quite a bit lower then stock....id say 2-3 inches easy.

Gene

iTrader: (1)

Sure recipe for bent sheet metal At track events I always put my street tires back on the car for my last run, and take it at maybe 6-7/10ths, just working on smoothness and track memory. Plus you don't have to mess around with tires at the end of the day, you can just pack up and go.

John Magnuson

Probably a good idea. It wasn't until the end of the day that the track was clear enough of slower traffic and I really wanted to post a good lap time. I also drive my car to the event and back on my race tires.

I've got a paintless dent removal guy coming tomorrow. I think he'll be able to take out the little dent at the front but I doubt he can do the one at the back since the back dent has no access from the underside.

Gene

iTrader: (1)

Ah. I have just enough room in my FC (with rollbar) to cram 4 225/45/16 tires, my toolbox, two jacks, wheel chocks, jackstands, overnight bag, helmet, spare fluids, spare brake pads and rotors, and some other junk, and have just enough room left over for me. I don't live close enough to any tracks to make driving on race rubber feasible.

Even on your track tires, just take it easy the last run... most incidents happen in the last run when people are trying to do their best, but they're tired, fatigued and overconfident.

Bern

The tall guy is Evan B, and yes he's 6'7"... he had the SPARCO mounted on the floor. He didn't fit with the OEM set up and helmet. He will be at the MazFest Track Day at Buttonwillow in May, if anyone wants to come check out his set-up.

Cheers,

-Bern

John Magnuson

Well... some good news. Nothing was bent with the suspension. Just need an alignment. I popped the front dent out and it's gone. The rear dent is going to have to go to a body shop if I decide to fix it. It's about the size of a fist so it's strictly cosmetic. Since I plan to continue to beat the car at the track I figure maybe I should just let the car be since I'll probably just bend it up again sometime anyway.

M104-AMG

iTrader: (8)

Can you post the vendor and pn# for the Mazdacomp uppser shock mounts ?

Also, is the AD shocks double adjustable ?

Thanks,
:-) neil

maxcooper

Here's some pics and more info from Evan about the seat install:

Feel free to pass along this URL
[http://www.evanburkitt.us/RX7/Mainte...eat/seat.html] which has
pictures of the seat and its mounting. The pictures are a combination of
the original, Cobra seat and my current Sparco Rev. The Cobra fit the car
fine, but the side bolsters are too high for my legs.

My goal was be able to drive the car wearing a helmet. This meant getting
the seat as far back and down as I could without drilling holes in the car.
Toward this end the seat is mounted on a plate which attaches to the
original seat mounting holes. I didn't use the sliders, so there is no
fore-and-aft adjustment. Getting the seat and mount plate in the car
required making some access holes in the left-hand bracket and in seat
itself. These are viewable in pictures A5 and B5. To get the seat to clear
the door it is mounted as far to the right as possible. The closeness of
the seat to the tunnel is shown in pictures B3 and B4.

The seat belt receiver is bolted to the same mount point as the part which
carries the primary load for the belt in the stock setup. It stays in the
position shown in C1 because it is wedged between the tunnel and the seat.

With this installation I can wear my helmet, but I remove the seat pads and
I still have to hunch down and lean right a bit. I have more leg room than
stock, but still not enough. If I were a couple of inches shorter I would
probably fit perfectly. Hip room is another story. Big butts
will not be comfortable in either of the seats I used. Mounted that far
back, these are the widest seats likely to fit with the interior trim in place.

If anyone has additional questions you can give them my email address. I'd
be happy to provide more information or pictures.

If you want more info, you can PM me and I'll give you Evan's email address.

-Max
5'6" and would probably fit with a helmet while sitting on a phone book in an FD with a sunroof.

John Magnuson

Yes, the AD shocks are double adjustable for both compression and rebound. (through quite a wide range too I might add). Other nice feature is that BOTH adjustment ***** are at the top of the shocks which makes for very easy access. Many shocks have one adjustment at top and the second at the bottom which is much harder to access.

The Mazdacomp upper shock mounts are:

F128-28-380 - MOUNT, UPPER SHOCK (F-R) (4)
Notes: FRONT AND REAR. THIS IS MADE OF A 40% STIFFER RUBBER THAN STOCK. THIS IS NOT THE BUMPER BOUND WITH THE THREE BOLTS.

I got them from Mazda Competition. If you don't have an account with them you may be able to get them from Malloy Mazda, Mazdaformance or Corksport. Maybe even the regular mazda dealer could get them.

John Magnuson

That's the big problem I have with race seats. I am butt sizedly challenged and some race seats I just plain don't fit in and others are VERY uncomfortable.

Of couse I fit in the "big ***" versions of some racing seats but of course those don't fit in the FD.

For now I just strap myself in tight with my 5 point to my R1 model seats. Works ok but some extra side support would be nice.