I'm leaving for Harbor Freight right now to get a comp tester and remote starter so I can do it all myself. Wish me luck!

What is Operation: Shaft?

 

Operation: Shaft is my driveshaft replacement operation. I meant to say that it was shipped out Friday, not shopped. Aftermarket OEM replacement, NOT aluminum.

 

Oh, I forgot about your DS. I got a tester from Harbor Freight and a remote start switch from Sears. I'm about to get started now, even though I kinda don't want to, haha.

 

Just wanted to pass along...I'm not sure if the Blue Angels will be performing for the Wings Over Wayne airshow in Goldsboro next month. They just lost an aircraft and a pilot at an airshow in SC!

 

Ugh. Sleepy! Long *** day. Had a GREAT time this year... everything was awesome... even though the stupid car's engine is blown. Everything else was sooo fun! I can't wait to come back here in September.

 

I have an external HD. 500 GB. I think I download teh interwebz. The whole interwebz. Other than that...nothing. Sleepy. Night.

 

Holy **** Nic, I had no idea! How did it happen?

Well I didn't do **** to the car yesterday like I said I was gonna, so today I swapped out the check valves and drove the car again. It doesn't buck anymore, but it still has no power where it should and I'm only getting from 5 to 7 psi. I did a compression test when I got back and it was jumping from 0 - 90 on every single face. I don't guess I need to mention that the car is still running like ****. So I'm still wondering if it might have something to do with timing. 90 isn't the greatest, but it's not too bad either, it should still be running better than it is. It just leads me to believe the engine is ok.

 

Eric, maybe this will help fix your problem

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/04-GT...04081583QQrdZ1

 

okay...jumping in real quick I think that after popping the rear seals in the FB this week, I think I've decided to go to the darkside with Josh. Carburated Chevy 350 small block with a T-56 6 speed tranny(if the tranny fits). JOSH...check out this site!!! http://www.v8rx7forum.com/
I know some of you may flame me, but after having this car for only 6 months and the "most reliable" rotary motor popping on me at 160,000 miles...pistons ftw! ERIC!!! Join the darkside, before it's too late

 

A few pics of the FB BEFORE she blew...and one of Santa chilaxin with the RRDI crew at Crackerbarrel.

 

I heard Greg was makin some kind of list and double checking it...not sure if it's a maintenance list or what...hmmm.

I was going to do the whole outfit, but loyalty could not let me cover the RX-7 shirt. Plus I'm at work and I don't have time for all that ****, haha.

 

I'd have to agree with that one. Even with some of the mishaps, death of the FB, push starting an FD at a gas station (i'll do a photo montage of this one later tonight haha), loose lug nuts on my car.. oops , etc, it was one hell of a year. I've been three times now, once with the 8s and twice with the 7s, and this year was some of the most fun I've had yet. Three years and still haven't driven the skyway haha. I'll get you next time skyway

 

well damn. looks like i missed a lot this weekend. while some of you were on top of the mountain, some underneath your cars. I was in Florida, soaking up the sun, riding rollercoasters, and playing with dolphins.

the only thing to report on my car is, that now i have a bad squeek when turning the wheel at low speeds. checked everything i could and everything seems tight. will be checking it this weekend. damn ls1 reliability, take a 1200 mile trip and the only thing i get to complain about is a damn squeek from the suspension. WTF?!

eric, glad it isn't the engine. most likely you have oil mucking up half your sensors.

phil, i like brickhammer more than nailbat. i think the brick shards will be dangerous. once those splinters start flying it will be mayhem.

david, have you ever though of going with a mustang 5.0? i seem to remember that being a popular swap for FBs. then i can make ford jokes at the meets.

 

The T56 will fit, but it will take some massaging to get it on a first gen SBC. You should looking into a T5. Bolts straight up. In either case, if you go with the T56 I believe you have to use the LT1 version, and not the LS1 version. Different bellhousing bolt patterns IIRC. ww.v8rx7forum.com is the spin off of the torquecentral forum. LOTS of really good info there.

And like Josh said, dont be afraid to look into a SBF. The Mustang carbed 302 is a great motor and sounds awesome. it will make over 400 whp before you need to start worrying about tis reliability and i believe it is slightly lighter.


BC

 

Just wanted to remind everyone the Wings Over Wayne Airshow is fast approaching. I have secured the best possible parking anyone could ask for...on the flightline with the aircraft on display! Those of you who attended last year's airshow noticed there were a few car clubs parked out on the flightline and wondered why we couldn't do that also. Well, we can this year! All I need is a head count of who is attending so, I can get all the special events passes together.

It's more or less a car show...no prizes will be awarded but I think it would be nice to show off the rotary!!!

Now the gates open for the general public at 9am...I'm being told by Ground Ops we should plan on being there at 8am so, we can get the cars parked and roped off. Ofcourse this means we get to meet at the CB in Smithfield just off I95. I'm not real sure on a time yet, but we'll work it out. Just remember it's a 30-45 min drive from the CB to the front gate.

Also, we are not sure at the moment if the Blue Angels will attend since they suffered a loss of a pilot at their airshow in SC this past Saturday. More to come...

 

Well guys, I wrecked the Miata at the Dragon.

After giving it a good look, it's not as bad as I originally thought. Nothing is broken, but the suspension is badly twisted, so at the least I need a new control arm and upper A-arm, and probably a new wheel hub. I can still drive the car around at low speeds on a donut spare. The front bumper cover and drivers side fender are both more or less crushed, and the drivers side turn signal is gone.

I'm going to be sporting the FB for a while, so I just hope she holds together as a daily driver. No real reason that it shouldn't, really. The Miata is going to be down for a while though, I don't really have the cash to fix it.

I'll post the details of my trip home a bit later, I didn't get back home until 10pm.

Also, thanks to everyone who helped me out over the weekend. Gary, Stina, David, Greg, Shannon, a bunch of guys I don't even know helped me out a lot, and a bunch of other guys lent me some moral support. That's probably the only thing that kept me from completely freaking out, that I was surrounded by about 200 of my closest friends.

 

Joey, you wrecked it ON the dragon? I need details, if you don't mind.

 

Glad you guys had fun out there, I wish I could have gone. Rich told me Ray Crowe was out there too, DAMMIT! Haha. I missed EVERYONE! Rich also told me about a Miata that went into a ditch or something. I immediately thought about Joey, but until now I doubted that it was him. Damn, sorry to hear that Joey. Good to know you're OK though. I doubt I'll go the the airshow unless I stay at Nic and Keri's the night before for some reason. I sure won't be driving up there, haha. Josh, I'm not sure it's NOT the engine, it may still be, and I've been having ideas, haha. Don't get your hopes up, it's not LS1 related, haha. It does require me getting a loan for about $2-3k though, so it probably won't happen, but it's still the most doable scenario. Let me just say I'd give my left nut for a simple suspension squeek at this point, haha. Well, probably not, let me not make any promises I won't keep, haha.

 

hahaha. no i value both left and righty, too much. but it is embarrassing when pulling into places. checked the rack, the lug nuts, tie rod end. only thing i couldnt check was ball joints. oh well i will find it this weekend.

i dont think it is your engine!! if i have to say it again i will choke you i just don't doesnt feel like it to me. i know what a blown motor runs like. is it still smoking? blowing oil?

and what you talking about loans for willis? like i told joey, i need details.

 

http://www.evolutionm.net/misc/modified.php

Say anything about me being on that site and the BRICkHAMMer will begin preliminary anti-personnel testing.

 

Eric...V-8's aren't ALL LS1's $3000 is plenty for a few v-8 swaps out there, lol. But yes, like Josh said, please clarify. It can't be 3 rotor for only 3 grand. And I'd hate to see you spend 3000 on another rotary headache, lol Just playin.

Anyway, I think we might look at the T-5 I guess. I kinda liked the idea of a 6 speed V-8 for gas reasons, but I don't think I can afford an LT-1. Does anybody know where I can pick up an affordable carb'd small block 350 and T-5 tranny? I would rather know it's a good motor and pay a little extra, but we are still on a small budget. It might be awhile before the FB is up and running(as much as I hate saying that) so we can afford to do it.

 

Where in FL did you go?

Well, I took video of the comp test yesterday and I just looked at it again a little bit ago and it looked like there might have been a couple places where it didn't reach 90 when I thought it did. Honestly though, what else could it be? You really think oil mucking up the sensors would make it run like it has a stuck seal? I'm going to put some more Sea Foam in there like you were saying anyway, can't hurt right? I just have to rig up something to suck it into the elbow. I think I'm gonna get a cap of some kind (or the rubber bottom of a fold up chair leg), punch a hole in it and stick a plastic fitting in there so I can hook up a small hose like I did last time. When we were doing the test yesterday I noticed a spark under the UIM where the other end of the wires hook up, the distributor or whatever, but running normally I don't think it's there. That kinda made me wonder too. It's still smoking a bit but that might just be because it didn't warm up long enough. The loan is for getting your engine, a rebuild kit, PFC or some other computer and possibly exhaust.

 

If you are looking for a Carb'd SBC any mid eighties and earlier camaro or firebird should have a carb'd engine. Old GM pick up trucks will very likely have the 350 carb'd SBC, but those will have non-performance oriented heads and cams. DO NOT get the 305 SBC. Its a lump. its debored with a long stroke. So low rpm, low power. 327 is a 'high' reving destroked 350. The 350 is the humble sbc that everyone knows. 383 is a stroked SBC. 400 is a pontiac engine, but still technically an SBC. A 427 is a stroked and bored 350. The 350 is the most likely engine you will find. The 400 is the least likely followed by the 327. I dont think an car came with a 427 stock... but I could be wrong.

You dont NEED an LT1 to get the T56. The LT-1 has the same bell housing as the first gen SBC. So anything built before the LT1 will fit. Some may need random parts to make it work, but they will bolt up. The T5 has more agressive gears than the T56, but the T56 does have the ultra tall 6th gear. In the LT1 version I think it is .72, with a .90ish 5th gear.


BC

 

Interesting, I put 1200 miles on my car last year (included the skyway run sunday) and 1200 miles this year (no skyway run). Can't imagine where all that mileage came from.... DOH!

New strut bars and a little oversteer made for way too much fun on the Dragon.

Even with all the BS on here before and there during the event it was worth going up there for the driving and the fun I had.

 

Yeah, but they're still V-8s and I'm not ready to go that route, haha. And no, I'm not going 3 rotor either, I'm staying 2 rotor. I was just talking about getting Josh's engine and rebuilding it, throwing it back in with my twins for now, and if possible and if we have time go ahead and toss in the V-mount setup and oil coolers. And even if I didn't do the intercooler and oil coolers, I'd still have the streetported engine on stock twins with DP, intakes and exhaust if I had the extra money so I'd have to get a computer, not to mention maybe injectors, fuel pump and all that. That's all, basically getting everything set up for going single later, but trying to keep the price as low as possible for right now.