Yes, we're still meeting the 2nd and 4th Saturday in October and may cut back to the 2nd Saturday in November and December due to the holidays. Come see us when you get the chance, we'll be at the Char Grill on Strickland Rd in north Raleigh at 6:30 pm.

 

I was parked at beyond fitness today in the back of the lot. While in the gym i hear over the intercom " will the owner of a green rx7 please come to the front desk" so i went up there and I was preparing for the lady to say somebody stole my car, BUT ,she then says " your car rolled across the parking lot into a curb". I had my car in neutral with the parkin brake up ( the ground was flat so i figured it was all good). Anyway, my car backed up all the way across the lot into an empty parking space ( God loves my rx7) and hit a curb slightly bending my exhaust. Can a parkin brake just go out like that or do you think my cable came undone?

 

man you got lucky, glad it worked out in the end

 

seriously that was a bit of good luck.

 

Here is what is going on, your car doesn't like to be parked headed into a parking spot. It wants to be backed in and ready to leave as soon as possible. It was just letting you know that. It is a high performance beast and is happiest when it is on the road going full out. Parking for it is like punishment. It wants to be running and showing its stuff to all the other cars on the road. Being backed in is just a way of showing all the other cars in the lot that it is ready to go at a moments notice and its driver understands its personality and its needs.

Your car was communicating with you, listen to what it is saying. Be one with your rotary.

Bert, the auto psychic.

 

I'm heading up to VIR today to the Grand Am Race and to see those RX8s kick bumper on the rest of the field. See ya

 

Yes, I have learned my lesson the hardway .

 

i got a question for the durham crew. that red tii without the title. what did you guys have to do to get it title? i have run across a similar situation with a hella good deal on an FD, but i remember you guys had a hard time getting the title. what were the steps you had to take? Thanks.

also how much does an avg TII engine rebuild run? (thats for anyone who knows )

 

We had to get what is called an indemnity bond. Basically, you can do it for any car that dosn't have a title. The problem is that they are rarely aproved. We got lucky becuase the guy we were selling it to was good friends with the guy that aproaves it. Its a long and drawn out process.

The steps include going to the DMV and getting the proper paper work. Then going to your insurance company and taking out some sort coverage for 1 1/2 time the value of the car. Then the car has to be inspected by a DMV enforcement officer. Once it is approaved, it will take 3 months before you get your title. During that time, they will try to cotact the person who's name was on the previous title. IF that person dosn't claim the car, or does not respond, then you will get your title.

As for the price of a rebuild, it varies greatly depending on what needs to be replaced. Your looking at a minimum of $700 for parts. I usually charge about $1000 for labor depending on what all they want done. Anywhere else will charge you a couple hundred more then that. Hope this helps..

Steve

 

Steve, have ever tried porting a motor before? I keep getting this feeling that something big is going to go out on my car soon and when/if it does I plan on getting some sort of port job to it. (Don't know what size yet, gotta research it a little) I was just curious if you'd wanna attempt it on my engine?

Also, going back to gapping spark plugs... It clearly says in the owner's manual that the plugs are suppose to be gapped. Any thoughts?

-Taylor

 

Actually, i have messed around with porting quite abit. The motor that i am building right now for Tyler is going to have a mild streetport. I haven't messed around with the 3rd gen stuff that much, but the techniques are the same for the porting, you just use different templates from what i have heard.

As far as what port to go with, streetport is about as far as you would like to go. If you pick any other type or port, bridgeport for example, you are going to be sacrificing a lot reliability, but will be making some crazy hp with the right boltons.

They make several types of plugs. The only one i have ever use are the NGK's and the Autolight's. On both of these plugs, it is physically impossible to gap them. There is nothing to gap. I rescently took a set out of a turbo II that you could gap, but i don't recall what brand they were. Whenever i go to the parts store to get plugs, the always give me the plugs that you can't gap. So i guess what i'm saying is if they can be gapped, gap them. If not, then dont worry about it. I hope that makes since.

Steve

 

yeah, that makes sense but the stock plugs are NGK bur9eq's and bur7eq's and it says that these are suppose to be gapped. I replaced mine with the exact plug just used 4 bur9eq's instead so i figured they're suppose to be gapped. I'm not goint to get back in there again for a while so I don't even know what I'm worrying about.

 

Sigh....the Lady hasn't got back in touch with me. Guess she wants to keep her car. Oh well. Looks like I might be shipping out to basic sooner than I thought anways.

 

where are you going to bacis at and what will your MOS be? I guess that we'll have to check on that FD for you while you're away fighting for our freedom to chose the car we drive and the freedom to mod it however we want. We all SALUTE you Ryan! Before you know it you'll be driving an OD hummer and will have forgotten about an FD, you'll be lusting after an H2 with armament.

 

Thanks for the info Steve. Sounds like a little bit too much of a pain in the *** for my taste.

I've got a line on a couple of nice 2nd gens that I might buy. A TII that needs some major help (ie rebuild) and a S5 NA that seems in great shape.

 

For a daily driver, take the NA. Very little trouble and a great ride. FC is a Fine Car and FD equals Financial Drain. Spend all your money on the pretty boy and spend all you time with the "reliable" FC. An enviable threesome in anyone's book.

 

that is definitely my thinking too Bert. more than the long term reliability, I just dont have the time to do a rebuild right now or the money to pay Steve to do it.

I am glad I finally came back to my senses and am looking at rotary powered machines. There just was no thrill in the other cars. i really couldnt see myself in an integra, eclipse, or other ricer-mobile; though I WOULD have been JDM tyte, I wouldnt have been happy. I guess if I ever yearn for the rice I could always neon the FD; I would probably fear for my life everywhere I drove it, but sometimes you gotta take the risks to be down with the ricer crowd.

Oh, and does anyone know a wingless black FD with tan interior that somewhere out in the wake forest area. i think i was on hwy 98 or falls of the nuese either way it was somewhere back there. looked super clean, but I was in a mustang so i got no acknowledgement whatsoever.

How was your weekend with the 8's, Bert?

 

Pm'd ya Josh

 

here is a pic of the S5 NA I am gonna try to take a look at this weekend. it looks super clean. it all depends on how negotiable the price is, but I would like to see it come home with me. the dealer seems to be very proud of this car and is asking well above high retail. We'll just have to see what he comes up with.



It would be Bert's FC's twin.

Steve, I PM'ed you back.

 

It was a great day up at VIR on Saturday. I met Johny up there and we found the perfect setup for you and your FD. I'll try and get some time tonight to post some pictures.
We got to watch the mechanics prep the RX8s for the race on Saturday and Ashraf would've been proud of them, that was the cleanest brake fluid I've seen in a long time. The #70 speedsource Mazda finished second behind an Acura RSX. Here are the official results:

"In the Sport Touring (ST) class, co-drivers Eric Curran and Bob Endicott earned their first Grand-Am Cup Series class victory of the season in the No. 27 Acura RSX-S. The Acura finished one lap ahead of the No. 70 SpeedSource Mazda RX-8 of David Haskell and Sylvain Tremblay, while the No. 97 Turner Motorsport BMW 330i of Tim Pappas and Beau Buisson filled out the podium. Chuck Goldsborough and Andy Lally came home fourth in the No. 3 Team Lexus IS300 with Shane Lewis and Tony Nuzzo rounding out the top-five in the No. 20 Nuzzo Motorsports Mini Cooper S."

Here is how those ricers drive:

 

Where is it located? I could go by and tell him I paid $400 for mine when I bought it 5 yrs ago.

 

its actually out in monroe, nc. out in the middle of nowhere. 2 hour drive.

 

everyone die?

 

huh? not me

 

I'm working this weekend 4-midnight so I won't be making the Drive-In this weekend. Can somebody get pics or do the write up. I also wanted to bring up the scheduled meets for November, December and maybe January and Febreuary as well. Do y'all think that we should cut back to one drive-in each month since the the 4th Saturdays will fall on Thanksgiving and Christmas weekends in the weather will be bad in January and February. Then resume our normal schedule in March? What do y'all think? Of course, there are some rotarians that don't show up for any meetings, Dave & Josh, anymore so I don't suppose they'll care. I understand the shame in not being able to come in your 7s but catch a ride and come on anyway, we miss you guys.