RX7 FC finding out what it wants to become

Pulled the mazda out to do some work on my DD and the nice weather gave me a chance to wash the rx7 as well. So I got the car all clean! Doesn't look to bad but much better than covered in mold! I did have some trouble with the rear hatch water wasn't draining from the drivers side. I used a coat hanger and ran it down the drain pipe and flushed up all the crap that was blocking the water from draining.

Liking the wheels more and more!

The motor mounts are also in the mail so im hopping to see them next Tuesday (if USPS keeps to there delivery date). I still have SOOOOOO much to do before the motor goes in but I do plan on test fitting the motor once before I paint the motor and under the hood. So as of now I still need a Aluminum Radiator (think Im going to use this one -Aluminum Radiator- looks similar to the granny speed one same size but no brackets but $200 cheaper), a clutch, carb, air cleaner, oil catch can. That's all I can think of now but I know im missing something.

In reply to Skervey:

Not to derail this thread but I'd love to see a rebuild thread of your dad's Capri. Well, it'd probably make me sad that I'm not rebuilding mine like I keep saying I will, but it'd still be of interest.

In reply to pres589:

Well, since you asked...

Capri build thread

BTW-How cool is it that both of our sons have active build threads on this forum!

SCORE just got back from a parts pickup run! I now have 2 LSD's one with broken stub shaft one is fine. A whole rear end with LSD, T5 to mazda diff (came from granny speed), polly bushings, S/S brake lines. Whole front end power rack, GTU electric struts, polly bushings, 4 pot calipers, S/S brake lines. As well as a gauge pod for the A piller in the car.

So lots of spare parts to sell but I will keep the best for myself

Lots of stuff to keep me busy now!

Well I guess first things first, Got the block in primer. Its POR 15 primer, stuff went on really well and the paint went a long way! I orderd por 15 silver paint after using the primer I was happy with it so why use something else on top of. it. Also Got some more parts, a mustang timing belt cover. Only bad thing is I need a fuel pump block off plate...

I also picked up some other parts. Brackets and another alternator (That makes for 3 of them) P/S pump and bracket. A really nice MSD distributor and coil! But the distributor dosent have a vacume advance so its no use to me... So Im going to take it back to the guy I got it from (Really nice guy and iv gotten a lot of parts for him) He has a clutch and a MSD box as well. So I think I will order a hilicoil distributor tonight. I want to have it when I test fit the drive train to see if it will clear the hood fingers crossed.

I also got the granny speed kit in! It looks like a good piece of work and I am happy with it. The only issue was moving the power rack lines to fit the motor mount in place. It was a pain and something I think could be avoided with some changes to the kit but that's just what I think.

So that's it for tonight I might go get a really trick remote shiftier tonight (from the same guy that I got the diffs from) Also might be selling some of the spare RX7 parts this weekend.

Those stubs in the diff look like they were designed to break right at an "X" in an oil groove that wraps around the shaft like an infinite loop.

They break cleaner than toilet paper does at the perforated lines.

In reply to jgrewe: Exactly!

Also, I believe those struts would be GXL, not GTU. IIRC, GTU did not have the electronic suspension.

I could be wrong on that....

Well the struts came out of a GTU. The rear struts were replaced with stock ones because the other owner didn't want to pay for the electric ones (cant blame him).

I think I have someone coming to get the struts as well as the doors, hood, fender and some other things.

I did get the shifter last night. Its an aftermarket T5 shifter with a remote shifting unit that fits under the RX7's console and comes out in the stock location so it will look factory! I am going to get the rubber motor mounts today So I hope to drop the drive train in to do some test fitting and see if the drive shaft I got is going to work. Hope to get lots of photos of the first install.

First as promised the new remote shifter. It is a after market shifter with a CNC cut piece steel that has a hime joint welded to the bottom. Then a remote shifter shaft mounted to the hime joint. The way the connecting rod is angled down will allow for shorter shifts witch is always nice.

Its not the best looking set up but no one will ever see it, and it works which is all that matters.

Then the next big news! My car is now on drugs!! That's right the LSD is in so I can make a nice long set of 11's down the road. It was a heck of a job, took most of a morning and a lot of fussing and sore muscles after the fact but its done. I also installed some new nylon bushings that came with the new diff's.

I scored big with three diff's, S/S braided lines, poly bushings, shifter, drive shaft, 1/2 shafts and some other things! I sold the 5 lug swap and big brakes to a guy today. He also took the doors hood and fender as well as the broken LSD, struts and I gave him the front sway bar (didn't know if it was aftermarket or not but it had poly bushings and I already have them on my car). Still haven't installed all the left over parts but it will give me something to do if im ever stuck waiting on parts to come in.

Im going to clean and paint these arms and swap them into my car.

I also kept the spindles im going to take them to work tomorrow and see if the guys there can cut and shorten the steering arms. Don't have a before photo but I will get one or compare it to the stock ones on the car.

In other news I did get some rubber motor mounts, they were the wrong ones... Spent the whole weekend trying to figure out which ones I need. Granny speed gave me some new part numbers since the part numbers on there site were no good. But the new ones he gave me were no good as well... So I found another build thread and asked the builder what mounts he used and he got me a part number that was still good and told me what the OEM application for the mount was (1960's Ford galaxie so the mounts are not even for a 302 but a 289). So not very happy with granny speed that is strike two for them. Going to get the new mounts at napa after work tomorrow and try to test fit just the motor again. If it fits ill bolt up the tranny and slide it in there to check to see if that drive shaft will work and to start cutting the hole for the shifter. Once I know it will all fit I will pull it back out and prep and paint the motor and under the hood. Seems like im so close to installing it for good! But I know better then that

I also took some time this afternoon to look at the front brackets and how everything will fit on the front of the motor. It took some time to take the pile of brackets and bolts and come up with something that will work. I am going to have to use the ford racing balincer and I have a under drive pulley as well as a stock pulley (chime in if you have thoughts on the under drive set up). Then I looked at the water pump, I have three pulleys for it none of witch would line up with the crank pulley but then I realized the crank pulley should move back by about 1/2" when I tighten the balincer into place. Then it was a simple case of seeing witch bolt fits were and how each bracket will fit. I think I have it figured out but I will find out after I paint the motor and install the parts for real.

This is how far off the water pump sits as of right now.

In the end it will look like this. I have all stock brackets but I also have the brackets for the setup below and that setup will look clean as well as much lighter than the stock parts, I may try and install the stock power steering pump bracket since it sits lower and closer to the steering rack, but who knows.

Here is some help to other people useing the granny speed kit. I tried to use a part number for a 302 mount that we use at work. its NAPA #602-1151 ITS WRONG!! it looks right and was the only mount that I could find that even looked right. Here is my motor trying to go in with the 602-1151 mounts.

As you can see the mounts are to wide for the granny speed kit.

Here is a link to the part that I was told would work from a another site. Correct motor mounts

I am going to try a part number that I got from NAPA (I have been there so many times lately that I know most of the guys and they are really cool and even took the time to dig through the old school parts book to find out what motor mounts were for the ford galaxie). This is the one part number he gave me that looks to be correct #602-1152 they have it in stock and im going to grab it tomorrow and see if it fits. (people of the future keep reading to see if they work before you run out and buy them)

Well that sucks the motor mount that I have listed above doesn't fit either... So I have just order one from rock auto so I will give it a try but that wont be for another week... So looks like I will have to find something to keep me busy in the mean time.

Finlay some progress! It is a V8 roller! Got the motor mounts in and was able to muscle the motor and trans in by myself today. It was not an easy but it in!

I revived the new motor mounts from rock auto last night, these mounts were said to work I was given the part number from someone that has done the swap before. I also saw when I ordered the mounts that they were a replacement number for the original part number from the granny speed so I though for sure they would work. Not the case. These new mounts were like the first set they were to wide. So on a whim I used the one of the mounts from the second set and one from the set I just got in the mail. I was happy to find that they fit!

Here are the mounts that I used.

So once I knew the motor fit I pulled it out and installed the trans and dropped the whole unit in. It was a bit of a task to get the motor mounts to fit but they did.

The transmission mount was a whole new story. It didn't even come close it was about 1" further forward then it needed to be as well as not bent enough. The bend was easy to fix but it took a new hole being drilled to fit it into the car. Its not 100% done but it has a bolt in either side. Also the drive shaft looks like it will work out just right. I also have the 1/2" spacer that came with the drive shaft that fits between the drive shaft and diff. Ill make the call on using that on the final install.

The motor sits really low in the car, the oil pan is still higher than the cross member so shouldn't worry about hitting it on the ground. Iv got about 3" of clearance under the car. The springs seem to hold the weight well and I am really wanting to see how much this thing tips the scales when it is finished.

Thankfully the shifter fits well and didn't take much cutting to fit it in. Seems to sit lower than I thought it would might make my own trans mount to fit it higher in the body. I will check to see how far apart the pinion angle will be and try and compensate with the trans mount.

So here is the fitment with headers and the front of the motor,

Here is the mustang vs the explorer front end

I am going to try fit the radiator before I work on the front accessories so I know how much room I have to work with.

Parts on the way!

the redneck in me says flip the headers and just have it dump in front...

My inner child says roots blower.

Looking great!

Looks awesome, glad you got the engine to sit down low like that.

Dusterbd13 wrote: My inner child says roots blower. Looking great!

That's a good plan if it does not fit under the hood. If its going to have a hole in the hood might as well fill it with a blower!

Here is a before shot of the spindles.

I am going to have the guys at work cut down the steering arm to give me more angle and faster steering. Hoping for my rx7 to handle like its little brother the MIATA! Its nice to work at a place that does this kind of work. It cost $300 for other places to do it but free for me! Im going to run the stock spindles on the car for now then after I drive the car for a while ill swap these on to see just how much difference it makes.

Where you at in the Carolinas? I'm guessing Winston or CLT by the pictures. Piedmont FTW!

We're both outside of Charlotte.

Not to far outside of concord AKA racing capital of the US, atleast for circle track racing. It's pritty nice becouse there is a lot of knowledge about making cars go fast in the area. Just have to look past the "turn left" part of it.

making great progress! I'm digging the shifter.

Thanks ya the shifter was a lucky score! It came with a shift knob from a turbo mustang and it says "turbo" on it. Its the same color as my DD a 2001 mustang so its going in the DD!

Things are moving along, the rad is going to get here on friday so i can work on mounting it. Then get the pullys on the motor. Then i think ill be on the back strech, ill pull the motor finish painting it and assemble it with the new parts then paint the engine bay and start the "final" install! Seems so easy but we all know how that goes!

A little more progress with the car. I have the trans mount in now so the motor and trans are where they are going to live. The trans cross member was way off I should have just used the granny speed unit as a template and made my own and returned the one I ordered to granny speed. But I drilled new holes and got it to fit so whats done is done.

Here are the BBK headers on the drivers side. I don't like how close they are to the to the fuel and brake lines so I will have to make a heat shield.

The motor stayes up above the cross member so shouldn't have any issues with the oil pan hitting the ground.

While I was under the car I thought I would see how mucha room I have between the strut and wheel so I can see how bog of tires I can run on the car.

More progress today! Fedex delivered some shiny bits of kit!

Its a 26x19x3 all nice and new!

So I made some room for it. I am gong to angle it a good little bit forward to keep it away from the ground and any speed bumps and to clear the motor.

Here is a loose fit but gives you an idea. Still have to make brackets and that sort of thing.

It is sitting way to low in here but its only resting in place. I will make a air dam that will keep the air flowing through it keeping it cool.

Well that's that, now im at a cross roads, trying to decide if I should go efi or just take the easy way out with a carb. I don't have any of the efi parts I would need so I would be starting from scratch. But in the other hand I don't think a distributor will fit under the hood for a carb set up. I would much rather not cut the hood up. I know that efi setups will fit under the hood, so now to see if I can find the right EFI parts and try and make them work. Its all down to time and $. If you know anyone who would have harness or computer let me know!