FB RX7 wheel options

So now that it looks like I'm buying a FB RX7, it's time for me to learn about the car. The first thing I check is the bolt pattern to see what wheels are available for autocross/rallycross. I come to learn that it's 4x110, which is shared by.........berkeleying nothing.
Well poop.
What are my options here?

Buy expensive not made anymore wheels OR get some diamond racing wheels OR upgrade to teh GSL-SE suspension stuff and have a more common bolt pattern.

Minilites

http://www.rx7club.com/1st-generation-specific-1979-1985-18/4x110-wheel-list-544069/

Actually some really early 70s Toyotas have that same bolt pattern as well as most 70s Mazdas. Does help though. Sometimes you can find used wheels for a really good price though. The GSL-SE had a more friendly bolt pattern.

FC RX-7 front subframe/control arms/steering/brakes . Gsl-se rear end.

Basically, start here and learn from Knurled's adventures: FB rallyx build thread.

Is yours a GSL or GS? GSL has LSD and rear discs.

GSL-SE not only changes them from 110 x 4 to 114.3 x 4, they also change the offset to +40, or in other words about 50% of FWD cars have wheels that fit.

Mine are 16s, easier to find decent tires and they fit inside the wheel wells fine

A set of these open up all kinds of possibilities.

Another possibility is to have the hubs redrilled for 4x100. I did the rear axle on my car that way (it's an RX2 axle, same bolt circle) and the front hubs can be redrilled/tapped and screw in studs used.

Just had a brainfart: wonder if it's possible to use Miata front hubs on the RX7 spindles?

An easy option would be to do like the goon squad guys in Detroit rallycross and running bolt on adapters to 4x100 with miata wheels.

A lot of ATV have the 4x110 bolt pattern too. I wonder if their tiny wheels would fit over the brakes

GSL-SE has lug studs instead of bolts, better ratio at 4.1 over 3.9 and better brakes, also a better laid out LSD.

I have seen WAY too many wheel adapters fail, most recently when one separated on a 280Z in front of me at CMP. If my corpulent carcass is on the line the only way I'd even halfway trust them is hub centric billet steel.

ReSpeed makes a big brake conversion kit which is basically bearing adaptors and caliper brackets to use 5 lug 2nd gen rotors and hubs on the front. That gives a 5 x 114.3 bolt circle which has a whole lotta wheels available. You'd still need to redrill the rear hubs, though, or ReSpeed has axles with that bolt pattern already available.

http://www.re-speed.com/index.php/catalogue/79-85-mazda-rx-7/braking-system/brake-conversion-kits/1978-1985-complete-mark-i-big-brake-kit-detail

Call me a fan of the 12A brakes. The FC/GSL-SE setup I have now never had the good feel and threshold braking ability that I had with the 12A bits. I could feel each corner of the car and know that the rear are starting to lock, or the inside front is locking, and modulate accordingly. The brakes now are a pedal that slows you down and you can't feel much more than that.

The pisser is that it's the same calipers (effectively for the rear, literally for the front) and I'm running the same manufacturer pads, the only real difference is the rotor diameter.

ReSpeed are effectively dead, do NOT send them money.

http://www.rx7club.com/bad-fugly-businesses-231/re-speed-no-contact-1000184/

Knurled wrote: Call me a fan of the 12A brakes. The FC/GSL-SE setup I have now never had the good feel and threshold braking ability that I had with the 12A bits. I could feel each corner of the car and know that the rear are starting to lock, or the inside front is locking, and modulate accordingly. The brakes now are a pedal that slows you down and you can't feel much more than that. The pisser is that it's the same calipers (effectively for the rear, literally for the front) and I'm running the same manufacturer pads, the only real difference is the rotor diameter.

Yeah that makes no sense, something else is up, did you rebuild the calipers? I did my own and they are great 4 years later.

I didn't know ReSpeed was dead. Dang, I hate that; was considering a rack & pinion if I ever do another FB.

Thanks for all the suggestions, now I have things to think about.
I also emailed Braid USA and they can get me wheels drilled in the proper bolt pattern and offset for less than I could find the Panasports online. Braid is pretty awesome. I don't expect to need a lot of wheels for the car, but in the long run it will be cheaper for me if I can get wheels that will fit well and are a size that they still make tires for.

In reply to Curmudgeon:

Didn't you know? You are going to help me do a rack conversion on mine while I'm doing the engine swap.

You mean the 13B that you are putting in it?

aussiesmg wrote: Yeah that makes no sense, something else is up, did you rebuild the calipers? I did my own and they are great 4 years later.

It's literally the same calipers, or was at one point. The only difference between FC and FB calipers is the hanger. If you use the appropriate slide pin, they interchange directly. I forget if the pin stays with the caliper or the hanger.

I replace front calipers on a regular basis because the boots burn through and then the caliper rusts to the piston. Rebuilding isn't terribly tricky but the rust always comes back quickly unless I bite the bullet and buy remanufactured ones.

I think it's just a pad composition thing. Or maybe the FC spindles have a lower scrub radius so there's less feel through the steering. I also went from street port to bridge port engines (less brake boost) and the 4-link to a 3-link all at the same time, so who knows?