beans
Dork
4/4/14 1:39 p.m.
DaveEstey wrote:
In reply to beans:
I'm told if you want to drive long distance in them that it can help if you get a thigh pillow.
Good to hear. Once you get it in, try just that, and go for a drive for about 30 minutes. REALLY interested to hear how the lumbar support is, as I have a couple vertebrae fused right in the lumbar area.
Car is a rolling shell right now. Strapped the tires on it and rolled it outside to degrease. Man this thing is clean.

And awaaaaaay she goes to the cage shop. Waiting on JB2'd to ship us the 1.75" dies to we can do the main cage (1.75 x .090 is bigger than required but is worth it to me). The rest of the tube work will be 1.50" x .090.
Since I now had an empty nest, I got to work wiring the garage. I ran 500' of romex for 16 outlets, one 240v outlet and three light circuits.
Seat came! 15" 20 degree layback. Fits great.

Picked up an aluminum TII hood today. Had no idea how light these things are - even when compared to my gutted steel hood. I'll have to get both on a scale.
DaveEstey wrote:
Picked up an aluminum TII hood today. Had no idea how light these things are - even when compared to my gutted steel hood. I'll have to get both on a scale.
Yep, our floppy steel hood was a tank compared to a stock TII hood.
Came home and had some "me" time after I finished grooming the riding ring for the horses. Decided it was time to clean up some RX7 parts.

Outside = clean. Shifter turret = packed with rust to the point where it hardly moves. 3 hours later I can shift 1-5. The shifter will have to be replaced as the ball is pitted up quite badly. Have everything soaking in MMO right now - will drain tonight and see what's left to do.
The outside of the case got degreased and rubbed down with 00 steel wool. Took off years of aluminum oxidation greasy residue. I'll be applying some gold foil to the right side of the transmission to help it reject some of the exhaust heat.
And I'm still waiting on my 1.75" dies from JB squared to start the cage...
How's the turret now that it has soaked for a while? Are you going to get a short throw or another stock shifter?
Okay time to come out of the woodwork on this guy.
I am the builder of this engine, so it will be kind of neat to see it get used and see the progress. Here is the first startup video of it:
http://youtu.be/VD2bNrEICGw
and here is after I warmed it up.
http://youtu.be/wnD8DDGeDoU
NOTE, my tach sucks and I'm about out of gas and the header to exhaust gasket is more of a suggestion. I tossed it in my car to test it before I shipped it out to Dave, I'm going to put some break in miles on it this weekend and see. New exhaust goes on Monday so we shall see about maybe a newer video.
Here is the engine build specs:
- S4 NA 9.4:1 rotors
- S4 turbo f/r irons
- S5 NA center iron
- S4 NA rotor housings
- atkins solid corner seals and apex seals
- rotary aviation wet seal (O-ring) kit
- S5 hardened stationary gears
- FD side seals, side seal springs, corner seal springs
- Modified t2 oiling system (increase pressure)
- mazdaspeed oil control ring springs
- OMP delete
- Lightweight flywheel
- some misc emission delete/modifications
The porting is a bit of a frankenwankel, its got pineapple racing bridgeport on the front and rear irons, and the center iron is a pineapple racing large streetport. The exhaust is a pineapple racing race template with heavy polishing and is run without inserts. My roommates (both car guys) have nicknamed me Dr. Rotorstein. I'm in the middle of another frankenwankel build/port job right now.
In reply to RexSeven:
Haven't checked in on it. Been busier than a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest. I'll grab a short-throw shifter.
Kevin finally reveals himself as the maestro behind the engine!
If you want a shorter shifter but don't want to hurt the trans by actually trying a short throw shifter, get an na Miata shifter.
Rob R.
In reply to wvumtnbkr:
I was wondering if that would work. Knew they were similar.
Okay fixed the exhaust, better video of a proper sound.
http://youtu.be/Mou_wt_jues
Makes me want to bridge my engine that I'm working on right now lol. Should be pulled in the next day or two weather permitting then shipped out by weeks end to its proper home.
Well things have been quiet in the garage without an RX7 in it. But I've been busy with other projects making SWMBO happy.
1820's house needed a little floor work:


Putting final touches on it now before I lay down some satin finish clear poly.
Meanwhile, outside. I bought a 58" rototiller for my tractor.
New veggie garden!

Decided it needed to be bigger!

There has been some racing action as well.
2 Weeks ago I finished 4th in class driving this:

This past Saturday I spent the day instructing at an autocross school and Sunday I raced this:

To keep my championship points I raced this stock class Solstice GXP using my F prepared pax. Finished first in class and was 2 tenths of Pax FTD.
No pics, but the garage is also now half drywalled. Need to buy some more drywall tonight to finish up the walls. Then the ceiling!
It's hard to be bummed about not driving your own vehicle, but people keep asking me to drive their awesome cars to "see what they can really do."
I've already been contacted about driving an STR class S2000 at the next event in 3 weeks.
In RX7 news, I'm picking up the engine from UPS freight today!
DaveEstey wrote:
I've already been contacted about driving an STR class S2000 at the next event in 3 weeks.
RX-7 FS thread coming soon? 
so thats how they did it... Why didn't they use a smaller pallett? bollocks I say!
fullsize pallet! Luckily, I wanted another pallet on the farm.
In reply to fidelity101:
Our engine suppliers don't like the small pallets because many pallet jacks won't fit under them.