Andrew's Rx7 project car

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Old 09-03-2015, 06:42 AM
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Andrew's Rx7 project car

I thought I would share my project car here. I hope you guys like it!

I bought the car about 2 years ago in good but non running condition, and planned to just get it running and clean it up a bit.



Then I found a V8, my friend had one for sale. It's an LT1 from a caprice cop car. It was really cluttered but I cleaned it up a bit, modified the oil pan, and put it in with a Granny's mount kit.







Right now the project is kinda stalled. after I graduated I got married, had a kid, and got a job with Robby Gordon Motorsports working crazy hours.

We are moving soon though to a place with a garage so hopefully progress will pick up again. Currently I am swapping the front hubs for the FC Turbo II, this gives me 4 piston calipers and much larger brake discs.

Thanks for checking at my project!
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CLtotheTL32 (09-03-2015)
Old 09-03-2015, 08:05 AM
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Nice work. When I was in college I was working with a group of guys to swap in a Ford 302 into an FB.
Surprisingly, it didn't alter the weight much over the 12A.

I moved before the project was finished, never found out if they got it done.
Old 09-03-2015, 08:24 AM
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<p>Awesome... keep us updated. &nbsp;Don't forget to check out the regional section as well as the Charlotte thread in the Southeast is pretty active </p><p>&nbsp;</p>
Old 09-03-2015, 08:25 AM
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Originally Posted by 00TL-P3.2
Nice work. When I was in college I was working with a group of guys to swap in a Ford 302 into an FB.
Surprisingly, it didn't alter the weight much over the 12A.

I moved before the project was finished, never found out if they got it done.
Thanks, the LT1 will add minimal weight, the 12A that was in it was hooked to an auto too. The few times I drove it were terrible. I have slowly learned how to make stuff nicer, by the time this project is done it will be super clean
Old 09-03-2015, 08:50 AM
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Originally Posted by juniorbean
<p>Awesome... keep us updated. &nbsp;Don't forget to check out the regional section as well as the Charlotte thread in the Southeast is pretty active </p><p>&nbsp;</p>
I will, one day it will make it to cars and coffee
Old 09-03-2015, 10:55 AM
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Very cool! I would love to see this thing in person sometime
Old 09-03-2015, 12:21 PM
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Originally Posted by CLtotheTL32
Very cool! I would love to see this thing in person sometime
Thanks! Once I'm all moved in you'll have to come check it out
Old 09-03-2015, 01:25 PM
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<p>In for progress....</p>
Old 09-03-2015, 01:38 PM
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Heres another picture of it with my friends S13


Old 10-02-2015, 07:47 AM
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Small update here. I finished moving to my new house and we are now all settled in. RX7 fits nice in the garage. It really is nice having a spot to work on the car now, I feel progress will come faster. I got the transmission out and have put on the shifter and adapter plate for the bellhousing. I also bought some new wheels and tires for the front after I finished my hub swap.











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Old 10-02-2015, 09:59 AM
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^ that is awesome. I wish I had some skills like that, or at least tools so i can learn.
Old 10-02-2015, 10:20 AM
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^Same here. Super jealous!

My buddy had a gray RX7 almost identical to that in high school. Not a V8 conversion of course but I always loved that car. Can't wait to see more progress on your project!
Old 10-02-2015, 10:25 AM
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Good luck with the build
Old 10-02-2015, 10:27 AM
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Originally Posted by myron
^ that is awesome. I wish I had some skills like that, or at least tools so i can learn.
Originally Posted by SuperTrooper169
^Same here. Super jealous!

My buddy had a gray RX7 almost identical to that in high school. Not a V8 conversion of course but I always loved that car. Can't wait to see more progress on your project!
Thanks guys, I am an engineer for an offroad racing team so I have access to all the fun toys I drew the adapter up on solidworks and then cut it out on the CNC waterjet machine at work. I also cut caliper brackets for my upgraded front brakes and had adapters machined for the hub bearings. I will take some pictures of those too.
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Old 10-02-2015, 10:40 AM
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Originally Posted by foxriderar77
Thanks guys, I am an engineer for an offroad racing team so I have access to all the fun toys I drew the adapter up on solidworks and then cut it out on the CNC waterjet machine at work. I also cut caliper brackets for my upgraded front brakes and had adapters machined for the hub bearings. I will take some pictures of those too.
I am an engineer as well, but structural right now. I did mechanical in school tho and I used solidworks before but mostly Inventor 10. Now I have a job where I don't design anything cool
Old 10-02-2015, 10:52 AM
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Originally Posted by myron
I am an engineer as well, but structural right now. I did mechanical in school tho and I used solidworks before but mostly Inventor 10. Now I have a job where I don't design anything cool
Hey just means you have more time to work on your own car right? Any racing job you work crazy hours and travel a lot. Once I spend time with my wife and kid leaves little wrenching time for me.
Old 10-02-2015, 11:13 AM
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I'm product designer in the auto industry, but mostly appearance and rendering, not so much industrial design, but I have played around in Solidworks. Such a cool program.
Old 10-02-2015, 12:27 PM
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Originally Posted by SuperTrooper169
I'm product designer in the auto industry, but mostly appearance and rendering, not so much industrial design, but I have played around in Solidworks. Such a cool program.
That sounds like an awesome job. I've always been intrigued with car design and rendering, at one point I was looking to try and go to art school. I hate when engineers have no eye for designing something that looks good
Old 10-02-2015, 01:30 PM
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Originally Posted by foxriderar77
That sounds like an awesome job. I've always been intrigued with car design and rendering, at one point I was looking to try and go to art school. I hate when engineers have no eye for designing something that looks good
It's not as glamorous as it sounds lol. I'm in the aftermarket auto parts industry, i.e. stuff you see in Wal-Mart, AutoZone, PepBoys, etc. So as much as I'd love to say I'm a car designer, well, only when I was like 8 years old coloring with crayons ha ha.
Old 10-02-2015, 03:40 PM
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Originally Posted by SuperTrooper169
It's not as glamorous as it sounds lol. I'm in the aftermarket auto parts industry, i.e. stuff you see in Wal-Mart, AutoZone, PepBoys, etc. So as much as I'd love to say I'm a car designer, well, only when I was like 8 years old coloring with crayons ha ha.
I hope you get lots of samples lol
Old 10-02-2015, 04:26 PM
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Awesome project, thanks for the updates!

I'm Solidworks certified.. it's cool to see that you used it to produce those adapters and brackets. I wish we had access to a waterjet, we cut all our designs out of balsa wood on a laser cutter at school

Keep up the good work!

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Old 10-02-2015, 07:24 PM
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Originally Posted by SuperTrooper169
It's not as glamorous as it sounds lol. I'm in the aftermarket auto parts industry, i.e. stuff you see in Wal-Mart, AutoZone, PepBoys, etc.
Group buy for stick on chrome vents and curb feelers?

Old 10-02-2015, 11:21 PM
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Originally Posted by foxriderar77
I hope you get lots of samples lol
I do. On or in my car right now is a license plate frame, emergency roadside kit, tire gauge, tire inflator and sun shade.
Originally Posted by chill_dog
Group buy for stick on chrome vents and curb feelers?

Thankfully we don't make either of those products, but I can hook you up with some fuzzy dice!

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Old 10-05-2015, 06:49 AM
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Thanks for the compliments guys, this is the brake caliper bracket I made with the 5 lug fc hub
Old 12-09-2015, 12:43 PM
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Have one some more work, finished the brakes, and put it back on the ground temporarily. Mocking up the radiator as well.






Old 12-09-2015, 12:55 PM
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looking good
Old 12-09-2015, 03:09 PM
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It's coming along nicely.
Old 12-10-2015, 10:13 AM
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Originally Posted by myron
looking good
Originally Posted by SuperTrooper169
It's coming along nicely.
Thanks guys, list is getting shorter! This is what's left before a test drive

Mount Radiator
Plumb Radiator
Plumb Powersteering Lines
Rear Engine Mounts
Old 01-06-2016, 01:45 PM
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Made some more progress, welded my transmission and radiator mounts. I'm gonna install tonight and work a bit on the stance before I fabricate the exhaust

I also moved the motor back an inch or so to help clear the front sway bar

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Old 01-07-2016, 11:17 AM
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Old 01-18-2016, 11:01 AM
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started swapping my suspension bushings, rubber bushings suck!!

Also getting my driveshaft shortened and a new slip yoke, ordered exhaust parts today from summit

It's getting closer...
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Old 04-04-2016, 03:09 PM
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3 months later and everything runs!!

Big picture dump coming, I am hopefully welding my exhaust this week.

Let me know what you think























Old 04-04-2016, 03:12 PM
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Also here is a short video of it running

https://vimeo.com/154451129
Old 04-04-2016, 03:17 PM
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nice man. Good job. Add a video so we can see it in action

oops guess you added one as I was typing that haha
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Old 04-04-2016, 03:59 PM
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Originally Posted by myron
nice man. Good job. Add a video so we can see it in action

oops guess you added one as I was typing that haha
I need a better video, once I get the exhaust finished I will make a good one
Old 04-05-2016, 09:54 AM
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Congrats on getting her running!!! And cute !
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Old 04-05-2016, 10:45 AM
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Originally Posted by SuperTrooper169
Congrats on getting her running!!! And cute !
Thanks man, my daughter already gets excited when she hears my cars...hoping she gets just a little of my gearheadedness
Old 11-19-2020, 09:24 AM
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Old 11-19-2020, 09:49 AM
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Old 11-19-2020, 10:17 AM
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lol any updates OP
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