ttviper

the only swaps i hate are people putting v8 crap in rx7s. if people want to used rotarys, thats fine they are just finding out what we already know. if they cant find a rx7 and this is the only way for them to experience one then so be it.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

I've been reading this thread for 3 days, trying to figure out what it is about.

I think I understand what you are saying. You are annoyed when someone does half a TII swap and then starts referring to the car as a TII?

That does make sense to me. In order to make the car into a TII, the entire swap would have to be completed as well as all associated TII options. Then the the car is a TII in the exact way that Mazda made it.

Then again, why would I swap all the TII options in to a car and make it portly like the TII is? It makes more sense to start with a base model '86 and swap in a TII drivetrain then start with a TII if the owner wants the fastest car for the amount of horsepower.

Now I'm very curious to hear what you think of 6 port turbo cars.

Ghetto rigged cars offend me as well. But if you think this forum is bad for stuff like that, surf on over to http://www.homemadeturbo.com/forum and prepare yourself for a treat.

I just sit there and shake my head when I see someone posting proud pictures of their work when there are wires hanging out everywhere, things rubbing, obviously cheap parts (like ABS plumbing couplings used as intercooler couplings), etc. There are many people who should not be building vehicles yet insist on doing so. This has always been the case, it will never change. There will always be a person who makes a roll cage out of PVC piping, or uses 50MM spacers to fit the set of wheels they want. Just take solace in the fact that it's not your car and no one is forcing you to look at it.

93rx74lyfe

iTrader: (1)

Very true Aaron, I dont like half *** ed swapped cars. This may sound snobbish but I'm kind of an authenticity nut. I think if you want a TII just get the actual thing in the first place, now again this is just my mind set. Sure there are plenty of swapped and imitation cars out there but the just dont interest me. Take the MR2 Ferrari body kit. Sure it may look like a Ferrari and people may even think its one but at the end of the day its a Toyota in disguise. Or even worse what about the AC Cobra? So many people want one but because of the rarity of them people make replicas instead. Now these replicas may look/sound/handle the same, hell they may be even better than the original but when people say "Wow, thats awesome is it an original?" *no* "...oh" you will wish it was. Now I do admit that I have some bent up aggravation toward swapped FCs. When I was looking for my current car I went well out of my way to check out 6 or 7 "TII" that in fact where not what they appeared. They where all NA to begin with, most had S4 and S5 panels and tryed to advertise them as S5TIIs when they where not. To this day swapped cars still leave a bad taste in my mouth, given the fact that many members on here have very put together cars that in fact are very nice, and I'm glad you have met your goals in your projects its just not for me. Since you asked I can give you my thoughts on the whole 6port turbo idea. I think its very interesting that people can do this. In reality they are defying the known consensus of "The NAs cant be turboed, its too high compression, it will blow up" and making some respectable numbers while remaining just as reliable as the 4 port motors. So if people can do it right, more power to them.

dawicka2

Did you look that up in the contradictionary?

Although you do have good taste in cars (fc and na), your views belong in a special education class.

john ny (non turbo drivetrain from transmission to 4 lug hubs )

skillzilla

iTrader: (1)

Wow...

I was going to call you a stupid ***, but your RX7 is probably your first car (if you are even old enough to drive...) so Ill let it slide.

rogrx7

iTrader: (11)

Please just sell your FC if you have a problem with the second generation family.


You sound like a troubled watch maker or something.

93rx74lyfe

iTrader: (1)

No thanks I like my FC, just not all the things that people do to them.

rogrx7

iTrader: (11)

Hate to burst your bubble, but your 7 is not authentic based upon the "snobbish" realization that your car is modified. Talk to me about 10th AE FCs and you have a plausible argument or people modding Verts into hardtops or FDs into rag tops..

93rx74lyfe

iTrader: (1)

Hate to burst your theory, but it is authentic. It left the factory as a S5 TII and guess what its still an S5 TII

rogrx7

iTrader: (11)

riiiggggght

justinpace

With all this **** talking and hating i am gunna sell my 7 and leave the rotary community and join the geo-metro community where they sit arms wide open for car guys. Seriously guys, were among a few who do not like to drive around in cars with 5inch grapefruit shooters lets act civilized and like a family.

amhorach

Interesting thread. Indulge me while I tell my own tale of the "Turbo Experience" and why I think the position is flawed.

Back in 1999 I had an '88 SE that I was using as a daily driver. I'd wanted an RX-7 from the first time I saw one back in 1979. I picked this one up in 1996 for 2k with 103,000 miles on it. It had a salvage title from some cosmetic body damage to the fender, hood and bumper cover from someone hitting a mailbox, but it ran strong. I knew very little about cars- I could change my oil, do a tune up and perform bolt on repairs and stuff like that, but anything above a difficulty 4 on a scale from 1-10 was beyond me. It didn't matter, though, because the car was dead on reliable. I did want a bit more power, though, so I joined the old mailing list and read everything I could in order to start making the car faster.

Then, I saw a 1987 TII with 1 blown rotor for sale on the list, just a few miles away. I bought it. I kept reading the forums and started saving my money for a new engine.

Things happened that got in the way, though. Two years later, I was still driving the SE and the turbo car was still sitting in my driveway under a car cover. I resigned myself to the fact that repairing the car was beyond my own abilities at that time. I'd considered selling it several times, but I always decided against it. Then, in 2001, my SE died and I had to make a choice as to what car to fix.

I paid someone to drop a Jspec motor into the Turbo car, and parked the N/A with plans to fix it at a later time. That never happened, though.*

I used the Turbo car as a daily driver for about 8 months, but it had hot start issues and left me stranded a few times. I bought a cheap, used Neon and used that as my daily driver instead. Yeah, I know, I don't want to talk about that time in my life. The '7 was repurposed into a weekend car. I managed to get about 10k miles worth of use out of the TII before the crappy Jspec engine crapped out. The car sat for another couple of years, collecting dust after that. Now, I'm currently in the process of building the third motor that will go into the car.

The entire "Turbo Experience" for me has been rocky. I was completely ignorant as to how much effort and money it would take to get an abused turbo RX-7 running again. If I'd known exactly how much of a pain in the *** it was going to be, I might have skipped it. I've got about $8000 into the car at this point in time. I've also learned more than I ever thought I would about the rotary engine, forced induction and a host of other topics along the way. Having a turbo car forced me to make friends in the community, learn how to spot good parts in a junkyard and become a part time mechanic. It's been a fun trip.

I think anything that is getting people off the couch and doing things is worthwile. If they're putting turbo engines into N/A cars, more power to them. If they're swapping V8s into their cars, good for them.

Now that I have a bit more money and a lot more technical acumen in regards to the rotary engine (and cars in general), it has prompted me to perform a little three part experiment.

Sometimes, I feel like I should have kept the NA car. I could have thrown half the money I've spent on the turbo car into getting the NA reliably putting out about 180 HP and looking good with a professional paint job. I could have put the other half into a nice family vacation in Europe somewhere or used it as a down payment on an RX-8 or something.

I should have the turbo car up and running in the next few weeks, barring any unexpected setbacks.

I've bought an 87 Sport model for $550. It's got a coat of shitty flat black paint, the seats are torn and it kind-of runs- if the stars are in the correct alignment and you've got a really steep hill to push it down to get it started. Overall, it's a rough case, as so many of these cars are now.

I'm going to try to use this car to build the highest HP NA I can for $2000 additonal dollars. I'm already well on the way in terms of "freebie" parts I've sourced from local club members, cheap Craigslist finds and good condition junkyard pulls. Maybe I'll paint it (I'm thinking Winning Blue, the RX-8 color) if I run under budget.

The third part of the experiment is the 1990 GXL. I bought this car from the original owner. It also sort of runs (leaking injectors, other assorted problems). I'm going to use this as a control- no engine mods, all emissions equipment, etc.

* I gave the SE away in 2002. Someone from the forums here picked it up. Search t he forums for keyword "amhorach" and free. You're also welcome to ask me how I feel about homeowner's associations sometime if you want another long, boring story.

dawicka2

For 2 thousand dollars you could buy a good compressioned jspec from japan2la and install it using your existing wiring harness.

You should also use your na trans axles drive shaft and rear. Out of respect to the op, you should put turbo 2 emblems on it and actively call it a t2.

Good luck with your new t2.



john ny

JustJeff

iTrader: (13)

+1

Didn't bother reading the whole thread. I can imagine it's gonna degenerate into typical forum bravado.

DavidHolmesIII

No. People with whom decide they want to swap an engine, and do so successfully do not **** me off in any way shape or form.

****, I don't even care if you want to put a Turbo-II hood on your NA with glass-packs while simultaneously installing the most riced out wing available after painting it with color shifting paint and installing 20" chrome wheels encrusted with precious gemstones.

Your car- your business.

amhorach

I've got two s4 turbo ECus, two turbo wiring harnesses, two disassembled Turbo short blocks, a couple of spare turbos and a bunch of other assorted TII bits lying around. Hell, I even have some of the pieces for sale, and nobody is buying them. It is obvious to me the days of the TII swap are long gone.

I guess I have to lower my prices even more, dust off the spare turbo diff and half-shafts sitting in my garage, and get ready for my v8 conversion.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

That's on a whole other level though. I agree, chucking a body kit on an MR2/Fiero/whatever and then calling it a Ferrari is just ridiculous. And let's not even get into how poorly the car will perform. But look at it from another direction; to properly install one of those kits, such that it looks better then the car it imitates, requires a massive amount of both skill and money. Some people just want a cool looking car (which is why the V6 Mustang sells, and for the same token, probably why the NA 2nd gen was brought to North America) and if they don't try to pass it off as the real thing, more power to them if they have the skill to accomplish the transition.

For example, I'd rather be this guy then buy a real Lamborghini Countach. His car isn't "real" but in my view, it's worlds better then the real one.

That's flat out fraud, and I can see why it would sour your taste on swaps. It's too bad this stuff goes on but it's part of every automotive community.

Does the Geo-Metro community have any real choice, though?

if you think that RX-7 people can be nit-picky, pick up any "exotic" car and join the appropriate forum/mailing list. I was kicked off the DeLorean list (DML) because I went against the list "experts" and told them it was ridiculous to say that the PRV in the DeLorean can only handle 5 PSI of boost. I explained that modern turbos, unlike the '60s era IHIs and RayJays they were using, are far more efficient and boost pressure is actually largely irrelevant. It turned into a mini shitstorm because I was knocking down the knowledge of the "experts". I was banned, and my messages were deleted from the archives.

FC3S Murray

iTrader: (7)

That Lambo is SWEET. What an accomplishment!!!!!

m_rx7_s

I have a 88 vert. I bought it because it was freaking awesome to drive back roads in. It is underpowered and way to heavy but thats why it handled so well. I would like a TII swap for it or maybe I'll turbo that motor. no it wont be a TII if it came from the factory as a TII then yes anything is not a TII. I really don't care what rx7 engine you put in any generation, FD in a FB. Just do it right. I hate wires hanging all over. but don't and i repeat DON'T PUT A FUC&&&& V8 IN IT. GO BUY A CAMARO OR MUSTANG. THAT IS SO STUPID WHEN PEOPLE DO THAT.there is on reason for it. camaro's and mustang's are cheap. It's a RX7 for a reason, you should leave this site and never return if you do that swap. "my rx7 is so fast i put an Ls1 in it" well your a douche.

SouthSideSlider

calm dowen dude i've ridden in some V8 RX-7s its actualy a nice combo plus our cars handle better are lighter and better biuld then most mustangs and camaros. hell i know i guy who had a C4 corvette and a LS1 FC he said if he had known about the FC at first he would have never bought the corvette. and personally if it keeps the car away from the crusher more power to them.

Rob XX 7

iTrader: (8)

if you guys actually seen, and driven in, or better yet driven- a V8 swap you would change your tune real quick.

once most people HEAR one they change thier mind fast, I guess it would be MUCH better to have the car parted out and the carcus go to the scrap pile.

amhorach

I think the formula of: Cheap, light chassis than handles well + Big Motor = Fun is as American as apple pie, litigation and securities fraud. You, sir, are no patriot!

I like the BMW engine swapped 1st gen RX-7 that ran in the $2008 Grassroots Challenge that has the tagline "Sure to purists all over the globe!"

Besides, the whole "Cheap, light chassis that handles well" part of that equation pretty much excludes F-bodies and Mustangs.

Anyhow, as noted above, I'm holding a 1990 GXL I bought from the original owner hostage under threat of a V8 swap. Anyone is welcome to show up at my door with One-Million-Dollars and rescue it. Bwaahahaaa... hahaha.... hahahaha!

stylEmon

iTrader: (2)

tru dat.

I've rode/driven in a couple. It changes your opinion real fast. Although, I was never a purist to begin with.

JustJeff

iTrader: (13)

Now that's some funny stuff

I just saw the new Underworld movie. Can't help but see the Vampire/Rotary purist vs.Werewolf/Piston swap connection. Don't mix the bloodlines!!

GarageAlchemist

wow, a bunch of whiny elitists in here. Way to be a welcoming community.