Attaching an airdam

[RX767]

I would appreciate any advice regarding attaching an airdam to the front of a 1st gen. RX7, the routing of the ducting and any modifications needed. The airdam I have extends across the entire front of the vehicle to the front of each wheel well.

I do not have the backing plates that Mazda Comp. sells, but it would be great to get some additional air in the direction of the rotors.

I am considering using Dzus fastners so that I can remove the airdam easily to get the car on and off the trailer.

Thank you in advance.

Bill Emery
Glen Region
ITA#23

[Speed Raycer]

We've got the ISC airdam on our 70 car. It's held on with 4 Dzus fasteners on the sides (2 on each side). It's really a snug fit at all the points where it overlaps the parking light recesses and where it "snaps" over the wheelwell openings so 4 Dzus was all that we needed. We have to remove the dam for loading and unloading, so we use wormscrew clamps to hold the brake ducts to the dam. The ducting stays on the car when the dam is removed.

There was a topic about cooling ducts on RX7's not to long ago. Search back a couple of months ago.

------------------
Scott
It's not what you build...
it's how you build it

<A HREF="http://www.pfmracing.com" TARGET=_blank> http://home.swbell.net/srhea66/PFMSigPic.jpg
www.pfmracing.com </A>

[RX767]

Scott,
Thanks. I found your post from June. It will help. Any long term problems with this set-up?

Originally posted by Speedraycer in June 2003:"...What we did... and it's an amazingly cheap and fairly effective, is just safety wire the brake tube onto the spindle with the outlet blowing directly into the center of the rotor. It sounds hokier than it is. We removed the backing plate completely, then took the good/expensive brake duct and ran it in from the air dam until just in front of the tire. Then we joined it with regular 3" flexable alum. duct from Home depot. This duct is easily pre-crimped and holds its form pretty well. We molded the alum. duct to clear the tire and brake lines then wrapped racers tape around the ends (so that the holes wouldn't pull through) and safety wired the end to two holes drilled into the backing plate mount. We haven't "had" to replace a wheel bearing since (also running $$$$ bearing grease) and the rotors are lasting forever (knock on wood) with Hawk Blues up front.

[Speed Raycer]

Nope... no problems with it. We had well over 12 races on the disks before they started showing cracks.

[itaracer]

Scott,

Have you tried cryogenic treatment of rotors?

[Jim Susko]

Why don't you have the IMSA style plates that Mazda Comp sells? They're GRRReat!

AFTER YOU GET THESE, go to a hose manufacturer and find a good quality high-temp 4 inch flexduct. Forget the dryer hose stuff, it's junk. Then route it forward, behind the bumper to the center of the car, then turn it 45 degrees or so to the front in the radiator air stream. Works great without an airdam. Simple. Cheap.

Jim Susko

[Speed Raycer]

Jim,
How/where do you attach the brake duct once its left the IMSA ducts and heads forward?

The reason we went with the dryer duct was with the 3" duct the tires would come in contact with the tubing. With the dryer duct that we used we were able to mold it so that the tire had clearance. The new RX7 that we just picked up ran some smaller tube and didn't seem to have the clearance problem, but the tubing was pretty worn at its attachment points.

Oh, Jim... the RX7 we just picked up has your Tri-link, panhard and turn in spacer setup on it. Other than bending the panhard bar brace http://Forums.ImprovedTouring.com/it/eek.gif it handles great! You'll probably be hearing from me after my next Test & Tune day!

------------------
Scott
It's not what you build...
it's how you build it

<A HREF="http://www.pfmracing.com" TARGET=_blank> http://home.swbell.net/srhea66/PFMSigPic.jpg
www.pfmracing.com </A>

[bcarter]

In ran 3" high quality duct back to just before the strut. I used some left over 2" strapping from the tie-downs for the trailer to attach the duct to the body. Then I took the two short stopper bolts out of the steering linkages that are meant to hit the turn out blocks on the lower control arm, and put in some long ones, so now the wheels simply won't turn enough to hit the ducts. I know this reduces turn-circle, but not enough to be a hassle on the track, only in a tight spot in the paddock

------------------
G. Brooke Carter
Wheat Buckley Racing
# 10 Challenge Car
2003 Class Champion
Calgary, Alberta
http://www.guyons.com/pictures/photos_cars/06_30_rx7_brook2_150.jpg

[This message has been edited by bcarter (edited October 07, 2003).]