New guy here...

[VinnyV81]

Just thought I'd introduce myself. My name is Vincent and I live in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I am currently building what I hope to soon one day be an ITS RX-7 FC3S. Starting off it will "try" to run the car in CSP for Autox and run in a few PDX's, but over the winter I hope to put a cage in the car and enter a few events next spring-mostly depending on money.

I hope to learn alot from you guys, so far I've learned so much about my car and have done lots of performance modifications for the track including a full ISC Racing suspension, radiator, oil cooler, 5 bolt swap, fuel system upgrades, and soon I will have a LSD in the car as well.

-Vince

[Ed Funk]

Welcome!

Talk to Andy at Flatout, they definitely know how to make the "S" Rx7's fly!

[CRallo]

welcome... good to see another rx7 :) not that they need another one lol but I am a fan

just a heads up, when making mods to the car try to keep them IT legal unless you want to/can undo them later...

[pballance]

Oh no, another one of those darn "S' RX7's. Just when I am getting to the point of getting around the Spec 7's too!! :cool:

Just kidding, welcome to the fray. In case somebody doesn't mention it, the Roebling RR school is set for the first weekend in February, I think. I am just up the road from you in Huntsville.

Good luck and normally TVR holds a tech session for annual inspections a week or two before the school. Of course, so does Alabama region but RIch travels from Huntsville to hlep them out.

Good luck and welcome again.:)

Paul

Oh, forgot to add there is a pdx coming up at "Little Talladega" in October. Details are at DLB racing or at alscca.org

[JLawton]

Seat time, seat time, seat time................... Most important thing!!


Piece of advice #2 (coming from someone who didn't do this and was years behind the curve because of it!) hook up with another IT racer in your area. Help them out at the track a few weekends, make friends with them and ask lots of questions (buying them beer doesn't hurt either :)) use them as a resource. Most racers have big egos and love to talk about their cars and racing and how to help YOU go faster.

Good luck!!

[lateapex911]

Seat time, seat time, seat time................... Most important thing!!


Piece of advice #2 (coming from someone who didn't do this and IS years behind the curve because of it!)
Good luck!!

Fixed that for you!

(I kill myself!)

[VinnyV81]

Thanks for all of the advice! As far as going to some races with someone that is local, well that's kind of hard being as that I live in a "college town". The only thing that people here care about is A. Drag Racing B. NASCAR and C. Alabama Football. I would love to hang out with someone at the track and learn the ropes. I have already started going to some events and workin corners for a weekend-the only problem is that when you do that you don't have hardly any time to hang in the pits. Here is what I have done to the car so far:

1987 Mazda RX-7 Base (White) (265,000 miles on chassis)

-ISC Racing suspension
-400 lb front 250 lb rear
-Billstein non-adjustable shocks
-1 1/4 Front adjustable track bar
-S5 brakes and five lug conversion
-S4 N/A clutch type LSD 4:10:1 gears (to be installed soon)
-ISC Racing dual pass radiator
-16" electric fan (3,000 cfm)
-Brake ducts to be routed in S5 bumper (to be installed soon)
-ISC Racing extra large oil cooler with custom made -10 lines
-Full Autometer mechanical gauges (oil temp, oil pres., water temp, fuel pres.)
-cheap "mazdaspeed" racing buckets
-factory BBS convertible wheels wrapped in Falken Azenis 615's 205/50/15 (widest tire I felt comfortable going with a 6.5 inch wheel)
-Caster/camber plates up front
-Hard upper rear shock mounts
-Mazdatrix Rear steer eliminators (to be ordered soon)
-Stainless steel braided brake lines

The motor is a stock S4 motor (I have a good S5 motor in case I blow this one up...lol.) with the following improvements:

-Full S5 Intake manifold swap
-S4 throttle body has choke removed
-soon to be "custom" air intake setup
-all emissions removed(and I do mean everything)
-Racing Beat Road Race header wrapped in fiberglass
-ISC racing exhaust system (custom expansion chamber front section, mandrel bent 3" pipe all the way back to a Dynomax Ultra-Flow S/S muffler
-Walbro 255 lph pump with Aeromotive riseing rate FPR
-S5 Alternator with dual belt setup
-A/C removed
-New stock Exedy OEM clutch(will run this one for the rest of the year or until it starts giving me problems)

That's about all I can think of right now. When I get most everything put together I will take pics. It's not the prettiest thing on four wheels but it's definately gonna be cool. I guess when it's all said in done it should basically be an ISC Racing built car with a smaller tire and no cage in it...lol.

Oh and I do plan on going to the DE event in October!!!

The one thing I do need is some corner scales. I was suppose to use Chuck Badder's scales, but I know he's a pretty busy guy, so it would be nice if someone could help me corner weight my car?!?

Thanks,
-Vincent

[gran racing]

Like Jeff said, do as many DEs as you can.

The comment said about hanging out with some people who race doesn't mean that you actually know them now. Keep going to events, take a few and just spectate, walk around and talk to people. If you meet someone that seems nice, has a similar car (not open wheel) and sounds like they kinda know what they're doing, ask them if you can help in anyway or just hang out for a while and learn from them. I don't know many people who would turn you away. Many of us started off just as you are and didn't know others who raced. That'll change quickly. Best of luck and don't be bashful of asking questions. I know I'm not. LOL

[VinnyV81]

Thanks for the advice! I am lucky to know a few people already, but none of them that I have a RX-7. I only saw one at the double SAARC event and that was an old Speedsource car-and I didn't get a chance to speak with him.

As far as the car goes, I also plan on getting the cage done over the winter, as well as painting the car inside and out.

-Vincent.

[JLawton]

Thanks for the advice! I am lucky to know a few people already, but none of them that I have a RX-7..


See, that's the thing, it doesn't HAVE to be someone with an RX7. You'll still learn the concepts and the basics. it could be an ITC Rabbit driver for all it matters.

They'll help you through the process of finishing the build legally, walk you though the licensing process, maybe help you at the school, teach you more about car control and basic set up.

[dickita15]

Jeff is so right. Sometimes we forget how complex what we do is. Just hanging out with another driver, going thru registration, tech, finding the grid, learning where times and sound readings are posted will make your school much easier. Add to that learning about driving the racing line at some PDX events will make the drivers school where you need to learn wheel to wheel so much better.

[VinnyV81]

This is true...the event I'm going to at TGPR next month has Chuck Badder as the Chief Instructor (fast as hell ITA BMW 3 series). Chuck is a cool guy who has been racing for a while. I also know Barry Hair who is the co-race chair for the Alabama chapter SCCA. He has a CRX that he runs in ITA. And actually, he was my first instructor at my very first DE event which was in my 03 Hyundai Tiburon GT that was bone stock!!! Barry is an awesome guy who really taught me how to get around TGPR(I love that track!). This was the only DE event that I have ever done. He also told me that you can practice checking your mirrors at DE events so that you can be somewhat "prepared" whenever you start wheel to wheel action.

I will definately be going to some events and observing and meeting new people. I think it would be alot more fun to hang out in the pits than it is to work the event. I just saw my check for working BOTH days of the double SARRC at Barber and it didn't even cover my hotel room! There will be alot of "firsts" involved in this but if I just take things one day at a time I know that I will be racing wheel to wheel in time!!!

[gran racing]

If it covered your hotel room, consider yourself lucky. Hey, you didn't volunteer for this gig other than besides you have some affinity towards racing. American Red Cross, the Humane Society, and so on. Some how, some where it makes us feel good (benefit), and it also helps others.

I have to disagree with Chuck. Sure, you probably won't ever be fully prepared to w2w, but there's also a difference between someone whose comfortable with finding all corner worker stations, looking ahead enough, checking their mirrors, able to drive off line when needed, and so on. Heck, why bother learn to drive a car on the street when one can make the leap to competitive racing on a track?

[VinnyV81]

Yeah actually it was Barry that told me that...lol. I'd have to agree with you. I think if you know your car well enough (as in where the tires are on the pavement and where the sheet metal is in relation to you) than it shouldn't be that big of a deal.

Big News!!! I got my car back running today for the first time. I even drove it to work today(loud exhaust and all) just to see how it is. I think the ride height is a little low, but I know all of that should be ironed out when I get it corner weighted. Then as soon as my rear camber bar gets in this week, as well as my rear steer eliminators, then it's off to the alignment shop.

-Vincent.

[gran racing]

Just be sure to tell the alignment shop the minimum ride height (might as well get used to it at that height when doing it anyway) and where it gets measured.

[VinnyV81]

Will do! I looked it up in the GCR and it's 5 inches from the rocker panel. I also found out that I will probably have to do the alignment by hand because when you change the camber, it will also change your cross weights. Is this correct?

Thanks,
Vincent.

[VinnyV81]

Well I have some bad news. After I drove my car to work I noticed that there was a loud noise coming from the rear, which almost felt like I had a flat tire. I believe that both of my rear wheel bearings are shot. Must of happened when I did the five lug swap.

Just when I think everything is close to being good to go something else happens that costs more money. I've already spent most of my savings on getting the car this far...

Such as life.

-Vincent.

[gran racing]

Just when I think everything is close to being good to go something else happens that costs more money.

Welcome to racing!

[RacerBill]

Ancient racing proverb "It's easy to make a small fortune racing.......All you need to do is start with a large one!!!!!!!!!"

[VinnyV81]

Ha ha, yes you guys are definately right. Picked up my new bearings today...123 more dollars added to the pile...will get them installed tomorrow.

-Vincent.

[markw]

I would look here. http://www.mazdaspeeddevelopment.com/partsprogram.htm Mazda has a great program for racers.

[VinnyV81]

I have already registered with them...just have to send in my credentials so that they can activate my account...

-Vincent.

[mom'sZ]

... Must of happened when I did the five lug swap...
Vinny: Not sure if anyone mentioned this but unless another car on your spec line uses the 5 lug hubs this modification will not fly in IT. Don't know much about RX7s, sorry if I'm uninformed.

[VinnyV81]

The GXL model of the same year had 5 lug wheels I believe. It was my understanding that almost all parts are interchangeable as long as they are off the same model car?

-Vincent

[dickita15]

yea that swap is okay on a RX

[VinnyV81]

I sent the hubs and rear rotors to the machine shop this morning. Should pick them up tomorrow. Then hopefully next week we can get the suspension dialed in.

-Vincent.

[VinnyV81]

Well I got the LSD installed over the weekend. It was definately a learning experience. It locks up real nice and it feels alot more "connected" in the rear. It's also nice to spin over both tires...lol.

Now it's off to Chuck's place this week to get everything setup correctly.

-Vincent.

[VinnyV81]

Well to give everyone an update, the car is now together-but still have not had it weighted or aligned yet.

After I got everything together, I noticed that I have a small rub with the tire getting into the front springs. So I ordered some longer ARP studs and 1/2" spacers to go all the way around to give me a little less offset in my wheels and a little more trac width.

Problem is that they were supposed to come in Friday and they didn't make it on time. Saturday I was supposed to take it to Chuck's place, but because the parts weren't there I couldn't go(among other reasons). Now Chuck is very busy working on his car for the ARRC and with other things and he's not going to be able to help me out before TGPR on the 25th.

So now I've got to find someone who has a set of scales and is willing to help me get the car weighted and to get my alignment to where it needs to be. The ride height is close, but I know that the camber on the front and rear is not where it needs to be. I'd like to learn how to do all of this stuff, and with all of the unexpected costs-I'm out of money to really pay anyone to do this for me.

Suggestions?

-Vincent.

[VinnyV81]

Well to give everyone an update, I did get the new studs and spacers put on my car-which totally fixed my tire rubbing issue. The sad thing is that I can no longer run my center caps...lol. Who needs center caps anyway, eh?

The only thing that sucks now is that I won't be able to get my car corner weighted or aligned before the TGPR PDX due to a lack of funds... Money goes in a hurry when your building one of these cars...lol. This is really all I have left to do and the car should be good to go.

-Vincent.

[JLawton]

. The sad thing is that I can no longer run my center caps...lol. Who needs center caps anyway, eh?

-Vincent.


Not a bad thing. Not sure how yours attaches, but ever see a center cap come off a wheel at 100+ MPH?

:blink:

[VinnyV81]

Yeah I know, but they just kinda look funny without them. They are the twist and lock kind, so they shouldn't ever fly off. Now I need to sell them...lol.

-Vincent.