RX-7Liter Specifications
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2000 season:
Over winter of 1999, built custom 1 3/4" primary headers, completed tailpipes.
Added JVC stereo/12 disc CD and a 640 watt amp to drive a Jensen sub and 6x9's
Standing 1/4 mile 13.2 seconds at 102.95 MPH on 3.5:1 gears and stock motor with headers.
Average MPG was 15.3 during 5,200 miles of Power Tour 2000. (due to headers)
Collecting parts for a "tune up": I have 3.25 gears, Comp 272H Magnum cam, pushrods, timing set,
Weiand Stealth intake, Pro Torque 11" 2400 stall converter and an engine hoist. Need decent heads and some time.
1999 season:
1980 Mazda RX-7 with Ford big block, set up for "Pro Touring".(streetable pro-street)
The engine and trans is a stock 1978 Ford 460/C6 from a Lincoln Continental.
Weight is 3,100 pounds (mostly motor and 2x3 frame) giving 58/42 distribution.
Standing 1/4 mile 13.8 seconds at 100.02 MPH on 2.75:1 gears and stock motor.
Average MPG was 14.57 during 3,400 miles on Power Tour East.
Top speed during Power Tour was 140 MPH on the chassis dyno. (rear wheels only)
Less than 200 RWH ?!? I think the junkyard motor has valve float or something.
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Driveline:
The motor is a stock 460 with cast iron manifolds and a rebuilt Motorcraft carburator.
Transmission is a C6 with a shift improvement kit and a B&M Megashifter.
Ford driveshaft that was shortened and balanced by Austin Drivetrain.
Rear end is a narrowed Ford 9 inch rear with posi 2.75:1 gears.
Axles are 31 spline Currie street axles
Update: Added headers in winter of '99. Have 3.25:1 gears, but not installed.
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Suspension:
Up front, theres a rebuilt Mustang II suspension with power rack and pinion
steering. The stock Mazda steering column was adapted by using a Borgeson u-joint. The stock anti sway bar was re-mounted
to fit properly on the lower control arms and clear the harmonic balancer on the engine.
The rear suspension is fully adjustable by means of an Art Morisson 4 link and AME coil over shocks. A panhard bar is used to
replace the Watts style linkage found on the stock RX7.
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Wheels/Tires:
Front: P255-50 R15's mounted on 5" Weld Pro-Star aluminum
Rear : 15.5 x 29 x 15 LT Mickey Thompsons 14" Weld Pro-Star aluminum
Update: Been letting smoke out of the Mickeys. Life expectancy is lowered to 2 seasons??
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Brake system:
Four wheel disk brakes. The stock Mazda power brake booster was modified to accept a
Mopar 1-1/8" master cylinder. The front brake adapter kit is from ECI. It allows use of GM midsize calipers
on Granada 11" rotors, which fit on the stock Mustang II spindles. The rear brakes are a Super Street kit from
Currie Enterprises, which consists of Thunderbird LSC rotors and calipers mated to brackets for the "big Ford" bolt
pattern rear housing ends.
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Fuel system:
The gas tank is a 16 gallon unit from a Mazda truck, and happens to
fit underneath the frame rails and between the rear tires. The fuel level sender ohmed
out close enough, so I kept it and adjusted the mechanical offset for the fuel gage
to compensate.
This tank has the provision for an electric pump in the tank...one more step closer
to starting the EFI conversion now !
Update: Collected an EEC-IV harnes, some injectors and a couple of books. Still need a computer.
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Ignition:
Since the donor car was not available for picking parts,
I ordered a complete electronic ignition solution from Jacobs Electroniocs.
The Ultra Team ignition has 36KV of spark energy delivered as needed.
(good for an additional 10 hp and 12 ft lb on a 460 !)
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Exhaust system:
3" dual exhaust with 3 chamber Flowmaster mufflers and a "H" pipe.
Update: Winter of '99 made custom headers with 1-3/4" x 21" primary headers.
Mandrel bent 3" dual tailpipes punctuate the rear view of the car.
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Cooling system:
There is a Howe 3" aluminum radiator that fills most of the frontal area between the headlights.
I am using a 160 degree thermostat, and the motor stays at 160 when on the road, and climbs to around
190 before the thermostat pulls in the Flex-a-lite 12" dual pusher fans.
Note: If you get an electric fan, be sure to double check the direction of air flow after connecting the wires...
these cool a lot better when the rotation is correct. Reversing the polarity will make the fans run backwards, which
will reduce cooling efficiency.
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Things to remember when building the next one:
- Look in the oil pan for broken engine parts when buying a motor
- Buy a complete frame/suspension solution, not just parts
- Use poly bushings on the 4 link ends (ladder bars instead?)
- Run the exhaust all the way to the back of the car
- Do not get too happy with the air chisel or cutting torch
- Use the same size tires all the way around
(that makes it easier to choose and pack a spare)
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Parts list
$ 350 1980 RX7 from boneyard (requested without engine or tranny)
$ 250 Ford 9" housing from dragster shop <deal ?...>
$ 250 Ford 460 and C6 that works (did not count the 429, but paid similar price)
$ 125 Sheetmetal for new floorpan
$ 150 Metal tubing for frame rails
$ 175 Mustang II Front crossmember, power R&P, Granada rotors, Chevy calipers from junkyard
$ 152 Mustang II rebuild kit (ball joints, bushings, etc) A-1 Racing
$ 370 Four link rod ends, panhard bar Art Morrison
$ 300 Coil over shocks for rear Art Morrison
$ 225 Aluminum radiator Summit - Howe Racing
$ 301 Rear sump oil pan and new oil pump from Ford dealer
$ 125 Dual electric fans Summit - FlexALite
$ 143 B&M Megashifter Summit - B&M
$ 55 B&M Transmission shift kit from SuperShops
$ 35 Frame mounted transmission cooler Summit - Be Cool
$ 43 Trunk mounted battery kit from Summit
$ 64 Steering universal joint from Chassis Engineering
$ 180 Driveshaft / U-joints balance from Junkyard / Austin Drivetrain
$ 411 Weld Pro star 15"x14" Summit - Weld Racing
$ 468 MT 29x15.5 rear tires, tubes Summit - Mickey Thompson
$ 160 Front tires P195 50R15 Pep Boys
$ 271 Weld Pro Star 15"x5" Summit - Weld Racing
$ 150 Widen the too-narrow rear to correct width
$ 220 Rear axles Currie Enterprises
$ 539 Rear disk brake kit with integrated parking brakes Currie Enterprises
$ 100 1 1/8" Mopar Master cylinder, "T" fittings from Austin Brake
$ 183 Front brake adapter kit and hoses ECI
$ 35 Custom emergency brake cable Control Cables
$ 380 Exhaust system ( 3" Flowmasters and high flow cats)including tow to muffler shop
$ 550 Ultra-Team electronic ignition Jacobs Electronics
$ 65 Air cleaner K&N style
$ 150 Paint stripper, primer, incidentals Auto Zone
$ 75 Pro stock fiberglass hood scoop A&A Specialties
$ 100 replacement hood (ruined the original experimenting with cowl induction)
$ 180 Front fender replacements
$ 90 Speedometer ratio adapter box
$ 130 Door panels, console, weather stripping, etc from junkyard
$ 80 interior insluation for soundproofing and heat reduction
$ 35 Ford Motorsport 13" air cleaner to fit inside the snorkel scoop
$ 375 Weld-up header kit from Headers by Ed
$1100 paint and body work
$ 50 Fully adjustable bucket seats from junkyard
$ 375 Super-style rear wing and associated body work
$ 128 Carpet and vinyl for the interior
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$ xxxx Parts used on the car
Notice that tools are listed too... Since they did not
magically appear, I subtotaled them below.
$ 125 Bead roller (I get lots of compliments on the custom
sheetmetal)
$ 125 cut off saw - a must carpentry can also be fitted
for cutting metal
$ 150 Welding wire, C02/Ar cylinders
$ 175 Air compressor, hose, air hammer
$ 350 MIG welder
$ 150 7.5L Fuel injected manifold, TB etc. (cannot use
on pre-81? 460)
$ 275 Ford 429 and 2*C6 trannys (from demo derby guy,
had broken piston skirts in oil pan)
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$ 1350 Tools and parts that did not go on the car.
RX7Liter home
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