LS1 RX7 build

[ITSWILL]

I guess I'll explain.  I added up the cost of fixing the 91 I have been working on and found that to do it right was going to cost me nearly $2000 to get the body fixed and repainted.  With that in mind I started looking for a new roller and I found the 89 GTU pictured above in Golden City, Missouri.  I bought it off Craigslist from a guy named Carl who absolutely loved the car but could not afford to fix it since it had a blown front rotor (I confirmed this, ZERO compression on any face of the front rotor). It took 26 hours of driving and and over night in Springfield, MO but it was worth it, this was one of the most stock untampered with FCs that I have ever seen.  I almost felt bad doing what I am doing to her. Rich even tried to convince me to just fix it and leave it stock.

[ITSWILL]

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I found the frame rails to be nearly unpainted as I have seen on every FC and even missing paint from brake fluid.
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removed stock radiator mounting and welded/ smoothed it all out.
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[murz]

Awesome build, what are the plans with the original motor?

[ITSWILL]

Thanks,

I am still trying to come up with a plan as to what to do with the 91 and that engine.  Clearly I could repair the engine and put it in the white car.  The problem with that is I don't really have any vision for that car and without any purpose, time would be better spent on something else.  Maybe once my pole barn is done I will just stash it away until I can come up with a plan for it.

[ITSWILL]

UPDATE:

The swap is done! I drove it to work today. Runs great, and super fast.  I'll get some more pictures once I have it all cleaned up.

Next projects involve grafting in an integra speedometer so that it will be electronically driven.

A permanent exhaust system rather than the ghetto setup I currently have... Anyone want to do some TIG welding? I have all the tubing just need someone with a TIG and some skill.

Cobbling together the AC.

replacing some cracked interior parts

getting cruise control working

And hunting down squeeks and rattles

Power window conversion

Cobra 8.8 IRS

Damn, projects never end...

[murz]

Very nice! Can't wait to see her! I've been thinking of a V8 swap, sometime, somewhere, somehow. haha! Keeping it NA, or supercharging it?

On a difficulty level of 1-10, how difficult was the install to firing her up.

[ITSWILL]

I'll be running nitrous.  Maybe a 200 shot.

As far as difficulty level is concerned.  I would say it is somewhere between a TII swap and a 20b swap. I have done it 3 times now so it has gotten easier as I have done it.

[murz]

Awesome, a lot of fabrication involved then? Something to start saving up for then.

[ITSWILL]

I thought I would post some overdue updates.

I haven't done much to my car as I have been helping build another LS1 RX7 for a buddy.  But I have done a few notable things.

1st I converted the front brakes to 4 pistons.  I rebuilt an old set I had laying around.  I think it cost me like $12 or something plus some caliper paint I had laying around. I still need to get new brake pads.  I put some used Redstuff pads in the front and left the rears stock.  This causes a scary situation when panic breaking where the rears dont need any time to heat up but the fronts do causing the rear to lock and try to come around.  I'm thinking I will put a new set of green stuffs in all the way around.

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Another project I completed was converting my speedometer over to an electric unit.  I used an integra DC2 speedo out of a cluster I bought off ebay for $30.  After some massaging of the face plate and cutting and rewiring of the cluster I have  a speedometer that can read the electronic signal from my LS1 PCM.  A little caliibration and it is working and  looking like it is OEM.  (although one of the bulbs might be too big)

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Almost forgot, I relpaced the relay in my wiper swith using some info online and got my intermittent and high speeds working like new.

And the latest thing I have done is bought some new tires.  After almost killing myself everytime it rained last year and only making things worse from Dream Cruise burnouts I figured this was a must.  So I got 4 of these in 225/45ZR17, they were on sale and still are.

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Next project is getting rid of the ghetto exhaust system,  I just need to buy a TIG welder or find someone to help me that has a TIG welder...

[ITSWILL]

I ordered up a set of EBC yellow stuff brake pads last night. This should rectify the odd braking dynamics I have at the moment.  I picked the yellow stuff pads because they are supposed to have very good initial bite and still work when they are warm. I have had green stuffs which were great but created a lot of dust. I had red stuffs which I could never seem to keep enough heat in them to be effective on the street. Hopefully the yellows will be a good balance. I will update after I get back from my road trip to NY.

[ITSWILL]

I drove to New York and back last weekend. With all the driving I probably put about 1500 miles on the car without incident until when coming back from New York my taurus fan quit on 75 just on the detroit city line. The car hilly heated up and blow a radiator hose off dumping the entirety of my coolant on the road in about a half second. Long story short I wired up the low speed searched the ghetto for 2 gallons of coolant and limped it back home.

This is the second Taurus fan failure I have had. The first fan was a junkyard job and this one was new aftermarket one from rock auto. Has anyone had issues with a Taurus fan?  Normally I just wire up high speed but I think I will wire up both high and low when I replace it again. Maybe a new oem fan is in order.

Other than that it was a good ride. Could have used cruise control and AC but it was fine without it.

The new tires are phenomenal in about every way. Great acceleration, cornering and braking performance wet or dry. I would highly recommend them.

Also would highly recommend the EBC yellow stuff pads for street or racing. They have great cold bite and keep working when hot. Also they are very low dust.

[~Groll69~]

To bad on the fan failure.  I am glad you got to put some mile on your motor though.  Maybe there is another fan that will work as well and not draw as much power, or set it up to properly use both low and high speed operation.  I think it is designed to constantly run low speed and only turn on high speed intermittently.  Just a thought.

[ITSWILL]

The current draw really shouldn't be an issue, I have great wiring, a 70A relay and a good alternator.  And really it doesn't run all that often.  Some people have theirs on constantly with out issue.  I think i just need to get a good oem unit.

Next project is the exhaust, I think I found a guy that will do a good job for like $200-$300 since I have 99% of the materials.  I should be able to get that done and ready for the dream cruise.  We'll see how an LS1 sounds through racing beat mufflers.

[murz]

Should be interesting, Turbo or na mufflers? I think the turbo mufflers are open a bit more, not sure how it would affect  performance wise, but it will be interesting.

[~Groll69~]

I look forward to seeing and hearing your exhuast when you complete it.  Is there any other fans to try that would work other then the tuarus fan?  did the sensor for the fan itself fail?  Like maybe pulling to much current through the sensor to activate the relay.  Just a couple of things to maybe think about with your setup.