Sunday, 28 March 2010

Back to the Future

If any car is worthy of a Back to the Future re-make it is the Scoot 4-rotor Fd3s.

The car can certainly hit 88mph in no time at all anll you need is the 1.21 gigawatts. I'm currently thinking of a plan to go back and do some funky stuff.

There may be more movie versions to come. If anyone remembers the old RX7 files site. It spurs the imagination.

Here is my movie post on my other craziness blog.

Russ.

Tuesday, 23 March 2010

Old School Concept

To me, JDM OLD SCHOOL FD3s means curves and dish reminiscent of the early JTCC and JSCC cars.

To bring this look up to date you could add some larger wheels now available and some choice parts to complete the picture.

The starting point for this chop was a 100% RE-Amemiya Demo car from 1994 Auto Salon in green. Check the interior. I removed the AW7 wheels and really old style front bar then added some more of my favourite pieces. So here is the list I would use for the exterior and some interior touches.
Circa 1993 parts.
RE-雨宮 AD Fender
RE-雨宮 AD Step D2 Center  with RE-雨宮 AD Rear Fender Trim  and RE-雨宮 AD Rear Skirt
RE-雨宮 AD Hood R. (My fave discontinued)
RE-雨宮Rear Spoiler Type II  or GT Style
RE-雨宮Sleek Light Kit
Kouki rear light cluster
Circa 2000 parts.
RE-雨宮 AD Mirror PRO
RE-雨宮 Facer 9
Other
RE-雨宮 white face 300kph gauges.
RE-雨宮 D-Shape steering wheel.

Wheels are changable. You need 2 or 3 Sets

For cruising... SSR Professor S1 in a meaty (Modern 19") deep dish and you'd have something pretty attention grabbing.

For fast driving or maybe a track day. RAYS Volk Racing RE-30

or the Definition of JDM are TE37 in Bronze!


And even though RS Watanabe don't make a large wheel. This looks incredible.

The only carbon you would see would be the end plates on the front bumper and some dry looking interior panels. This something I am seriously thinking about for the future. For me, it has curves, and aggression and covers all the periods and inspiration for my FD obsession.

After seeing these I'm even liking green more than white... maybe..

Russ.

Wednesday, 17 March 2010

Fujita D1 Concept

Fujita Engineering used to have D1 champion Kazama drive for them at time attack and other events. I'm sure in the back of their mind they thought about D1 or similar events.

It's a pity they never entered D1, as I think their cars are well suited to the event. I didn't really change this Afflux V much, I mainly focussed on making it more conventional at the front with Asamoto-style lights and fixed the door area. I upsized the Advan RG to about 19 but I'm sure the 18-Gtr size would work well.

Come on Fujita-san, you know you want to.

Russ.

Tuesday, 16 March 2010

Ken's Dream

Keneth's FD3s is a lot like many in the world. A work in progress...

Currently, it almost fit's the sleeper category with the stock rims, but the Amemiya logo kind of gives away something. It started life like any FD3S R1 TypeR 1993 Model.

The engine bay has recieved a first round of very sensible mods to make a reliable fun street car.

Stock 13B engine with a refresh done 15Klms ago
Stock Twin Turbines pull air through an RE-Amemiya air filter and sometimes the HKS valve blows off excess pressure. HKS hard intercooler pipes are a must for older cars prone to plastic intercooler pipe degradation. Gasses exit through 90mm high flow mid-pipe and Apexi N1 cat back exhaust.

While all this power makes hot. Fluidyne high performance racing alloy radiator with Samco cooling hoses makes cool.

Setting is through the Apexi PFC via commander interface and after a thrash, the Blitz turbo timer cools things down.


Tein Lowering Springs take care of the lowered stance.
and the Banzai racing diff brace takes care of the only chassis mods so far.


The Re-Amemiya short shifter provides a more direct contact point to the interior
The other contact point is the Nardi steering wheel. Carbon fiber dash trim and white glowing meter faces take care of the visual information, complemented by A-Pillar mounted boost and water temp gauges. To bring that smile when he opens the door, Rx7 Alloy emblem door sills remain.


As Ken screams around Malta, many people might see the odd bit of angle.

Currently body mods are taking are few but we can see an RE-Amemiya touge monster style emerging with the RE-Amemiya vented headlights, RE-Amemiya AD N1 Front Bumper and 99Spec Front combination lamps. I wont ask Ken for a review of these lights because he has already replaced the light units with 90mm Hella units. Enough said. Ganador Mirrors and the RE-Amemiya decals complete the package.
 
Over the past 4 years, his dream was taking shape, like most of us includes many more mods.
 
Is this similar to anyone's wish list.
 
For Go!
A-Spec GT3575 Single Turbo Kit and Greddy Front Mount Intercooler
Denso 280lph High Flow Fuel Pump Aeromotive FPR, Apexi 3Bar MAP Sensor, Apexi Boost Controller, Magnaflow Highflow Cat, Dragon Performance Gearbox brace, Exedy Hyper Twin Clutch


For Turn
Cusco roll cage, kaaz diff, Toyo R888, Recaro/Sparco Bucket Seats
RE-Amemiya rear diffuser, carbon rear wing & side skirts.

For Stop
Vented Brakes

About the only thing I wouldn't recommend from his list are the ROTA drift alloys (Black)
With all the money and time invested, spend that little bit extra and don't buy Rota's.

Russ.
 

Wednesday, 10 March 2010

RE-Xtreme LM Concept

Here is my version of coooooooool.

This started as an idea for a drift car from a BN Sports wide kit, but soon evolved into something more sinister. The RE-Xtreme LM Concept! I really want to build a race car, so I have been looking at JGTC cars from around the late 90's for inspiration because they really aren't so far from a current time attack car.

But when "I" think about a race car, it soon gets way out of hand.

So I start with the BN body, which actually has good dimensions for a race car, and added a big splitter up front and canards and there would be a full underbody with double diffusser. RE-Amemiya small mirrors give a retro feel and the Scoot bonnet gives a racers look. Sleek Lights add a Le Mans Style endurance racer feel backed up by Knight Sports IV inspired front lamp pods for all night vision without goggles.

Then came the idea for retro style wheels also with a meaty dish. Work Miester S1 3 piece wheels in rediculous - offset, but still only 18". BN have used these before, so it was a logical choice. The body is soo low in the first place that the ride height is not decreased so much enabling good balance and geometry.

This is a stripped chassis, seem welded with integrated cage. The engine is of course 26B 4 rotor NA Peri for that F1 sound and power limited to 700hp for reliability of 2 sprint races per rebuild or 1 Enduro. haha!

Go the whole 24 hours and drive your arse off!!

Here is a very rough more realistic minimalist approach based on a car for sale right now. I added Panasport G7 wheels splitter & canards, lights and bonnet. (original picture quality was not good.)

If 1 lap of TA is enough for your pleasure, then go for a more up to date TA look. Just change the wheels to Advan RS and run the 13b with a big single turbo and to no limit of boost. The small rear pic is where I started. I just added a diffuser and a Knight Sports dual flap rear wing. Looked cool so I went further.

Can I stop myself building the real one..? Hmmmm. thats easy.
As my friend tom says... "NO MONEY, NO RACE."

Sponsors anyone? ......
Russ.

Monday, 8 March 2010

Joey's rx7‏

I got an email from Joey the other day. "Check out my car." Click this link...

I did and WOW!

I havn't seen a better set of images for a while. This is inspiration.

The weather in Ireland is unique and therefore creates some great lighting to play with. There is obviously some great locations also.

Joe is lucky he has a friend like Paddy who just happens to be a professional photographer. The results are stunning. Car and Images.

 
Joe's car is an animal with some choice coversions not without saying is the big single turbo conversion. Note the catch tank and engine brace under the bonnet. All Aluminium pulleys and other detail pieces.

His car has just been mapped and had an Aquamist 2D water inj kit fitted by Dragon Performance UK

- Greddy TD06-25G Single Turbo Conversion on new street ported 13B engine
- Auqamist 2D water injection
- Greddy EX Manifold
- Greddy External Wastegate with Screamer Pipe
- Full Titanium Custom Exhaust System inc mid silencer box by AUTO CRAFT A.C.E
- Hks Intake
- Greddy Thick-core Front Mount Intercooler kit
- Triple Core Aluminium Rad
- Alloy oil catch tank
- Apexi Alloy air seperator tank
- Uprated hi-flow fuel pump in std tank
- Boot mounted alloy swirl pot with bosch 044 pump
- 1600cc Injectors in top fed KG fuel rail
- Greddy lightweight Underdrive pulley kit
- New Blitz 10 temp range plugs X 4
- B&M ignition amplifier system
- New FPR

Other things you won't see under here are the battery and abs.
- Battery relocated to boot in alloy case
- Battery kill switch in boot
- ABS removed



Gauges are nicely mounted in the centre console.

- Apexi PowerFC ECU with Commander

- HKS EVC Boost Controller
- Turbo Timer
- Blitz Tacho and Boost gauge mounted on carbon plate
- Omori Oil Pressure and Oil Temp gauge mounted on carbon plate

Splashes of Bride and Nardi make the interior a comfortable environment.

- Bride BRIX recliner bucket seat
- Nardi steering wheel
- Full Cusco padded 7 point through dash cage fitted
- Sabelt Harnesses
- Rare rear parcel shelf

Big power requires upgrades and the chassis drive train hasn't been ignored.
- Uprated Engine Mounts

- Uras Engine Torque Damper
- MazdaSpeed PPF
- OS Giken Twin Plate Push converted clutch Kit
- Mazdaspeed 1.5 way LSD

Handling is also under control and stiffened up for some quick dashes to the shops.
- HSD Coilovers
- Cusco front and rear ARB
- Cusco rear toe arms

Exterior wise he chose Origin front bumper and rear drag spoiler to complement the RE-Amemiya AD9 side diffusers and updated the car to 99+ spec.
- Orgin front bumper
- Uras clear 99 lights
- RE-Amemiya side skirts with carbon trim
- RMagic front fenders
- Origin carbon drag spoiler
- 99 spec rear lights

I really like the way the lines on the R-Magic fenders complement the RE-A side skirts. Joe's choices are very well thought out. Advan AVS 6 rims contrast the custom BMW paint colour very well.

Strangely however these fenders are not much wider than stock so massive wheel fitment is not an option.
- Advan Model 6 wheels F:18"x9" R:18"x10"
- F: Toyo T1r's 225/40/18
- R: Vredestein ultrac sensatta 255/35R18

On a stock body for appearance, this combo is excellent. But for others running for max point to point speed, you may find a little hard to turn in without a good setup.




Static photos are all good but action shots are amazing. You need someone else who knows what they are doing to take shots like these.

If you in the UK or closeby and wan't you're own car immortalised in a similar fashion, give Paddy McGrath a bell.  http://www.pmcgphotos.com/

Russ.

Tuesday, 2 March 2010

Newera Replica Update Version

My friend Miguel, from Newera Imports/Parts has one of the best street FD3s RX7s around. Slowly tuned from stock by himself with help from knight sports it now represents 431 bhp @ the wheels and handles like you wouldn't believe an FD could with help from Nishiki suspension tuners. 

Every aspect of the car has been changed.

A long time ago when I left Japan for the first time, I built a basic replica of the car. Recently a few more updates to the car including Knight Sports rear valance and some damage to the replica prompted a rebuild of the mini Newera FD3s.


I swapped off a lot of parts and now the replica is much more accurate. I custom made a Knight sports rear bar, RE-Amemiya lip spoiler and reshaped the wing to match, however the wide wing stays are a "hotworks" design and can't really be changed. Fujita Side skirts are hard to see in these pics. Interior detail is also up to par.

Mazdaspeed MS-01 were added and the carbon has all been refreshed as the new modelling detail you can buy these days is amazing.

I also made some custom decals for the "Mt Fuji 7" number plates and the stickers for http://www.neweraimports.com/ and http://www.neweraparts.com/ on the rear window

I just need to buy a display case so it doesn't "accidentally" break again.
Now about that drive as payment.... hehe!

Russ.