Change in plans?

[Stash]

As many of you know I am planning on building a LS-1 powered FD(3rd gen RX7). I picked up a rolling chassis a couple months ago that had some front end damage. I have now decided I am going to part with that chassis. It would be fine for a track only vehicle, but to do everything for it to pass inspection for a rebuilt title its not going to be worth it. I want this car to be a registered street legal car. I currently have the chassis for sale and have a couple interested parties, if I don't get want I want for it I will keep it as a parts car. By no means does this mean I am abandoning the project. I have come up with a new plan.
So I think next year I will continue to drive the dsm. I want to get as much track time in as possible. I think I will wait til next fall-spring to look for a running FD with a rotary. I then want to drive that for a season to get use to the handling characteristics at a lower power level. Then over the following winter I would swap in the LS-1. As much as I would like to think that I am an awesome driver, I know I can use improvement. I think if I go out with a 2800lbs, 400HP RWD car I am goin to handicap myself.
Speaking of the LS-1 this is another thing that is up in the air. I still need to do a lot of research before committing to an engine choice. The issue with the LS-1 is the oil pan you need to run(98-02 F body) does not have very good baffeling and can cause oil starvation in road course situations(purpose of the car being built) The LS-2 oil pan is much better and a vender has just come out with a subframe that allows for clearance of that oil pan. I am yet to figure out if the LS-2 pan will work on the LS-1. Maybe by the time I get around to the swap the price on LS-6s will come down and I will just go with that. :?
So bottom line is, don't plan on seeing me driving a FD next year, but I will be getting one, this I am sure of. I really don't care if this project takes five years to finish. It will be one of the cleanest swap done. I plan on bumping up my work quality to the next notch for this project, which I happen to think is pretty good currently.
Sorry for the novel, just a little bored right now. :D

[devlish]

sucky that you put your AWD back to almost stock then huh?? owell. spools faster now i bet!

good luck over the next 5 years then!

[Stash]

The only part I somewhat regret getting rid of is DSMlink. Since the car will be daily driven and driven in winter it is for the better its been demodded.

[Stash]

Also, I am not saying that it is going to take five years, just pointing out I am not in a huge rush to complete it. I have spent the last five years putting most of my extra money into my cars and have spent many hours in the garage. This next year I want to enjoy doing other things. I would like to get a waverunner or boat. It would also be nice to add a hot tub to my patio.

[EVILUTION]

I think buying a fully functional FD is the right approach. Feel out the car as is before investing a grip of cash. Who knows maybe you'll like the stock motor and just build that up.

I also think keeping the DSM is very smart. You know it the back of your hand and it seems quite solid. Its a great temp vehicle with plenty of go-fast while working on the other project.

[Stash]

Odds of me becoming a rotard are slim, but who knows. Even my roomate has been thinking of pulling the rotary out of his FC, and he has been a die hard rotary guy for a few years now. Rotaries, besides having more issues lack the torque I desire. Same reason you will never see me with a Honda, I don't like having to rev to the moon to make power.

The dsm is a nice solid car that I can repair anything on in a day and the parts are abundent and cheap. It will need some trans work by spring however as it is starting to grind into second if you don't shift it just right.

[TomKat]

Sounds like a solid plan Stash. If I lived where you do I'd get a boat too. :D

[Pointdsm]

Oh well, the trip to arkansas was fun anyway. I would definatly think of something else for next summer, with being on the river, you can't throw that away and not enjoy it.

[DSM Girl]

Also, I am not saying that it is going to take five years, just pointing out I am not in a huge rush to complete it. I have spent the last five years putting most of my extra money into my cars and have spent many hours in the garage. This next year I want to enjoy doing other things. I would like to get a waverunner or boat. It would also be nice to add a hot tub to my patio.

I know where you could find a couple of waverunners for sale :wink:

[Stash]

I know of the waverunners. Price hasn't been discussed yet, however it sounded like it was both or neither. I only want one.

[Stash]

Update:

Roller is sold, being picked up late March, early April. The guy who is buying it is a bit of a FD collector and usually has a few on hand. Right now he has a black on black 93 roller that just got a fresh paint job with a clean title. I'm waiting to get pics of it until I make any decisions. It would be very nice to get a clean roller delivered while the other one is taken away. My goal is to have another FD by June, wether its a roller, rotary or LS1 powered is yet to be determined. I have been looking at a few that already have the LS1 swap complete. There have been a few listed for pretty good prices. Problem with buying a preswapped car is I know I will just end up disassembling everything and redoing it. I've done it with all my other cars I don't see how this would be different. Plus I find building cars to be enjoyable and like to take pride in my work. This black roller is sounding like a nice canvas to start a masterpiece with. I am also leaning towards going with a LS2, more displacement, no oil starvation on hard corners. So this project is not dead and may start to make some progress this spring.

[GSR_jake]

damn fds are tight i really hope i see that running but you should just put an fd front clip off password jdm for 2,499 on that, you could have a twin turboed 13b instead of a chevy motor, you could have a rhd rotary rocket.

http://passwordjdm.com/JDM-Mazda-RX7-fd3s-13b-rew-Front-Clip-P1954C216.aspx

[Stash]

I'm about as much anti-rotary as I am anti-honda. I have contemplated buying a FD with a running rotary but don't think I will. Nothing about the rotary appeals to me.

[GSR_jake]

well i guess ull just have to wait for me to make my rotary powered honda,lol then maybe ull change ur opion, no but good luck with the project it sounds like it will be a great car

[TSi_II]

well i guess ull just have to wait for me to make my rotary powered honda,lol then maybe ull change ur opion, no but good luck with the project it sounds like it will be a great car

Sounds like a lose-lose to me. :lol:

[EVILUTION]

When you get pics of the black one post them.

Not sure what you are looking to spend on a waverunner but I have an 04 Seadoo XP-DI with less than 30 hours on it.

[Stash]

I'll post pics as soon as I get them. I am keeping this as my number one option at the moment. The fact that it would be delivered to my house with fresh paint in an enclosed trailer makes it appealing. The car just got painted this week and still needs to be reassembled, might be a little bit before the pics come. If anybody sees a nice FD for sale by, let me know. This is what I am looking for:

Required:
Black interior
Clean title

Prefered:
R1 model(base model second choice)
Colors I would consider:
Brilliant Black
Vintage Red
Championship Yellow Mica
Chaste White
Silver
*Absolutly not Motego Blue!!!
Or possibly a custom color depending on quality of paint job.

Other things I would consider a bonus:
99 spec front bumper
99 spec tail lights
Aftermarket wheels at least 9.5 in width

[EVILUTION]

LS9!

http://jalopnik.com/cars/assets/resources/2007/12/Chevy%20Corvette%20ZR1%20LS9%20Engine.jpg

FROM HERE:
http://jalopnik.com/337672/detroit-auto-show-exploding-the-2009-corvette-zr1s-brilliantly-beautiful-ls9-engine

[fordssuck]

^I thought the throttle body would be bigger for a supercharger