sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

I don't know any.

supercooper

I know a few that i will let you borrow... I just expect you to return them, washed and fueled.

Sam TII

So, having owned multiple turbo FC/FD chassis, to that particular one and your particular circumstance, the answer is HELL NO.

That FD will cost you probably $4k minimum to get it running again by the time you piece together all the junk it's missing, get it tuned etc. BP motors are pain to get running right and usually blow every 12-20k. Rebuilds aren't terribly hard but they cost money and down time which it sounds like you're short on. A stock FD makes an OK DD (mileage is terrible though), a BP FD is a project car its whole life.

As others have mentioned, an LSx FD is a magical vehicle from the people I've met who own them and I plan on building one when I've got about $20k to throw at a car so that everything is done top notch, but until then you've already struck the balance of fun, reliable, and cheap which is very rare to do in the car world.

If the FD was all stock with a recently rebuilt (or known good) motor, I'd be very tempted to trade but like others have said, absolutely not for that basket case.

fooger03

iTrader: (2)

If you can't afford to have a project car AND a daily driver, then you can't afford to have a project car....

Besides, how many people do you know that bought a pile of parts from someone and actually built a reliable running car from those parts? This pile of parts is worth far more as "parts" than as a "car". Were it all in one piece, it might be a different story.

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

Sam, THANKS much for your words of wisdom. I was really hoping to hear from some rx7 owners. After my miata, i don't know how impressed I'd be by a mostly stock FD even in great running condition anyways.

Fooger, I'm not that foolish. I've got plenty of other modes of transportation. While the miata has been on DD duty now that I got it back together, I also have my winter car which is a 94 integra, and I have a Buell XB12. So I can get around.

All these vehicles, yet I work from home and don't commute. lol.

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

I have owned an FC for many years, have been through the downward spiral of diminishing compression until a complete miss finally appeared and $2500 stock rebuild was required. I drove the rebuilder's completely stock FD multiple times (he wanted me to buy it) and was quite dismayed by its actual performance. They are pretty bodies but don't come close to backing up the reputation they have for being quick. A stock 4.6 Mustang would likely beat it.

Full_Tilt_Boogie

iTrader: (1)

Id own an FD, but not one that had been modified. And no, I would not swap an LS into it.

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

In the FD world, the first thing everyone recommends are "reliability mods". If you wanted a mostly stock one, I'd at least make an exception for these mods.

However thanks to you guys I'm completely over it. Do not want. Thanks again.

I will just drool over other peoples FD's without having the pain of rotary ownership.

Sam TII

Wise choice. FDs suffer from a lot of heat problems, the stock twins basically kill the motor slowly and cook the coolant seals on the passenger side of the engine and the seals WILL fail about every 140k even if religiously taken care of. I don't know of anybody who has actually driven that much on a single swap, but I imagine it's better. The first FC I had I got with 140k on it, with the original engine. I put a bigger radiator on it, did basic intake, exhaust, clutch, boost controller stuff with an HKS F-CON and drove it to 220k with minimal aches and pains (mostly just random electrical stuff) but it reliably made 250 whp the whole time I owned it, it was a dang good daily. I sold it to another Bay Area Rotary club member and as far as I know it's still going pretty much as I had it set up and I sold it to him in '08.

However, all the FDs and other FCs I had were modified quite a bit and were all money pits. No heavily modified rotary I have ever been around is a solid DD. They always need tinkering, even with Haltechs or PowerFCs tuned by "pros" they always had weird issues and were pretty headachey. The trouble is, FDs are super pretty, I really like the way they drive (and yes, stock they aren't all that fast, but the handling is awesome) so you end up wanting to buy them just because they are a car that truly inspires lust. However, a turbo NB looks the part and is more reliable and arguably more fun. NAs aren't quite as pretty IMO, but hey with a set with flares and some wide wheels to back it up they look pretty awesome too if that's your thing.

What I really like about the turbo Miata situation is that it's the rare combination of fast, cheap, and pretty reliable. Granted, they aren't the most practical things in the world, but think about the performance you get for the price and the fact that you still get 30ish (sometimes more) MPG. It's a tough combo to beat in the performance car world.

qax

iTrader: (1)

I swear I saw this exact same car yesterday in LA Chinatown.

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

See, at 250whp I may as well stick with a miata. At least the miata is pretty "fast" at 250whp. Also, good knowledge about the stock twins. If i were to pick up this FD it would have to run on stock twins for some time before I could afford a new setup.

I also agree about the miata argument, except I'm a big fan of NA > NB styling. Just personal preference. If I could have a NA rear end with a NB front end that would be the perfect looking miata imo.

Definitely not me, but that person must have had one sexy NA

2ndGearRubber

I'd own one. Why not? Even if the motor pops, you can have a new experience rebuilding, or sell it.

viperormiata

iTrader: (24)

You mean like this? It's getting more and more popular by the day.




Edit-Topic of thread: **** NO.

RussellT94

iTrader: (3)

I had a 400+ RWHP single turbo FD, and wouldn't do it again. It was extremely loud, didn't have much torque, and I was constantly worried something would break/overheat/blow up.

Car was the most fun when it had an ECU, catback, and upgraded IC. Ran low 13s and wasn't loud or smelly. If I ever got another with a rotary, I wouldn't do much to it.

Sam TII

^This.

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

viperormiata, do you have more info on that swap? If someone made some bolt on fenders and you were able to swap the rad support and use the OEM hood/lights that could be awesome.

Neither of those cars do anything at all for me, but I can see its potential with a lip on that nb1 front. Actually the more I look at it, the more I like the nb1 front on the older chassis lines

This was also my thought. I'm still going to look at the car if its around this weekend, but I really don't feel like it would be a good idea to straight up trade for my miata.

I'm not anti-rotary at all. I've always loved the way they sounded and always wanted to try one. I've also never owned one, or even ridden in one for that matter. Maybe this is one of those scenarios where "don't meet your heroes" comes into play, lol.


And if I WERE to get one, it would absolutely stay on stock twins @ somewhere around 300whp.

RussellT94

iTrader: (3)

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Stock twins are notoriously unreliable due to the "rats nest" of vacuum lines. They were considered less than reliable when I owned a FD from 2000 - 2007ish, can't imagine what another 6 years has done to vacuum lines in a high heat environment.



If you convert to non-sequential, it gets more reliable, but then you need to look into injectors, full exhaust, intercooler, $$$, etc.

18psi

iTrader: (76)

at first I thought you photoshopped most of those in for dramatic effect
wowwwwwwww

RussellT94

iTrader: (3)

Nope, good luck chasing a vacuum or boost leak. It's a reliability modification to replace all of those lines with silicone.

2ndGearRubber

Holy ****. There has to be a way to simplify that.