Miata Turbo Forum - Boost cars, acquire cats. - 1984 RX-7 Race Car with BP! (almost a Miata)

- Build Threads (https://www.miataturbo.net/build-threads-57/)

- - 1984 RX-7 Race Car with BP! (almost a Miata) (https://www.miataturbo.net/build-threads-57/1984-rx-7-race-car-bp-almost-miata-62355/)

It's like most late models with 180 degree headers. The drivers compartment is only about half the car. The rest, is separated with sheet metal. The exhaust, transmission, driveshaft and all those goodies are covered and kept separate. Like alot of 80's and 90's SCCA Trans Am cars.

Yup! And a lot of modern GT cars!

Did you use an oval center section for the exhaust?

Also how does it to feel to be such a god of car?

Yup, 4" oval to make it fit better between the cage and the door. Pretty nice stuff!

Haha I wish!

Wow. I just read this entire thread, and thank you so much for posting this!

You said you've had 10+ years of just building race cars, it also looks like you have a LOT of engineering experience too, wondering if that was part of your formal education?

Regarding the exhaust, doesn't the new Viper GTS-R also do something very similar? I recall an article in Racecar Engineering recently that highlighted the development process of those cars, and I think that's the way they ran the exhaust.

Your fab-work is mind-blowing, if I had 20 lifetimes to study this I'd still never be that good. Subscribed for sure!

Wow thank you! The race car building has been a hobby, a very time consuming, 2nd job type of hobby!
I am an en electrical engineer and my day job is building design engineering, so you did guess that right! There is definitely some engineering that has gone to the car. But most of it comes from seeing over the years what works and what doesn't work and having a pretty good ability of imagining the final product!
Oh, I haven't looked the the new Viper in detail, but perhaps I should. It is one of the easiest ways to be able to have a flat bottom on the car as well as balances the driver's weight very well.
Fab work is just experience playing around with stuff and trial and error. I still have to redo some things after I build them, mostly due to rushing it and not thinking about it enough! I have definitely been lucky to get involved in racing right after high school. That way I had access to some veery knowledgable and experienced group of people as well as their equipment.

Anyways time to go pick up some parts from my mailbox and finish the rear suspension!

Yeah, after re-reading that article (its in October's issue if you want to pick it up at a local store and thumb through it), I believe that the exhaust exits the OEM way - or close to it, since there are 2 manifolds, and 2 exits on either side for the exhaust, so they must be running it under the firewall below the cockpit area, but I imagine they've still come up with a solution that lets them use a pretty flat floor.

Slightly OT, but I'd love to see pics of some of the other cars you've built!

Interesting. Will check it out for sure!
I will have to check the computer in the shop, I have pictures there. I typically don't take too many pictures unless it is my own car, hehe.

Well the rear suspension is finally done. The brackets arrived and are welded now. I partially mounted the exhaust too and it has the proper clearance I was planning on!

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1350187040

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1350187040

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1350187040

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1350187040

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1350187040

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1350187040

The coolers' location and mounting has been redesigned for a better venting out of the hood and under the car. It is a v-mount system now. The exhaust is fully mounted now too (excuse the crappy photo) and I have made a mount for the windshield defroster.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1351103667

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1351103667

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1351103667

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1351103667

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1351103667

Got the front clip done. It is removable with only four bolts. The entire front clip including the coolers come off with these 4 bolts!

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1352002952

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1352002952

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1352002952

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1352002952

Started building the frame for the dash and the interior panels. Also started building the box around the exhaust to seal it from the driver's compartment.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1352679617

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1352679617

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1352679617

I haven't posted for a while! Been too busy with life, work, and the car. The chassis is a few weeks away from being painted. The last finishing touches are getting done such as mounted doors, cleaning welds and so on. I have attached a few pictures from the last month of work.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1361808894

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1361808894

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1361808894

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1361808894

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1361808894

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1361808894

Looks badass, what color are you painting the chassis?

Oh please be something absurd and unusual, like black.

The chassis will be flat white or gray. The car will be wrapped. Most likely the 787B orange and green unless I can come up with a cool combination otherwise.

I mounted the dry-break connector yesterday and put the body panels back on. Now the work on the body panels starts! As well going to start the plumbing and wiring so I can start it and run it and make sure no welding or brackets are needed before the chassis gets painted! See the light at the end of the tunnel!

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1362074461

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1362074461

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1362074461

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1362074461

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1362074461

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1362074461

GTC300? Loving the v-mount rad/intercooler setup... may duplicate ;)

Thank you! Yes the wing is GTC300. I was planning to get the 500, but Tony at APR recommended against it as he said the car is too light for that much downforce. it is only a couple of inches wider anyways. Very nice wing for sure!

Yeah the v-mount system was finally decided after building and 3d modelling a few setups.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcrx7 (Post 985499)

Thank you! Yes the wing is GTC300. I was planning to get the 500, but Tony at APR recommended against it as he said the car is too light for that much downforce.

:hustler:

Does not compute. Maybe car does not have enough front downforce for that much rear downforce but saying the car is too light? I guess F1 has really screwed the pooch.