RX7 for rally car... 2nd gen me thinks
Posted by mhooper
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I built arguably the most successful Gen. 2 RX7 in the U.S. Dave and Rick Hintz won several regional titles and the 2002 SCCA ProRally Group 5 national championship with it. It can be a good car but it does have it's weaknesses. Better choice than a Gen. 1, in my opinion. I don't know why some people are so against rotaries, it's hard to find a more reliable race engine. The Turbo 2 engine in that car was rebuilt in 1999, just before becoming a rally car, and that same engine is still running strong today. In fact it's never been out of the car since 1999. I wouldn't do a turbo rotary again, though. Too much trouble and expense trying to keep it cool and get a reliable turbo setup. It's been reliable for a long time but it took some development and it's more maintenance than N/A. Still, the power is good at 300+hp, depending on the boost but you can get plenty out of a good ported N/A motor.
Some things to keep in mind. You need to to lock up the passive rear wheel steering. There are kits for that. The rear suspension has a lot of camber change so it always wears the tires funny. The differential mount likes to break, even the Mazda Competition one. You need a good skidplate and underbody protection as the car is low and the exhaust system will be the biggest maintenance item on the car. 
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Pete Remner Mod Moderator Location: Cleveland, Ohio Join Date: 01/11/2006 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 2,022 |
Michael Hooper Super Moderator Location: Georgia Join Date: 09/08/2006 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 65 Rally Car: ae86/gone |
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