Are the RX-7s good track cars?

[Sacramento M3]

Hi All,

Well I have been wanting to track really badly (never have been but would like to get into it) but I can't really afford to track my car. Plus it is an auto and the tranny would probably hike up it's skirt, fold it's arms, and turn it's nose up at the site of a race track.

So I have been wondering if the 86-89 genre Mazda RX-7s are good cars to track and *relatively* cheap to maintain? Right now I am far too lazy to register on RX-7 boards or lurk. I'd rather just see if you guys know much about them .


A few minutes on the net shows me that I'd probably end up spending between $2500-$3500 give or take for a decent RX-7 in that generation.

Some specific questions I guess would be, are they rwd? Do the engines hold up fairly well (have heard rotaries require rebuild every 30k, but not sure if there is truth to this statement)? How are the turbos when you track them (break down a lot)? How are the suspensions for handling? Things like this, if anyone can answer, it would be greatly appreciated.

TIA.

-Dustin

[330iGT]

Get a miata instead. It will cost you less, in every sense. Modding, repairs, ect. And a properly driven/tuned miata will own almost everything on a track.

[Sacramento M3]

I can't fit in a Miata.

[T-Rex]

Originally posted by Sacramento M3
Hi All,

Well I have been wanting to track really badly (never have been but would like to get into it) but I can't really afford to track my car. Plus it is an auto and the tranny would probably hike up it's skirt, fold it's arms, and turn it's nose up at the site of a race track.

So I have been wondering if the 86-89 genre Mazda RX-7s are good cars to track and *relatively* cheap to maintain? Right now I am far too lazy to register on RX-7 boards or lurk. I'd rather just see if you guys know much about them .


A few minutes on the net shows me that I'd probably end up spending between $2500-$3500 give or take for a decent RX-7 in that generation.

Some specific questions I guess would be, are they rwd? Do the engines hold up fairly well (have heard rotaries require rebuild every 30k, but not sure if there is truth to this statement)? How are the turbos when you track them (break down a lot)? How are the suspensions for handling? Things like this, if anyone can answer, it would be greatly appreciated.

TIA.

-Dustin

1) yes they're RWD, if its an RX, its rwd
2) complete bs about every 30k miles unless you're running an extreme bridgeport or perripheral port
3) turbos are amazingly fast, my buddy has spent no more than 8k on his car and he's running 11s with about 330rwhp
4) RX-7s are some of the best handling cars, period. they will SPANK a BMW. you can make them pull insane lateral gs, or make them into an autox monster, its your choice.

I would certainly recomend an FC, but make sure you get an S5 (series 5, 1989-1991). The TurboII from these years have more hp than the S4 (1987-1988) (181 for S4 vs 200 for S5). Throw a T04E with a 60:1 compressor, crank it up to 20PSI, and make 400rwhp all day long.

If theres anything else you want to know, ask me, ive spent about 20 hours working on my buddy's car, and my other friend's 1991 GXL (NA). I wanted an RX-7 for the longest time, so i can give you a rough idea of whats what on the cars.

[Phantom]

Sac,
Are you talking track as in Roadcourse, or track as in Dragstrip? Pasadena's suggestion may apply more to the drag strip. Pumping up the turbo boost in a second-gen RX-7 may be fine for blasts down the 1/4 mile, but it will greatly reduce it's reliability over long roadcourse miles.

If you're set on RX-7s, for the roadcourse I'd recommend the first gen RX-7, 1980-1985, as a very inexpensive track car. Simple, lightweight, and popular, with good parts availability. The second-gen cars require quite a bit of tuning to get them to handle, due largely to their increased weight and GT-like nature.

[T-Rex]

Originally posted by Phantom
Sac,
Are you talking track as in Roadcourse, or track as in Dragstrip? Pasadena's suggestion may apply more to the drag strip. Pumping up the turbo boost in a second-gen RX-7 may be fine for blasts down the 1/4 mile, but it will greatly reduce it's reliability over long roadcourse miles.

If you're set on RX-7s, for the roadcourse I'd recommend the first gen RX-7, 1980-1985, as a very inexpensive track car. Simple, lightweight, and popular, with good parts availability. The second-gen cars require quite a bit of tuning to get them to handle, due largely to their increased weight and GT-like nature.

the engine with a fresh rebuild should last about 100k with a mild street port on 20PSI.
and if you want to reduce the lag a little, dial it down to 14psi, and settle for 320rwhp. trust me, the car i described can be fast in a straight, but it will rape on a road course.

[fast4d]

Originally posted by Sacramento M3
I can't fit in a Miata.

how tall are you?

my miata driving friend is 6' 3" and over 200lb.

[Phantom]

Originally posted by PasadenaE36
the engine with a fresh rebuild should last about 100k with a mild street port on 20PSI.
and if you want to reduce the lag a little, dial it down to 14psi, and settle for 320rwhp. trust me, the car i described can be fast in a straight, but it will rape on a road course.

Cool. I may have spoken too soon. oops

[Sacramento M3]

Phantom: I am talking about Roadcourse and I would probably keep the engine fairly tame (although some mods will definitely be made ).

fast4d: I am 6'1" 190lbs. Also, I don't like the idea of tracking a convertible all that well. I do believe there are hardtops? But still I'm kind of sketchy on that. Sides.....Miatas are for girls

[FiKtIOn]

Bleh, I may be getting a miata as a next car.

With 10k, I could have a 250rwhp miata, with every necessary upgrade to harbor the HP, along with a full roll cage. They are unbelievably cheap...

[Sacramento M3]

What years in the Miata's are you looking at?

[badmonkey]

SacM3, A good buddy of mine is selling his GenIII RX7 soon, modded for track use, ~320whp, rollbar, etc.

[Sacramento M3]

Ahh thanks Badmonkey, I won't be in the market for a little while, and Gen III is probably too expensive. I'm just looking to get a $2000-$3000 car that I can do most of the work on myself and goof around with. Probably going to be looking at the 86-91 RX-7s.

[CJ]

Sac, this is the same car I considered if I got a track only car (ie gutted). I'd get a 89+ RX7 non-turbo for simplistic reasons. They run cooler, less to go wrong, no turbo lag, can get decent power out of the NA powerplants. With a bridgeport you can get 200+ hp, and with a 2200 pound stripped FC, thats plenty! They are cheaper too, less parts to replace and maintain. They handle amazing, and have wicked steering feel. Hm... makes me want one again!
Put on some straight pipes and shoot flames! woo wooo

[Sacramento M3]

Yeh I'm still leaning towards the turbo for 2 reasons I think.

1. The car won't be a *fully* dedicated track car, I am going to drive it on the street because I will want to drive with a stickshift a lot, and when I don't well then I will have the ///M.

2. Should I ever feel the urge for more power (mind you after upgrading the brakes and suspension of course) the turbo should make it easier to dial in some more hp.

[T-Rex]

Originally posted by Sacramento M3
Yeh I'm still leaning towards the turbo for 2 reasons I think.

1. The car won't be a *fully* dedicated track car, I am going to drive it on the street because I will want to drive with a stickshift a lot, and when I don't well then I will have the ///M.

2. Should I ever feel the urge for more power (mind you after upgrading the brakes and suspension of course) the turbo should make it easier to dial in some more hp.

you'll need more than 3k for a decent condition S5 TurboII. I'd budget around 5k to make sure its running in peak condition, and a nice racing beat exhaust, which is dyno proven to add 59rwhp

[DonJuan]

The costs of buying and maintaining a track car would outweigh the cost of just taking your M3 out. Besides if you've never driven your M3 on the track how would you know what it's limits are?

[Sacramento M3]

Pasadena:
Then I will probably just go with an 86-88 Model as they seem to be cheaper. Key thing here is cheaper is better! (but I would still like the turbo version).

DonJuan:
I drive an automatic 1995 M3 with 122,xxx miles on it. I have been working on the car for sometime doing most of my own work and paying for it when I can't. I can smell burning smells from the tranny and I know that it doesn't have much life left in it. There is much work to be done on this car and I'd rather baby it then track it for one day and possibly end up with $5000-$10000 worth of repairs that I need to do. In that sense, I know what it's limits are.

PS: As I stated before it will not be a fully dedicated track car. More along the lines of go to a few autox's and hopefully some DE's at Thunderhill or Sears Point.

[T-Rex]

honestly, if i were you, i wouldnt buy an RX-7 if you want a cheap car. shit breaks all the time. besides, you could have a brand new 5speed in your M3 for 3k.

[CJ]

Yes, what Pasadena said is my conflict too. Spend like 5k + to have a seperate track car, or spend less money on that to make your current car into a track ready car, while still enjoying it on the weekdays. Spending the 5k on my original car always wins out.. unless I was really serious about racing.

[Sacramento M3]

Haha
It's ok if shit breaks, I expect it to, and often. But I expect that of my BMW to....as it has already proven this theory quite well and I haven't tracked it once yet other than a drag strip and one run.

The difference is parts for the RX-7 are cheaper. I expect to budget for replacement and performance stuff. I just don't want to spend ooodles of money for one damn part.

And I think you forget that I live in California where everything costs extra $$$. A tranny swap would cost me a minimum of $6000 and that's including a used tranny. Trust me I've done the research.

[T-Rex]

Originally posted by CJ
Yes, what Pasadena said is my conflict too. Spend like 5k + to have a seperate track car, or spend less money on that to make your current car into a track ready car, while still enjoying it on the weekdays. Spending the 5k on my original car always wins out.. unless I was really serious about racing.

damn you buggers with your M3s For me, i have to get a track car to go fast

[T-Rex]

Originally posted by Sacramento M3
Haha
It's ok if shit breaks, I expect it to, and often. But I expect that of my BMW to....as it has already proven this theory quite well and I haven't tracked it once yet other than a drag strip and one run.

The difference is parts for the RX-7 are cheaper. I expect to budget for replacement and performance stuff. I just don't want to spend ooodles of money for one damn part.

And I think you forget that I live in California where everything costs extra $$$. A tranny swap would cost me a minimum of $6000 and that's including a used tranny. Trust me I've done the research.

maybe 6k if you dont do it yourself. btw, rx-7 parts are not that much cheaper. how about a $300 window switch
trust me on this one, having worked on two different FCs, they're not that much cheaper, especially if you're not gonna do the work yourself.

[Kiko]

Where exactly would you plan to track your car? I mean, we have the Sacramento Raceway but that's just a ghetto drag strip in the dead center of ricerville...:

Autocross?

[Sacramento M3]

There is Thunderhill which is about an hour or so north of us, and there is also Sears Point just south west of us I believe. As well as any autox's that come up in the more local area.