This 1993 Touring Mazda RX7 started its life with me as an originally manual Montego Blue 80k mile roller here in Mississippi. It has a clear title and has never been wrecked. It was an excellent starting point for this build. Before swapping the engine, I stripped the car down to the bare chassis and prepped it using spray-on Lizard skin sound control and ceramic insulation in the interior and sprayed POR15 + a UV protective top coat in the engine bay (black to prepare for the car’s future paint job). While on jackstands I also coated the wheel wells and transmission tunnel with 3M rubberized undercoating.
As part of this conversion I upgraded the entire suspension setup. The four corners of the car ended up sitting on fully adjustable Koni shocks that incorporate KYB shock boots. The shocks were topped with Ground Control coilovers and aluminum perches to give fully adjustable height (originally 25” from the bottom of the tire to the top of the wheel well). I also went through and installed a 28 piece SuperPro bushing kit. Finally, things were topped off with a set of 5-Zigen FN01R-C Matte Black - 17" x 10" -35 wheels and bolted on with Work lug nuts. Both the front and rear fenders were rolled flat (not pulled) with an eastwood fender roller.
The LS1 383CI stroker engine was originally built and purchased by a GM master tech who’s a friend of mine. The specs on the engine at the time of purchase were as follows:
Ls1 aluminum block built for 10.4:1 compression with only 4k miles on it as built.
Complete assembly is balanced
Forged flat top 3.90" Mahle pistons
Forged Eagle rods
Forged Eagle stroker crank with 4" stroke designed to displace 383CI.
Patriot LQ9 heads with 72cc chambers 2.055"/1.60" valves with harland sharp 1.7 roller rockers.
Comp pushrods and lifters.
GM performance oil Pump and chain
Arp rod and main bolts
Trick flow head gaskets
Patriot custom cam .585"/.585" lift, 226/226 duration and 112 lsa
Water pump, Ac Compressor and both tensioners (Brand new 0 miles)
Monster Stage 2.5 Clutch (Brand new 0 miles)
Over the duration of the project I added the following:
LS6 Intake + TB
LS6 PCV Conversion
Samberg LS7 MAF Intake Tube
Samberg TB Bracket
MSD Spark Plug Wires + NGK TR55 Plugs
Lokar Dipstick
Low Mileage LS1 coil packs
Powdercoated Coil Covers
LS7 ACDelco 213-4222 MAF
Power Steering Pump
Brake Booster Check Valve
Pez Power Steering Line
New Duralast Starter
New rear cover seal and rear main seal installed 700 miles ago.
Mik3ymomo hood strut kit
This car received 5+ hours of dyno time & street tuning at Carma Performance out of Nashville TN and 15+ hours of tuning + street logging by me previous to the official dyno visit. Carma Performance spent most of the time dialing in the MAF and VE tables for accurate fueling calculations that makes for a fantastic daily driver tune. They also spent time optimizing the spark table and WOT response. Car cranks on the first try and idles like a monster baby. Truly a fantastic daily driver with the power to lay the smack down on the majority of road cars out there.
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get dyno graphs or logged power numbers. After spending time dialing in the tune, the dyno started to lose its ability to hold the car’s power. Apparently some hard hitters were on the dyno previous to my car and my car’s pull let the owner know the dyno was in need of repair. Fueling calculations based on ~63% duty cycle of the 49lb/hr injectors @ WOT in 4th gear pulls puts the car at ~ 420WHP and ~ 490HP at the flywheel holding an AFR of 12.5.
It started its life as a Dodge Viper T56. To mate it to my LS1 I swapped the bell housing, front plate, and bell housing (specially machined to work with the viper output shaft). Most recently the entire transmission was completely rebuilt by Texas Drivetrain Performance which included:
New Rear, 2nd, and 6th gears
Carbon kevlar synchro rings
Billet 1-2 keys
Billet 3-4 keys
Bronze 1-2-3-4 fork pads
Bronze shifter bushing
Steel 3-4 shift fork
All New Seals
All new bearings
Countershaft Extension
Brand new GM slave cylinder & throwout bearing
Brand new knurled GM pilot bearing
Brand new GM flywheel and pressure plate bolts
All in, it was a $2.1k rebuild that only has ~ 700 from rebuild to the eventual sale of the car. It shifted like a dream and was strong enough take anything I threw at it.
I installed a new MGW short shifter. To wrap things up I had my machinist at work turn the shifter handle in a lathe to take another 1” of length off of the shifter for an even sportier look and feel. To mate with the rear end I purchased and installed a custom aluminum Drive Shaft Shop driveshaft.
To help put power to the ground with a useable final gear ratio I chose to use a 04 Mustang Cobra 8.8” differential with a 3.55 gear ratio. The completed setup uses the following parts
04 Cobra Differential with 3.55 gears, stock LSD, and 30k miles
Samberg modified rear cover
Driveshaftshop cobra to RX7 axle bars
04 Cobra CV inners
93 Mazda CV outers
The engine, transmission, and rear end were are all bolted in with Samberg subframe mounts. The mounts were prepped and sprayed with gloss black POR15 before being installed.
The exhaust setup has been a true labor of love. I went through 2 exhausts (one that didn’t even make it on the car) before I dreamed up the third and final exhaust which comes with the car. The exhaust merges to a single 3” after the headers and was made to flow without being obnoxiously loud. The end result was an exhaust that barks when you touch the throttle but calms down like a puppy during cruise without a hint of drone (when using the resonator).
1 7/8” JTR Longtube Headers with ceramic coating and v-band flanges
3” Y collector straight off the headers into a single 3” v-band.
From the collector there are two options. A vibrant resonator or a straight through pipe both start and end with a v-band flange.
From the resonator / straight pipe there is a mid pipe that leads to the last v-band connection and the muffler options.
Finally there are two muffler options. Either can be swapped in, in a matter of minutes as they simply v-band to the midpipe. One is a vibrant round muffler and the other is an oval vibrant muffler.
Every inch of the exhaust from the headers back is stainless steel and TIG welded to perfection. Check out the pictures because my description can’t do it justice.
Special attention was given to heat management and properly cooling the engine and the driver. Some highlights of the system include:
Samberg rev2 Radiator/CAI/Surge Tank (powdercoated black)
Brand new A/C condenser
Spark Plug Heatsleeve Boots
DEI Firesleeves for clutch line, brake line, fuel line, AC Hoses, heater hoses, and trunk release
20psi Stant Radiator cap
Custom Molded Heater Hoses that supply a fully working heater core
Custom factory grade A/C complete with R12 refrigerant
The fuel system has seen 4 revisions since it originally went on my car. The entire system is tied together using Summit racing fuel rated black nylon -8AN and -6AN hose and fittings. Here are the main parts after completion:
Sumped Fuel Tank (Absolutely zero fuel starvation) with -8AN outlet (one unused 1/2NPT port is currently plugged)
-8AN 100um pre-pump Summit Racing fuel filter
Exterior in-line Bosch 044 Fuel Pump
Jay Racing BFP-CV6 Check Valve
-8AN 25um post-pump Summit Racing fuel filter
Aeromotive 13101 FPR
Stock LS1 fuel rail
42lb SVO Injectors (Flow 49lb/hr at GM’s standard fuel pressure of 59psi)
Front brakes rebuilt
Stoptech Stainless Brake Lines
Hawk HPS Brake Pads
Slotted and Drilled Brake Rotors
POR15 Caliper Painted front and rear calipers
No expense was spared for my interior. I am a firm believer that for a car to be ‘sorted’ the interior needs to sparkle ;)
The original full Speedhut Gauge conversion
Momo Tuner Steering Wheel (with working horn and turn signal canceler)
NRG Short Hub Adapter
NRG Quick Release
Brand new black ACC Carpet
Moddiction.com Billet CNC’d Shift Knob powdercoated in textured black.
MGW Trans Tunnel Plate with Boot
Redline Leather - Shift Boot
Redline Leather - Ebrake Boot
Redline Leather - Center Console
Redline Leather - Passenger Handle (one of 2 known to exist)
flyrx7 - 4 Gauge Pod
SakeBomb Aluminum Passenger Handle
JasonS - Non Bose Cargo Mat with Red Logo
JasonS - Floor Mats with Red Logo
Fire85GSLSE - < 40k Miles Leather Seats
Dash trim professionally painted by John in Jackson, MS. It uses SEM chip guard as a basis for texture then relies on an automotive PPG 2k semi-gloss topcoat for protection. Extremely good looking and durable.
Sprayed Dash Support bar black with POR15
Sprayed Pedal supports Black
Sprayed steering shaft Black
Stripped down and rebuilt the entire heater box and evaporator box with new foam and seals.
Gentex rearview mirror with auto-dim and garage door openers
JDM arm rest
Bubbles Tech Map Door Lid
Gorgeous Jet Black PPG Deltron Paint. Another serious labor of love, this is one of the car’s ultimate features. After a failed local paintjob I asked a friend I made from the mr2 world named John Arbuthnot based out of Jackson MS to strip and redo the car. Over a period of 10 months John crafted a flawless paintjob that quite frankly blows me away every time I look at it. Between John’s work and the painting I did (engine bay + lizard skin in the interior), the only montego blue you’ll find is a tiny bit of factory overspray under the car (see pics). Truly a work of art and the process was meticulously documented.
Shaved windshield squirters (welded shut with aluminum)
Shaved hatch spoiler holes (welded shut)
Shaved rear bumper emblem holes
Shaved from bumper emblem holes
Removed rock guard from rocker panels and extended paint for an ultra clean look.
Aluminum door handles (completely rebuilt and powdercoated black)
99 Spec Bumper
99 Spec Lip
Smoked Running Lights
99+ Spec Black Combo Lights
99+ Spec tail lights
Factory popups converted using true clear lenses, D2S projectors, 4,300k HID Phillips bulbs, Morimoto ballasts, and E55 shrouds for a factory HID experience.
Windshield – Brand new and installed during paint
37% Lumar Black tint on door and hatch glass installed during paint
I wrapped up the car with a modest 3-way active (crossovers are digital) audio system. The installation quality is on par with the rest of my electrical work and was fully documented. The components include:
Pioneer DEH-80PRS headunit
Dual Image Dynamic ID8 rev3 subs installed in a DamonB inspired sub box placed behind the hatch divider
Zapco ZSL-165 6.5" components mounted in the doors with speaker adapters from car-speaker-adapters.com and the tweeters were installed in the A-pillars using custom aimed pods.
Finally the system is all tied together with a JBL GTO-5EZ amp (150 watts to each front woofer (4ohms) and 500watts to the subs (2ohms parallel)). Tweeters are powered straight off the headunit. The amplifier is mounted to the back of the sub box and is fully accessible when the hatch divider is removed (see pictures).
I saved the best for last.
By trade I’m an electrical engineer, so giving the car a complete electrical makeover was a task I felt comfortable tackling and it’s what really sets my car apart from the crowd. Although some of these modifications may seem excessive and may worry future owners with thoughts of having to service it, every single thing I have touched is documented, diagramed, photographed, and tied together in my car’s new electrical manual.
HalfSpec's FSM
To start, I have gone through every inch of original wiring in my car and removed all rotary related wiring. All of the following mods were integrated into the stock and LS1 harnesses while the wire sleeve / wrap was removed. Any extra wiring added was always TXL crosslinked automotive grade wire and was terminated with automotive grade Delphi Packard connectors. All additional wiring and connectors were always fused and gauged for the maximum amount of current the wire would ever see. After modifying all of my harnesses I re-sleeved everything with black nylon sleeving.
Completely customized and integrated LS1 engine harness
Completely upgraded Speedhut gauge system including 4 pod mounted (top of dash) auxiliary gauges. Both sections of gauges can easily be removed with a single plug. All gauges work 100%
New consolidated, relocated, easily accessed (engine compartment), and labeled fuse and relay box.
Relocated Battery to passenger side rear bin.
Relocated LS1 PCM to passenger side rear bin
Installed AEM EUGO wideband sensor and controller in passenger side rear bin
Fully integrated RaceLogic Traction Control system with control panel mounted in the lower dash DIN. Its brain was installed behind the driver’s side rear bin with a small access panel in the bin itself. Hardwired bypass was integrated into the LS1 harness so it can quickly be disabled by unplugging it and terminating the LS1 harness with an included plug. The system can also always be turned off with the control panel. This is a rare option as Racelogic is now out of business and a lot of people are scrambling to find this system for their cars.
Fully Integrated Viper 5901 2 way alarm. Functions include:
Wiring fully integrated with other harnesses so wiring cannot be traced to the brain which, by the way, is nowhere to be found under the driver’s side of the dash (location will only be disclosed to new owner).
Door, trunk, and hood triggers
Fully calibrated microwave sensor (senses movement inside the car without having to use a
vibration sensor (no more activated car alarms with thunder / loud car exhuast) )
Factory Alarm indicator light (upgraded with red LED inside)
Alarm siren mounted inside front bumper
Keyless entry (passenger AND driver’s side)
Rear Trunk Pop
Running lights blip when arming disarming
Starter Cut (Does NOT use the factory starter cut relay)
¼ mile 2 way range to page the remote if someone activates the alarm
Hella Horns with a very minimized / optimized circuit tied to the Momo steering wheel. Works even though the steering wheel is removable.
Optima billet battery tray
Optimum red top battery
Prewired hookup for Battery Tender Jr.
AEM UEGO Wideband
Self Exciting Regulator for Alternator (makes the alternator have a cleaner install as it eliminates the need for any wiring)
All interior and exterior bulbs were replaced with brand new http://www.autolumination.com bulbs.
All dash and console buttons switches and displays were upgraded with blue and red LEDs.
Rear relay box was added under the Driver’s side bin to facilitate the new functionality of the fuel pump, rear defrost, and trunk popper.
Integrated LS1 PCM Controlled Dual Stage Fan Control
Integrated LS1 PCM controlled A/C Compressor Control actuated with the stock A/C button.
Integrated LS1 PCM controlled Fuel Pump Control
Integrated LS1 PCM controlled MIL Light
Switched 12V Auxiliary Connector Located by Dome Light (for future install of radar detector).
Fully functional high and low HID control
Hardwired autodimming Gentex rearview mirror with programmable garage door buttons
The cleanest kickpanels you’re likely to ever see in a 7 (swapped or not)