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What's up guys. I figured I would throw an introduction thread up in the New Member area before starting my project thread. I have had many sports cars previously. Many with engine swaps and extensive mods. I'm finally at a place in life where I can build something that will really only have to be used on the track, so I don't have to make compromises on the mods so that it will work right on the street as well. After much thought, I decided to look for a RX-8 because of a few main reasons. They have decent room inside while still weighing relatively light, they have a strong chassis and great suspension, and they are stupid cheap when not running right. While I drove multiple low mileage, good running vehicles, I just wasn't at all impressed with the power compared to previous vehicles, so I decided I would find one that has engine issues and swap it out with something that better fits my needs. I am not hating on rotary engines as I think they are incredibly fascinating, but there are many reasons why it will not work for my needs and I am not going to get into a dispute over it.
After months of searching I found this gem a couple hours away.
It is a 2006 base model with a manual trans and a rough running engine throwing tons of codes. However, I only paid $1050 for it. So, the journey has begun to tear it down and turn it into a track car. I have started a youtube channel and will film the entire process. I will be starting a build thread and most likely a non-rotary engine swap thread once the car gets to that point. I'm super excited to be building this RX8 and think it is going to fit my needs perfectly.
YES THAT CAR LOOKS GREAT! It's really awesome that you picked it up for so little cash. Since you're going to replace a lot of what's on the car, I think it makes sense.
It's too bad you can't stay total because these cars do turn well. But I'm sure you'll sort it out. Thanks for sharing. I'll be checking your channel for sure.
Thanks. There were actually a couple other cars in the area for about half that money, but the sellers were difficult and the cars were not great candidates for what I wanted. So I didnt mind paying double for this one when it popped up. Still a lot of car for very little money. I was tempted to keep some creature comforts in it, but I am excited to finally be able to modify it with one goal in mind, to go fast on the track, and not worry about things like ac, air bags, sound control, and being able to go over speed bumps etc. I will drive it on nearby mountain roads though because there are some great ones around here.
Well, Its not perfect. It has a rebuilt title and the paint doesn't match perfect from the repair. The windshield is broken, car was smoked in, and would need a new engine. For most people that would not be appealing, but since the chassis is straight, suspension tight, and was a base model with no sunroof it was perfect for me. After selling some parts off of it i should be in it for almost nothing. At least that is the goal. Mods won't be cheap however.
Well, I tried creating a build thread to start posting progress on the car. Apparently I do not have the post count yet to start a thread elsewhere, so I will update this thread with what I have done so far.
I have taken the interior from this:
To this:
Once I have a full day to work on it I will be removing all of the sound deadening throughout the interior and in the trunk. Engine and transmission removal will be next however. Below are the videos I made of the interior removal. Hopefully they can be helpful to someone.
The engine and transmission are now removed. I decided to remove them together as I have with many other cars. That is generally the easier way if there is enough space since you don't have to worry about accessing the top bolts on the bellhousing or removing the transmission wiring harness etc. However, I would not recommend that on the RX8. After completed the extraction I have concluded that there are just too many inconveniences doing it that way, and the little time it takes to remove the transmission from the engine is well worth avoiding the headaches that you will run into otherwise. Anyways, it is now time to start removing all the little things that are in the way and not needed for the new engine.
Differential, axles, and rear hub assemblies have been removed. Still have to remove the rear arms so they can be replaced with aftermarket adjustable one that don't have rubber bushings, but I have not decided on which ones to get yet. Also, I removed the sound deadening material from inside. Next step for the interior is custom door panels with manual windows and then full roll cage.
Last edited by Track Car Obsession; 11-05-2017 at 04:21 PM.
Still working on the wiring harness. Removing everything that will not be needed for a track specific vehicle. Really, the only things that will be kept will be wiring for the instrument cluster, abs, fuel pump, and lights. Removing all of the extra stuff will not only remove weight, but also reduce complexity in any future electrical troubleshooting.
I also have the new engine and transmission cleaned up and ready to go into the car. I would like to get some of the unnecessary holes in the firewall filled in and repaint the engine bay before putting the new engine in, but it has been way too cold to paint anything since the car is outside.
Even with my garage, it’s been so cold here in Arkansas as well. Really halts progress. I persisted through this winter and finished putting my engine in and am in the break-in process. What area are you in?
I’ll be running at NCM, gateway international in St. Louis and maybe ECR in Texas this year. Mainly looking to trailer to NCM. Closest decent track to me at 4 hours distance.
Even with my garage, it’s been so cold here in Arkansas as well. Really halts progress. I persisted through this winter and finished putting my engine in and am in the break-in process. What area are you in?
I’ll be running at NCM, gateway international in St. Louis and maybe ECR in Texas this year. Mainly looking to trailer to NCM. Closest decent track to me at 4 hours distance.
It would be nice to have last winter back. I remember it being much more mild. I am east of you in Chattanooga, TN. I wish I had a really close track, but I can't really complain having Road Atlanta, Atlanta Motorsports Park, and Barber Motorsports all within 3 hours of here. Hopefully I will have the car done in time to get it on the track several times this summer.
10-17-2017, 06:11 PM
