Well today Sept 13th, I dropped my 2004 RX8 off at PFSupercars. PFSupercars is one of the leading shops on the East Coast for Rotary Performance. Some of you may have heard of them, some of you may have not. In case you don't know who they are you can check out their website www.pfsupercars.com

Ray the Head Mechanic/Owner of PFSupercars and I have sat down today. We discussed a few options that will be featured on the car. Mine and Rays intentions are to push the RX8 into the 600 + RWHP realm. Now I know most of are thinking probably B.S., but I will be posting results as I receive them from PFSupercars.

Some of the work going into the motor is, street porting, upgraded injectors, custom turbo back exhaust, stand alone ecu, custom engine rotors, custom 5 speed transmission, upgraded LSD. We've not decided on a turbo yet, but again I'll post once I find out our final decision.

Other items included in the project are a Mint Blue body kit, Volk CE28N Bronze Rims, an RE-A GT Wing, Full Suspension, Racing Seats, 5 point harnesses, 6 point cage, sterio system, and a few other small items.

My final goal once that car is done is to get on the cover of a few magazines, such as import tuner, superstreet, sport compact, turbo magazine, road & track, car & driver. I'm hoping to have the finished product by spring of 06, but I want it to be done right the first time, and the first time only. So wish me luck, and if you have any questions what so ever please feel free to ask them, and I will try to answer them to the best of my knowledge. Thanks for coming to check out my project post.

C.J.

 

sounds like the RX8 will be a beast... can't wait for results/pics...

 

sounds like a lot of cheese . How much is all this setting you back?

And why 5 spd?

 

Cool. PFSupercars and you will certainly have bragging rights if you can pull off 600+ rwhp. Hope the project turns out great, be sure to keep us posted.

And if you do get into likes of R&T, you better make sure the car kicks serious butt. We can't afford another fiasco like when a Greddy turboed show car (weighed down by all kinds of stereo junk) got only 0-60 in 5.8 secs in one of the recent R&T SPEED magazine features.

 

I cant wait to see the progess on this
keep us posted

 

600+RWHP with the Renesis? EEK!

 

is all this going to be possible with the 13b engine? and you havent decided on a turbo? how else you plan on pushing 600 out of 13b??

 

sounds crazy! (and expensive!)

good luck on your project !!!

 

Price tag for EVERYTHING. Performance work, R&D, Suspension, Body Kit, Paint, Interior, Sterio System, Tuning, I mean absolutely everything. I'm probably looking at an 80k price tag.

Turbo's we've discussed is the T-60, T-66, T-78, and possibly even a T-88. Ray doesn't want something that lags too much so the power doesn't come in all at once and make the car uncontrolable. There is a lot of options out there, so we'll have to see what happens with the results.

The reason for the 5 speed tranny, is we are using a transmission from a 3rd gen RX7 for several reasons. First the 3rd gen tranny has slightly longer gears, and we're thinking that in the end result it'll provide more torq at lower rpms. Second, is that the 3rd gen tranny is much stronger then the RX8/MX-5 Trans.

The car is going on the dyno tomorrow just to get a baseline set of numbers. All that's done to the car is intake, nology wires, and mid-pipe. So we're guessing probably about 180 rwhp at this time. We'll be doing another set of dyno pulls after the new tranny is in, just to see what affect the new trans will have on the RX8.

Anyways thanks for the vote of confidence guys, and I will definitely keep everyone posted of any new results. Plus of course once we find out what helps the motor to run better, I'll be glad to post the results.

C.J.

 

Sounds great and good luck! Way to represent the 8!

 

If you can could you post what just the 5-speed swap would cost and if any major changes are needed. That is an interesting option for people with tranny problems.

 

good luck - you're gonna need it.

 

Will you need a new driveshaft to accompany the new tranny because of the different length? And a new differential for all that power?

600whp should be quite a challenge. We're all cheering for you.

 

up till now nobody has paired a trully "high" output turbo to the renesis. this will be interesting to say the least. what rout are you goging to go for management? as proven here time and time again, management and tuning will be the key to your success.

denward

 

Sorry to be the naysayer here, but I honestly don't understand this.

Why take a $30,000 car, put $80,000 into it (for a total all-up investment of $110,000)?

That seems ridiculous - and a waste of money. There's no marketability for a car like that, so the most you'd probably ever sell it for is $50K.

For $110,000, I'd much rather have a Z06 Corvette AND an RX-8, or a BMW 6-series coupe and an RX-8, or or or.

I do understand reasonably priced mods, but let's face it folks:

1) The RX-8, while enormously fun, is hardly a collectible car

2) ANY car that isn't a collectible is a massively depreciating asset regardless of what you do to it.

Sorry to **** in the pool. I'm sure it will be cool and all that ... but do have to say that I don't understand.

 

I guess if I had $80K to blow on any car or mods, it would be because I had oodles of other cash. If all I had was $80K, then I'd have to agree with you. I'll have to settle for my bone stock 8...for now.

The project sounds cool. Can't wait to see it perform.

 

Dude, Z06 doesnt' have 600 to the wheels. neither does stock rx8.
Not only 600whp rx8 will be unique as hell, it will be published everywhere.
Not to mention it will be so much more fun than riding in a z06 or any kind of car out there.
What if he decides not to sell the car and keep it for his own pleasure?
is that still considered dumb investment?
You can keep all the stock cars to yourself, but don't let down others who are trying to something creative.
I myself am willing to invest more than 20k in my car, and i have already invested about 5k. that makes it a 55k car. with that money, i could've bought a Z06,
but I didn't because i'll like my 350whp rx8 than i 'll ever like z06.

 

I guess I didn't want to sound like I was crapping on the guy, but man, while I'm happy to say I'm comfortable and some would even say "doing well", the idea of spending $80,000 to MODIFY a $30,000 car seems ludacris, all in name of 600 wheel horsepower.

I've gotta think that at 600 WHP, that the car will be damn near undriveable. I can't imagine trying to get a clean launch with that level of power.

If anyone is interested in how difficult it is to launch and drive a 600 HP car, well, I offer this article: Automobile Magazine took a Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG to a drag strip for Friday night bracket races. 600 HP Mercedes at the Drag Strip

Sorry, I'm not meaning to be demeaning. Dude it's your money and feel free to get your jollies with it as you see fit. My current $80,000 set aside is in the college fund to send my straight-A son to an A-list university like Stamford, Northwestern or the like. Of course that will cover just the FIRST YEAR.

So, my RX-8 sits blissfully unmodified.

Happy 600 WHP - please don't hurt yourself.

 

omg, you are a good dad...
my dad didn't pay ****...
but 80,000 bux should be good for 2 years at private ivy league + expenses

 

All depends on the bank account. You just hight the Mega millions jackpot and now have 250 million to play with. 5.6 mil per year each year after taxes for 26 years. You already have a BMW M6 and 5 other cars. You like thenovelty of doing some crazy stuff to the 8 so you pony up the money. No worse than buying a Lambo and cheaper.

I say if you have the green and the inclination more power to you. Stop up the MD way and take me for a spin, I'd pay for a ride.

 

I guess I'm too much of an old fart with too many obligations like a house, mortgage, 3 kids to feed, clothe and send to college, my retirement, etc. I think twice about spending $100 into my car, let alone $80k. In fact because I:

a) Like newer cars and grow tired of them rather quickly
b) Recognize that EVERY car is a depreciating asset

... I always lease my cars. That way I pay only for what I use, not for depreciation, and I enjoy a new car every 2 to 4 years.

Answering some of your notes directly:

1) 600 horses to the wheels. My point wasn't cars that have 600 HP to the wheels, it was a different way to spend $110,000 on cars that didn't seem quite so goofy. So that said, if someone held a gun to my head and said I had to spend $110,000 on cars, my list would be: Mini Cooper - for tooling around town - $25,000. RX-8: For weekend cruising: $30,000. and a Mercedes Benz CLS 500 (one of the most beautiful cars on the road now): $65,000. No 600 WHP car in the bunch. I wouldn't want one.

2) CARS are a dumb investment. The only way I justify what I spend on my cars is to call it entertainment value. If you tell yourself you're adding value to it, then you're sniffing gasket sealer. If you tell yourself you're adding entertainment and excitement to it, well, that's honest at least.

3) Your $25K in mods to your car. If you tried to sell it today, you'd get maybe $5K more than Kelly Blue Book retail, and you'd have to find the ideal buyer. Or you'd have to part out the mods and return the car to stock. Fine if you have decided you've written off your entire $55,000 investment in your $30,000 car, but I suspect you haven't.

Sorry, again, not putting the knock on someone "being creative" but I think there are so many other ways to spend $80,000, at least in my life, that to pour it into a little Mazda sports car seems goofy.

 

whynot just use one of the Garret Ballistic series turbos? GT45R :D

 

And when you put it that way ... yes, I have to agree. Although I don't think I'd like a ride under any circumstances. Street cars are not made to have that level of power. Having driven both a Winston Cup car with more than 700 HP and an SCCA spec-racer car with that level of power, I gotta say, it's territory best left to race cars.

 

He's going to be testing the limits of our engine, and you're flaming him?

I'll enjoy knowing just how far the engine can be pushed and what is required at each level of power to keep it together. The RX-7 owners already have that luxury because of people like this guy, who spend a **** ton of money playing around with the motor.

edit: Maybe he will race it, maybe he won't.. maybe it will be a street car, or maybe not. None of that changes the fact that he's going for big power and he's willing to share his findings on this message board.

 

Geez, this same things always happens on this forum. Its his/her own money, let them do what they please with it. Who cares if you wouldn't do the same thing with your money. Just be happy for those who would, and are nice enough to publicly announce their intensions, and findings. Don't mind all the negative comments, they seem to haunt this forum like crazy. Thank you for even experimenting with the 8 to this level, and please keep us posted. Good luck!