Turbo RX7 goes down..again and again and...

[PsychoBuickBoy]

Out cruising for a kill tonight and stumbled upon this RX7. I pulled up to a light where there was a white 1990 RX7 and a VW GTI reving at each other. I chose to get behind the RX7 and they were both clueless to me. The RX7 had a big 4 inch fart can and I could hear a pretty loud turbo under the hood, not stock! The light turned green and the GTI took off and the RX7 was toying with him he stayed next to him until they got across the intersection then he let it rip, fish tailed and ledt the VW standing still. I now take pursuit after the RX7 and he starts to brake. This car looks and acts fast so I am pretty nervous! We catch eye contact and nod at each other. He also had a passenger in his car.
I yelled "What kind of turbo you running?"
He said "A T04, you want to run?"
I said "Sure lets catch this light!"
We both literally stopped at a green light (nobody around ) and waited. He asked me about my car and I told him it was a turbo 6. He was really surprised and said "I didn't know those came with turbos." He really was clueless to these bad Buicks! I just hope I can now teach him a lesson on the darkside! Light was getting ready to turn and I started spooling and he was reving his car, rocking the clutch. Damn, his turbo is louder then mine! Light turned and I got the jump but started spinning, he ran up on me and we stayed neck and neck until I got to the top of 2nd then I started pulling away. I let off and he coasted up and gave me a big thumbs up and motioned me to pull over. We turned into a Circle K and his buddy jumped out, opened the hood and gave the boost a few cranks! I asked how much he is running and he said "14 PSI now." He asked to run again so I said sure. We got back out on the road and waited again for a light. Another car pulled beside us and was full of a bunch of younger guys and they were cheering us on. I heard them say "That Mazda is bad-ass, you can hear the turbo, the Monte's going to get smoked." Light turns green and I got the jump again and feathered the throttle better and kept about a 2 car lead until the top of 2nd again where I started to stretch it a little further. I slowed again and he pulled up and wanted to run from a 20MPH roll. No problem, we slowed and I gave him the jump and I again pulled away (slowly) until I got a good 2 car lead and let off. He was quick but not quick enough! He pulled up again and asked "What does your car run the quarter in?" I said high 11's with a few more psi and some slicks. They told me they have not been beat yet and they have raced some 12 second cars and beat them pretty easily. We went again from about a 40 MPH roll just for kicks and once again the Buick prevailed. They finally gave me a big thumbs up and took the next right and drifted away. Cool guys! I bet they start to ask around about these black Buicks! Once again I was running 20 psi and AVGas so I was running strong. The Mazda was definetly a quick car, bet he had some money in it!

 

[RPM WS6]

Good Kill!

Good Kill!!! Or, I should say, multiple kills!

I’ve had run-ins with RX7s too, the modded ones are usually pretty fast, but stock they don’t impress me. Problem is the motors don’t last long, especially after you start to mod them. Most need to be rebuilt every 60,000 (if you're lucky ) or less if they’re raced; or so I’ve been told by the people I know who own them.

Isn’t it cool when nobody knows what you’ve got under the hood!!!

 

[nerveux]

Good Kill!

Some of the imports out there are impressive. My first time to the track, I had to run against a VW with a custom turbo kit on it. It clicked off mid 12s! Anyway, way to show em the Buick power!

 

[lyonsd]

Atta boy!

 

[Kyle F]

Well the RX7 doesnt have a normal internal combustion motor. I was looking at a website once that talked about the different stages of porting you could do to these motors on the internal rotors. Well some of them were making 600hp out of 1.3L motor with only 18psi of boost. Now I dont care how long it last thats impressive, just impractical for street use, but for a racing team that has to smoke in tha little of a car.
When I get my TTA done and get a few mods I have a 94 RX7 turbo waiting to race me and hes not stock. Its like all the fast cars in town are lining up for me. I know I can beat most of them, but if this guy can drive I imagine he will kick my ass.
Anyways back to the point. The RX7 can be a very impressive car... though remember you can compare their engines to a normal engine because its not the same thing. Nest time you think a factory RX7 isn't impressive take one for a drive on a curvy country road.... then consider what you are driving displaces only 1.3L..... impresses me

 

[RPM WS6]

Actually, the last one I raced was on a curvy road! No challenge at all for me, but I will say that he was stock and I’m not. The race started at about 25 mph, and I pulled away HARD. I went into the first part of the “S” curve at over 60 and kept walking, and I came out of the curve at about 75. By 80 or so, I figured I’d proved my point and let off a good 6+ cars ahead. I do have to admit that most of my suspension isn’t stock, but my springs, shocks, and tires are (but the tires/wheels are factory 17X9 inch WS6 upgrades).

I have also ridden in an RX7 that was lightly modded on both straight and curvy roads. I wasn’t really impressed by anything (handling or power) other than the incredible brakes (he had upgraded to 3-piston calipers) and the fact he was shifting at what looked to be about 9000 to 10,000 rpm from the passenger seat. Those motors can rev!

And you are correct, they are a rotary design that has nothing in common with a regular internal combustion rotating assembly/lower end.

60,000 miles was the “best” he said you could hope for, but potentially more like 30,000 with a lot of boost. I agree that is probably not an issue if it’s a “race only” car, but if it is supposed to be run on the street regularly, as you said, that is VERY impractical.

If I were going to build an import motor for LOTS of boost and street use, I’d build the Toyota 3.0L I6 that’s in the Supra. I don’t care for the looks of a Supra, but the motor is VERY impressive and pales the RX7 mill in comparison. It’s much more durable and can take a TON more boost while still being reliable for street use and living a long life.

I guess that if you’re going from a G-body to an RX7 the handling difference would be unbelievable, but an F-bodies suspension potential isn’t really inferior to an RX7 by much. Our biggest disadvantage is just our live rear axle, but what fun would drag racing be with out it!! The F-body has a great dual-purpose setup for curves or straight launches. It’s hard to find a better compromise than what we have.

Do some basic suspension upgrades to your TTA and you’ll be taking plenty of RX7s, even in the curves. The biggest advantage they will have is being a stick to your auto, which makes acceleration much more controllable for them in a curvy situation.

Honestly though, with a modded TTA, I doubt you’ll have to worry about many cars being able to beat you, regardless of the type of driving situation.

 

[PsychoBuickBoy]

I would say this guy probably was capable of running some LOW 13's probably high 12's. He was quick and I launched fairly good everytime we took off, he stayed with me until the top of my 2nd gear, then I would start to pull away slowly. I'll definetly say his car sounded MEAN! It was a real nice car and not at all riced out. He also mentioned he was going to be adding 'the juice' soon. Funny thing is he hardly asked anything about my car. I told him it was a Turbo 6 and he was shocked saying he thought these cars came with V8's, Probably thought it was a Monte like the other spectators. Lots of FUN!

 

[blackshoebox]

Good kill psychobuickboy... yeah the RX7's can be pretty mean on the street as I have heard of some 10 second ones cruising around with a big single turbo... but I would defintely take the Supra for reliability and strength of that little 183ci inline 6... love the fact that you can make over 700rwhp on STOCK INTERNALS... the TTA would also be a fun sports car with great looks, handling, and it comes with buick power. Pretty much if it has a turbo I'll live with it!!!

 

[whitehot84]

Look out!

If and when he puts nitrous on the RX7 don't race him. You will have all kind of rotory engine parts embedded in the side of your car. They just aren't built for that. I had a friend who just used bolt on's and ended up splitting the block in two. The car was fast for a little while but that could get real expensive.

 

[blackshoebox]

Yeah reliability seems to be the biggest problem with that little screamer of a motor, but I would think if u do it right as far as combinations go that it could last... From what I've read and heard from people they are very high matinence cars that require a lot of attention... kind of sounds like a bad date doesn't it LOL but seriously I heard if u don't change the oil filter and certain little things like this on time all the time that u could have some problems... They are a special type of car that u may have to learn with by trial and error... I still like them and think they are a pretty mean little car, especially since they are so light... come to think of it I have seen one guy on this board or on turbobuicks.com that has a RX7 with a turbo 6 motor in it... I think the guys nick is GNX7... somebody told me it went 11.7 with the stock turbo and some other bolt ons... If anyone knows this guy please give me some info. on this interesting turbo6 hybrid car.

 

[blackshoebox]

I found some info myself on this GN powered RX7 on turbobuicks.com in the turbo hybrid section... the car went 11.7 @ 115 on DRs with a 1.7 60ft time and 11.6 at 114 on slicks with stock turbo and a race chip with C16 race gas... he was launching the car with 5lbs of boost and was going 94mph through the 1/8th of a mile... this car only weighes about 2700lbs... I think this is a really badass car to be driving around with on the street and it must be one hell of a sleeper!!! Can you imagine how fast this car will be with some real mods... bigger turbo and all the other goodies... I think he'll be seeing 10's real soon with that 7!!!

 

[Gruvin84SS]

monte?

are kids today that far off that they can't tell a monte from a buick GN? i mean come on. maybe mistaking a cutlass and a regal at midnight with no moon light and blinfolded, but montes do not resemble the GN, not even close. i luv my monte, but thats kind of insulting to the fastest car produced by GM in the late eighty's(faster than the almighty corvette). damn the heads of GM for repremanding Buick by discontinuing the GN line.

 

[Pat]

TTA to RX7 on curves? I don't think the TTA would stand a chance! Factory those cars can pull a full G! And they don't weight anything either. Light weight and a good 50/50 ratio and they just seemed to leave most cars when it comes to autoX. They don't seem to hold together long though. Expensive too! Anyone seen the factory TT on those! The exhaust housing is a single unit that both compressors bolt too. I know just a acc. belt runs about $200!

Still want to own one some day!

 

[RPM WS6]

Well, I didn’t mean that a stock suspension TTA would beat an RX7 in the curves. But put on some sub-frame connectors, tubular rear lower control arms, stronger panhard bar, strut tower brace, better sway bar bushings, better shocks and springs, and for a total investment of about $1000 in suspension you’d have no problem pulling him in the curves. In my book, a TTA is much cooler than any RX7, thus worth the time and investment to make it handle better. Not to mention how much faster you can go with the TTA reliably than an RX7, but to each his own…

 

[blackshoebox]

Yeah I'll take a 89 TTA over the RX7 anyday... Buick V6 turbo power and the great looks of the 3rd gen Fbody coupled with the great handling and braking... I'm sure right out of the bow the rx handles and brakes better but, I don't race on a road course and I'm sure the TTA's handling and braking would be a phenominal improvement over my GN... The 7 is a nice sports car, but it needs special care and attention, and I'm sure parts aren't as reasonable as they are for the TTA, so bang for the buck would not be a consideration with owning one... it really comes down to what you want as RPM stated... I will say I love the look of those little road rockets Shoebox

 

[PsychoBuickBoy]

A buddy of mine had an NA early 90's RX7, now wrecked. Anyways, when he bought it he called me and told me he had something that might give my GN some competition. He told me it was an RX7, I'm thinking a 93. I asked if it was turboed and he replied "I don't know", he is not a car guy. I went and looked at it and told him "nope it aint turboed and I will destroy you." I saved him the humiliation and he let me drive it. It was definetly a fun car to drive, handled like it was on rails! It was kinda riced out though, dual fart cans, big wing, lots of stickers. He bought it off some kid for REAL cheap. Fun cars in the twisties.

 

[blackshoebox]

Yeah thats like this kid I knew who had a 3000GT SL, which is NA and he used to tell people these BS stories of how he ripped Vipers and newer C5 vettes... pretty funny sh*t... and finally he ended up selling it and buying a 99 SS Camaro 6spd, one day I was talking to him about the 3000GT and he never knew it didn't have a turbo until I told him LOL... IGNORANCE IS BLISS... I wonder what kind of stories he's telling now that he has a car that actually has some power Shoebox

 

[bsdlinux]

I actually owned a 1985 RX-7 GSL-SE. They only made this car two years. I used to have fun with the Mustangs on the freeway. They would be running full out and I still had a gear to go. Not much to talk about in a street race, no torque.

There is by the way a three rotor version( after market ) running around out there. You can now have torque and a fast revving engine. Mazda actually fixed a lot of the short comings of the engine after they quit selling here in the US. Mazda actually achieved the same horsepower without the Turbo.

You can still buy the RX-7 in Europe and Austrailia. This is where the 3 rotor is coming from. 700 HP from a internally stock engine is possible. Put this in a 2500 lb car and do the math.



93-96 Rx-7 cars were truly superb cars according to Road and Track. I would love to have one, but I like Buick power better...

PsychoBuickBoy

Good kill... beware of the newer the RX-7s though. I have seen some fast ones that are not riced out. Not many 3 rotors around, they would probably hand it to us.


Later

 

[blackshoebox]

I'm sure the newer 93 to 96 turbo RX7's are really badass on the highway kind of like the Supra which is probably the most badass car going from a roll as I've seen some nasty vids of Supra's passing busa's which are like the fastest bikes you can buy... There's one story over at Supraforums.com in the kill section of a modded Supra with a Single T66 turbo 6spd car passing a Ferrari 360 Modena at 170mph!!! Some shmucks from LS1.com came over and were calling BS, but after seeing some videos on those cars I definitely can believe it.

 

[blackshoebox]

Oh yeah that Supra that those ls1 idiots were calling BS on is making like 650rwhp... I'd say it sounds like a pretty credible story with those kind of numbers and it sounds like the guy doesn't mind a little speeding ticket LOL!!!