[rx7tt95]

Thought I'd post a few images I took at the MRCCFL.com meet (Gold Coast BBQ) event that took place Friday and Saturday. I was there Saturday only but there were at least 40 cars in attendance. It was a great time, especially visiting SpeedSource. Not many individuals get a first-hand look inside a real race prep shop and their RX8's were amazing (well everything inside that shop was amazing). They're not in any particular order (they're backwards chronologically actually). The event included a dyno session in the morning, BBQ in the early afternoon, and a visit to SpeedSource in the late afternoon.

First pic, outside SpeedSource with a bunch of the club cars in the parkinglot. Lots of 2nd gens, a handfull of third gens and about four RX8's.

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[rx7tt95]

Here's one of three SpeedSource-built RX8's that will run in the Speedvision Cup. They make about 250 flywheel hp and feature stock engines, brakes, roll cage, Motec engine management and a few other nifty features. It's apparently faster than the Boxter these guys ran last year, the car that won the championship. They feel very confident about the upcoming season.

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[rx7tt95]

And yes, they started the car after much prompting from the croud. Guess what, sounded like a rotary! :D They also popped the hood but no pictures were allowed. Not much to see. They're stock Renesis engines. The engine/tuner guy commented it's by far the best rotary engine ever made by Mazda in terms of internal balance and tolerances. Right now they're running the stock Mazda 2pc seals but are trying Ianetti's Ceramic seals using the older (3rd gen and previous) apex edge radius. Apparently they're also going to create new ceramic seals with the updated "Renesis" edge radius/shape.

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[rx7tt95]

Here's something most of us will never see (at least not for 10 years when 8's start showing up at the junkyard!), a fully stripped complete chassis. It weighs 801lbs. with doors.

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[rx7tt95]

here's a better shot of the interior roll cage. Mazda provided technical data on how to build the roll cage in these cars. The chassis is about 300% stiffer than the third gen and according to SpeedSource, easier to drive at the limit than the third gen (which is pretty darn easy IMHO). The two yellow cars are Mazda Factory backed cars. Other factory backed entrants are Lexus (IS 300), Acura (RSX) and BMW (3 series 4 door). There are at least two other Mazda's running in the same class, those being a Protoge' and a 6.

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[rx7tt95]

The cars feature U.S.-spec Mazdaspeed body kits. No rear valiance however. The MSpeed front end in the US has a smaller opening to cover the bumper bar we use here but not used in Japan. Can't believe they're using stock brakes! (upgraded pads and fluid however) :wacko:

He wouldn't give out spring rates, but the balance would be the same as running 1000lbs. front to 800lbs. rear. Stock rear swaybar, MUCH beefier front bar (dialing out understeer anyone?)

The cars run ZERO split on the timing with the Motec. None, zilch. The tuner has tried tons of different combinations with no real or significant changes in output. The intake ports are pretty much maxed out in his opinion but the exhaust has a bit in it. Just the ports however. No one has made any hp going to a tuned header, mostly due to the side port configuration not being "tuneable" for exhaust pulse. Apparently the stock log manifold is designed well.

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[rx7tt95]

The silver car is semi-privateer. All told, they're scheduled to build five RX8's. One is running in a Belgium series and another is for a privateer if I remember correctly. The shop is immaculate and they also run in the Daytona Prototype series with Ford Cobra-engined cars.

The rims are Racing Hart CP035's made to their specifications to be even lighter. RH provides rims for the Mazdaspeed series of cars so there's a "Mazda" connection. They have unique offsets and center design which runs sans center caps. They're even lighter than the off the shelf piece.

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[rx7tt95]

One last shot of all three completed cars. They've tested the cars quite a bit.

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[rx7tt95]

First gen, Cosmo 13B motor, single turbo, blowthrough turbo kit. Yes, they're swapping jets out on the dyno.

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[rx7tt95]

See, told you they were swapping jets...Normally he runs fuel injection but his Haltech went down. Put on the carb just for this event and made 371hp at the rear wheels. Nice. Very nice.

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[rx7tt95]

An overall shot of the engine bay

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[rx7tt95]

A nice 2nd gen done up for drag racing. Didn't get a chance to talk to the owner but apparently he's using Chrispeed's old turbo and puts down just over 400rwhp. The turbine side was VERY small however, so I'm a doubting thomas on that one. It was about as big as a small grapefruit or large orange! Compressor side was much larger. Overall a good looking car and he's obviously put a lot of love into it.

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[rx7tt95]

Just the engine bay

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[rx7tt95]

Last one...RX8 on the dyno w/GReddy exhaust. Guess what it made? 180hp like every other car out there. The a/f ratios were in the 11.6 and richer range. Leaning it out to 12.5 should be good for an easy 20hp.

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[93 R1]

:ok:

[thafox]

nice :ok: .....wha city was this in?

[rx7tt95]

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and thereabouts :-)

[phinsup]

Very cool, not sure if I like all the rotor decal deals, but there are some nice looking cars.

thanks for pics

[FikseRxSeven]

looks like a great turnout.... better than our 0 degree F meet last friday

[mazdadrifter]

do you have a pic of yourself?? I showed up late, and was swapping hoods with a guy so I wasn't even able to see all the cars before we went to speedsource.

Speedsource was heaven btw. like 8 2nd gen its cars sitting around 3 st rx8's 2 ford road cars for the 24 hour race. Seriously, i was speachless. Got an up close and personal look at the renisis missing half the intake which was cool. They redesigned the oil injectors to have two that dump directly into the housings right beside each other. I'd love to put one in my n/a whenever it get's rebuilt.

I wonder if the change to side housing exhaust ports has made the car quieter because, i was standing next to the rx8 when he revved it, and I swear my car is louder. All he had was a small borla muffler on it??

Great time tho, wish I would've gotten there earlier.

[74rx4]

What great pictures. You should be a professional photographer:)

We will visit Speed Source again. Possibly this summer sometime. The guys there were very impressed with our cars and knowledgeable questions. You can watch them run on Speed Channel next Saturday and Sunday.

This BBQ was a great time. Thanks to everyone who came out.


Ron Slabach
Naples, FL

SW Fla VP MRCCFL
http://www.mrccfl.com/

74 RX-4
84 GSLSE
http://intertron.com/ron/

[apexkw]

great pics michel! i wish i could have gone but alas my clutch fork went to poop on me. i will most definantly go next time.

[rx7tt95]

No pictures of myself...I had the black third gen with the FEED front end, carbon fiber rear diffuser and single turbo. Had the bronze Volk wheels.
Michel

[fritzfry]

great pics..makes me drool thinking about attending an event with that many rotorheads together. :blush:

fritz

[dvls-7]

rx7tt95, on Jan 25 2004, 12:18 PM, said:

A nice 2nd gen done up for drag racing.  Didn't get a chance to talk to the owner but apparently he's using Chrispeed's old turbo and puts down just over 400rwhp.  The turbine side was VERY small however, so I'm a doubting thomas on that one.  It was about as big as a small grapefruit or large orange!  Compressor side was much larger.  Overall a good looking car and he's obviously put a lot of love into it.

That is Crispeed's old turbo. Last dyno, just before last moroso event, it made 556rwhp w/ 419torque. It still has more to go as according to Chris it still has plenty of injectors left. At the track it ran 11.2@132mph on 18" dr. That was its first and only pass that day as on the second pass it broke both axles, on the third it broke the tranny.

Thanks for coming Michel and many thanks for the pics.