Well since I sold the SR20 Altezza I've been itching to build something else but this time fingers crossed I'll actually get it onto a track. While Martin Ffrench is sorting the KP61 (The keeper), I've been looking on donedeal.ie for the right base car, I finally bit the bullet and bought a 2004 Mazda RX8 231bhp model. I drove one of these for a few weeks years ago (Thanks D) and it left a lasting impression on me but you would know the turbo was missing... Kieran from Irish Rotary recently was looking for running gear from the above for an MX5 project so that suited me perfectly, alongside Bear aka Ross, we went up to Dublin, viewed the car and trailered it back to the workshop I would love to stay Rotary and fit a 13B from the FD3S however reading up on the conversion on RX8Club.com and Brad Hackers thread on DW the cost of just getting the engine in and running on a single turbo alone would be the same as building a full equiped car running an SR. Over the next few months with the help of D.R.T. Automotive, I hope to turn out something unique. The plans for the car is to cage it (Thanks Mr. Stone), SR it and basically drive it on trackdays, hope to have it ready for the end of the year all going well. These engines really are tiny ! And its out... After the engine was removed, Andy dropped the car down to me so I could start on stripping bits off The first attack on her only took a couple of hours but already looked way better...
These are fiddley little fuckers to strip, plenty of hidden clips and bolts. got the boot stripped out, my god the amount of shit coming outta this car, I can't wait to see what the final weight is... Stripped off the rear doorcards also and the locking system on these should be a balls with fibreglass doors... The more panels that come off the more wiring I find, stripping the loom is gonna be a pain in the sack ! I got bored of stripping panels and the wiring loom is just gonna be a balls so I moved onto removing the sound proofing. I started in the boot and on the right hand side chipping away, what I had noticed is that there had been a pretty big oil spill with the previous owner and what you could call the spare wheel well had been filled. What happened next was brilliant, the oil had soak into the sound proofing over time and the centre section just lifted off, no hammer or force needed, the glue came off also with the proofing so a quick wipe of a cloth brought it right up. Curious to see if this would work again I got some waste oil and used it on the glue on the sides of the boot and it lifted it. At the rear bench I spread some oil on a small corner and let it soak in overnight, hoping (desperately LoL) that it would work again. Unfortunately it needed more time and I don’t have patience so I hammered away and used some petrol to lift off the glue. Job done for the back half, gonna get stuck into the front half of the car later on. Here are some pic’s for now : Notice how the centre section is practically mark free compared to the rest… Pity it is not an overnight process…. Been kept going with removing the sound proofing from the passenger foot well and drivers foot well… And now the dreaded wiring, this f'ing car is riddled with wires, labelling plugs… Can't wait to see this thing with a full wide arch kit dropped on its ring Then got stuck into ripping out the heater matrix and more sound proffing from the firewall, small bit more to chisel off the foot wells but almost complete, nearly ready to receive the cage
There was a drip, drip, drip from the pipes leading to the oil coolers and it was getting on my nerves and the garage floor so they had to come out. Threw the car up on axle stands got ripping the splash guards from the front arches… I don't think Mazda used enough bolts and clips… Unbolted the corners of the bumper which gave me access to the top bolts on the coolers, 3 more bolts and the complete system dropped out, some set up to have direct from the factory… Job as usual cut short by crap weather, so back to the garage, bless Ireland LoL it took a few days but 15kgs lighter now thankfully. Just have the last of the glue to remove from the drivers side foot well. I had planned on stripping the front doors down like the rear but there is a second skin and the window harness and runner is bolted to it so the weight saving there is on hold until I get the fibreglass doors and lexan kit. All I could really remove were the speakers. I've only ever seen the car in darkness or partial light due to being in the garage so brought her out for a wash to get an idea of what repairs are need, awkward dent on the passenger rear door, front and rear bumpers are being replaced so nothing needed there and all thats left is the drivers side wing so I happy enough, big weight off my mind is there is no rust repair needed thankfully as I was concerned being from the uk originally... Was up in Yowdy’s so just got a few pic’s of the parts we have ready to go in. RB25 Box and Adapter plate thanks to Alan Sinnott... SR20 Engine with metal headgasket and lightweight flywheel thanks to Gem...
Exedy stage 2 clutch, J Performance Rad and Cooler thanks to Dave in Japanese Performance... Finally a pedal box and hydro that Yowdy sourced... And finally what I will use these as a point of reference so I can build the wings and quarters, must pick up another pair for the rear something like 18 x 11JJ or 11.5JJ -10 offset as I don’t fancy ripping up 315’s on the rear… Back onto Dave to wreck his head some more… Work Meister S1’s Front 18 x 11JJ +10 offset : Tires 255 / 35 / R18 Rear 18 x 13.5JJ -10 offset : Tires 315 / 30 / R18 Thanks for reading... Brendan
Shame you're not keeping the rotary, but looks like an interesting build. Keep up the good work! Love the wheels
is that SR20 guna be able to break traction with 13.5j rears ?!?!? Should have gone 13b bridge jokes ;-) Looks like start of something great fella! Crack one!
Wouldn't say that now but it will be different... Thanks fella... Japanese Performance | Facebook tell Dave that Brendan sent ya I know, its crazy shit... Fingers crossed as they say Just can't afford to stay rotary besides Brad's new RX8 will be too awesome ! Cheers mate... The 13.5's will purely be a show piece, at €504 a tire at the rear I will not be burning off 315 / 30 ZR18's anytime soon. I will be sourcing some 18 x 10JJ meisters for track use... Did a bit more ripping, took out all the pedals, master cylinder and abs unit... The engine bay is starting to look alot cleaner, except for that monstrous loom ! Dave in JP sent me a pic of my turbo kit, TD06 20g freshly rebuilt with a topmount manifold and hks wastegate The pic of the coilovers was the box, not even opened LoL
I love this build! consider buying a rx8 at my self but with an 3 rotor insted. lovely car m8, looking forward to follow this build
I'd love to stay rotary but I'd need a sponsor or higher paid job to build it the way I want So just a small update, I was onto Brian in Driftkits.eu and looking for a vent to build into my own bonnet, so he cut up an S15 skin he had in stock, legend ! Looking forward to fitting it once it arrives And the next pic is probably my favourite of the thread to date, I got a set of Bride Fixed back seats in red and head protection, saw them in Ffrenchie’s ages ago but a mate of mine bought them, they came up for sale so I bit the bullet and doubled my budget on seats, should look awesome in the car…
I'd love to do an srx8 mate very envious , will keep an eye on this for sure keep up the good work, interested in how the engine will sit and how much room there will be around it
Not a whole pile, engine bay is fairly narrow... Cheers dude... Thanks mate... Finished removing all the glue with petrol left over from the sound deadening, took off the heat cover under the bonnet, lined up the vent and have it ready for cutting tomorrow Weird looking bonnet... Everything outside the masking tape is now waste, will have to fit the vents seperately to avoid the standard dip in the original bonnet...
