Redprow’s 1983 Mazda RX-7

So the part where I am going to get flamed for. The engine I chose to use is a 1994 ford escort Gt 1.8L. Its very similar to the miata and needs modification to work. For example the intake and oil pan are different among other things. I swapped out the oil pan for a 2001 oil pan with the MDPS baffle plate. Now for wiring this is a very big subject that is still in the works. I chose this project  for what was available which happen to be obd2 wiring 1996 to be exact, with no abs. The wiring to currently today is still being worked on I need to remove all the lighting and non used wires from the harness. I want to keep the factory lighting and gauges.

I am not sure where to start but ill start here. Am the third owner of ths 1983 Mazda Rx7 Limited. When i got her, she was in rough shape. She was a DD with a 120,000 miles that had been sitting for the last 14 or so years in the sun near a pine tree. I cleaned the tree sap off but relized that the sun did most of the damage. The red interior was destroyed, the carpet when touched would turn to dust the dash and seats where cracked. I had a white 1982 rx7 GSL that suffered extreme body damage from a deer at 70mph. I used everything from the 82 , so i got a nice black interor. The engine was blown, so i swaoed it for the 82 that had a fresh rebuild and drove it for a while it that motor suffered a coolant sceal. Lucky for me the 83 engine was ready but failed only 200 miles after being rebuld due to a side seal and thrust bearing. With two blown motors i bought a 3rd which lasted a good 40k before suffering oil pressure isssues. So i came to this point of haveing 3 rotarys fail on me so something need to be done. :-(

I came up with a ideal thats not going to put me at the top of oh thats cool but being tight on money and useing only what i have to build this i need to make it count. So i started with steering the old gear box steering was heavey and slow. My solution was to use the 1986 rx7 sub-frame with a rack and pinion. Now with this swap i had to chose 5 or 4 lug, i chose to keep the 4 lug so i need a way to mount the 86 control arms to the front struts. After so very had resurch i found the lower ball joint need its a 1994 hyundai exel. The lower ball joint is very similar to the 86 except its a threaded joint vers the clap style. The control arms need a mounting hole moved a bit forward of the stock 86 control arms so easy drilled and blam they bold together. now the 86 arms can be attached to the 83 strut braket.

Because i chose a odd set up i need a even odder transmission. I picked up a used 1.6L transmission similar to the 1.8 but softer gear ratios. I could aways get a 1.8L trasmission later. So the cool part mazda in the mis 80-90s used a (M class) rear wheel trasmission there mostly similar exept for some differances. In this case the its a 1.6L Transmission with a 1983 rear trasmission houseing. The reasion it need to be swaped was the mounting is different. while i had the rear tail houseing off i swaped the speedo gear.