Billy Johnson, Author at MotoIQ

Project Tesla Model 3: Part 1 – Fixing A Suspension Clunk With BC Racing “DS” Coilovers And MEYLE HD Aluminum Upper Control Arms

Billy Johnson

We cure the common Tesla Model 3 front suspension clunk with MEYLE HD Forged Aluminum Upper Control Arms, and improve the looks, ride quality, and handling with a set of…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 35 – DBW Pedal and Bosch 82mm Throttle Body

Billy Johnson

We ditch the cable and open up a whole world of drivability and tuning possibilities with a drive-by-wire pedal and Bosch 82mm throttle body setup on our FD. Back before…

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Project Budget 400WHP S197 Mustang Track Car: Part 12 – RTR Tactical Performance Coilovers

Billy Johnson

We installed the RTR Tactical Performance Coilovers on our Budget 400whp Track Car to give us adjustability in ride height, corner weights, and to soften and improve the ride quality…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 34 – MSD PRO 600 CDI Ignition

Billy Johnson

Reliable spark energy is critical for rotary engines operating above 8,000 RPM, especially during sustained use in high-powered cars. We are using a programmable MSD PRO 600 CDI ignition system…

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Project Budget 400WHP S197 Mustang Track Car: Part 11 – Track Test

Billy Johnson

It is finally time to take our project car to the track and evaluate all of the components and work we have done up until this point. The goal of…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 33 – Fuel System (Engine)

Billy Johnson

To support the power goals of our engine, we turned to Radium Engineering to upgrade the fuel rails, fuel pressure regulator, fuel pulsation damper, and install three pairs of Deatschwerks…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 32 – Deatschwerks DW400 Fuel Pump and Fixing Fuel Starvation

Billy Johnson

We upgrade the fuel pump to a Deatschwerks DW400 and fix the FD RX-7’s notorious fuel starvation issue by making a surge tank and using a DW100 lift pump paired…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 31 – Re-designing the Oil Cooling System

Billy Johnson

The FD RX-7’s factory oil cooler(s) are barely adequate for stock horsepower. To handle our increased power and track use, we completely redesigned the entire oil cooling system with Hayden…

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Project NSX: Part 23 – Carbon 6 Toe Links and Compliance Clamps

Billy Johnson

We improve the handling and steering response of the NSX with Carbon 6 Composite’s XP Front Tie Rods, Rear Toe Links, and front Compliance Clamps. The NSX has one of…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 30 – Finishing the V-Mount with a CSF Intercooler and Vibrant Performance

Billy Johnson

We finish our high efficient V-mount intercooler setup for the FD RX-7 using a CSF intercooler core, custom fabricated the end tanks, and charge pipes fastened with Vibrant Performance HD…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 29 – BRJ Radiator, GC Cooling Fans, and Hayden Auto Power Steering Cooler

Billy Johnson

Keeping a rotary engine cool is one of the keys for making them reliable. We designed one of the largest radiators ever made for an FD RX-7, keep it cool…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 28 – JRi Coilovers from Ultimate Performance Speed Shop

Billy Johnson

We upgraded the suspension on our FD with a set of double-adjustable monotube JRi Motorsports dampers from Ultimate Performance Speed Shop. Ultimate Performance Speed Shop designs, builds, and supports JRi…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 27 – Fabricating the Exhaust with Vibrant Performance and SP Mufflers

Billy Johnson

Now that our turbo system is mounted, we started fabricating a 4” downpipe with recirculated wastegates and a 3.5” exhaust system for our FD RX-7 using SP Mufflers and Vibrant…

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Project Viper: Part 17 – Replacing the Weak Plastic Power Steering Pulley!

Billy Johnson

If you have a Gen 1-2 Viper with the original plastic Power Steering Pulley, you are on borrowed time and need to upgrade to a Billet Power Steering Pulley ASAP! …

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Project NSX: Part 22 – DBW Intake Manifold

Billy Johnson

Now that our Drive-By-Wire pedal and Motec ECU are installed, we turned our attention to simplifying and adapting an 80mm Ford Mustang DBW throttle body to the original intake manifold.…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 26 – BorgWarner EFR Turbo System and TurboSmart WG

Billy Johnson

We are going to back-to-back test Borg Warner’s EFR 8374 and EFR 9180 turbos on our Bridge and Semi Peripheral Ported 13B REW engine. The twinscroll turbo will be mounted…

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Project NSX: Part 21 – Foundry 3 K-Coil Swap

Billy Johnson

With forced induction on the horizon, we upgrade the spark energy for our C30A engine with the Foundry 3 K-Coil Swap Kit. The Foundry 3 K-Coil Swap Kit is a…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 25 – JP3 Motorsports RX8 A/C Upgrade

Billy Johnson

We upgrade the stock FD RX-7’s subpar A/C system with JP3 Motorsport’s A/C line kit that adapts the newer, more efficient, and more effective RX-8 A/C compressor and condenser to…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 24 – Engine and Transmission Install

Billy Johnson

After 2 years, we finally install our built 13B REW engine and Nissan CD009 transmission with the Fisch Racing Tech transmission adapter system. This has been a long time coming…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 23 – Heatshield Products HP StickyShield

Billy Johnson

Rotaries produce a ton of heat. We keep cabin temperatures down by covering our transmission tunnel with Sticky™ Shield from Heatshield Products. Thermal management is a major challenge for rotary…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 22 – DC Power Alternator, Raceonly Pulleys, FFE Hall Trigger Kit

Billy Johnson

We upgrade the electrical system of our car with a high output alternator from DC Power, improved the look of our engine bay with a set of Raceonly Pulleys, and…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 21 – Suspension Refresh with SuperPro USA polyurethane bushings.

Billy Johnson

We freshened up our FD’s30-year old, worn out suspension bushings with SuperPro USA polyurethane bushings and replaced the clunking old pillow ball bushings in the rear suspension. We also vapor…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 20 – Competition Clutch Triple Disc Organic Clutch

Billy Johnson

We chose the Competition Clutch Triple Disc Organic Clutch now that our FD RX-7 will be equipped with the CD009 Transmission swap. In any car build, it is important to…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 19 – Assembling the 13B REW

Billy Johnson

Our 13B REW is finally ready for assembly, now that our rotors are lightened, irons are bridge ported and semi peripheral ported, and we WPC Treated and CTP Cryo treated…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 18 – Choosing a Transmission Upgrade

Billy Johnson

We upgraded our FD RX-7’s transmission with the durable, 1,000whp+ and high-rpm capable CD009/CD00A transmission from the Nissan 350Z. To make this a seamless installation, we are using the Fisch…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 17 – McLeod RST 13B Rotary Clutch Update

Billy Johnson

McLeod Racing now offers a complete line of twin-disc clutch options and pull-push throwout bearing conversion kits for the 1993+ Mazda “FD” RX-7 with the stock 1×23 spline transmission. In…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 16 – Installing the Ronin Ford 8.8 IRS Mount Kit using DSS Axles

Billy Johnson

We busted out the TIG welder and installed the Ronin Speedworks Ford 8.8” IRS Mounting Kit. Then we shipped off the subframe to get powder coated before installing the show…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 15 – Building the Ford 8.8 Differential with a Detroit Truetrac LSD and WPC

Billy Johnson

We take a junkyard Ford Explorer 8.8” differential and transform it by installing a Detroit Truetrac limited slip differential, hand deburr the ring and pinion gears, WPC treat the gears…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 14 – When to Upgrade the Differential

Billy Johnson

The FD RX-7 has many drivetrain limitations that start to fail as power approaches double the factory output. Upgrading to a Ford Explorer 8.8” differential actually makes a lot of…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 13 – Porting the 13B REW

Billy Johnson

Increasing airflow and power can be achieved through different types of porting on a rotary engine. Each type has their own benefits and drawbacks, but there is a lot of…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 12 – Rotor Lightening, WPC and CTP Cryo Treatment

Billy Johnson

To kick off our engine build, we CNC-lightened the rotors of our 13B REW before shipping them off to be cryogenically frozen by CTP Cryogenics to improve strength and durability…

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Project NSX: Part 20 – Antigravity Lithium Battery and CTEK Charger

Billy Johnson

When it comes to weight reduction, it’s difficult to beat the cost-to-benefit ratio of a lithium battery. We replaced our NSX’s heavy AGM battery with Antigravity’s drop-in Group-35/Q85 lithium battery…