RX-7 Restomod (3rd Gen) Archives

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

Posted on April 14, 2025April 27, 2025
byBilly 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 FD RX7 Restomod: Part 26 – BorgWarner EFR Turbo System and TurboSmart WG

Posted on January 20, 2025March 5, 2025
byBilly 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 FD RX7 Restomod: Part 25 – JP3 Motorsports RX8 A/C Upgrade

Posted on December 22, 2024December 28, 2024
byBilly 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

Posted on November 17, 2024
byBilly 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

Posted on October 3, 2024
byBilly 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

Posted on September 29, 2024October 31, 2024
byBilly 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.

Posted on September 8, 2024September 17, 2024
byBilly 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

Posted on August 25, 2024August 26, 2024
byBilly 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

Posted on June 3, 2024June 5, 2024
byBilly 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

Posted on May 20, 2024May 20, 2024
byBilly 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

Posted on May 5, 2024May 7, 2024
byBilly 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

Posted on April 14, 2024April 17, 2024
byBilly 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

Posted on April 7, 2024April 9, 2024
byBilly 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

Posted on March 10, 2024June 18, 2025
byBilly 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

Posted on February 4, 2024February 5, 2024
byBilly 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

Posted on November 12, 2023June 5, 2024
byBilly 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 FD RX7 Restomod: Part 11 – Engine Disassembly

Posted on August 20, 2023
byBilly Johnson

We decided to tear down a 2,000-mile brand-new Mazda crate engine to turn it into one of the most highly-modified 13B REW engines on the planet. We started by removing…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 10 – Engine Fire Update

Posted on July 30, 2023
byBilly Johnson

Owning an RX-7 is like riding a motorcycle. It’s not a matter of “IF” (the car catches fire) but rather “WHEN, and how bad?”. A small engine fire changed the…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 9 – Air Pump Removal and FFE Idler Pulley

Posted on June 18, 2023June 19, 2023
byBilly Johnson

To make a simpler and more reliable off-road (track-only) engine setup, we removed the factory Air Pump and Air Control Valve, then installed the Full Function Engineering Idler Pulley Full…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 8 – Trans and Diff Mount

Posted on April 9, 2023
byBilly Johnson

To handle our plans for increased power, we ditch the weak and heavy OEM “Power Plant Frame” (PPF) in favor of a traditional transmission mount from Banzai Racing and differential…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 7 -McLeod RST, the Ultimate Streetable Twin Disc?

Posted on September 18, 2022April 3, 2024
byBilly Johnson

For Project Restomod RX-7 we are taking a somewhat different approach to modding a car. We are striving to refine and elevate the FD RX-7 in every way to better…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 6 – Antigravity and MeleDesign Firm Battery Relocation

Posted on August 28, 2022
byBilly Johnson

There are many reasons why relocating the battery should be one of the first modifications done to an RX-7. First off, electronics hate heat and there aren’t many engine bays…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 5 – Dry Ice Blasting Restoration

Posted on June 12, 2022June 13, 2022
byBilly Johnson

If you love your car and especially if you work on it, Dry Ice Blasting restoration is a MUST. Dry Ice Blasting is outright incredible. It is a cleaning process…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 4 – Stoptech Stainless Steel Brake Lines and Castrol SRF Fluid.

Posted on May 31, 2022
byBilly Johnson

We addressed a surprisingly long pedal from boiling the brake fluid during spirited driving with stainless steel brake lines from Stoptech and new Castrol SRF fluid. Now that the steering…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 3 – SuperPro Front Swaybar and Steering Rack Bushings

Posted on March 27, 2022March 29, 2022
byBilly Johnson

We fix a bad clunk and steering issue with a stiffer SuperPro front swaybar and steering rack bushings. When Project FD RX7 Restomod was purchased, it had a pretty bad…

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Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 2 – Titan 7 TD-6 Wheels and Continental Force Tire

Posted on February 13, 2022February 14, 2022
byBilly Johnson

Choosing wheels and tires is such an important decision that greatly affects the potential of a car. We improve the performance and visual presence of our FD Mazda RX-7 with…

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Project FD RX-7 Restomod: Part 1 – Introduction

Posted on January 9, 2022January 19, 2022
byBilly Johnson

The 3rd generation (FD) Mazda RX-7 is one of the best driver’s cars to ever come out of Japan. Unfortunately, its turbocharged rotary engine has a bad reputation for being…