Garage Revolution's Time Attack FD3S RX-7, Part 2
By Eric Hsu
If you missed part 1 of this story, read it here: GARAGE REVOLUTION FD, PART 1
In part 1 we took an in depth look into the front/rear suspension and brakes, engine compartment, front of the car, and the aero. In part 2 we'll cover the rear section of the chassis, the cockpit, electronics, and the rest of the car. Let's get straight into it.
Immediately behind the driver's seat is a jumble of tubes tying the rear of the chassis to the main hoop. Everything's tubular back here: cage, subframe, suspension, exhaust, chassis, etc. Imagine a unibody with only the sides of the unibody still there, everything behind the rear wheel wells cut off, and all the missing stuff replaced with tubes and carbon fiber and you will be imagining the Garage Revolution FD.
The factory rear shock towers are still present, but there are plenty of tubes welded to them. Surprisingly the shock tower itself does not appear to be reinforced in any way. It looks like both TIG and MIG welds are used.
Nestled deep within a sea of tubes is what appears to be a bespoke carbon fiber fuel cell possibly made to fit the contours of the RX-7 floor. Of course the cell probably has a bladder inside of it. Fuel cell manufacturers, such as ATL, make chassis specific fuel cells and can make custom ones too if you have big bucks.
