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I go by Freemadc2 (currently trying to change my rx8club username), but I wanted to introduce myself and get to know everyone to share my experience and builds with the rotary community. I first started off building rotaries when I was 16. My very first rotary was a 1993 Mazda RX-7, but at that time I only worked at retail stores and the FD was very costly. So I had to sell it. I know right.....Why!? lol. Even though I had to part ways with one of the most iconic car to date, I eventually graduated from college and wanted to get another rotary. Thus landing a 1979 RX-7 with 61K miles! What a beauty, it was all original and was pearly orange. The sun made it sparkle and catch a lot of attention. When I say it caught attention, someone saw me on the road one day, stopped me and offered me straight cash. haha. So I sold it and eventually ended up getting a 1987 Turbo RX-7. No motor and straight-up project car, but it was clean and had a lot of potential in my eyes. So that kept me busy for a couple of months developing it into a fully running car. But....while I was developing that car, my son was also developing in my wife's stomach. Because at that time, I did not have good health insurance, I had to let it go. I had to stop being apart of the rotary scene and be a dad. Fast forward to the present day, here I am writing to you all and I won't waste you all the time if I had not picked up another rotary. I now have a 2004 RX-8 currently being swapped with a semi-peripheral port REW motor, but not only that I wanted to document every bit of my journey doing this swap so I started a YouTube channel.
I will be posting more descriptive things here that I do not cover in my YouTube videos (pictures, troubleshooting, questions, etc.). Thank you all for following.
In today's episode, we get a bit technical in completing the wiring on my S2 front end conversion headlight. If you are currently doing this and you are at a loss on how you are supposed to do the wiring, this video covers all that. I break it down step by step and also provide a wiring diagram for you guys to follow.
For those that are in the process of doing an S2 front end conversion on your S1 RX-8 or just interested in how much work it takes to do such a conversion, I created a wiring diagram for you to follow to complete the wiring to the new turn signal and side marker. Make sure to watch part 1 of my conversion on my YouTube. Enjoy
For those of you wondering what crossmember chose, I went with a company called @NICON Rotary. Their parts are solid and will fit anyone's budget that wants to do this swap. Also to note, I had no fitment issues with this whatsoever. You can find this crossmember on their website with the link below. I added pictures of the subframe itself.
Looks like a solid mount great price too. I'm using the Banzai, but just looking at their website it looks like they've discontinued their low profile oil pan for this swap. Can't wait to see more an compare to how things are going for my swap!
Last edited by RotaryMachineRx; 03-19-2020 at 04:50 PM.
Well I don’t care for the Banzai one either, but I’m pretty sure it’s thicker than that one. Been a while since I looked at one though. (edit: looking again the Nico seems thicker/reinforced in some areas that I overlooked before). That OE brace is only a brace. It doesn’t support any direct drivetrain weight/force loading at all.
A thick enough flat plate won’t break, but it likely flexes and moves around more than you think under certain conditions. Even if I bought the RX8P one I’d probably modify it some, but at least they did use a tubular member and also have a angle piece in the center, which at leasts adds a vertical beam to help resist bending. I bet it’s as stiff or stiffer than those other ones without the weight penalty. Their fabricated stuff is kind of so-so sometimes. The one ebay seller (CRX or something) is a bit fubar imo too.
Well I don’t care for the Banzai one either, but I’m pretty sure it’s thicker than that one. Been a while since I looked at one though. (edit: looking again the Nico seems thicker/reinforced in some areas that I overlooked before). That OE brace is only a brace. It doesn’t support any direct drivetrain weight/force loading at all.
A thick enough flat plate won’t break, but it likely flexes and moves around more than you think under certain conditions. Even if I bought the RX8P one I’d probably modify it some, but at least they did use a tubular member and also have a angle piece in the center, which at leasts adds a vertical beam to help resist bending. I bet it’s as stiff or stiffer than those other ones without the weight penalty. Their fabricated stuff is kind of so-so sometimes. The one ebay seller (CRX or something) is a bit fubar imo too.
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I heard great stuff about the Banzai Racing one. Not so great stuff from RX8 performance and CXRacing. This made me lean towards Nicon Rotary since its almost the exact design as Banzais, but the price just fit my budget. I dont think I will run into any issues, but if I do, I will switch to Banzais one.
Looks like a solid mount great price too. I'm using the Banzai, but just looking at their website it looks like they've discontinued their low profile oil pan for this swap. Can't wait to see more an compare to how things are going for my swap!
Thanks man! Im currently waiting for my low profile oil pan from Nicon Rotary to arrive from Russia, but with this Coronavirus, Im sure it will take a month just to get here. Once it arrives, I will do a descriptive review on it. I also got my trigger wheel and Throttle body adapter from them as well.
I have this Nicon rotary brace that I plan on using for my swap, if I can ever get around to it. I must say after inspecting it a couple times its quite flimsy. You can bend it with your hands. I'm just hoping its more solid once bolted in. Good thing I picked it up second hand for a great price. I supsect the orignal seller went with a different brace for similar reasons. I heard these will place the engine lower than others as well.
I have this Nicon rotary brace that I plan on using for my swap, if I can ever get around to it. I must say after inspecting it a couple times its quite flimsy. You can bend it with your hands. I'm just hoping its more solid once bolted in. Good thing I picked it up second hand for a great price. I supsect the orignal seller went with a different brace for similar reasons. I heard these will place the engine lower than others as well.
With the Banzai brace and low-pro oil pan, the lowest point of my engine (the oil pan) is sitting damn near bang-on flush with the sub frame, where my Rx8 oil pan used to sit 1/2" or so higher. I'll definitely be performing regular inspections of the new oil pan to see if there is any speed bump contact.
So more parts arrived today! Thanks to a parts company called O&J Performance for hooking it up at a time like this. Hit them up if you need parts. Currently waiting for more parts, but here are some of what I just got. New video will be up some time this weekend.
Because of whats going on in this world, we currently have to stay quarantine and beat this virus out. But this won't stop me from completing my REW swapped RX-8. In today's episode, the RX8 gets a midpipe and some aesthetically pleasing installations. Stay safe everyone and enjoy the video.
Removing a working catalytic converter and putting on a resonated mid-pipe in California???? All on video??? The ***** on you man... Good luck with the build...
yeah, I won’t ever even click on that, burned out on that whole youtube schtick 5 years or so ago. You really out to go back and edit out that accident scene on the other vid. Not only has no purpose, but doesn’t reflect well. I get it was the heat of the moment deal, but it’s wrong on multiple levels. I clicked off then.
yeah, I won’t ever even click on that, burned out on that whole youtube schtick 5 years or so ago. You really out to go back and edit out that accident scene on the other vid. Not only has no purpose, but doesn’t reflect well. I get it was the heat of the moment deal, but it’s wrong on multiple levels. I clicked off then.
Thanks for the feedback. Definitely appreciate it. I wasn't too sure whats the best approach in recording my videos so at first I started doing them as vlogs, but eventually found that I enjoy doing them as tutorials instead with less vlogging. I will definitely go back and crop that part out.
Removing a working catalytic converter and putting on a resonated mid-pipe in California???? All on video??? The ***** on you man... Good luck with the build...
I know! haha. I should definitely be more careful about that. By the way, your thread is what helped me a lot when I first started pondering whether I should do this swap or not. How is your car doing so far?
I know! haha. I should definitely be more careful about that. By the way, your thread is what helped me a lot when I first started pondering whether I should do this swap or not. How is your car doing so far?
Car is doing fine just needs more turbo. Waiting to see how all this craziness turns out before running out and purchasing a new one to replace the 362....
Great build hopefully some updates soon ..
I'm going to start my build very soon with rx8 s1 swaping to rew build got new fresh engine with cx racing swap kit
03-11-2020, 11:59 PM
Good luck with the build...
