Tech

When you take a stock car, add more horsepower and start flailing it around the track you learn a number of things about the car. In this section of the website we're going to try and share some of the points we've learned from racing first(79-85) and second generation(86-91) Mazda RX-7s.

First Gen:

Engine

You really have to love the rotary engine. Check the oil, change the plugs occasionally, stay under 8500 rpm and they will run forever.
I've been running one step colder than the recommended leading NGK plugs in both the leading and trailing positions. So far it seems to work fairly well.

Brakes

I run Hawk Blues on the front and PBR Metal Masters on the rear. The Hawk Blues do not fade (even during the two hour endurance race) They do eat the rotors a little though. The PBR Metal Masters are good pads and only show a little fade under very hard braking. They are a lot easier on the rotors and cost about 1/3 what the Hawk Blues do. I personally brake way too hard and I find the Hawk Blues last me three race weekends in the front while the PBR Metal Masters last only one hard weekend in the front.

Body

I've heard dry ice and a chisel works well for removing the factory noise proofing.
Dump the radio as quickly as possible. It's worth at least 10 lbs.

Drivetrain

Frequently check the bolts on the rear end. They loosen off periodically.

Suspension

My RX-7 seemed to like about 1.5 degrees of negative camber up front with the B.F. Goodrich Radial T/A's. The Toyo Proxes RA-1 tires seem to like around 4 degrees of negative camber up front, any less and you get excessive wear on the outer edge.
Don't put urethane bushings in the rear suspension. The Watts link is prone to binding as is. Run the stock rubber bushings in the rear suspension. The car will be more predictable. Remove the rear sway bar or get a bigger front swaybar. The RX-7 tends to oversteer quite easily when the rear sway bar is attached. Without the swaybar the car is more predictable and plants the rear end better. I've seen another racer in a first gen GSL-SE with a larger front swaybar and the factory rear bar. The setup seems to work quite well for him. After talking a little with Alan it appears he has removed the factory rear bar as well.