Car Feature>>v8 Mazda Rx7: Triangle Blasphemy??

Darkness still blankets the world when you wake up and get out of bed.
The minute that your toes touch the floor, you're wide awake. There's
no sensation of grogginess or tiredness. As you wipe your eyes, the
thought of how the rest of the world still sleeping at this very moment
flashes through your mind. It makes you smile, and you quickly get
dressed. The attire does not matter since your destination does not
require for your pre-dawn fashion senses to awaken just yet. As you
step outside, you shiver at the sudden temperature change. You find
your car patiently waiting for you. You sense that, for some reason,
your car knows exactly why you've woken up at this time of day. You
quickly glance up at the still blackened sky as you climb into your
car. You fire up the engine and glance up at the sky once more. But
this time, there's a hint of blue growing towards the horizon…

You know it is going to be a gorgeous morning.

Getting up, before the rest of the world gets up, to just drive is one
of life's most pleasurable moments. But imagine for a second that
you're Jeff Guillotte, a grassroots drifter from the San Diego area. And the car you wake up to is a convertible
Artvin Red painted 1989 Mazda RX-7. A car where that spinning triangle
doodad has been ripped out and replaced with a 5.0L Ford V8! Imagine
driving this RX-7 down your favorite country road at dawn, with the
untamed music of 7200 angry RPMs echoing landscape. Really, take a
second and just imagine that.

There's just something magical about driving for the sole fact of
driving. When your motor is singing it's favorite tune during that
quietest of quiet mornings, your mind is at its most clear and
tranquil. You can mentally file and sort things away with astounding
productivity. Epiphanies and inspiration can materialize by just
depressing that gas pedal a little bit closer to the floor. If you were
to drive this V8 RX-7, top down, on a beautiful morning, there would be
a smile beaming from ear to ear.

This car may have that street drifting style, but it was never intended
for street use. Jeff built this car for the sole purpose to attend
various drift events around southern California and while looking
badass in the process! Take note of the white roll cage in the
interior. It is there for one reason alone: to be able to live the
ricer dream and tandem at these drift events.

Oh, and it's also installed to keep Jeff safe…

Now, rotary heads: has Jeff blasphemed the church of triangles by
installing this Ford V8? As a non-purist, I believe this car has not
withered its roots completely. This car still retains that sense of
being a Japanese muscle car but is given a bit more "oomph" that it can
use! This car produces an opera of noise that even the likes of
Pavarotti would be applaud.

The one thing that this car has lost by the heart transplant is that
precision light-weight sports car feel that rotary'd FC RX-7s were born
with. This car is now an untamed beast that can only be operated by
coal miners or oil rig workers –only the manliest men of men. And
unlike most modern drift cars that are worked on with mathematics and
laptops, this car can only be worked on by smashing things around the
sledge hammers, chain saws, fork lifts, and, of course, spit. This is a
white collar car that dyed its collar blue.

Can we take a minute to admire this amazing stance and wheel
fitment? Seeing this
car move about with such pantomime was a sight to behold. The white
Work XD-9s paired the violet colored paint is an amazing match. It
really does look as
good as it sounds.

Imagine that is you driving that RX-7 on that stretch of road…

Life,
somehow, runs a little bit slower when you're driving spirited down
your favorite stretch of road. You learn to appreciate life at this
slower and more relaxed pace. Some of us may only live for being trying
to be the fastest the track, or build cars only to look as hard as
possible while parked. But, we all can agree on that the reason why
we're into cars is because we really do enjoy driving whatever
four-wheeled contraption we drive no matter what time of day. This RX-7
is no different. It may have a different heart beating inside it, but
this beautifully crafted machine will still put that smile on your face
–even sitting as a passenger.

This car definitely turns up the volume to eleven.

-Linhbergh Nguyen

Special April Drift Features on Speedhunters

Complete Spec List:

Engine:
- Ford 302 Roller Block (1986)
- Accel DFI Gen 6 ECU
- Trick Flow Twisted Wedge Heads
- Trick Flow Stage 1 Cam
- Trick Flow Track Heat Intake
- ARP Engine Hardware
- BBK Long Tube Headers
- BBK H-Pipe
- 24lb Injectors
- 70mm Throttle Body
- Summit Aluminum Rad w/17" Electric Fan
- 140amp Alternator
- MSD 6AL Ignition
- MSD Blaster Coil
- Accell EFI Distributor
- Walbro 255 Fuel Pump
- Taylor 10.4mm Wires
- Prothane Motor Mounts
- Edelbrock High-Flow Water Pump
- Custom KRC Power Steering Pump
- Custom Steel and Aeroquip PS Lines w/ AN PS Cooler
 
Drivetrain:
- Tremec 3550 Trans
- Prothane Trans Mounts
- Wilwood Hydro Master & Slave
- S4 TII Differential and Axles
- Kaaz 2-Way LSD
- MMR Solid Diff Mounts
- Spec 6-Puck Sprung Clutch
- Hawk HPS Brake Pads
 
Suspension:
- Stance GR+Pro Coilovers (9k/7k)
- Racing Beat DTSS Eliminators
- Mazdatrix Angle & Bumpsteer Kit
- TC Sportline Rear Camber Bar
 
Wheels:
- Work XD-9 17×9 +17 (Thanks Dane)

Exterior:
- Origin Stylish Aero
- Mazda 23e (Artvin Red) Paint from 00' SE Miata
 
Interior:
- Kirkey Racing Seat
- RJS 3" 5-pt Harnesses
- Cage by Scott from Placar in Temecula
- Momo Wheel
- Ball-Lock Quick Release
- Aerospace Components Tie-Down
- Optima Yellow Top

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3780 comments

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1

damn thats sweet!!

2

awesome as always Lin! it's nice to see good fitment amongst the poop fitment (cough*works).

3

jeeze that looks sick

i say the last image = wallpaper

XD

4

Blasphemy? No.

Hotness? Yes.

5

Sweet RX-7

6

THATcar is bad ass hell!!

7

This is the worst case of blasphemy ever ^^ Putting a heavy low-tech american V8 in a RX7? Why oh why? A RX7 should have a rotary, why not a turbo charged 13b? The car looks very nice though, apart from the engine and hood cutout.

8

You just keep killin it with your photos Linhbergh, keep em coming!

White XD-9s and cage look surprisingly good against the Artvin Red

9

^^ 13b is why rx7 owners hate life.

10

@jonan, different stroked for different folks (pun really not intended), theres a guy that stuck a supra motor in a 1st gen camaro...sweet rx7 these "hybrids" remind me of the detomaso's and monteverdi's..italian body and suspension with an american motor, best of both worlds

11

These photos are amazing! Great work! This car is rad.

:D

12

Argh rollcages on street cars...



Granted this guy looks pretty short, so if he gets rear ended his head will not head the upper bar of the cage, but in a side impact this guy is dead or brain damaged from the side of his head taking the hit from the rollcage.



Rollcages should not be installed UNLESS the car is a track car and you are wearing a helmet, a rollover hoop that is set far enough back to not have your head hit is more then enough for the street.



This is one aspect of tuner culture that truly bugs me, people put in full cages on street driven cars, because it makes the car look more hardcore, this level of cage is only needed on serious competition cars... While this car may be tracked some it is still more dangerous in the long run, and over kill for any trackduty this car will ever see...



Flame on for this...

13

"Live the Ricer dream" LOL

This car is quite awesome, and it DOES sound as good as Pavorati in person. Linh, I like your style...great photos, as usual, and the prose is RIGHT at the edge of being engrish--SO overly flowery as to be both cool and funny at the same time. LOL

Great job Jeff!

14

Amazing shots!



And yeah maybe you should take this thing to the track once in awhile Jeff pshhhh





;)

15

to Foo2rama:



My car is not a streetcar, it is track only...and that's the first time it has ever seen the street ever.



To everyone else, thanks for the awesome comments



And linh, you are a king among kings, thank you for the best pictures of the car!

16

That cage is art Jeff, best looking FC I've ever seen, and Linh great photos and great story telling heh heh.

17

cages in street cars are COOL.

18

Needs more Ellis Juan!!



I miss the old blue color, though :(

19

Linhbergh, you need to leave SpeedHunters, cause you're KILLING IT, too hard, lol.



Great shots again, man, makes me wonder if I want the Desktops of this or the Tommy Roberts S13.

20

Jeff~! It looks amazing, absolutely the best FC I know.



Lin you make my heart swell. Absolutely the Speed Hunter blogger I always look forawrd to.



(mx_eva)

21

You never cease to amaze me, Linhbergh..... You are my hero!!

22

Please stop killing it..... Good god....

23

Please stop killing it..... Good god....

24

white XD-9's. white cage , white engine bay . plum.



so hot. this car has a sick sound , if it were a stock 5.0 it would suck , but this 5.0 would kick the sht out of almost any 13bt



now try to keep the bumpers from busting to pieces JB .

25

Outstanding!!

26

same guy , same motor, this is his new car , these are links to a few pics of the old one .

i think this guy knows what a cage is for.



http://kinod.net/linhbergh/misc/rad_htm/part2/DSC_0130.jpg



http://kinod.net/linhbergh/misc/rad_htm/part2/DSC_0442.jpg

28

ANOTHER drifter-wannabe !

There are PLENTY of not-successful "drifters" out there....everyone trying to "living the dream".....you guys watch too many times Cinderella.

There are MANY type of motorsports to get involved, why kids nowadays look only at drifting? Oh yeah, it looks cool. I guess it's all about the look.

Gee, how about auto-x? NASA/ SCCA events? Sign up on a Honda Challenge series, or hill climb, rally, or even go karts?.....

Aside from my harsh comment, I do like the FC, but with a Ford engine?....way to screw up the weight distribution....

Like it's been said before, different stroke for different folks....

29

needs more cowbell.

30

"Dont hate the V8"

31

Linh, you are one badass behind the camera



Those shots are spectacular!

33

Alex: Drifting is all about the fun...I, for one, don't see the point of competitive auto-x/racing...people build cars to spec they don't necessarily want, just to be competitive in a certain class...



Jeff has built the car he's always wanted, a car that most of us have probably wanted too, and gets to enjoy it on a regular basis. That's what it's all about.

34

looks incredible jeff, and those are some great shots linh. i cant wait to make it back down to socal again and run HTM with you guys...

35

the new weight distribution might actually help in drifting. hinder in all other types of motorsports. ha!

36

Ah come on! That is a sweet roadster! I really like the writing too! Inspirational.

37

U Speedhunter editors do have a tough job picking Tommys car or this FC for a wallpaper..great job again Lin..U R THE SHIT!

LMAO.

38

awsome write-up - so inspired now, i just realized again how much i love driving

you should write a book man, damn this post is sweet

39

There is only one thing that is utter Blasphemy in this car, and that's because he used a "ford" engine....

At least they were kind enough to circle the problem:D

Should have went with an LS1/or2.

40

Alex, You are part of the reason of why "kids" tend to shy away from "proper" racing. I'm in my first year of Road racing now, and I've been doing time trials, hill climbs, autocrosses, rallycrosses since almost since I've had my drivers license. I play around with the drifting a little bit too. I'm terrible at it. I've set several track records in ITA in competetive AND uncompetitive cars, but I'm terrible at drifting. Think about that for a minute. It's harder than it looks and it's a lot more fun that it looks.



Also do you know where a V8 RX-7 is classed? I'm pretty sure that's one of the Mod classes in Autocross, or SPO for club race classes. yeah, have fun fighting off the winged super snowmobile cars and Light Tube-frame V8s with at least 700hp



Oh and the heavy ford engine weighs something on the order of 50lbs more than a 13BT. Your Air Conditioning system weighs about 25lbs and your battery weighs something like 10lbs. Either way, it's not that big of a deal in a 3003lb (factory) car.



Basically, Jeff built this car to A) have fun and B) look baller. that order.

41

Jeff, your car sends bass-note rumbles down my spine. It's epic. Congrats on the feature.



A great build written to a great poetic review by Lihn (great writing, BTW).

43

Man, I'm not sure how I managed not to see/hear about this car until now. Fantastic photos and fantastic car.

44

That hood cutout is awesome.

It's like a big middle finger to those that think FC's have to have rotaries and i love it haha

45

*speechless* awesome dude

46

@alex: Have you never heard of jeff Guillotte? He is not some new kid that thought it would be cool to dump all his money into a drift car, he knows whats up.

47

Another Killer-feature by Lihn. Great job! You should write a book sometime...

That dude Ales is pissed! :)))) Dude, chill out. Ok you're a racer, good. But don't diss drifting and the culture... if you're not good at it and you stink, you don't have to go around a diss the culture, man.... it's all about chillin' and having fun with you're car, exacly the way you want it. If you disslike drifting that much, stop reading drifting-involved features. Simple :)

48

Damn Sweet!

49

awesome shots once again lihn. you win.

and shoutout to jeff. you make me wanna go back to the FC :] keep it up.

50

Linhbergh,



You need to put together your write-ups in a book and sell it. I would definitely buy 1.

51

i LOVE this car. I also love how pissed and ignorant some people are when they think that a v8 in an rx7 is pure blasphemy. I'm not sure about FC's, but i know that with FD's an ls1 swap with the t56 6sd is within 50 lbs of a stock 13b. for those 50lbs you get torque that is only a wet dream for a rotary, more than enough hp, a widely spaced gear box for BETTER gas mileage than a rotary, reliability, limitless aftermarket support and cheap parts, and the weight is lower in the chassis. I'm sure a Ford 302 isn't far off the weight number. keep hatin haters. sick car!

52

That introduction is real nice....nice when you imagine that...But why build this kind of "bastard-cars" i hate such hybrid builds it is ok to take a engine from the same car make but why this combination?

It is like a casio watch with an mecanical clockwork...

53

Very sweet looking vert. Gorgeous pictures.

I'm all too familiar with the ground pounding grunt of V8 muscle in the FC.

I'm running an old school SBC 350 in my 86 FC. Keep em smokin with little effort. LOL

54

that looks so much more nicer if the engine wasn't popping out of the bonnet

55

fantastic linh... im buying those federals a few months early now just because i miss the feeling you conveyed in the first paragraph. gj

56

JEFFFF! grats on the feature, sir!

57

too jbguillo



My apologies... The car is so clean, and with the retention of the original seats I assumed it was a street car. The car is amazing looking, and seems very well built. My comment was in no way a slam on your car, or the quality.



I am just a little touchy about full cages in street/show cars as we just lost a forum member this year to this issue, after he had been warned.

58

PLEASE make that last picture a desktop PLEASE!!!!

59

What happened to your blue one Jeff?

60

This article made me cry it was that good.

62

@Alex

FYI its still drift month. Just though I would let you know. Just putting it our there.. Ya know, Just informing you drift month usually has drift related things and or articles in it... Just sayin'

63

wazup! looks good. Love what you did with the hood.

64

it aint no rx7 anymore...

65

he cou;dn't paint the whole car? its clean regardless

66

What a beautiful car....ruined by a boinger motor

67

awesome jeff!!!

68

sexellent work, jeff.

69

Awesome car, awesome write-up and photos. Congrats Jeff for a great car and Lihn for the once again superb photos! F**k the haters, this car is here to stay!

70

lame...

71

fucken bad car

72

ls1 > 5.0 !!!!







jk nice car

i'd get a hood scoop to cover that thing up

then u said it never saw the street ... guess u dont need to cover it ,,,,

73

=(((((((((((

74

JEFF!!



Damn dude, I heard about the vert, but wasn't expecting something that pretty!



Man, I need to give you a call again sometime, been waaaaay too long!



Ben - Charlotte, NC

75

One word... Automativalicious!!

76

Shall we move on to the next category folks? Let's look at the Street Drift category. We selected

79

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this is awesome thanks

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