A Newbie to FC3S

[Jord]

Just put a deposit down on an \'88 N/A FC3S to use as a cheap drift/practice/fun type car. Basically another excuse for me to piddle away my hard earned. :Laugh
 
I have a few questions so I can crack on with it once I\'ve collected it.
 
1.)Coilovers - are they interchangeable between N/A and Turbo chassis? Does anyone have any for sale? Which ones really dump the car low. I like low. :Laugh
 
2.)Bodypanels - are the N/A and Turbo cars different in terms of fenders/bumpers etc? I have a pants looking UK spec plate on the back of mine, will a JDM-size plate just bolt right on?
 
3.)Fitment - I have some 17x9.5 ET+12 from my PS13 Silvia that I want to use on the FC - will these fit? I\'m not afraid of arch rolling/flaring.
 
4.)Seat rails - I have a side-mount Sparco Rev seat to use - whats the chances of finding some driver\'s side rails to suit FC [as I notice parts are a bitch to find for these - certainly compared to S13\'s!]. Or am I better knocking up some custom side mounts?
 
5.)Diffs - wleding the stock N/A diff OK? I \'m presuming its an open diff.
 
6.)Rear steering - I\'ve reading something about Mazda\'s rear steer system - would this car have it? If so, yuck. How do i bin it?
 
7.)Breathing mods - The usual air filter/exhaust thingies work? Rotaries are voodoo to me.
 
Thats all for now, I\'m sure you\'ll get suitable annoyed with my questions soon
 
Hi! :wave

[Prof]

1) Coilovers - you may not want to run it too low - the exhaust can ground easily on even the mildest of speed humps.   I think fitment is the same between TII and N/A (EGI) - but TII rates will be harder.
 
2) Trim is different between the EGI and TII - the EGI models are in S4 Trim (square lensed backlights) - you can fit US/JAP style S5 rear light clusters and the smaller number plate holder as far as I know.
 
3) EGI models have 4 stud fixing - not 5 stud, ET is ideally between 35/40
 
4) Have a word with some of the vendors on here - they may have some seat runners.
 
5) As you suspect
 
6) Not sure the EGI models had this - but it\'s passive - they are a type of bush that deforms under a certain loading - you can get what\'s called DTSS eliminator bushing kits - that will take that off if you have it.
 
7) Breathing mods will help the EGI no end - Big open exhaust - and according to Brett\'s research - an aftermarket panel filter is the best option - He\'s the man to talk to for tweaks on EGI\'s

[Jord]

This is the car I\'ve bought -
 


 
It definately looks to be running 5 stud.
 
Thanks for your help though!

[mukumu kurubushi]

Hi Jord!

I recognised your name, I think you know my mate Joe and Morf from the 180sx blog (I own the yellow fc Will be nice to potentially see another fc in the Peterborough area (occasionally visit my folks there)

Afraid I can\'t offer any advice as im a new owner myself and in the process of learning!

Good luck with your new ride, I\'m very keen to see how it turns out, I love your silvia, very cool car

:Santa

[peterwolds]

welcome, nice car

[Prof]

This is the car I\'ve bought -
 


 
It definately looks to be running 5 stud.
 
Thanks for your help though!

Someones converted the hubs then - which means a wider choice of wheels for you - they are fairly standard 114.3 x 5 PCD.
 
Oh - and nice looking FC - I\'ve seen that one first hand at a Reading Jap meet - nice clean looking car

[Jord]

Hi Jord!
 
I recognised your name, I think you know my mate Joe and Morf from the 180sx blog (I own the yellow fc Will be nice to potentially see another fc in the Peterborough area (occasionally visit my folks there)
 
Afraid I can\'t offer any advice as im a new owner myself and in the process of learning!
 
Good luck with your new ride, I\'m very keen to see how it turns out, I love your silvia, very cool car
 
:Santa

Hi! Yes I am the same Jord I\'ve seen the pictures of your FC, looks awesome!
 
I\'ve always fancied an FC and I couldn\'t turn this one down. Hopefully it\'ll be badass and make girlies run screaming towards me.

[rxv8]

hey jord see ya chatting about buyying an fc on dw...find jits thread on the fc forum as he is selling loads of parts...

[dthebuk]

my s4 is 5 stud too. Maybe its the early s4\'s that are 4 stud?

nice fc youve got there rxv8, saw it for sale drift works, looks to be a cracking car.

[TiddlesRX7]

Yeah this car was owned by someone on here last. Can\'t remember his username off hand though.
Oh welcome to the club by the way. Hope you enjoy your FC. From what I\'ve heard the EGI\'s love being thrashed. Just let it warm up first.

[Retro_Boy_G]

Mine are 5 stud also.

I\'m going to be adding a set of Turbo II side skirts to mine over the next 2/3 weeks man. I will be adding pictures of the process so you can see the difference. At first i didn\'t think it was much but when i hold the TII skirts next to the car you will see its a massive difference.

Welcome along dude!

[dthebuk]

From what I\'ve heard the EGI\'s love being thrashed. Just let it warm up first.

and the turbo\'s don\'t ? :burnout

[Will66]

N/A Rotaries are great as you don\'t have to worry about what the turbo\'s doing! 9000rpm ftw!

[pdtaylor18]

On the rear wheels the lowest offset will be a 9.5J and 20 or ideally a 25
The fronts can go to a 8.5J and I would say a 25 offset.  Any lower offset and you will have the wheel and tyre outside the rim, for drifting you may well want to bear this in mind with body roll etc.

The number plate holder for the rear is made specifically for the JDM or UK market but are interchangeable, plenty of cars being broken at the moment with them on.

pretty much all the body panels are interchangeable in one way or another but yours being the S4 type the trim is different and different to the later S5.  Just by adding some TII side skirts,front splitter and a rear spoiler it will transform the car.  Lower the thing with those alloys and it will look mean as hell without spending hardly any money.
I once saw my mates Golf and it looked wider and serious as hell, upon asking who supplied the kit he said there was no kit....just lowered and the widest alloys to fit under the arches.  I do have a rear spoiler you can have for next to nothing.

Oh yes move the number plate higher up the bumper and then cut the rad opening bigger, simply removing the centre bar thing and having a play with the airflow will get cooler air to the rad and engine which you will defo need for drifting.

[dthebuk]

Oh if your gunna remove that centre bar jump onto rx7club.com

they have series 4 turbo\'s over there so a lot of people do it for front mounts.