RX-7 drivetrain pictures needed - IT 7

I have been contacted by SCCA to make a scatter shield for their IT 7 class track cars. They sent me a bell housing and slave cylinder so we can make a jig and get them into production.

I could use some pictures of the drivetrain, in and out of the car, with as much detail and stuff attached (like the exhaust, mounts, etc.) to if and where we need to avoid them with the shield. Also clearences to the body would be helpful. Searches have come up far and few.

www.three-speed.com

Thank you in advance.

Harry Blanchard

(long time reader of GRM. I have a stack 6 feet high with no end in site with the $100 10 year subscription to add to that stack.)

I am assuming the 12A cars? I have a factory transmission here I could take pictures of, but all the cars are gone. I have the contact info of the person that bought my RX-7 though, and he has 3 he road races.

I happen to have an IT7 in my driveway right now.

I can email or post up some pics of the engine/trans in the car and take some measurements if you tell me what you're looking for.

PS - I also know the guy you're wokring with and am well aware of his project. Thanks for the help!

I've got the transmission out of my 12A car right now, let me know if, what, and how many pictures you need of the car, I'll take as many as you need.

I spent the weekend mapping out how to best fit the shield to the bell housing. I have two ideas.

How close is the body of the car to the bell housing? How close is the exhaust and what route does it take? Anything else like brake lines etc. I shold know about?

I always try to make the shields as easy as possible to install. Making it fit not only the bell housing out of the car but in the car as well helps in the long run.

sevenracer wrote: I happen to have an IT7 in my driveway right now. I can email or post up some pics of the engine/trans in the car and take some measurements if you tell me what you're looking for. PS - I also know the guy you're wokring with and am well aware of his project. Thanks for the help!

Our pleasure.

No brake or fuel lines go near the bellhousing. There's at least an inch of clearance all the way around that area.

The only things particularly near that area are the things attached to the bellhousing area: the slave cylinder and the starter. Of course, the slave cylinder is mounted in just about the worst place it could be...

The motor mounts are on the extreme front of the engine and the transmission has a conventional tail mounting.

This is a GSL-SE engine with a header, but the different engines have the same bellhousing to firewall relationship, and while the manifold sits closer to the engine, it's not much closer. The fuel lines don't run nearly that close, either...

No pics yet, but I took some measurements. Maybe they will help.

The front bellhousing mating surface protrudes about 3.75-4 inches in front of the firewall.

The flywheel sits about 2.5 inches inside the trans measured from the bellhousing front mating surface.

Generally, at the firewall, there is about 2.5-3 inches clearance between the bellhousing and the trans tunnel. It tapers down to about 1.5" clearance 4 inches back from the firewall. The least clearance is between the clutch fork and the trans tunnel - about 1.5 inches.

Other items in proximity:

Driver's side: oil filter pedastal, oil press sensor, and coolant port. All are on the engine side of the engine/trans mating surface.

Pass side: There is a brake booster line that goes from the firewall to the intake manifold. There is also an intake manifold "EGR port" that should be blocked off for an IT7 car. Both are on the engine side of the mating surface.

The header is about 2.5-3" away from the trans at it's closest point (right at the front edge of the bell housing). It is generally several inches away from the trans.

By the way, if you are working on the project that I think you are, the engine and header will be different from the current IT7 , 12A motor. That may change spacing and locations of various items.

Some pics:

Try that again...

IT7 engine pics

Thank you. They will very helpful.

We make all our other shields out of 304 stainless steel. For the guys that would need to run these would you like the shield to be made of stainless steel as well? The reason I ask is, obviously stainless is more expensive, but it doesn't rust. Just curious.

No opinions?