Close your eyes and think back to grade school. Remember when you were the cool guy on campus? You walked the walk and talked the talk. And you and your groupie friends always made a concerted effort to tease the outcasts, who always seemed to think and do things out of the box. Little did you know that poor sap would eventually invent this thing called a condom, make billions and marry a supermodel. You, on the other hand, went on to work in custodial and live in a trailer in your parent's backyard.
What's the moral of this story? It's simple: never underestimate those weirdos for they may one day change the face of the earth. Take Dr. Felix Wankel for example. Dr. Wankel (not wanker) designed and developed the first rotary engine. Unlike internal combustion engines, it uses three main moving parts: two rotors and the eccentric shaft rotating continuously in a single direction. Fellow engineers and onlookers were perplexed at the unorthodox design and dismissed its epitrochoid design. Eighty-one years since the rotary engine's conception, Mazda continues to push ahead, most recently releasing its newest rotary-powered vehicle, the RX-8.
Like many, Rob Shaw of Fort Irwin, Calif., salivated at the thought of owning an RX-8. He previously owned a 1996 Honda Civic, 2002 Subaru WRX and 2004 Acura TSX, so Shaw is no stranger to the import scene. He's even captured numerous awards with his car crew, Art N Motion.
A month after he purchased a U.S.-market RX-8, Shaw was stationed overseas on assignment with the Army Medical Service Corp. Spending precious time away from his new Renesis toy was only a minor snag in Shaw's schedule. The buildup proceeded as planned, stopping first at GReddy USA. Here, the techs installed Tein's Type Flex coil-over suspension and Electronic Damping Force Controller (EDFC) module. However, the shop's primary objective was to design and fabricate a prototype turbo kit for the RX-8 before the 2004 Sema show. GReddy's engineers had plenty of off-the-shelf-turbines to choose from and opted for a T618Z with an actuator-style wastegate. Connected to a GReddy cast-iron manifold and cast downpipe, the high-revving rotary engine eliminates spent fuel though a full stainless-steel 60mm GReddy SP2 cat-back exhaust system.
The rotary engine has three common enemies: overheating, detonation and oil starvation. In order to safeguard Shaw's investment, an optional GReddy front-mount intercooler was shoehorned into the front bumper. Polished-aluminum charge pipes and a Type RS blow-off valve add some spice to the engine bay. Oil dilemmas are kept to a minimum thanks to a custom Grex oil cooler and GReddy high-capacity and -volume cast-aluminum oil pan installation. A GReddy PRofec E-01 boost controller keeps boost levels in check while allowing Shaw to easily monitor engine vitals. GReddy custom-fabricated a trick Lexan engine and intake cover. Serving as a heat deflector, the custom enclosure overlooks the Gracer AY-AB Airinx air intake and GReddy oil catch can. Additional GReddy add-ons include an oil filler cap and high-pressure radiator cap.