Suspension Questions

So a little backstory first. I'm moving out soon and have two cars. One is a 1986 Mazda RX-7 GXL, automatic with a naturally aspirated 13B rotary engine, the other is a 1989 Mercury Tracer 4 door, front wheel drive with a Mazda B6-E engine (The Mercury Tracer is a rebranded Mazda 323. If it wasn't funny enough having a Mazda engine, the door sill covers say Ford). Due to me moving out, I had to pick one car to keep and one to get rid of. I ended up picking the Tracer.

Now don't get me wrong, it seems a funny choice. But the RX7, as incredible as it is to drive, gets terrible miles to the gallon, and has had many issues, and it's an automatic. I had the parts to swap it to a manual, but unfortunately didn't end up with the time. The Tracer on the other hand, is already manual, gets 40+ mpg (I also have to travel a fair amount to work so it helps economically a lot), and what I think is interesting is it's not exactly something you'd expect to be interesting. An RX7 everyone expects to be fast. Any Honda someone might be suspicious of having something underneath the hood. This car? No, not really. And that makes me want to do something interesting with it. For the future, there's also an easy swap to the Mazda B6T (factory turbocharged) engine which is a pretty darn good engine I think.

So for starters, it really needs a new suspension setup. It needs to be lowered a bit (They made these cars have a ridiculous amount of travel room, comfortable but silly looking), be stiffer in general, and reduce body roll. So I'm thinking adjustable coilovers and strut bars.

Problem encountered! Surprise, it's not a popular car, therefore I have been unable to find adjustable coilovers. The only thing I can find, in fact, in the way of suspension is Ground Control lowering springs that can go over KYB GR-2 springs. Which isn't terrible, but not really what I want. Now, where there's a will, there's a way, so I just have to find that way. My question posed to you, the community of Import Tuner, is what can I do for a custom suspension setup that wouldn't be ridiculously expensive? I imagine there might be a way to utilize coilovers from another vehicle and maybe modify the tower to fit it? I'm not sure, and that's where I'm helping the community can either help me out, or tell me right now it's impossible or overly expensive.

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: Also, I'd like to point out that (which hopefully you've noticed from my line of questioning) I'm not trying to go ricer with this car. I'm actually trying to head for a rally type car. The Mazda 323 had a GTX version that was AWD with the B6t that made about 140 HP, and it's been determined that was a conservative build with a B6t and that it can do a lot more, and I'm hoping in the long-term to move this car more toward that, or something more interesting and custom. I know it'll be a lot of work, but it'll be a fun and educational experience in the long run.  

that was a bad choice. i would have taken the rx7 and just sucked it up about the fuel mileage. the tracer is actually a rebadged escort. leave it alone. if you mess with it or lower it, you will be labled as a ricer. put a stock suspension on it and save up to buy another car, a more tuner suited car.  
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the godfather has spoken
R.I.P. GRANDPA PITT AUG 10, 1930 - SEPT 30, 2010

16 MPG and less compared to 40 and more is not something you can just 'suck up' if you do a lot of daily driving. We're talking about the difference between $50 a week and $20 or less every week and a half.

Also, I like how you ignored the part where I supplied the information for you that no, a 1989 Mercury Tracer is a rebadged Mazda 323, NOT an Escort. Whether that matters to you or not, I don't know, but I'm sorry, it's still annoying that you obviously completely ignored that.

I also said I was interested in doing something interesting, so obviously the idea of buying a 'more tuner suited car' wouldn't be as appealing.

Finally, in the end, I don't really care if I get labelled as a ricer. Like I said, it's going to be done as a rally car, and if anyone wants to call me a ricer while I'm off having fun on gravel and muddy roads, that's their issue. I'll know what my car is and after I'm done it'll be faster than the majority of cars where I am anyway. Again, if you had actually read what I wrote, the engine options for this car are quite broad, with lots of potential for power and drivetrain. My edit was put there to try and get people to think about what I was doing. I'm not lowering it to look cool and hit speed bumps, I'm lowering it because it positively affects the handling of the car. I'm also asking about suspension and lowering because that's where I want to start, not where I'm looking to end. At all.  

-Double Post, post system is being strange-  

Actually no, it is not just a rebadged 323.  The Ford Laser was a rebadged 323 and the Tracer was based off of the Laser, not just rebadged.  Additionally, it wasn't until 1991, when the Tracer was a rebadged Escort, that the Tracer got any recognition for being more than the average daily driver.

I find it very ironic that you chose to sell the RX7 to save on gas and then mod the Tracer.  While you will save on gas with the 82hp 1.6l I4, since pretty much no one else has any aspirations for modding Tracers, almost every part you get will be a one-off part and those are more expensive. This is not a "theres a will, theres a way" industry; more like "there a wil and a very large bank account."

I agree with godfather.  Keep the Tracer as a daily driver and pick up a car that actually has an aftermarket.  If you want something that is off the beaten path, but still has an after market, look at older an (early 90's) Subaru Legacy.  Not many people mod them, yet they are popular enough to have an aftermarket and the AWD makes them a much more suitable to rallying. I know you said you were looking at a 323 GTX setup, but I guarantee that setup will cost more than a Legacy and you will lose the gas mileage that you like (turbo'd engines generally get worse gas mileage than their NA counterparts).  

Actually no, it is not just a rebadged 323.  The Ford Laser was a rebadged 323 and the Tracer was based off of the Laser, not just rebadged.  Additionally, it wasn't until 1991, when the Tracer was a rebadged Escort, that the Tracer got any recognition for being more than the average daily driver.

I find it very ironic that you chose to sell the RX7 to save on gas and then mod the Tracer.  While you will save on gas with the 82hp 1.6l I4, since pretty much no one else has any aspirations for modding Tracers, almost every part you get will be a one-off part and those are more expensive. This is not a "theres a will, theres a way" industry; more like "there a wil and a very large bank account."

I agree with godfather.  Keep the Tracer as a daily driver and pick up a car that actually has an aftermarket.  If you want something that is off the beaten path, but still has an after market, look at older an (early 90's) Subaru Legacy.  Not many people mod them, yet they are popular enough to have an aftermarket and the AWD makes them a much more suitable to rallying. I know you said you were looking at a 323 GTX setup, but I guarantee that setup will cost more than a Legacy and you will lose the gas mileage that you like (turbo'd engines generally get worse gas mileage than their NA counterparts).  

Oookay. I'm going to skip all the arguments on why you're wrong and why I'm doing what I'm doing and just point out I've already twice said I've made my decision on what I'm going to try and do and what I'm driving (Also, your suggestion of picking up a second car is ruled out by my first post that said since I'm moving out, I can only have one car, else I'd probably keep the RX-7).

Look, I didn't come here to debate why I'm doing what I'm doing. I came here because suspension is not an area of expertise for me, and I know people have done similar things (fitting suspension from different cars), and I hoped someone could point me in the right direction. If not, just say so.  

Ok smart guy, well if you are going to come to a forum looking for advice and disregard everything that is suggested then this is where you end up.  "Other people have done it" does not mean that you will be able to do it.  If you are so set on having that suspension, then go with the ground control/KYB setup or go to a custom shop and tell them that you need your suspension completely modified to handle the coilovers you want.  You want to be special and this is the side effect; you have an extremely limited aftermarket.  There you go, I've pointed you in exactly the direction you were looking for.  So enjoy your one-off parts and expensive custom work.

PS If the Tracer is just a rebadged 323, then apparently the Mercury badges weigh almost 200 lbs. more than the Mazda badges lol.  

I didn't ASK for advice on ditching the car in the first place, you just chose to suggest that on your own impetus. It was irrelevant to the line of questioning. As is your answer. How is it an answer to 'Go to a shop'. You could have just ended by telling me that you don't know how you would go about this sort of project. I would be satisfied with that. But again, telling me to go to a custom shop ignores the question posed. Heck, even saying "Go to a shop and ask them where they would start with modifying coilovers to fit a different car" would be more helpful.

I wasn't trying to be a smartass, and I assume neither are you, but unfortunately we're both coming off as such. You're just (possibly unintentionally) making this very stressful for me by, as I've stated, ignoring the purpose of my questioning and dismissing what I'm asking to tell me that I should just do something else and that you don't care what I'm trying to do.

PS Rebadged doesn't mean they use all the same materials. A lot of the parts are interchangeable despite what materials they use. I replaced a lot of the axles and spindles on my Tracer from a 323 and a lot of their parts were lighter. Maybe Ford's method is cheaper, I don't know. But it doesn't change the fact that other than the hood, hatch and lights, mechanically, they're pretty much the same. Same engines, same transmissions, same mounting points for pretty much anything, etc... My driver's door is also from a 323.  

-double post-  

-triple post?-  

wow, ive never seen you like this panda. thanks for the back up.

also, i called a supsension shop today and the guy laughed at me. he said to do what you want will be almost 3grand of work. is it worth it, no. they said the cheap way is to cut your springs and lower it that way. if not, they will need to do body work re-align the strut tower setup, refit your whole setup.  
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the godfather has spoken
R.I.P. GRANDPA PITT AUG 10, 1930 - SEPT 30, 2010

its because the merc and the mazda are both rebadged fords. plain and simple. yes, it has a mazda motor. 90% of fords fwd engines were mazda motors.  
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the godfather has spoken
R.I.P. GRANDPA PITT AUG 10, 1930 - SEPT 30, 2010

@godfather3G

... Really? Okay, first of all, I don't know what you told this supposed suspension shop, but considering I already told you I can fit ground control lowering springs over KYB struts, purely lowering it is obviously not an issue, which tosses that suggestion out the window as 'unhelpful'. Again.

Secondly, the Ford Laser is built on the Mazda 323 platform. It was never 'The Ford Laser' platform. Not that it's really important, but no, the Mazda was not a rebadged Ford. It was wholly Mazda that Ford borrowed(/licensed?) and then let Mercury use as well.  

Eh, anyway, I finally managed to contact a mechanic friend of mine and he's put me onto some good information and leads. Which, by the way, will not cost $3000 nor require body work. If there are moderators here they're more than welcome to lock this thread, I won't be coming back.