Why esign and build a new SMIC?
V-Mount intercoolers are great....but what if you have a clean car that you don't want to make major changes to and keep air conditioning without major modifications? There are other SMIC options available, but they all suffer from the same heat soak issues due to the placement in the engine bay. After years of trying to obtain one of the Australian variants, I finally decided to bite the bullet and design my own while addressing what I saw as drawbacks of their designs.
The design
Designed using CFD analysis. Due to the size of the core, I could not use the traditional design of an inlet and outlet tank on opposite sides. The Knightsports and Australian models use a "U-Type" design with two intercoolers stacked. I wanted to reduce the complexity and points of failure so I chose to design a Duel Pass configuration.
U-Type Code Designs stack two cores against eachother. The rear core is the inlet (hot side) while the front core is the outlet (cold side).
Built right here in the USA.
I believe in supporting local companies. All parts in my control are sourced from United States. These are welded up right here in Tampa Florida, not outsourced to China.
Carbon Fiber ducting is also being produced right here in Florida
Testing
All testing can be seen on the YouTube channel. This was tested on my own car with factory sequential twins in warm to very hot weather with high humidity here in Florida. The prototype was fitted with pressure and temperature sensors on each side of the intercooler (hot and cold) so I could provide real life data on pressure drop across the core and overall efficiency of the intercooler. No claims being made here, only transparent data.
On average, we saw a 8-10 horsepower and torque increase. This is strictly due to colder air temperatures since intercoolers cannot generate power, only recover it.
Dyno Comparison factory intercooler vs DP SMIC
Intake Air Temperature Comparison factory intercooler vs DP SMIC pulled from the dyno data
Follow the project
Follow along with the design process and testing on our YouTube Channel.
CFD Analysis
Why I chose the DP design vs U-Type like the other variants
Prototype Reveal & fitment
Prototype SMIC completed
Prototype finally in the car
Quick overview of the initial fitment and sensors used for data.
Initial Road Testing & results
First data set of road testing the new SMIC.
Initial Testing & Data Review
How well does the new SMIC Perform?
Dyno Day with the new SMIC
We dyno the Factory Intercooler and the new SMIC back to back
Making some changes to the SMIC Kit
A couple little updates I'm testing before production.
Testing the Intercooler Coatings
They really do make a difference.
SMIC Options
SMIC options for our cars and where it all started.
FAQ
What Models will this fit?
This kit is designed for all FD3S RX7 models 1992-2002.
Do I have to do any cutting to my car?
No, this is a "Bolt-In" style kit. The only cutting would need to be for coolant hoses to re-route or eliminate the AST".
Can I keep my A/C?
Yes, this was designed with OEM+ in mind. You won't need to touch any A/C components like you would with a V-Mount setup.
How much will it cost?
This is still to be determined. Because the intial run will be a batch, the material cost can vary $500+ depending on if we have a couple people interested or 20+. The more volume you order with these parts (core, aluminum material, carbon fiber duct, etc.), the lower you are able to purchase them at.
When will the first batch be available?
I am shooting for November 2026 to be the first group-buy batch. If I have enough interest soon, I can get a more realistic price and start taking down payments.
Will I need to pay up front?
Yes, a deposit will be required to secure your spot in the group-buy. The exact amount will be communicated once the first batch is confirmed but it will not be the total cost of the kit. Just enough to help me not have to come out of pocket $20K+ only to have people bail in the end.