My 79's build
01-10-12, 11:28 PM
#1
My 79's build
I have owned this 79 RX-7 since August 2008. I'm finally getting around to making a build thread on it. It has come a long way since the day I bought it, and I'm sure it will continue to evolve in the years to come.
These were taken just days after I got it...
The paint was pretty rough. 30 years of oxidation, and a bad respray on the front end... Some surface rust here and there. Someone also spray rubberized undercoating everywhere. It was a mess. These were taken right after I wet sanded and polished out the oxidation and bad respray.
Weber side draft 45DCOE. Worst carb ever! This thing would overflow with fuel and dump on top of the engine. Terrible throttle response. Stalled at idle. I can't completely blame the carb as it was other factors to blame as well.
The interior was in good shape. Just dirty and some tacky misiwired guages. Driver seat had some bad bolster wear.
These were taken just days after I got it...
The paint was pretty rough. 30 years of oxidation, and a bad respray on the front end... Some surface rust here and there. Someone also spray rubberized undercoating everywhere. It was a mess. These were taken right after I wet sanded and polished out the oxidation and bad respray.
Weber side draft 45DCOE. Worst carb ever! This thing would overflow with fuel and dump on top of the engine. Terrible throttle response. Stalled at idle. I can't completely blame the carb as it was other factors to blame as well.
The interior was in good shape. Just dirty and some tacky misiwired guages. Driver seat had some bad bolster wear.
01-11-12, 12:01 AM
#7
New Wheels! Rota RB 15x7 +20. Falken 205-50-15 tires. Go a real exhaust. Racing Beat PP muffler, pre silencer, and factory connecting pipe. I still had the Pacesetter header unfortunately. I replaced the door handle cups and the shifter surround and boot. Yanked out the guages. This was during my moulding-less stage. The car finally starts to show real progress.
Another ebay find...
Another ebay find...
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01-11-12, 12:17 AM
#9
Taken a few months ago.
-20% window tint
-factory Mazda louvers stored at a deal NIB for 30 years
-RB header
-Sterling Nikki
-RB tri strut bar
-REspeed front coilovers, cut RB rear springs
-Miata cup holder
-Optima red top
-REspeed dual alternator pulley
-MSD blaster 2 trailing coil
-CD player
-RAZO shift ****
-stainless brake and clutch lines
-Excedy clutch
Lovin the louvers...
-20% window tint
-factory Mazda louvers stored at a deal NIB for 30 years
-RB header
-Sterling Nikki
-RB tri strut bar
-REspeed front coilovers, cut RB rear springs
-Miata cup holder
-Optima red top
-REspeed dual alternator pulley
-MSD blaster 2 trailing coil
-CD player
-RAZO shift ****
-stainless brake and clutch lines
-Excedy clutch
Lovin the louvers...
01-11-12, 10:10 AM
#12
rotary!!
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: The Netherlands
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01-11-12, 11:39 AM
#13
They came in a big MAZDA genuine parts box and had the instructions and a MAZDA key for removal. Same artwork style that was in the owners manual (the cartoon people, lol). To each their own. They belong to the period of the car, are OEM, and built quite well out of sturdy lightweight aluminum. They swivel upward for cleaning as well. Keeps the car a bit cooler inside during our Tennessee summers (100 degrees anyone?).
My wish list for future updates...
-e-fan
-new radiator
-install air conditioning (spring project)
-LSD disc brake rear conversion
My wish list for future updates...
-e-fan
-new radiator
-install air conditioning (spring project)
-LSD disc brake rear conversion
01-11-12, 01:04 PM
#14
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i like it! if i did a 79 it would turn out a lot like that, except i'd throw the P port in it, and run 15x8's and add some camber in the front, and it might be yellow...
i think the louvers are ok and the wing is ok, but both together is too much?
i really like that shift **** though, its like stock but not!
i think the louvers are ok and the wing is ok, but both together is too much?
i really like that shift **** though, its like stock but not!
01-12-12, 12:48 AM
#16
If I had a P port and 15x8s I'd run them too, lol. Stock 12a with 15x7s is fine for now. I was building a half bridge 12a, but stopped right after I finished the plates... All I need is a seal kit and to bolt it all together.
01-12-12, 08:44 AM
#17
rotary!!
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Ok, took me a while to find the pic but this is an exmple of the 2 types of louvres. The car is owned by a member of the dutch RX-7 club:
So the big louvres where sold in europe aswell
So the big louvres where sold in europe aswell
01-13-12, 10:44 PM
#18
A little garage photo shoot.
Repainted the hood, left fender, right fender, front valance, headlight covers, section between the headlights, and the passenger door. The car almost looks new! The rear of the car and driver door are original paint in great shape so it matches pretty well. I repainted the emblems and side moldings too. Polished the glass and tail lenses with Maquires ultimate compound. The paint was bought at Napa. Single stage 3 part RH Sunrise Red. Turned out very glossy and smooth. There was a small bit of orange peel here and there and a bit of trash in the gun so I wet sanded 1500, 2000, then compounded like 10 times on all panels. I started using my buffer for the compound, but it started smoking and burned out! So I had to hand polish the car for 5 hours...
I reinstalled the OMP. I just got tired of mixing the gas. I only drive the car once a week anyway so the oil mixture probably sank to the bottom of the tank.
I installed a new oil pan gasket. No more oil spots on the drive way! I learned a little trick to cover them up though. Mix some concrete REALLY thin almost watery, and spread several small coats over the spots. Makes them almost unnoticeable.
I also figured out my sputtery start up problem I've had on the car for 2.5 years. The floats that came in the Sterling nikki were modified and i never noticed until I dug through some old Nikki parts. I swapped in some stock floats and bam. Starts up great every time now. The ones in the carb had weird hinges and the prongs that stopped up against the needles were rounded off. So I guess the float bowls were being overwhelmed.
Sorry about the blurry pictures...
Repainted the hood, left fender, right fender, front valance, headlight covers, section between the headlights, and the passenger door. The car almost looks new! The rear of the car and driver door are original paint in great shape so it matches pretty well. I repainted the emblems and side moldings too. Polished the glass and tail lenses with Maquires ultimate compound. The paint was bought at Napa. Single stage 3 part RH Sunrise Red. Turned out very glossy and smooth. There was a small bit of orange peel here and there and a bit of trash in the gun so I wet sanded 1500, 2000, then compounded like 10 times on all panels. I started using my buffer for the compound, but it started smoking and burned out! So I had to hand polish the car for 5 hours...
I reinstalled the OMP. I just got tired of mixing the gas. I only drive the car once a week anyway so the oil mixture probably sank to the bottom of the tank.
I installed a new oil pan gasket. No more oil spots on the drive way! I learned a little trick to cover them up though. Mix some concrete REALLY thin almost watery, and spread several small coats over the spots. Makes them almost unnoticeable.
I also figured out my sputtery start up problem I've had on the car for 2.5 years. The floats that came in the Sterling nikki were modified and i never noticed until I dug through some old Nikki parts. I swapped in some stock floats and bam. Starts up great every time now. The ones in the carb had weird hinges and the prongs that stopped up against the needles were rounded off. So I guess the float bowls were being overwhelmed.
Sorry about the blurry pictures...
01-14-12, 06:39 AM
#19
You've done a great job patching that car back together. By fixing her back up you've most likely saved her from rotting away into obscurity. The louvers and wing are a taste thing but hey, its your money and car so why no do what makes you happy. Back in the day, the louvers were a popular add on for a lot of cars including Z cars and Celicia's and were in fact kind of a large, disco appendage which fit right in with the times. Spend some love on your interior too. It makes a difference everytime you get in.
01-14-12, 11:01 AM
#20
About all I want to do to the interior is a wood grain Nardi wheel and new black custom fit floor mats. A few bits have been replaced with new OEM parts or have been reupholstered by myself. I do need new speakers and the CD player is going out.
01-14-12, 11:46 AM
#21
What is the build date on her? It looks like an "early build" car sometime in the summer 78. Early type speaker dash and dash trim, no map pockets, early fan control, no passanger mirror and a RH hood prop that folds into the bonnet instead of the fender. Did you already put in an aftermarket stereo? I see pictures of both the stock radio and an aftermarket one? Those stock center stereo surround pannels (the flat pannel around the radio) are really rare to find uncut, especially in black. I hope you found another, allready cut to put that player in there.
02-06-12, 08:14 PM
#23
Haven't been able to update in awhile due to my laptop crashing. So I've been surfing the net on my iPod touch. I have to figure out a way to upload pictures. Maybe I can use my wii... Lol.
Here's what I've done recently. Not much but it's something.
-replaced the crumbled up intake gaskit and o rings. Fixed a big bottom end stutter and vacuum leak that affected my vacuum advance.
-coolent flush and new hoses.
-contact cleaner on all plugs. Very coroded.
-converted my sterling to vacuum secondaries. So much smoother. Even starts better. You don't get that quick jolt of acceleration like with the mechanical secondaries but I'll compromise for a better daily driver. Still barks 2nd and chirps 3rd.
-removed the choke plate that I stupidly installed. Filled the holes back in.
-changed to .50 main jets
-new br8eq plugs
and last but not least I gave her 2 coats of wax. It's been over a month now so it's the first wax for the new paint!
On a side note I've been busy with the fc. New Goodyear eagle gt 225-50-16 tires, New bur7/9eqp plugs, new water pump gaskets, radiator, contact cleaner on all the plugs, and a new to me n351 ECM. Not sure if mines bad but I keep getting annoying codes putting it in limp mode and I've replaced everything.
Here's what I've done recently. Not much but it's something.
-replaced the crumbled up intake gaskit and o rings. Fixed a big bottom end stutter and vacuum leak that affected my vacuum advance.
-coolent flush and new hoses.
-contact cleaner on all plugs. Very coroded.
-converted my sterling to vacuum secondaries. So much smoother. Even starts better. You don't get that quick jolt of acceleration like with the mechanical secondaries but I'll compromise for a better daily driver. Still barks 2nd and chirps 3rd.
-removed the choke plate that I stupidly installed. Filled the holes back in.
-changed to .50 main jets
-new br8eq plugs
and last but not least I gave her 2 coats of wax. It's been over a month now so it's the first wax for the new paint!
On a side note I've been busy with the fc. New Goodyear eagle gt 225-50-16 tires, New bur7/9eqp plugs, new water pump gaskets, radiator, contact cleaner on all the plugs, and a new to me n351 ECM. Not sure if mines bad but I keep getting annoying codes putting it in limp mode and I've replaced everything.
