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85 GSL rescue project

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Old Apr 14, 2010 | 07:52 PM
  #51  
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got a few things done today.

first, i picked up some parts from the dealer:



i installed my new oil cooler o-rings:



cleaned and installed the water pump housing and the water pump:











set the base timing and locked down the disributor, test fit the alternator, and installed the water neck:





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Old Apr 14, 2010 | 08:02 PM
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Looks amazing man, that car will be on the road in no time!
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Old Apr 16, 2010 | 09:38 AM
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we'll see what happens. i want to get the engine in next weekend or the following weekend. my 12hr a day work schedeule holds me back from working on it a lot and when i'm home, the wife and kids want my attetion. i hope that the engine runs well or the only thing the car will be is storage for a junk engine and nice parts, lol.
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Old Apr 16, 2010 | 12:50 PM
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From: https://www2.mazda.com/en/100th/
Originally Posted by mazdaverx713b
we'll see what happens. i want to get the engine in next weekend or the following weekend. my 12hr a day work schedeule holds me back from working on it a lot and when i'm home, the wife and kids want my attetion. i hope that the engine runs well or the only thing the car will be is storage for a junk engine and nice parts, lol.
i love seeing all the little new gold cad knickknacks, like the alternator bushing, we totally used to do that too...

i think if that motor were mine, i would have pulled it apart and replaced all the rubbers, and made sure everything was "ok" not really a rebuild, cause if theres a bad housing you're ignoring it, and putting it back together, but it'll run and not smoke...
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Old Apr 16, 2010 | 01:31 PM
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its a high mileage engine...im taking a chance because funds are EXTREMELY limited and this is a bare bones project..once its running and driving, i will store it and do the body work next summer or over this winter. i wish i could afford to rebuild this and the other five engines i have laying around the shop..
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Old Apr 16, 2010 | 06:45 PM
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From: https://www2.mazda.com/en/100th/
Originally Posted by mazdaverx713b
its a high mileage engine...im taking a chance because funds are EXTREMELY limited and this is a bare bones project..once its running and driving, i will store it and do the body work next summer or over this winter. i wish i could afford to rebuild this and the other five engines i have laying around the shop..
yeah its really neat ive you've never done.

ive done a couple of no $$ rebuilds, basically you buy the oring/gasket set, and the rotor oil seal orings, and ignore everything else

but i guess you're right, this will at least run, and you can move on to darker and uglier things
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Old Apr 16, 2010 | 07:13 PM
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i HOPE it runs. all 6 apex seals move freely and with a flashlight through the exhaust ports, the housings look good. there could be flaking elsewhere in areas that i cante see. i've got mmo on the apex seals through the exhaust parts and i've hit all of the side seals through the intake ports with mmo i'll clean the engine out of all mmo here soon and bolt theexh manifold, intake and carb up and drop it in...we'll see what happens..
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Old Apr 17, 2010 | 01:28 PM
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Dave
I love how you post every detail as you go along with your builds. You really are telling a great story like that. I wish I had done that with the SA that I had build. I guess I will try to do that with a fb waiting for a reserection in the corner of the garage.
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Old Apr 22, 2010 | 01:33 PM
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Originally Posted by eprx799
Dave
I love how you post every detail as you go along with your builds. You really are telling a great story like that. I wish I had done that with the SA that I had build. I guess I will try to do that with a fb waiting for a reserection in the corner of the garage.
thanks Marc!! i try to document everything because i want to remember every little detail about teh car and it also shows people the amount of work that goes into a restoration. might be able to give people ideas about what to do with their 7 if they are unsure of what they want to do with it!
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Old Apr 22, 2010 | 01:36 PM
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a little more progress has been made. not a lot because my wife had to have surgery and between watching the kids and working my normal 12hr shifts at the police dept, time for working on the 7 has not been on my side. got the engine and trans bolted together today. earlier i installed the flywheel, the pressure plate and disc, and the alternator adjusting bracket and i test fit a used belt. here are a couple pics before i go to work:



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Old Apr 22, 2010 | 02:27 PM
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Looks very very nice, can't wait to see it in!
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Old Jun 15, 2010 | 05:12 AM
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might be a little longer now..i ended up using the engine and trans that i had lined up for this 7 in my other 85 GSL. but i'll hang onto the car and keep plugging away as i have time.
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Old Jun 16, 2010 | 03:03 AM
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i'll grab some recent pics tomorrow an dpost them up. not a ton has changed but i keep plugging away as i get time.
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Old Jun 19, 2010 | 05:11 AM
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well i took some pics before work last night and wanted to post them up. not much has been done due to my work on my other 85 GSL. but i did get both seats mounted and installed a good accelerator pedal pad. here are the pics as the car sits now:





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Old Jun 23, 2010 | 11:57 AM
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i think the next big task is to get an engine ready for the car and get it mobile. i have another 12A but the seals are stuck and i've got the thing filled with mmo. so far two seals have freed up. if that doesn't work out, i'll do another SE conversion.
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Old Jun 24, 2010 | 02:03 AM
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Watch out, there's cops at your house!!! Oh wait....

Is there another car you're working to get running as well? I could have sworn you had a thread titled the same that you put a motor in but couldn't get the carb right or something
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Old Jun 24, 2010 | 10:04 AM
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i actually have two 85 GSL's, lol. both are sparkling black. the difference is that the ratty one pictured here, has maroon interior whereas the other one has grey. i did end up getting the carb sorted out and the car runs very well now. the big hangup with it is that i'm doing the body work to repaint it the original color.
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Old Jun 26, 2010 | 11:58 PM
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Work, Work, Work..It's going to look nice!! your Avatar looks just like my car...lol I had to look twice, but it looks like it's coming along.



Originally Posted by mazdaverx713b
i actually have two 85 GSL's, lol. both are sparkling black. the difference is that the ratty one pictured here, has maroon interior whereas the other one has grey. i did end up getting the carb sorted out and the car runs very well now. the big hangup with it is that i'm doing the body work to repaint it the original color.
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Old Jun 27, 2010 | 01:18 AM
  #69  
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your 85 and my 85 are identical paint color, ocean blue metallic, color code L6. i did an SE conversion in mine and it just came out of storage yesterday. i have a restoration thread on the car. i'm a big fan of the L6 color. would love to see more pics of your 7.
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Old Jun 27, 2010 | 02:40 AM
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Now I know

Thats cool!!, I will take some more pics then. I didn't even know the exact name...lol but now I know, I wanted to paint the inside part of the hood and maybe work on the engine bay. at first I was thinking of changing the color but lately I have been thinking about keeping it that color, there are not many here in Texas so I want to be original..lol so I will see if these auto part stores have this color. The Auto Body that repainted it when the original owner had it done; did a horrible job, I have bubbles and the paint is coming off around the sun roof and windows.

Thank You for the Helpfull information!!!




Originally Posted by mazdaverx713b
your 85 and my 85 are identical paint color, ocean blue metallic, color code L6. i did an SE conversion in mine and it just came out of storage yesterday. i have a restoration thread on the car. i'm a big fan of the L6 color. would love to see more pics of your 7.
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Old Jun 27, 2010 | 09:25 AM
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the color is definatly still available. its a rare color, only available in 85 and only available in the southern and western part of the U.S. the color was specila order for us norhterners, lol. at any rate, if you do repaint your car the original color, the color code you will need to tell the paint store is L6. the paint store may call or royal blue or rhyl blue...don't know why but mazda's name for the color is ocean blue metallic. here's a link to the thread about my L6 restoration: https://www.rx7club.com/build-threads-293/85-l6-gs-se-project-restoration-822222/
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Old Jun 27, 2010 | 03:36 PM
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I want another First Gen but my wife said no for now...lol



Originally Posted by mazdaverx713b
i came across an excellent deal on an 85 GSL. after a long trip to get the car, its safe and in the garage. i'm not sure what my plans are for the car other than to fix it and drive it. the biggest issue will be the rust..the second issue will be the interior and after that will be a drivetrain and then finally the bodywork.

here's how the car sat on the trailer last night on the way home:



in my driveway this morning:







the interior when it arrived:





interior after i removed all of the parts:



found a nasty ecu location:



cleaned the area and replaced the ecu:

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Old Jul 9, 2010 | 11:01 PM
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got out today and put some time into the GSL. first, i replaced the right tail light and i also replaced the center panel. then i was just messing around and spot buffed (by hand) the passenger side of the car. the paint that was good actually came back to life. i was shocked. a repaint is still the plan but for driveway duty, it looks better.

apart:



after wiping down the area behind the center panel, i can see that the original sparkling black metallic paint once looked great:



new tail light and center panel installed:





the paint after a hand buff:

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Old Jul 12, 2010 | 09:34 AM
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next matter is going to be the installation of a stock exhaust from the muffler to the converter..of course there is no exhaust on there now but it will save mework to install the rear section now before i put an engine in the car. i plan on getting that done today before work.
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Old Jul 12, 2010 | 06:12 PM
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Big Difference

It's amazing what alittle wax can do to a car.



[QUOTE=mazdaverx713b;10102146]got out today and put some time into the GSL. first, i replaced the right tail light and i also replaced the center panel. then i was just messing around and spot buffed (by hand) the passenger side of the car. the paint that was good actually came back to life. i was shocked. a repaint is still the plan but for driveway duty, it looks better.
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