85 GSL restoration
11-19-09, 11:27 AM
#1
85 GSL restoration
i recently reaquired this car off of a fellow forum member. i sold it to him about a year ago with a bad engine (i blew a coolant hose on the highway and overheated it) he bought it with the intentions of making it a track car. i got it back a month or so ago and i went out and screwed around with it the other day. it is as you see it, with the only new addition being the steering box and column. i have all parts to make it complete except for a good 12A. the nice thing is that its a GSL. i'm not sure when i will get around to restoring it.. i have a week off of work starting tomorrow and i've got some things to do before i get started working on this. i guess my plans for now are going to be to reinstall the interior and bench test the two 12A's that i've got laying around and pray for compression. i'll toss up some pics of the car before i sold it. this will efinatly be another restoration project similar to my 85 GS that is now powered by a 13B..but this will remain a 12A i think. here are a few pics:
Last edited by mazdaverx713b; 03-23-11 at 05:08 PM.
11-19-09, 12:23 PM
#3
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body looks pretty good actually... unrusty.
i opened the thread thinking WTF does kinda mean?
i opened the thread thinking WTF does kinda mean?
11-19-09, 01:24 PM
#4
i say kinda because i bought the car, sold it and then bought it back. unrusty yes. the car originally came from florida. while the interior is out, i will clean up any rusy spots on the interior metal. there are a couple and they are tiny. i will document all repairs. i'll see if i can dig up some pics of the car befire i sold it. this was the car that i bougth that was automatic and i converted it to a 5spd and have the small writeup on.
i wish you luck in building your twin turbo SA/FB
11-19-09, 04:51 PM
#7
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except the wing i like it.
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11-20-09, 08:55 PM
#9
i actually got a lot done today..but mush have left my camera at my inlaws place wher ethe car is stored. i got the new(ly used) harch carpet and the new(ly used) rear carpet section installed, as well at the bin frame and bins, hatch striker, tail lights, center console, and some fresh trim in the hatch area. gonna swap out the dash this coming week with one thats not peeling up and install the front most carpet section. then its on to the engine bay..pics as soon as i retrieve my camera 
11-22-09, 04:56 PM
#10
got my camera out of the barn and wanted to share some of the pics of my progress. first off i cleaned up any surface rust on the floor and undercoated it. i then installed the bin cage and i installed the hatch carpet and plastics. next i installed the sound deadening under the middle capet section and then the middle carpet section and the center console.
first step was removing the sound insulation from my 85 parts car. i decided to use the carpet from this car because the carpet in the GSL was faded badly. pics from the parts car are for reference for the oem locations for the sound insulation and types used. the other pics are from the GSL and how it sits now. its tucked in safely for the winter for me to work on as i have time.
first step was removing the sound insulation from my 85 parts car. i decided to use the carpet from this car because the carpet in the GSL was faded badly. pics from the parts car are for reference for the oem locations for the sound insulation and types used. the other pics are from the GSL and how it sits now. its tucked in safely for the winter for me to work on as i have time.
03-06-10, 05:10 AM
#16
still a little snowed in over the last couple of days and couldn't really do much in the barn so since i promised pics, i figured i'd post some older pics i had of the car. once the car is up and running again, i will finally paint it and refinish the wheels. here are a few pics:
03-12-10, 02:04 PM
#17
here's the engine that i'm considering using for the car. its the engine out of my first RX-7 and i've had it sitting for nearly 10 years. i've been cleaning it up and adding MMO to the apex and side seals every day and turning it over. every day its sounding stronger and i'm hoping to restore compression and use the engine.
03-12-10, 09:03 PM
#18
snapped a few pics tonight when i was out in the barn. i hope to start turning wrenches on this car soon. my biggest hurdle will be cleaning the ratty engine bay. i may throw the old front carpet in just to fill the void temporarily.
04-25-10, 10:36 AM
#20
the plan is to bring the car home this coming weekend and install the engine and trans. the engine i was going to use for my other H1 85 GSL, i decided that i'm going to use it in this car. the other 85 will require far more work to get road worthy and the engine will just sit in the car. so, i'll put the good engine in this 85. i will update this thread with pics today of the engine!
04-26-10, 08:18 PM
#21
here are some pics of the engine that is definatly going in the car this weekend. i've been replacing the external gaskets, o-rings, and bolts. i was originally going to use the engine in my 85 rescue project but i've got too much to do before the engine is ready to go in and i hate to see my good rust free florida car just sit engineless. onto the pics:
exhaust manifold that was shot blasted, surfaced flanges and painted:
new exhaust manifold gasket:
exhaust manifold instaled:
intake manifold gasket and o-rings installed:
intake manifold shot blasted and surfaced and installed:
carb base plate and rats nest installed:
exhaust manifold that was shot blasted, surfaced flanges and painted:
new exhaust manifold gasket:
exhaust manifold instaled:
intake manifold gasket and o-rings installed:
intake manifold shot blasted and surfaced and installed:
carb base plate and rats nest installed:
04-26-10, 08:23 PM
#22
here are the compression results using a standard pitsont engine compression tester:
front rotor:
rear rotor:
with the valve removed, all three bounces on each rotor were even. the engine came out of an 85 with roughly 165K miles on the chassis. previous owner said that this engine was the original. not sure if it is or not but its cleaning up well and sounding good. lets pray for good coolant seals
front rotor:
rear rotor:
with the valve removed, all three bounces on each rotor were even. the engine came out of an 85 with roughly 165K miles on the chassis. previous owner said that this engine was the original. not sure if it is or not but its cleaning up well and sounding good. lets pray for good coolant seals
04-26-10, 08:27 PM
#23
before cleanup, the engine looked like this:
its come along well. this is a picture taken before the manifolds and the rats nest were installed:
the water pump housing was blasted and painted:
all oem gaskets were used:
and the oil cooler o-rings were also replaced:
its come along well. this is a picture taken before the manifolds and the rats nest were installed:
the water pump housing was blasted and painted:
all oem gaskets were used:
and the oil cooler o-rings were also replaced:
