I've been meaning to post this for over a month now but I finally put some pictures together (I know everyone likes pics) - as a little thank you for all the help I've received over the past two years putting together my car.

I purchased the car completely stock about 3 years ago – 85 GS. The original 12A ran like a champ once you got it started. It has a slow coolant leak so if it sat for more than a day, it took 10 minutes to get it started and smoked like a sob for another 5. I wasn’t too worried however since I had sourced a rebuilt 13B and had “most” of the parts to do an SE swap from a parts car I stripped.
I’m not a mechanic but I consider myself fairly handy and I don’t really have any mechanic friends either. So all the work I did myself in the relative comfort of my garage and it took me about 2 years of tinkering to finally get to the point where I can show it off a little.

A couple of things I learned along the way:
- 12A exhaust manifold/header won’t bolt onto a 13B (d’uh – it’s longer!)

- don’t trust 25+ year old fusible links – just do the 2nd gen engine fuse box mod and be done with it

- replacing the dash and wiring harness is pretty damn simple IF you can read the FSM wiring diagrams

- Trochoid’s FMOC write-up is golden

- Mazda parts counter folks have no sense of humour – and apparently don’t like microfiche

- just replace the 25yo FI clips while the UIM is off – this just makes good god damn sense.

- adjusting the idle of an SE is just as complicated as everyone suggested it would be (but I think I finally got it smoothed out)

So thanks to everyone who answered my questions and gave opinions…and a special thanks to mazdaverx713b for posting excellent how-to’s and answering my PMs about his own SE swap.

Here’s the links to the pics and a short (rather lame) video.

Picasa Web Albums - Gerrit Twynstra - 85 GS Rx-7

 

That's a nice swap you did there!! Totally off topic, but what springs are you using??

 

glad you were able to finish the swap! the SE swap in a GS body is an incredible driver and a most reliable machine!

 

after looking at the pics and seeing the video, i'ma huge fan of your swap! you may however want to install the SE fan if you haven't already and install a fan shroud. is that a RB muffler on the car?

 

The springs on my car are still stock (and probably sagging). I have new RB springs, shocks and bushing to replace the entire suspension sitting in a box..but I'll wait until the fall so I can get some drive time in first! Also, were you talking about the springs in my car photos or of the "inspiration" car that I posted? I'm not sure who's car that is.

 

Thanks. I have the shroud and fan but have been waiting to install. It's easier to see leaks and stuff without the shroud in place. Same reason I don't have the front air jam or metal protector plate installed (the one under under the engine - I don't know what it's officially called). For the interior I have to install the steering column cover and plastic knee plate on the drivers side. What did you do to cover the hole where the choke cable use to be?

I have the RB header, pre-silencer and muffler. I think I have a small leak though because it sounds a little "putt putt" at idle. It could be that I have the stock midpipe installed between the pre-silencer and muffler which is thinner gauge. I have been thinking of bringing it to a shop to see if I can get a custom piece made out of thicker pipe to make sound a little deeper. In short I like the RB products a lot. Sounds and looks great and I'll never have to replace them. It's a bit louder than stock - enough to make a statement without pissing off the neighbours.

 

the dreaded choke **** hole..i actually spent months looking for the small grey cap that snaps in place there. the plug was only found on the GSL-SE and is NLA from Mazda. i had a heck of a time finding one. i even offered to buy the entire plastic panel to get the piece. i ended up getting one eventually though.