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A little back story ....I use to own a 1985 GSL-SE back in the early 90's ...That's when i got hooked to the wonderful Rotary experience .... Then fast forward to 2013 when i became a member here in hopes of searching and buying either an 84 or 85 SE . It was real difficult to find a clean unmolested and reasonably priced example ....I ended up buying a 1990 Mazda Miata as my "toy" in 2013 which i enjoy very much ...But the RX7 was always on the back of my mind .....A few years later in 2019 i decided i really wanted to search for an SE and placed a WTB ad here in the forum in Jan of 2019 ..To my delight my ad was answered by a female owner of a 1984 SE who was looking for a good home for her baby ... We conversed for many months and i was seriously thinking of buying this car but our schedules never came together and then i ended up buying another wonderful 80's Japanese car in August of 2019 a 1986 Toyota MR2 ...Incredibly fun car !!! But again the RX7 was on the back of my mind ..So out of the blue i emailed the owner of the 84 SE too see how she was doing and to my surprise she still had the RX7 ...Its Funny because she was thinking of emailing me too see if i was still interested in the car ....Fate ..I believe in it ! ....So this past week i finally got to meet this wonderful owner and her Sunbeam Silver 84 SE down in Bristol, VA ( a 9 and 1/2 hour trip by car) BUT totally worth it ! Because i bought the car ....Overall its in amazing condition but sat unused and driven sparingly for 15 years BUT the saving grace was that it was always garaged during this time and all its life ..Needs TLC... some deferred maintenance done to it like having all fluids changed when I have it transported up to New York near the end of March ....Here is my Adventure when i went to go see and test drive the Car ....
Well after 23 years i am officially the owner of a First Gen RX7 GSL-SE again! .
Took the 9 and 1/2 hour trip down to Bristol , VA not sure what to expect to find with the 84 RX7 since its been sitting for 15 years in a garage on a battery tender and driven sparingly during those years .... I was pleasantly surprised at what i found ....
Body of car:
in VERY good to excellent condition... all original paint ..front upper bumper has some fading paint which is unusual since the rear bumper looks great ..The seller did say that at one point she had a Front bra on the car . Would a BRA do that to paint ??? NO RUST forming on the outside body panels Paint still shines even under the light dust a few tiny dings and scratches on bumper but hey its a 36yo car ! .... The Car was Rust proofed at the dealership when she bought the car new ... you can see from the pics i posted the engine bay was sprayed as well as discovering 8 black plugs in total ( 4 on each side of the door jams on the driver and passenger side) where they sprayed it into the inside cavities of the car panels .. The car was rust proofed underneath as well ...there was no evidence of rust! All original exhaust system no signs of rust. Has the original "old School" flat Mudflaps with "Mazda" logo in Silver still on the front and back !
Interior :
Amazing ..no carpet fade just 2 little stains which can be cleaned ...No crumbling/fading plastics ....no rips on the seats ...YOU can tell this car was garaged ...no doubt ..has original floor mats that just need a cleaning ...no holes or rips in them ....
Engine Bay :
Besides the rust proofing that makes the engine bay look like someone poured a mound of dirt in there .. all parts were very clean ...no signs of oil leakage by the engine block or around the gasket or oil filler neck area ...pulled the dipstick ...and oil was at the full mark ! That was a relief ...was dirty but not thick and gooey ..I am glad the oil in there was Synthetic oil since it doesnt breakdown as quickly as regular dino oil ....Coolant was full in Radiator but empty or close to it in the Coolant Reservoir ..I brought my own coolant and just filled it up ...Brake fluid and clutch fluid was Clean and full ..no signs of leakage anywhere around them ..Battery was brand new installed last October
Seller told me the car was last driven 4 months ago for 10 minutes and said it still had good torque and shifted fine but was idling rough so she filled it with new gas .... Which lead me to believe that she did not put any gas stabilizer in there ....So i bought a can of Seafoam and poured it in before the test drive ...
Car started on the first shot ! pulled it out of the garage and let it sit for a while to idle and warm it up ....once it was warmed up a bit it was still idling rough ....slowly pulled out of her driveway and i was on my way ..in the beginning the clutch was a little clunky and the shifts were not crisp but as i was driving and trying not to go over 5,000 rpms the car was warming up and the shifts were really nice and smooth no grinding at all ..the torque was GREAT no hesitation as i accelerated in each gear ..GOD i missed the smoothness of the Rotary engine its just effortless as it builds up in RPM's (and NO i did not hit the rpm "BUZZER" lol ) According to the Seller the car has NEVER hit Buzzer ) She did not drive it like she stole it ..LOL which is a good thing for me ... Car has power steering option and it works ! steering is nice and tight handles very nicely for being on original suspension no bottoming out or strange noises while cruising around .... After about 30 minutes or so of good driving the cars Temp Gauge finally was registering ..it took a good 15 20 minutes before it starting moving ..The seller said its always been like that from when she bought it new and i believed her because my 85 SE used to do the same thing ....after the drive the RX7 was purring like a kitten no hesitation or rough idling and no warning lights came on or illuminated on the dash
Some issues i found while inspecting the car :
Oil Gauge doesnt work ...I knew that from our previous conversation ..I have the new sending unit that she got a while back from an auto parts store ...easy to install
pop up headlights work as well as the switch on the dash to raise them up if you dont want the lights on .
Hazzard light switch on dash doesnt turn the flashers on ..im thinking blown fuse
Rear Hatch wiper doesnt work ! Not surprised since its a common thing to die on those older RX7"s ...Have to investigate ..maybe bad connection or just get used motor on ebay
Rear Hatch Struts dont hold the rear hatch glass up ...Not surprised ..another common failure on thes cars ..easy to source on Ebay
All heating switches and vents work ....Seller told me A/C does not blow cold ...probably needs a recharge ..still on 12 a ....not concerned ...the a/c doesnt work in the Miata either ..LOL
I was a little bummed when i turned on the radio ...not working ...But I was shocked when the power antenna went up ! Those usually die on an rx7 of that era
I am hoping its just a fuse because the tape deck and equalizer works but only static comes out of speakers when you play the cassette ..Speakers are probably blown or disintegrated after all these years ...
Power windows go up and down nicely no issues there ... all other electrical things and interior lights work but the rear hatch courtesy light doesnt turn on im sure just needs new bulb .....
...Extremely nice woman it was a pleasure to finally meet her since we were corresponding for more than a year ...She was SO Happy i was buying the car because she wanted it to go to a good home ....She bought the car new as a 30th Birthday present to herself in 1984 and paid list price at the time when the SE'S first came out ...Dont have a window sticker but she gave me a receipt from the Des Moines Mazda - Porsche-Audi Dealership in Iowa where she bought the car and paid $17,165.00 with tax included
on a side note ..the car has 22 year old tires on it ! LOL She gave me a receipt
showing that she had them installed on the car in 1998 when the car had 84,642 miles so they only really have 10,300 miles on them ....I swear they look brand new ..no dry rot or cracking on them ...and the car handled well as i was test driving it ....no issues ...and the roads were a little slick because it was drizzling rain .....
Well thats my Adventure ! ..You can say i was grinning from ear to ear all the way home.!....
As an added Bonus here is a photo the seller took of me in her Baby before the test drive .... LOL
Some quick notes; the Hazard and Rear Wiper controls on the dash are prone to having the switch contacts corrode which prevents operation. A quick-fix is to flip the switch on and off, on and off, on and off at a rapid rate to clean the contacts from friction well enough to carry the current. This is typical for the switches to be intermittent for the Hazard lights (shared relay with the turn signals) and the Rear Wiper Motor control, as these 2 controls are not used very often. Occasionally, it happens with the Headlight Buckets manual control, but more rare as this switch is normally used when you wash the car. If the tires look good and have been garaged, know that UV light is what degrades rubber and if they've been protected from direct sunlight they're probably good enough for a weekend driver.
Other than that, once you get a coolant flush, an oil change, and a few more miles on that car you'll be in much better position to evaluate what it might need next. At 94k miles, it sounds like it's been babied for it's entire life - which means you'll get great performance and mileage out of it going forward. Check my signature for my 245k mi -SE story...
Hope to see more of you around the boards as you enjoy the car,
Thanks LongDuck ! ....And thanks for that tip about the Hazards and Rear Wiper controls !!! I would not have known that ....Happy to be part of the community again with this wealth of information ....Definitely going to go read your Threads about your 84 SE ....
Originally Posted by LongDuck
Holy crap, that's a clean -SE! Congratulations,
Some quick notes; the Hazard and Rear Wiper controls on the dash are prone to having the switch contacts corrode which prevents operation. A quick-fix is to flip the switch on and off, on and off, on and off at a rapid rate to clean the contacts from friction well enough to carry the current. This is typical for the switches to be intermittent for the Hazard lights (shared relay with the turn signals) and the Rear Wiper Motor control, as these 2 controls are not used very often. Occasionally, it happens with the Headlight Buckets manual control, but more rare as this switch is normally used when you wash the car. If the tires look good and have been garaged, know that UV light is what degrades rubber and if they've been protected from direct sunlight they're probably good enough for a weekend driver.
Other than that, once you get a coolant flush, an oil change, and a few more miles on that car you'll be in much better position to evaluate what it might need next. At 94k miles, it sounds like it's been babied for it's entire life - which means you'll get great performance and mileage out of it going forward. Check my signature for my 245k mi -SE story...
Hope to see more of you around the boards as you enjoy the car,
Im not ready to say hi to Mr. Walker ...I will be getting new tires for the RX7 when it arrives in New York at the end of March ....
Smart !!
Some say Steve Jobs was a genius. We were born in the same year. Who's the smart one now? From the Governor of Louisiana, Earl Long , "who's crazy now?"
What an incredibly clean example!! Its an absolute stunning car! Ibwould love to see more pictures to include the interior! It's amazing that the original owner kept the car as long as she did. She must have loved the car dearly. It's a complete package when you purchase a car from the original owner and learn the car's entire history. It's almost as if you pick up right where they left off.
That car has many many years and miles left and at 94k miles, I suspect the engine is in incredible condition. Did the seller provide any service receipts?
All of the little things that are not functioning in the car are easy fixes and a result of the car sitting so long. Honestly I wouldn't worry too much about them. We can help you get all of those solved when the car is delivered!
What an incredibly clean example!! Its an absolute stunning car! Ibwould love to see more pictures to include the interior! It's amazing that the original owner kept the car as long as she did. She must have loved the car dearly. It's a complete package when you purchase a car from the original owner and learn the car's entire history. It's almost as if you pick up right where they left off.
That car has many many years and miles left and at 94k miles, I suspect the engine is in incredible condition. Did the seller provide any service receipts?
All of the little things that are not functioning in the car are easy fixes and a result of the car sitting so long. Honestly I wouldn't worry too much about them. We can help you get all of those solved when the car is delivered!
Thanks Mazdaverx713b! Im so glad to be part of the RX7 Community just as nice and very informative like the Miata.net Community !...I am VERY lucky to have found this car and i owe it to this Forum ! Yes ..The owner took very good care of the car and it shows ....Interesting enough she did not have many receipts for the Car .....She only gave me 1 dated from 1998 when she got new tires installed on the car plus she had a new Idler Arm installed at the time as well .....She said the car was very well maintained up until 2005 by a Good Rotary Mechanic she trusted but after she moved to VA she was unable to find a mechanic that worked on Rotary engines ...She was very forthcoming and honest with all the questions i asked about the car and i believed her ..A Very sweet woman .....although i was excited to see the car ,finally meeting her in person made the whole experience even better ....
Here are more pictures of the Interior and Body ...2 little issues on the Body of the car ....When the car was being worked on at one time a wrench / Tool fell on the front quarter panel and hood and made a crease in the body and hood ...the pictures make it look bad but in person its hard to notice it ..it broke the paint but no rust has formed there ...Im going too see if a PDR person can work there magic .... On the rear there is a little dot on the rear hatch part that raised the metal from the inside due to the owner at one time taking the jack out but instead of turning counter clockwise she was turning it the other way which caused the jack to form that spot ...it broke the paint but there is no rust forming there ... again the pictures make it look bad but its hardly noticeable ...Was actually just going to touch it u with paint and possibly get a oem/aftermarket rear spoiler for the RX7 which will cover it up ...
That mark on the hood looks like the base of the jack - I wonder if that and the pock above the jack mounting spot are related to the same event...?
Man, those rear tail light covers are clear and sharp. Great example of a well-stored car with that few miles on it. I'll bet you can't wait until March...
That mark on the hood looks like the base of the jack - I wonder if that and the pock above the jack mounting spot are related to the same event...?
Man, those rear tail light covers are clear and sharp. Great example of a well-stored car with that few miles on it. I'll bet you can't wait until March...
No ....According to seller they were 2 separate events ....Yes! no fogging on those rear tail light covers ...usually a telltale sign that the car was truly garaged and wasn't exposed to alot of Sun and bad weather in its lifetime ....I already have a list of things to order for the car before it arrives in March ! .LOL
that's what I payed for my 1983 rx-7.........................in 1990. paint was all oxidized, so that means whatever repairs were done have held together for a long long time. compared to riding the L A city bus 7 hours a day to work, that rx-7 felt like the Millennuim Falcon.
that's what I payed for my 1983 rx-7.........................in 1990. paint was all oxidized, so that means whatever repairs were done have held together for a long long time. compared to riding the L A city bus 7 hours a day to work, that rx-7 felt like the Millennuim Falcon.
Thats just CRAZY ! But im sure at the time it was your only option until you got your Millennium Falcon to get you from point A to B ....
If it helps to clean up that rust proofing, I scraped mine off as much as possible with plastic scrapers, old plastic cards etc. Then used WD40 on rags to get it 100% off.
I would say you got a great deal on it. The market for clean SE's is crazy. Most of the auctions on Bring a Trailer are going for 3x what you paid.
Also I like the interior that isn't dyed with old red wine.
If it helps to clean up that rust proofing, I scraped mine off as much as possible with plastic scrapers, old plastic cards etc. Then used WD40 on rags to get it 100% off.
I would say you got a great deal on it. The market for clean SE's is crazy. Most of the auctions on Bring a Trailer are going for 3x what you paid.
Also I like the interior that isn't dyed with old red wine.
Thanks Tommyeflight89 for the suggestion to remove the rust proofing from the engine bay ....Yes heard that WD40 is good for removal as well as these other products
PB Blaster
Mineral Spirits
Charcoal Lighter Fluid ( this one is a little scary ..lol but i hear it doesnt harm the paint )
Acrysol degreaser
Yes ...it amazes me the insane asking prices for the SE's lately ..especially this one ! Overpriced with 84,000 miles but i guess a car is worth whatever a person is willing to pay or how badly they want it ....
You really got luck on that car!! Its so original and just gorgeous!! The car is so nice and unmolested and it's great to see more pictures of the car!! I bet you cant wait for March when the car is delivered!! You will really love driving that car!
Finally Had my 84 GSL-SE delivered yesterday from Virginia .....Gave it a bath then went right away to fix some issues ...Like the NEW rear hatch struts ...The original ones couldn't hold the rear glass hatch anymore ....Look ! ..No hands .....I also scored a Glass Moonroof on Ebay about a month ago ....Next week i start baselining the car with maintenance stuff !
LOVING THIS CAR SO MUCH !!! I forgot how glorious sounding the Rotary Engine is ...A few beauty shots from last week after i waxed her up real good ....The interior is just amazing ....no fade on carpets .....303 Protectant does a great job on the Vinyl and Dash and all plastics in the Interior ....
01-16-20, 01:59 PM
all parts were very clean ...no signs of oil leakage by the engine block or around the gasket or oil filler neck area ...pulled the dipstick ...and oil was at the full mark ! That was a relief ...was dirty but not thick and gooey ..I am glad the oil in there was Synthetic oil since it doesnt breakdown as quickly as regular dino oil ....Coolant was full in Radiator but empty or close to it in the Coolant Reservoir ..I brought my own coolant and just filled it up ...Brake fluid and clutch fluid was Clean and full ..no signs of leakage anywhere around them ..Battery was brand new installed last October
...But I was shocked when the power antenna went up ! Those usually die on an rx7 of that era
....Definitely going to go read your Threads about your 84 SE ....
! Overpriced with 84,000 miles but i guess a car is worth whatever a person is willing to pay or how badly they want it ....
