Bought this '81 Rx7 for a decent price. Previous owner really did some good things to the car and probably had race car plans for it. Weber Carb. The stock tank was rusted so it has a 10 gallon fuel cell in the hatch and everything works and functions. He modified the trunk to fit this in what I think is the spare tire location.
My state (Virginia) will absolutely not pass this car for inspection BUT I could get antique tags. I have read about police possibly impounding my car if they find this hooked up. (Does anyone have experience with this?)
To sum up my post;
Should I just buy an original gas tank? I just want a modest car to drive on the weekends.
Is there another way around this or would it pay proper homage to the current build to keep the fuel cell? I would love all input.

 

With the spare tire well already removed, I'd weld that area flat with the rest of the hatch floor and move the current cell below the floor. You don't want to drive that car on the streets with a fuel tank in the same area as the occupants.

 

Get rid of the Fuel Cell. Unless this is a track car, you don't want fuel in your passenger compartment, and our cars crumple wildly in any type of collision. Also, try your best to find a stock tank and plumbing, as 10 gallons limits your range to something around 150 miles. Thats not nearly enough range for most drivers.

Its a safety issue - not a style item. Fix it right,

 

This will make you eyes water!

(https://www.ebay.com/itm/22632004998...Bk9SR8by6sL7ZA)

 

^ not nearly as bad as what I was thinking.

Mighty Car Mods installing it:

 

As the prices of 1st gens go up, so do the parts. Comes down to supply and demand. Unless someone steps in and starts offering OEM style replacements, its only bound to get worse. Still, we're the lucky ones, more Rx-7's were imported to North America than any other place, so cars to canablize are still out there (here). Riggs sells to countries that got way fewer cars and their prices reflect the demands that these other places have and what they are willing to pay. Lots of our cars/parts are being siphoned off to other markets that eagerly absorb them up at a premium price.

Kind of scary, but its also a glimpse at our future is here too. We are getting to the point now, where most neglected relics out there are worth more as part cars because the time and cost to bring em back, ends up being substantially more than what they are worth once done. It's passion that still makes it all worth while.

 

Thanks for rendering it down for me! I am definitely putting a gas tank back into it.

 

That makes me want to bash my head against the wall for mindlessly tossing my tank and all the other bits and pieces all those years ago.

 

I have a tank I'd sell for 1/2 of that.