The LE will remain bone stock, I'm even keeping the AC. And yes, the Train Wreck 12A will have a full rats nest.

The White One III will get the ported 12A, RB exhaust, Farrell Nikki, suspension upgrades and Panasports.

Red leather interiors in both.

 

Thank you Ray!! I'll keep watching for your progress on its restoration!

 

Not really a restoration Dave, just picking up where Hank left off. He was a most excellent care taker.

It's quite a specimen. Here's a few pics after I cleaned her up:























She'll be getting these mint 83 red leather seats and some other fixing up on that purty red leather interior, she is going to be nice.

 

That car.....drool.... What exactly is wrong with the engine in the car currently?

 

Hank said it had a coolant leak, white smoke in the exhaust. Currently it's seized up.

I'm not going to try to break it loose, I don't want to cause any more damage. I'll have some fun tearing it down.

Hopefully it'll have some good parts, but not critical since I have the Train Wreck 12A ready to drop in.

 

Awesome car! I have some oddball 12A stuff here and there from my last teardown if you find yourself hunting for odds and ends for the swap.

 

Ray I have to think thats the nicest 7 you have ever owned when you get done putting the
iconic Train Wreck 12A in it. I could see you competing for best first gen against Robert and Bob
at DGRR next year. I'm jelly! Robert better up his game for next year.

 

Yeah I'm pretty sure I'll win DGRR next year for sure.

To Hank goes all the credit, he's the one who kept it in fantastic condition for 33 years.

Thanks for the offer on parts Carb Whisperer! I'm up to my eyeballs in 12A parts, but it always seems that you've got everything except what you need.

 

That's a fact.

 

Yes sir, it is. I'm always right but nobody ever listens to me.

Anyway, I love this car.

I moved it over to the maple tree I use for pulling engines this evening, there was a light rain and she just sparkled.

Here's some pics:

 

Very nice, I have those same wheels on my car do those center caps say Mazda? Been wanting to get a set.

 

Yes, the center caps do say Mazda on them.

 

And those center caps are hard to find, the wheels are easier.

Here's some pics of the one that Hank left in the center console of the 83 LE, proof that Rotary Gods exist:







Now I need to figure out how to maintain that original silver LE paint job that somehow has lasted 33 years.

And I don't have a two car garage like a lot of you guys.

So I went to the next best option and bought one of those expensive El Tarpo car covers down at the homedepot:

 

Yeah those caps are rare. Just my opinion but that cover should not stay on the car full time it will trap in moisture especially since the car is sitting on raw ground and not a paved surface.

 

Thanks for the heads up on the El Tarpo car cover Oily.

I'd hate to be the one who puts the first rust spot in that 33 year old beauty.

And I hear where you're coming from, having spent many years in the cold damp northeast. Rust, rust and more rust.

But here in northeastern Georgia we don't have rust.

Just mild temps, no salt and lots of sun that wrecks paint jobs, plastic trim and dash boards.

Metal rots in New York, plastic rots in Georgia.

Which is why I got the El Tarpo, to block the UV and keep the cabin temps down under the Georgia summer sun.

Besides, I'll be pulling the tarp off once or twice a week to work on her and appreciate her beauty.

Maybe even drive it some day.

In fact I was just out thinking about how to do the engine pull and replacement with the Train Wreck 12A this afternoon.

Updates to come.

 

That's what I do ends any moisture buildup issue inside the cover. They sell decent cheap ones on eBay sized for our cars so you can cover them quick and easy.

 

Thanks Oily, I'll look into those ebay units. The El Tarpo is a pain to put on and tuck in and even then it's not that secure, a good wind would probably blow it off.

 

Silver FB's, from the you know you are a rx-7 owner if you asked
1<does it have a flux capacitor
2>is that a millennia falcon
3>where's chewbacca

 

correct fitting covers don't trap moisture under the car. it's those large covers like ray has that go all the way to the ground/tucked under that trap moisture under the car.

 

Moisture shouldn't be a problem with this particular LE.

It's the special Limited Edition that comes with a flux capacitor, an LE option designed to continuously eliminate every molecule of excess moisture within 3 feet of the car.

 

does LE = Liquid Engineering? Lol

 

Nope, stands for Limited Edition, as in Very Special Car.

Mine's an LE FC, a Limited Edition with the Flux Capacitor.

 

10 ft. x 17 ft. Portable Garage

That's what you need. The problem with car cover's other than moister; is as wind blows the cover on the paint it sands the paint down. Car cover's are fine for keeping leaves off cars, but when it comes down to it they are sub par at keeping paint on cars.


I bought one of these tents for my Ghia. Its been great for almost a year and one hurricane.


EXCELENT car!!! and the engine bay is so clean.

Do you have a source for R12 refrigerant?

 

Point well taken James, I need to look into this.

I'm actually much less concerned about the original paint, this is nice but it can be replaced.

That 33 year old dash is another thing, mint red S2 dashes without a big crack in them are unobtanium.

I think I need to get one of those reflective dash covers to protect it from the sun, in the drive and when I take it out.

 

Ray, even if I had kept the car for restoration, I could not possibly have been as happy as you sound. The car cover I kept on her for 5+ years was a breathable fabric that I got at WalMart, but she was sitting on concrete and got a few hours of sunlight every day, which I think helped keep the car dry. Just stopped by to see what's new, Carol asked me the other day if I had heard from you. All the best!