Here's the deal. My '85 GSL-SE Turbo is ugly as sin. Sure it's probably one of a handful of rust-free -SE's in the reigion, but I've been secretly pining for an SA for years. The only reaon I chose to make a FB in the first place was because one fell in my lap at the right time. If I'd had an SA, things would be different.

So, I've been looking for a tub worthy of my motor for about a year now, and I think I may have found it. A friend clued me in to the location of a '1978' RX7 (non-running) for a pittance. I have some questions.

1) How many SAs made it to America in RHD? Were there any '79 RHD cars?

2) The 2nd gen HKS manifold I used pushes the turbo as far forward as is possible. It clears the idler arm on my LHD -SE with ease and with the stock radiator position retained it actually makes it hard to put a filter on the turbo. Given this info, do you think my turbo would clear the RHD steering box (and assorted chunks)?

Pics from the build for position reference:

 

I would have a custom exhuast manifold made instead of shoehorning your existing one in.

 

Why don't you invest some money in your current project instead?

 

They didn't "SELL" RHD SA's here, apparently some were imported but good luck finding one... Talk to GoNZ he has like 2. Why not just put a paintjob, and finish the project you have?

 

Post your pics on the Aussie forum. They have RHDs, and will know better if it fits than we do here. They actually like the LHDs with thier turbos. Something about the bigger turbos roasting the RHD steering boxes.

 

THere is one in ok condition in my town. Guy is selling it for about 1k. He was in the army and had it in japan when he was stationed there or germany or whatever and imported to america for some reason. Anyways thats the only one I've seen.

 

Show some pics of the body so we can see how ugly this thing is. That's a beautiful 'bay to be in such an ugly car.

 

I like the way the SA looks. I like the split tails, and I want RHD.

On top of that, SAs are lighter. My -SE with half a tank of gas weighs in at 2420lbs without me in it! That's just too damned heavy! I don't want or need a sunroof, power windows or mirrors, rear-wiper or any of the rest of those posh electric goodies that never work anyways. I want the lightest, most basic chassis I can find.

 

Heh, that's the most fun part about it. The car looks like a total piece, then you gaze underhood and everything is meticulously detailed.









Fast as hell, ugly as sin.

 

your wasegate would smack dead middle fo the recriculating ball system on a RHD, trust me, i would love to have a LHD.

I am still sorting out the problems with getting a 3.5" pipe squeezed between the steering shaft and the engine on mine, no joy yet

kenn

 

soo basiclly ur car is a sleeper.. shhhhhhhhhhh , hope i didnt say that too loud . nice car man

 

Sleepers don't usually have 133db exhaust notes!

Thanks for the compliment

 

i like that ducks of hazzard thing

 

Why dont u import from japan

http://www.cbn.ne.jp/bazar/e/p5_sear...Ski&o=DESC&p=1

 

i have a rhd project im working on, its a 78, and i have pics with the turbo mounted... no your hks manifold wont work unless you build a 4" spacer to clear the steering
e-mail me for pics robert@rotaryshack
the rhd model will be 300-400 lbs lighter than your se model thats for sure! its a bitch making left turns tho...

 

pics sent

 

your engine bay is rad. i hope you find a good chassis. i havnt seen you guys in a while.

 

Yours is the car that made me want an SA. After seeing it at that first Mazda meet, I went out and bought an IMSA airdam. It's been sitting in my bedroom for years waiting for me to get an SA. My goal is to make mine look as clean as yours, in Silver.

 

Thanks, that was very helpful.

 

I am not sure if I agree with you. My SA is rhd and I find that the car is slower making both left and right hand turns than driving in a straight line particularily where the turn is sharper than 90 degrees.

 

that last pic of your car in action is so hot! I had that as my desktop for a while! wha size tires are in the bck in that pic?

 

I think he was just saying that it is hard to see who is coming from the right side of the car. It is near impossible to see who is coming when you are in the passenger seat of a car, turning left and there is a car waiting to turn the opposite direction. It is hard enough seeing by those SUVs even when you are on the left side. Seems like it would be really scary when driving on the right side.

 

Thanks man. You made my day.

That particular event I was running a 225/50-15 Hoosier in the rear, and a pair of 205's up front. That pic was actually taken before the engine swap, with 192,000 miles on every part of the car. The suspension was toast, hence the dramatic lean. Later, I went full coilover and ran a full set of 225's all the way around.