Brainfarting around...
The car - a mint condition 1983 GSL with a newer limited slip rear from an 84, all new bushings and a 12a that was rebuilt with about 55k on it (157k on the body). Zero bondo and 100% straight body-wise. Not certain if it was done up with new rotor housings or not when it was done, but either way, it runs perfect.
http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/5026/img0146vy.jpg http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/2847/img0154xx.jpg My options - 1 - leave it the hell alone and 100% stock 2 - keep the 12a, throw a racing beat exh on it, maybe ditch the rats nest and basically do a light mod to the car and switch to pre-mix 3 - sell the 12a as an excellent runner and grab a 13b to swap into the car to get a little more to play with or... 4 - pure sacrilege - lose the rotary and go with a 4.3 or SBC and be done with it totally. Hell, I can get everything I need from a donor car for the price of the 12a RB exhaust!! My main hesitation regarding any mods is that the car is genuinely THAT nice. Runs/starts/drives 100%... but I kinda would like to make it 100% without worrying about some oddball emissions failure or the death of the 12a. I'm kinda leaning towards a cross between #3 and #4 just due to the financial aspect of building a 13b... but everything is on the table here. As a side note, I REALLY like the way the rotary delivers the power!! Insanely smooth and deceptively fast!! A 13b would be my choice if $$$$'s weren't such a concern. Financially right now, #1 is where it stays due to being broke! Chime in and let me know what the thoughts are!!! |
The decision is ultimately yours to make but my choice would probably be #3 with a twist. Stock S4 13bt with a free flowing exhaust and standard 2nd gen mods for a small power increase. 220hp at the flywheel is not hard to obtain out of that engine and it wont likely grenade your drivetrain like a V8 swap would. Keeping the engine close to stock will also net you excellent drivability with a smooth power delivery similar to stock 12a.
Im not totally against piston swaps but when it comes to reliability of the stock rear axle a v8 is not what you want to do. Much more than 250 ft lbs torque i think the rear axle will snap like a twig with grippy tires. The small bearing early 1st gen axle is even less than that. |
Wow that looks pretty nice! I would do one of two things. Remove emissions equipment, add a racing beat exhaust, and mod your stock carb and be done.
Or sell it as is and buy one that already has a 13b/bt swapped in. You will save big bucks in the end |
hmmm, I say Cosmo S5 13B, NA, street port AND semi-P port
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I'm considering similar options for my car as well. I'm leaning towards keeping my 12a, heavy bridge porting it, block off emissions and OMP and go to premix, and DLDFIS (I think that's the correct acronym..) as well.
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#1, maybe i'd put headers on it
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Originally Posted by 82FanTC
(Post 11220100)
Wow that looks pretty nice! I would do one of two things. Remove emissions equipment, add a racing beat exhaust, and mod your stock carb and be done.
Or sell it as is and buy one that already has a 13b/bt swapped in. You will save big bucks in the end I'm looking at #2 as the most likely scenario for now, and that's only because the thing runs so well that I'm thinking (knocks on wood here) that it's easily a 100k mile motor. Atkins did the build and the previous owner was pretty good about changing the oil... all in all, it's a VERY strong car as it is. |
Originally Posted by 85rotarypower
(Post 11220089)
The decision is ultimately yours to make but my choice would probably be #3 with a twist. Stock S4 13bt with a free flowing exhaust and standard 2nd gen mods for a small power increase. 220hp at the flywheel is not hard to obtain out of that engine and it wont likely grenade your drivetrain like a V8 swap would. Keeping the engine close to stock will also net you excellent drivability with a smooth power delivery similar to stock 12a.
Im not totally against piston swaps but when it comes to reliability of the stock rear axle a v8 is not what you want to do. Much more than 250 ft lbs torque i think the rear axle will snap like a twig with grippy tires. The small bearing early 1st gen axle is even less than that. |
I'd replace the beehive with a FMOC first.
Enjoy the stock everythng until it becomes a pain in the butt to maintain. Then get the RB SP Full Exhaust setup. Then replace the nikki with a nice big Dell or Weber DCOE. Do eletric fans and a better ignition setup and enjoy a 12a with 50% more power without breaking the keg. Save up for a new 13B engine for a few decades when the 12A finally blows. |
Originally Posted by t_g_farrell
(Post 11220327)
I'd replace the beehive with a FMOC first.
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Also for anyone that might be able to shed some light on this idea, I have an intake mani from a 79 or 80 that doesn't have the shutter valve on it. Is it a better manifold than the 83 unit? Would it be a wise thing to replace it possibly? I also have the Nikki from that mani, but it's in pretty rough shape... now I'm up to 3 extra carbs... :D
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Search "ACV port" and "quicksteel"
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replacing the beehive is a good idea. I'm in the process of going to a FMOC in my 1985 GSL and here are my thoughts.
If you have the money ($500) you can go the route I did. I would not recommend going completely aftermarket unless it something you really want. Here is a thread with my setup: https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati...ooler-1011061/ * Rotary-Works 10 row -10an FMOC * Steal braided hoses * Custom fabbed mounting braket * Earl's oil temperature regulator * RE-Speed oil pedistal * Oil temp and oil presure gauges * Endlink bushing kit to isolate vibration My suggestion would be to get an GSL-SE oil cooler or even a 2nd gen cooler and have a hydrolic shop make up some hoses with the factory fittings. You will also need either a non beehive oil pedistal or get the Re-Speed one. |
i would not touch a thing personally. unmolested 7's are getting harder and harder to find and when completely stock, they get decent mileage, are reliable, and are very enjoyable to drive. i find that more issues will arise in the future with modded cars.. not saying a recing beat exhaust and removing the emission equipment will necessarily harm anything, its that you may end up missing the bone stock classic.
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Originally Posted by mazdaverx713b
(Post 11220594)
i would not touch a thing personally. unmolested 7's are getting harder and harder to find and when completely stock, they get decent mileage, are reliable, and are very enjoyable to drive. i find that more issues will arise in the future with modded cars.. not saying a recing beat exhaust and removing the emission equipment will necessarily harm anything, its that you may end up missing the bone stock classic.
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Originally Posted by foghead
(Post 11220325)
A 4.3 would be too torquey? Wasn't there a heavier fist gen axle from the later years? The axle in this has disks, a lsd and was either out of an 84 or an 85...
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I would go with the bonez cat repalcement pipe. It's only $75, heavy duty, sounds great and a lot cheaper than a whole new exhaust.
Worked great on my low mileage 83. Rotary Performance | SA Exhaust |
Originally Posted by 84stock
(Post 11222885)
I would go with the bonez cat repalcement pipe. It's only $75, heavy duty, sounds great and a lot cheaper than a whole new exhaust.
Worked great on my low mileage 83. Rotary Performance | SA Exhaust |
I wouldn't touch a damn thing till it broke.
Though I do PASSIONATELY hate the stock header (if you can even call it that) and would do a full exhaust with header, and maybe a FMOC because hives are just crap. But with the shape it's in, you may consider plastic wrapping anything you do take off... |
Originally Posted by 84stock
(Post 11222885)
I would go with the bonez cat repalcement pipe. It's only $75, heavy duty, sounds great and a lot cheaper than a whole new exhaust.
Worked great on my low mileage 83. Rotary Performance | SA Exhaust Plus, the cash I get back from selling the convertor will offset it's cost. I love it when a plan comes together!! :git: |
Originally Posted by tasty danish
(Post 11223743)
I wouldn't touch a damn thing till it broke.
Though I do PASSIONATELY hate the stock header (if you can even call it that) and would do a full exhaust with header, and maybe a FMOC because hives are just crap. But with the shape it's in, you may consider plastic wrapping anything you do take off... |
Originally Posted by foghead
(Post 11223903)
Yeah... the cat delete pipe is a certainty, and the oil cooler will also be tagged and bagged over this winter. This car is nice enough to try and preserve.
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Originally Posted by tasty danish
(Post 11224738)
The stock exhaust header is a boat anchor and flows exhaust through it about as well as a boat anchor would... just saying :egrin:
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Beautiful restoration candidate; you can either restore it to original condition (mainly some replating and cleaning from what can be seen) and preserve it's value, or you can start modding it to your taste with the realization that every dollar you spend on non-stock mods will be reducing the value of the car by several dollars.
Just a sad fact; with very rare exception, nobody wants somebody else's mods. So figure out what you'll enjoy most before you start. |
Originally Posted by DivinDriver
(Post 11225220)
Beautiful restoration candidate; you can either restore it to original condition (mainly some replating and cleaning from what can be seen) and preserve it's value, or you can start modding it to your taste with the realization that every dollar you spend on non-stock mods will be reducing the value of the car by several dollars.
Just a sad fact; with very rare exception, nobody wants somebody else's mods. So figure out what you'll enjoy most before you start. Those mods will likely be about it. All suspension bushings are new urethane, springs are all new, struts/shocks too. Nothing else is on the radar at this point in time. I'm going towards restored/preserved with tasteful and logical mods done. :icon_tup: |
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