Buying a 79 rex.
10-15-05, 06:27 PM
#1
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Buying a 79 rex.
Hey, I'm mostly into subaru and rally racing, but if you have any knowledge on rallying, you know that it destroys the car pretty well. Well, that's what I've done to my Legacy (yeah, I know, it's not supposed to be a rally car, but it's tougher than you'd think).
So, I nailed a rock (okay, a boulder), on snow, and now my car needs some repairs. It's still running, happy, fine, just needs a new bumper.
Whie my Legacy still runs, I'm going to embark on a project I've been debating on for months now (almost a year). There's a place local with a 79 RX-7 GS that's been sitting there for over a year. I offered $650 for it, assuming it runs.
Here's how the car stands now.
It's been sitting, luckily with the windows up, doors closed, for a year now, at least. The tires are all shot to hell, 3 of them are flat or at least really badly flatspotted. It's got a 5 speed in it. The engine is in the car, everything is connected for the most part. THe AC compressor is sitting loose, not bolted down and no belt for it in sight.
The paint is decent, just a nasty chip/flake on the rear roof, not too bad. I may have to do some body work on it, nothing major.
The one thing that really bothers me is the mold. There's no more gas in it, it's turned into a sludge. There's mold growing on the rear quarter, from the window to the ground, from the rear wheel to the bumper. The smell is something else. Should I just dump a bunch of premium in there and hope it runs, or will I need to clean it out?
Tires... Where to get a decent set, tried looking on Tirerack.com and only found all season tires. After I wrecked a car in 2001, I've avoided all season tires like the plague (or the poor car's gas tank). It's got the stock 13" wheels... I'd like to keep the car stock, but I did find some 15" wheels on Tirerack that were inexpensive, light weight, AND, they would look somewhat decent on the car at least.
Suspension... This thing has original suspension bits. Would it be a good idea to change shocks/strust, upgrade to KYB GR-2s, or is there something better available?
Rear end... Someone on NASIOC suggested I find a GLS rear end, LSD and disc brakes, and convert. Since I'm going to keep the engine for the most part, stock, 12a, would there be any benefit to a rear LSD? I drive my Dad's Toyota T100 with open rear diff frequently, so it's not exactly something I'm not used to. I will upgrade the rear brakes, though, if I can find parts at a junkyard that are worthy of use. :p
Ideas, suggestions, hints, etc?
Edit: Sorry for the topic typo. ^_^
So, I nailed a rock (okay, a boulder), on snow, and now my car needs some repairs. It's still running, happy, fine, just needs a new bumper.
Whie my Legacy still runs, I'm going to embark on a project I've been debating on for months now (almost a year). There's a place local with a 79 RX-7 GS that's been sitting there for over a year. I offered $650 for it, assuming it runs.
Here's how the car stands now.
It's been sitting, luckily with the windows up, doors closed, for a year now, at least. The tires are all shot to hell, 3 of them are flat or at least really badly flatspotted. It's got a 5 speed in it. The engine is in the car, everything is connected for the most part. THe AC compressor is sitting loose, not bolted down and no belt for it in sight.
The paint is decent, just a nasty chip/flake on the rear roof, not too bad. I may have to do some body work on it, nothing major.
The one thing that really bothers me is the mold. There's no more gas in it, it's turned into a sludge. There's mold growing on the rear quarter, from the window to the ground, from the rear wheel to the bumper. The smell is something else. Should I just dump a bunch of premium in there and hope it runs, or will I need to clean it out?
Tires... Where to get a decent set, tried looking on Tirerack.com and only found all season tires. After I wrecked a car in 2001, I've avoided all season tires like the plague (or the poor car's gas tank). It's got the stock 13" wheels... I'd like to keep the car stock, but I did find some 15" wheels on Tirerack that were inexpensive, light weight, AND, they would look somewhat decent on the car at least.
Suspension... This thing has original suspension bits. Would it be a good idea to change shocks/strust, upgrade to KYB GR-2s, or is there something better available?
Rear end... Someone on NASIOC suggested I find a GLS rear end, LSD and disc brakes, and convert. Since I'm going to keep the engine for the most part, stock, 12a, would there be any benefit to a rear LSD? I drive my Dad's Toyota T100 with open rear diff frequently, so it's not exactly something I'm not used to. I will upgrade the rear brakes, though, if I can find parts at a junkyard that are worthy of use. :p
Ideas, suggestions, hints, etc?
Edit: Sorry for the topic typo. ^_^
10-15-05, 06:47 PM
#2
Definitely drain and clean the tank. Change the fuel filter too.
Yokohoma Avid T4 tires are pretty decent, though the wet traction is crap for an all season tire. Sumito has a 13 inch tire, it's wider than the stock tire, but the side wall rigidity isn't very good. Falken also makes a very good 13 incher with the 512's
KYB shocks aren't very good IMO. Personally, I just got a set of Koni Specials, which are some of the best you can get. 50 a piece front and 100 a piece rear. Do a search on the forum and you can find where to get the best deals on them.
Open differentials are inferior, I would not reccomend using one if you don't have to. If you're going to swap out the rear end, go for a GSL-SE rather than a GSL. More work, but they have bigger brakes, better location, and a better bolt pattern.
Yokohoma Avid T4 tires are pretty decent, though the wet traction is crap for an all season tire. Sumito has a 13 inch tire, it's wider than the stock tire, but the side wall rigidity isn't very good. Falken also makes a very good 13 incher with the 512's
KYB shocks aren't very good IMO. Personally, I just got a set of Koni Specials, which are some of the best you can get. 50 a piece front and 100 a piece rear. Do a search on the forum and you can find where to get the best deals on them.
Open differentials are inferior, I would not reccomend using one if you don't have to. If you're going to swap out the rear end, go for a GSL-SE rather than a GSL. More work, but they have bigger brakes, better location, and a better bolt pattern.
10-15-05, 06:53 PM
#3
Senior Member
Even though it is a first year car, $650 is way too much for one of these in the condition you state. Chances are the carb and fuel pump need attention. You will need to go through everything just to get it running reasonably well, much less to get it to be a nice car. Look at it this way: tires, battery, flushing the fuel system, changing all fluids, and cleaning it up so you can start to determine what needs to be done to it will be several hundred dollars by itself not to mention the time.
Do a search on these boards on what to look for in buying a first gen RX7.
The early ones (79-80. referred to as "SA" models) have a couple unique things to them. I know the '79's (not sure about the 80's) have a thermal reactor exhaust system that is expensive to replace. You can always go to an aftermarket header and exhaust if you don't have emissions, but again, several hundred dollars. Of course, if you can fab your own stuff, price goes down some.
Just my $.02.
Do a search on these boards on what to look for in buying a first gen RX7.
The early ones (79-80. referred to as "SA" models) have a couple unique things to them. I know the '79's (not sure about the 80's) have a thermal reactor exhaust system that is expensive to replace. You can always go to an aftermarket header and exhaust if you don't have emissions, but again, several hundred dollars. Of course, if you can fab your own stuff, price goes down some.
Just my $.02.
10-16-05, 01:33 AM
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It's a lot of work, yeah, but thats kinda why I'm going to buy it. Project car...
From what I've been told, the engine is in better shape. They just didn't finish the install on the AC pump. It's got a 'new' engine. It's just sat for a while. And I don't know what the current suspension on it is like. According to the guy selling it, it just needs new tires to be road worthy. And, since it's older than 1985, there are no emissions requirements on this car. I was going to run a catless exhaust, just a straight pipe and muffler, and resonator if they exist.
I'm not going to need the car to be drivable immediatly, but in the future I will need it. Ideal for a project.
From what I've been told, the engine is in better shape. They just didn't finish the install on the AC pump. It's got a 'new' engine. It's just sat for a while. And I don't know what the current suspension on it is like. According to the guy selling it, it just needs new tires to be road worthy. And, since it's older than 1985, there are no emissions requirements on this car. I was going to run a catless exhaust, just a straight pipe and muffler, and resonator if they exist.
I'm not going to need the car to be drivable immediatly, but in the future I will need it. Ideal for a project.
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