My uncle bought my rx-7 in 1980 from the showroom... He drove it and then garaged it for 10 years. I got the car two years ago, had the engine rebuilt, new paint just 3 months ago. With the paint I had all the dents and what not in the body removed. And its in really good condition w/ 40,000 miles. MY PROBLEM, I am poor! I have been having some problems with the engine, afterburner valve, master cylinder, other minor things, that I have replaced. Now... The exauhst manifold is bad. I am tired of constantly putting money in to this car that I couldn't sell for what I am putting in. Please convince me to keep my rx-7!

Thanks!!

 

Zoom zoom zoom!

 

exhaust manifold bad/cracked? Just buy some headers or pull one off of a junker. RacingBeat headers are around 130 or so... A junked thermal reactor thingie shouldn't be more that 20 bucks at a yard...
The (junkyard) parts are pretty cheap. If you had the motor rebuilt, what else could go wrong, really? Besides, these cars are pretty easy to work on...

 

Oh, yeah. On these first gens, if something like an afterburn solenoid, or shutter vavle goes bad, theres always the option of NOT fixing it and simply bypassing or disabling it. For example: Instead of messin with all that carb stuff you could get it rebuilt by paul yaw and remove your emissions stuff, or get a new intake manifold and use a dell'orto.
Sure, the cost of some of these things will be kinda high at first, but it's a one time buy. Those other parts will probably fail again in the future, but if you don't have them at all then it's less to worry about!

 

1st gens generate one of the highest smiles-per-miles scores among cheap li'l road rockets. Yes it at times seems an uphill battle, but replace with good parts (e.g. rb header in place of manifold) and you'll get to the point where you've fixed the broken stuff and have a flawless flyer

 

Well yeah I really enjoy the car. But seriously, I can find a car where, at times it won't be an uphill battle. Right now there isn't anything really appealing about my car and there are many others that I like. Im just kinda stuck I guess.

 

KEEP IT!
Why get rid of something THAT nice? Aside from minor stuff, those are easy fixes.
I look back when I was a poor kid, I sold my comic book collection..found myself selling my record collection later on. These are things that I may never find again..doesnt matter much now as time went on and got older, but it stunk having regret at the time.

I'm not employed right now but theres No way that Id consider getting rid of my SE!

 

Sounds like you've got one more step to take...after that like someone else mentioned, what else can really go wrong? Minor maintenance, y'know tires, and maybe a few minor things here and there, but isn't that what you'd be doing with any 23 year old car?

 

Yeah, with any 23 year old car there would be some time of maintenince. I guess I am just getting lazy(prob have always been) and decided it would be easier to get a new car that could easily be serviced.
Its just Hayes rotary in Bellevue, Wa said it would be 1500$ for the new exhaust manifold I need... Much more then I wanted to spend.

 

Here's one - out of the SA22's (early 1st Gen), the 80 is the best one to have because:

Single distributor operation, and breakerless ignition - no points to change or clean, single Dizzy Cap and Rotor.

Good Mikuni carbureator, easy to rebuild.

Simple thermal reactor with heat exhanger, no restrictive catalytic converter(s)

Lightweight, open and easy to work on engine, plugs, airfilter, etc.

I still have my 80 and it has a blown motor. One of these days, I'll do something with it!

 

Not from the factory they don't. I believe you mean Nikki Carb.

 

i can come over and kick your *** around the block a couple times,

how's that for convincing?

or steal any other means of transportation you have so you have to drive it

lmk what you think

 

You don't want it anymore. Sell it to me.

 

I had a 79, sold it. Regretted that decision. Bought a 84 GSL-SE a couple of years later and traded up to a 90 mustang GT. I love my Mustang but miss the RX7. I will be buying another RX7 in a month or so. Don't sell it. You will regret the decision and eventually buy another one that you don't know as well as you know the one you currently own.

 

True, you know the entire history of this car. SOunds like the uphill part of your problems are behind you. A replacement stock exhaust could probably be had free. Alot of guys who make racers outta their cars have the stock stuff lying around gathering dust. 1500$, thats a total rip dude. Ask around for some stock stuff if your really poor.

 

Hm, thats an idea. Maybe I will have to take you up on it

 

You are right, I do know the whole history of the car. Thats pretty good for such an old car. And im SURE that I would miss my rx if I sold it, but wouldn't for sure not miss the maintenance costs...
What I will probably do is look for a used part that I can use for the replacement and just not go new. I dont really know what else to do.