Hey fellow rotor addicts!
 

Gidday folks. I'm from Australia and me and my brother are avid RX7 fanatics. I picked up a 1st gen 1984 Series 2 SE for as little as $1000.

The previous owner's girlfriend backed it into a pole, and then got the SUV to remove it from the pole. She hooked the tow wire under the front bumper, and tried to tow it, ripping the front bumper clean off. I'm stoked that I finally got the car that I've wanted for so long, and have been searching the web for a reliable forum, and finally found one!

The engine is an imported Jap 12a, and is automatic. I plan to put in a 5 speed manual gearbox.
Seats, dash, windows, paint, everything is stock except for the engine.

There are many underlying problems: the car belches smoke whenever we start it, the radiator is shot to shits, engine needs a good clean, the interior electrics are all short circuted and frayed (Meaning no power windows or mirrors.) Windscreen is cracked, front bumper is missing, rear is damaged. Rear window wiper does not work. Missing hydraulic arm for rear window hold, and small amounts of rust around the damage from the pole. The coolant light / guage is broken, and we dont know how long it has been sitting on the previous owner's property without being started or maintained. (Guessing 2 years.)

Its a project car, I plan to redo everything entirely. The most important thing at the moment is to achieve a car that can start and go places properly without engine problems (i.e. smoke). Yet I dont know the full extent of the condition of the engine, cos I havent been confident enough to tackle this on my own.

I'll post up pics once I get the camera and the computer in the same room. Look forward to hearing your suggestions and comments cos Canberra sucks. Most of the people that own 1st gen rotaries here are all fucking hopeless.

Welcome and good luck with that car, sounds like an awfull lot of work, though! White smoke when starting usually isn't a good sign, but at least you guys are able to get engines way easier then overhere (Europe I mean)...

Do you mean SE as in GSL-SE?
I thought they didn;t have those over there?
And FYI, 84-85 are Series 3
Series 2 is 1981-1983
and Series 1 is 1978-1980

$1000 is too much

Gidday!
Yeah I meant GSL-SE, and the 1984 was a typo, its a 1983.

$1000 in australian dollars, thats about $500 in USD.

I'm about to go outside and work on some dents in the roof and sides =>
I have a friend in Melbourne who does complete car restorations, and he said he'd do a lot of metal refabrication for a very small price, so thats good news.
I know that the car sounds like a lot of work, but theres nothing like having something to work on and seeing the satisfaction of completing something you love. Has anybody here done any project car RX7's ?

Not bad. Sounds like a bit of work but it'll make an excellent project car. Good luck!

I heard a rumor that the aussies got gyped and didn't get 13b's in their GSL-SE's. Is that true?


Oh, and yeah, you got ripped off at that price if it is that bad. I've seen cars in better condition in the junk yard here.

2 Things.
1) GSL-SE's are 84-85 ONLY, so it can't be an 83-SE
2) I thought Australia didn't have GSL-SE's?

As far as I know: GSL-SE was N. America (USA + Canada) market only. So I doubt he'd have a GSL-SE.
But model type names are very local. The types you guys name (S, GS,...) all were N.America-only. We got a simple RX7 ;) And several options available.
So it isn't easy to compare those types.

We do get GSL-SE's, whether or not they are imported I dont know. As for the 1983 being a GSL-SE or not, I'm not entirely sure, but thats what the previous owner said. Its even listed on the factory printouts. I might be wrong though, because I'm still new to the different models and classifications of an RX7. I think I have a counterfeit GSL-SE :D

Does the engine say EGI on top of it?

Does it have the silver/grey 3 peice stereo (tuner, tape, equallizer)?

ummm the only years the GSL-SE wasavailable was in 84-85. so you msut have either the year or the model wrong.

Yeah, the GSL-SE was for the North American market only. Nobody else got them. As a trade off, we didnt get the 12a turbo, and the rest of the world did, I think.

All I know is that Aussy and Japan did not get a GSL-SE.

My 85 GS does... are you implying only SE's have that?

I think he must jsut be curious, rofl.

GSL-SE: N. America only
12AT: Japan only (Australasia got a few due to the fact that they are near, but it's basicly a JDM model only)

Europe didn't get either, but we had our own home-brewed turbo 12A's (TWR and Elford). Our 84-85 models did get a lot of the other GSL-SE goodies though: dash, brakes, suspension...

The dash in all 84-85's was changed for the N. American market only.

Almost any of them could be had w/the 2.5 DIN stereo as an option...

All "foreign" 84-85 models have the same dash as the N. American 83's.

D.D.P.!

I was trying to determine if he had a North American Series 3 (84-85).
If he has the dash and the 13B, it's a north american GSL-SE.
If he has the dashl, but not the engine, it's a north american GS or GSL

If it has neither, then I have no idea why he thinks it's a GSL-SE

You couldn't be more wrong!!!
ALL LHD models got that dash. ALL RHD (Japan, UK, Australasia) kept the "old style" dash.
If you don't believe me, I'll scan in a pic of my 1984 dash... We didn't get the stereo panel, though.

IF he has a US model, shouldn't he have a steering wheel on the LEFT side. Where as Australian cars should have it on the RIGHT side? It ain't that difficult to spot that difference is it???

Well, don't I feel stupid... I didn't even think of that, lol. I forgot they drive backwards in Auzzie land...