I spotted this sweet '84 GSL-SE rotting away in someones yard and I asked if they were willing to sell it. They will and he wants me to offer him a price. Problem is, my dad is a loyal Chevy fan and he works for a Chevy dealership as a master ASE certified technician. I mentioned to him I was thinking about getting this car and he just raised a brow and became disappointed in me. I like Chevys too and I told him I may eventually consider putting a Chevy 350 in this car (not that I have anything against the alien made rotory engines) but I don't know. Another thing he mentioned is that the insurance would be too high. My mom got a good insurance quote that is even better than what I have now. Any suggestions on how to sweet talk my dad into letting me get this piece of history? He probably just thinks its a gay import car. Thanks. I have plenty of pictures of it, just ask.

 

I couldn't convince my parents to let me get an FD because of reliability issues. What I could convince them to do was let me buy an FB with intentions of doing a 13b Cosmo swap.

My dad is a hands-on kind of person, he works well with them and can build whatever he wants to. I'm sure your dad is the same way, especially when it comes to motors. You should play this angle, I mean, why wouldn't he want to help his son work on a car? It's what I've always wanted to do with my dad and he gets as excited as I do when UPS pulls up with more parts.

Who cares if it's not a Chevy? If you're interested in it, he should be interested in it too. You could also mention how much EASIER it is to work on a rotary considering how many parts they have compared to a Chevy motor; it's a stepping stone to more complicated engines.

I hope you can convince him!

 

I am pretty sure that sharing your alien theory with him will not help.

 

Well, maybe he thinks they are made by aliens too! no, but thank you very much Dysfnctnl85 for your reply. We are both doing a complete retoration on a '71 Chevy truck that he has had since I was born. That's a pretty big project so I am sure he is wanting to complete that too. But it won't take too long to get this car running. I'm sure he isn't that mad about it as I think. I dunno know. Thank you everybody for your replies.

 

Hmmm, just get it, and do your thing. Take him for a ride in it, and show him how it handles, how it can take the constant high rpms. Let him drive it around and see what he thinks.

My dad was easy to convince, he is the original owner of a 79 that he bought in New York.

 

HIT'EM OVER THE HEAD WITH A SOCK FULL OF QUARTERS,HE'LL GET THE PICTURE !!!!!

 

sick dude sick use a bar of soap it doesn't cause death

 

Yeah, that's a good idea, just getting it and showing him how cool it really is. I don't think he understands how nice it really is. But I will always love Chevys. Again Thank you everyone!

 

Alien theory? WTF?

 

check out my other thread I started about the alien theory!

 

My story is much the same as your. Three years ago I found and 84 GSL-SE in the newspaper for $500. I had been looking for RX-7's in the paper for many weeks and this one was a great price. My parents were not against the car at all, but they acted like they would not get it (probably to suprise me). We bought the car and then I started fixing the problems with it. I have now been driving the car for about two years and I love it. It is reliable, except for things that need to be replaced on a twenty year old car.

As far as insurance it concerned it was not that much for me. At first my seven was registered as a pleasure car that was only supposed to be driven so many miles a week. Anyway this amounts to insurance for the car being about $140 a year. For insurance purposes I was "supposed" to be driving our 1977 GMC van (which the insurance was not too high because of it being a van).

To help sell your dad on the idea tell him that your plans are to swap a 350 in the car and stress that the car is at least 800lbs. lighter than a camaro. After you fall in love with the rotary you will not want to do a 350 swap, instead you will want to do a 13b-re or a T-II swap.

Go read about Directfreak's car. It is beautiful and very fast. He did a 13b-RE swap.

Sorry for such a long article, but I am trying to fight for the cause of preserving these cars. Once you work on the car and are able to drive it I doubt you will want to sell it (unless to buy another seven of course).

 

Yes, I can't wait to get it and do a proper restoration. It will be close to the condition it was when it rolled out of the factory. As far as a 350, once I found out about this newly introduced 13B, I was thinking about just leaving it original with the car since it has a history. Who knows, maybe I'll get a GS or some lower model in the future to put a 350 in. I think that would be fun!

 

I mean, to me its kinda like a baby corvette anyway. I feel this is a car worth putting some time and money into which I would like to do. Not like my current '92 chevy cavalier. eeewww. This is the kind of car that will probably increase in value over time, am I right?

 

Well maybe in like 10 to 30 more years...

Yeah give your pop a ride in a 7. It would be even nicer if a forum member near you could offer him a ride in a modded RX. Something with a large port and real free flowing exhaust to really tussle his hair. And make sure he tests out that handling! That's where I think the FB really outshines many other old schoolers

To sell it to my parents, I just told them it'd make me a better driver without getting me in (too much) trouble. 135hp is a lot less than 300 or whatever Chevy 350s make. Cheaper than a new car, easy to work on, lots of parts.
Anyhow, good luck!

BTW, keep the rotary in the car. Or else.

Watch out for aliens too!

 

If all goes well, maybe I'll have this car for another 10-30 years!

 

I am still struggling guys! I am getting the impression from him like: "you can do better"......Help!

 

If your dad works for a chevy dealer then he should know first hand about the problems of detroit worksmenship.

Explain to him that the rotary engine intigues your from an enginering standpoint. Tell him you want to learn. Nothing much out there handle like an rx-7 as well. It'll do circles around a camero or vette.

And let me tell you first hand, insurance on a FB for a 16 year old is NOTHING. Seriously, when I was 16, our 92 dodge caravan cost more to insure.

You can also bring up relaibilty, the rx-7 is going to be 10 times more reliabile than any chevy. As long as theres no turbo on it, it'll run forever... or close too it.

Now heres the hard part, every chevy guy I know hates rotary's. They hate them with a passion. Every one of them tells me the same damn joke too... "You know why Felix Wankle died? He wanked himself to death!" If I had a dime for every time I heard that from a chevy guy, I'd have.... a whole **** load of dimes thats for sure.

I hope your dad isnt going to be a jackass about this because its not a chevy, but too bad for him if he is.

 

That's because they've been spanked by a little 1.3 liter engine.

 

AMEN

 

Maybe I can talk to your Dad. In addition to RX, I personally like chevy's and toyotas. I gave a FB to my son instead of buying him a honda....although "Hondas are for kids".

 

Maybe I can talk to your Dad. In addition to RX, I personally like chevy's and toyotas. I gave a FB to my son instead of buying him a honda....although "Hondas are for kids".

 

In 1979 my dad wanted me to get a Ford. We test drove a 79 RX7. He bought me a Mustang for college. Has seen the light since I now have 2 RX7s that continue to shine long after the Mustang faded.