So way back in the day, my dad goes about buying a brand new 1982 RX7 for my mom as a wedding gift (pretty nice)...anyway...it sits up in the cottage garage for fun weekend sports car driving. he always promised me this car when i turn 16...well im older now and just got it but thats another story...

the real cool thing is that this car is absolutely perfect. ive been there when dealerships have offered big money for this car due to its mint condition...it has 33,000 miles on the clock...thats all, runs great, sounds great, mint outside and inside, always garaged or covered...you get the idea.

as much as i would like to sit and look at this car, i was bit by the modding bug awhile ago...on another car, anyway, i knew when i got this car i wanted to turbocharge it, and since im pretty sure from reading this can be done pretty cheaply (obviously undergoing turbo work isnt "cheap", but compared to a 10,000 dollar BMW kit, ya...) so you may be wondering why mess with a mint car...well why not, it needs to make up for all the years it hasnt been treated like the sports car it was...if it wasnt for the first gen, how more original sports car do you want, anyway

bottom line-
i need help undergoing this project and would love some help other than what im reading since i still dont understand it.

thanks guys

-(new member!) nate

 

No way, keep it stock. Turboing it would probably low the value monetarily.

 

i agree with teencraft....keep her stock....believe me its still so much fun to drive (i know mine is and i only have 88,000 original miles on her)...yeah yeah so what if she isnt the fastest thing out there...but she will still leave a smile on your face...im not gonna turbo my 82 gs....im keeping her stock (except for the rims)....its just so much fun the way she is (and more affordable to maintain too...hehe)

 

thats very true...thas the one side of my dilemma...
the other one, im probably never gonna try to sell it or anything, i just want to have a fast car...and i love this one and i cant go out and buy like a second gen...because i never would let this gem go..but ya ive thougth about what ur saying...

 

I would take the stock 12A engine, tranny, and diff, remove them, sort them all out, and crate them up and put them in storage. Then buy another 12A or do a 13B and turbocharge it. Use a standalone ECU, and do it right, but make sure it's reversible. When it comes time to sell the car, take out your motor, tranny, and ECU, and sell them. Put the old 12A motor, tranny, and diff back in, and sell the car. Just say that the motor has 33k original miles on it, chassis has x number of miles on it, and tell the owner you went turbo with another motor, and hung onto this one to sell the car with.

 

I vote for buying a less expensive first gen for a couple hundred and modding the hell out of it.. You will be twice as happy.. You will still have a mint rex and one that runs like a bat out of hell.. imho

 

i bet you have....and i know you know that it is ultimately your decision...if you do make her turbo do two things for me.....take pictures of her and post them on here...and No. 2.....never let her go (like you already said)....as long as you take care of her she will take care of you. These 1st gens are one of kind....i for one will NEVER sell my 7.....they are just a blast to drive. Good luck in whatever you decide........T



The 7 can't lose (in more ways then one)

 

Dude, don't turbo this thing...especially if you don't understand it. You don't need a fast car if you don't understand how everything works...

Do you know how rare it is to find a completely mint conditioned 33k original mile first gen? Pretty damn rare. By the sound of it, this one seems to be in reeeeally good condition, and it would almost be an act of defacing to turbo such a well kept car.

A lot of us are trying to get our first gens UP TO STOCK. Mine has 141k miles on it and idles like a bitch cold. The shocks bottom out frequently because of the age of the damn things, and my bushings are completely discintegrated. Not to mention the window seals don't even make contact with the window, therefore letting rainwater into the interior of the door....to leak all over the driver's side flooring.

She's definitely not stock.

 

Like the others, buy another first gen and keep this one stock. These car a really rare with that little orig miles. Keep it a weekend driver!! If you want a 1st gen to mod, I'll find you one and I'll buy yours off you, seriously!!

If my car had low miles and the body was straight I would've never turbocharged it.

 

sell it and buy less pristine one to mod

 

Here's a thought.

Do a Google of the painting 'Mona Lisa'. Pull it up on your monitor and study it for awhile. Now mentally picture the smile in that painting with a big set of pearly whites showing between those demure lips.

That is what you would be doing to that car. And simply turboing is step 1 of a many step process. You will need to upgrade the fuel sytem, the cooling system and the oiling system to start with. Not to mention the electrical mods to make it work right

Once you accomplish that you will need to upgrade the entire drivetrain. The GS is a single spinner and won't hold the power. Why do you think all of the GSL-SE's were LSD?

If you want to mod it start with the suspension, i.e. shocks and bushings. Make the car do what it was designed for, handling.

If that doesn't satisfy you, find another 1st gen and build it the way you want. When you do that you will have the pride of something you did yourself, with your own hands. And you will have the pride of carrying on the tradition your father started by preserving his car as he has for so many years.

I am now the elder in my family and i cherish the things that have been passed down to me by those before me. I keep those items as they were and have fond memories of those who treasured them before me.

Please don't take this as a lecture. It is simply my point of view. I would encourage you to enjoy the car as it is for awhile. If. after some time, you feel you need to start modding, then take your time, do your research and lay out a plan. It is not an easy task.

 

I also would vote AGAINST the turbo swap for the time being.
I don't see any reason why not to mod the car though, and if you are starting with a good base that's even better.

Simple things like some minor carb work and a free flowing exhaust will do wonders for the cars power. a 2.5" exhaust and headers gains like 25HP on an rx7.

 

Since you have a cherry on your hands keep it that way. Just go out and find another one for a few hundred bucks and mod that one.

 

Keep it stock, and keep it mint. Get another one to play with

 

the more i think about it, the more i realize it is a beautiful car....ok i dont think im gonna touch this thing! when i get a chance i will post some pics of this thing and show how well it has been taken care of! thanks for your replies everyone! i really appreciate it

 

Keep it stock.

Buy a project RX-7 to tamper with - they're cheap.

Just my $.02

 

Keep it stock and buy a cheap car to mod up and turbo!

 

on getting the 7, and keep it original.

But, this post is worthless without pics

 

I had a chance to but a 1st gen a few months ago with 21,000 miles on it. Sweet car! I just don't need a garage queen 12A next to my garage king SE!

Hey, where are those pics?

 

wow, those are some low mile 7's, i wouldn't even feel right driving them, it would feel like i was destroying a beautiful thing. I love having a seven with 288000 miles on her, i feel good when i thrash it And seriously get another seven, that needs some work and turbo it, i have two sevens, one for daily driving and one to mod the hell outta (well thats the plan eventually, lol)

sweet ride man, get some damn pics!

 

ya the pics are on their way prolly this weekend or the next week...ive been so busy sorry about that.

 

I'd want to get a cheap and slightly "ragged" one and have fun modifying it rather than .messing with a pristine gem!

My 1981 GS remains stock for the most part; however, it needs some TLC .

As I watch for first gen RX7's that I'd consider actually buying, I'm always looking at those pristine stock ones. One occassion I'll see them on Ebay. One day soon, I'll snag one of those gems; however, I need a nice shop-garage, first! How's this for a garage-vision:
- a BIG garage with an awesome custom painted and sealed concrete floor with RX7 graphics!
- One pristine stock first gen
- One modded first gen
- One slightly modded 3rd gen; as they need to be!
- A corner for my Marshall Jubille stack with an open wall for my guitars to hang; for easy access =)
- A 'stocked' bar with a killer PC / entertainment / home theater rig next to it!

Heck, I'd just live in the garage with the cars (and dog) and let the wifey have the house =)

 

i would almost be too afraid to drive that car through heavy city traffic. i couldnt risk it getting in any kind of damage from a wreck. i would probably keap it for yourself as a weekend car like your parents did. and be careful with it. do what the others are saying and get another fb and do whatever you want with that one. sounds like you have the money so i would def do that instead.