looking at 1985 GSL
 

hi there im looking at a 85' gsl its got 108k on it and it looks very clean
can u folks tell me anything about the car ? or give me a web page with info about it?

wondering if they have lsd and other stuff lick that
all help appreceiated

It had an LSD from the factory. The dealer fix for a chattering diff was to put an open diff in the car, so who knows at this point.

The '84-85 GSL is basically a GSL-SE with the 12A sized brakes/wheels and of course the carbureted 12A. Every option available on the GSL-SE was available on the GSL (options: power steering, leather interior). Everything else is the same.

I do not consider this to be a bad thing. My loaded '85 GSL, *with* air-con and power steering, with full interior, and with 1/4 tank of fuel, is 2400lb as measured by the scrap dealer's truck scale. This is on par with a stripped, manual steering, A/C-deleted GSL-SE.

For that extra weight that you save over the SE, however, you are down 35 horsepower and 33lb/ft of torque at lower RPM's, which accounts for the SE's acceleration and speed improvements over the 12A cars. This is likely the biggest difference between the GSL and the GSL-SE's.

The GSL model offered a lot of the amenities that you would want in a sports car, including power mirrors, sunroof (glass offered as an option), 4 wheel disk brakes (solid rear rotors in the back, vented up front), and the LSD. The models basically ran from the 'S' model, up to the 'GS', and the 'GSL' was near the top of the list for dealer installed and factory options.

As far as a driving car goes, you could do a lot worse than a GSL in a 1st Gen RX-7, and it will be miles ahead of a Honda. The GSL also had the rear stabilizer bar, IIRC, and this will make for good handling if you like to drive.

As stated in the post prior, the GSL was considerably (~200lbs) lighter than the GSL-SE, as the SE's had more weight to build the extra horsepower that EFI and the 13B could offer. This is a trade-off, since any additional weight must be accelerated from a stop, stopped from speed, and thrown around corners when you turn. For this reason, the GSL makes for a good autocross or street tuner car because it already has a weight advantage. Simple modifications such as an exhaust header, cold air intake, etc. will get you a few extra horsepower that can be used to good effect.

On the track or on the street, all things being equal, the lighter car has a distinct advantage.

I will have to disagree that the GSL makes a better autox car than a GLS-SE. Although is a heavier car, the fuel injected engine has better thottle response, no stubbling on hard cornering, more torque, more HP, stronger transmission, bigger brakes, more common wheel bolt pattern, lower rear gear ratio than the GSL for only 200 lb more.

A few pounds come from the factory 14" wheels and depending on the class you can trade them for 13" aluminum with a header/exhaust upgrade make close to 185hp.

12a fuel injection is going to cost you big $$. The CSP autox SCCA champion for the past 2 years is running Rx-3 12a with a FI unit off a '86 second generation Rx-7. A carburetor could not take the hard cornering you get in autox. SO you don't believe me ask the 4 time CSP SCCA champion.

I am not a great driver cause those Miata's beat me each week, but any 12a carburetor ALWAYS scores lower in points than I do.


John

I drive an SE almost daily, and would not move to a GSL if I were to go after an SCCA racecar. My SE is perfect for what I use it for, and that includes A/C, airpump for emissions, and a host of other gadgets and gizmos that add weight, but also add comfort and convenience.

I also drag around about 40 pounds of spare radiator hoses, coolant, engine oil, belts, fix-a-flat, etc. that could be shed for speed, but I need this stuff to make sure that I don't get stranded anywhere - I am over prepared, but I hate getting stuck, and can also offer assistance to other drivers who aren't as lucky as I am to drive an RX-7!