Just wanted to share with my fellow 1st Genr's all the hard work I am putting into my resto-mod. My 85 is getting completely worked over with a somewhat custom restoration.
Here is a quick detail of how it was AND where it's going...
The engine bay was Silver originally but has now been sanded down and repainted Semi-gloss Black to match my 2 tone paint scheme that will be repainted in the future. The original 13B streetport has been removed.
It will be getting a newly built Streetported TII motor and tranny, 4.44 gears, all new suspension components, poly bushings everywhere,completely undercoated chassis, everything has been painted and ALL bolts are being polished to look new, RotaryShack weber blowthru, all hoses replaced etc,etc...
Once the suspension is done and motor installed and running, I will have all bodywork done and the car repainted. After that,I will tackle the interior with new carpet and a color change to a Black and Gray combo. I hope to be fully completed by next January with the whole car BUT am hoping it will be running by end of March. The suspension is completed as of today so I will start to install the motor and tranny by weeks end so I can start the re-wiring and orginizing of the engine bay. I want the engine bay to be clean with as little wiring shown as possible.
Here are some pics I have been taking during the process.
Thanks for reading..
L8R
Joe

 

oh wow...beautiful

 

Some more pice .....

 

What kind of paint did you use on some of those parts? I'm surprised that blue / red didn't chip getting it back into the car!

 

Wow, that is beautiful. Nice job with the painting.

 

Most of it is either Caliper Paint(RED) or Engine Paint(BLUE) as they are designed to hold heat and are somewhat resistant to chemicals. The Silver is Laquer touch up paint from any autoparts chain. I also clearcoated everything.
As for the chips... There are a few here and there BUT it isn't easy as I am being extremely carefull and wear gloves when reinstalling everything. If the chip is large I am touching it up with a little paint brush.
Funny thing is that I know for a fact that when I drive it down the street it WILL get chipped BUT at least I know what was done and how it looked.

 

I'm doing a GSL-SE restoration just like yourself, my entire suspension has been laying on the ground and just NOW going back into the car. My biggest adversary has been paint chips just trying to get it back in lol... you've done an phenominally amazing job man, keep up the great work.

 

^^ THANKS^^
it's been really hard on the hands BUT it feels good when things start going on and you stand back and look.
L8R

 

looking good.

 

joe man its been awhile ,nice to see that you still doing your thing with the baby. take care papo

 

Very nice work. Always makes me proud to see a fellow 1st genner who is taking the time to do things with real pride in workmanship. Keep up the great work!

 

Outstanding work on the painting, keep it up. Looks very professional. I'm guessing you used the spray can undercoating. If it's the Dupicolor truck bed liner, I would suggest getting the gallon cans and the spray gun so you can lay a heavier, more textured coat. It's well worth the extra expense. If it's the standard undercoating, bitumen based, I would spray it heavier. You will get more protection from rock chipping and additional sound deadening. Never can have too much rust/rock protection on the underbody.

A++ on your work.

 

Thanks for the compliments....
Trochoid, it is spray can undercoating from the local autoparts store just like you guessed. I layed on a heavy coat but I was doing it more for the sound deadning than rust protection as I live in S.FL. I coated each area 2 to 3 times depending on what was there from the factory as some areas were pretty heavy coated already and I wanted to make it kind of uniform all over.
L8R

 

The spray can coatings, bitumen or truck bed, lay out smoother and don't have the quick build up or texture like it would from a spray gun. With the number of coats you have, I'd say you're good.

 

your making me drool man. Keep up the good work!

 

Can you say; obession? haha me too, I love it! I'm doing the same things but not to the degree you are and you're using the same blue engine paint and undercoat as me, but your's looks better

 

Nice to read about other obsessed Rx7 owners. I have a black SE with faded black paint and even though it is not running yet. I started wet sanding the car with 1500, hand polished and machine polished. The difference is rediculous the paint looks brand new. It still has its dents, chips, deep scratches that can't be removed without burning through the clear coat.

Great job! on your Rx7 I have not gone that far yet!

Who else is obsessed?

 

Once I'm done most of my painting I'll be posting up some pics myself. I'm doing things with POR-15 and should be more resistance as we need that here in the colder weather Canada. I'm doing things with only a 2-tone color though. Gloss Black and Silver. I started on thread earlier on this year showing some progress and I will keep it up (once the weather keeps up a bit too).

But ya nicely done ... keep us updated on all the bits and pieces.

 

Thanks again to everyone taking the time to read the post of some "OVER" obsessed guy who wants his 22 yr old car to look new.
Anyways, I started with a 2 color scheme as well (silver/red) but the Tokico's in back looked lonely so I decided to match the front struts then it escalated to adding a few more blue pieces as I liked the color once it was sprayed. The black is only on the Eibachs springs and Energy Suspension bushings (Black Dragon Auto only carries it in Black) as it matched the undercoating. Either way the color scheme of the exterior and iterior will be Silver/Black with the Red stripe as an accent color to break it up.
L8R

 

POR15 great stuff

 

man that car is beautiful i would do that if i had the money...mine could use that. Love the breaks are those ceramic ?

 

No the brakes are regular SE rotors that were drilled by Alex Lopez Racing in Miami.
They look dark because they have been exposed to the elements for 2 months while I have been tareing things apart.
As for the money, the only thing that cost is the painting materials as the rest is my "LABOR OF LOVE" that is put into taking the time to do things right.
L8R

 

Good work. Glad to see it.

 

Should be for like $140 a gallon.

 

for the 6 pack (which is recommended for doing small stuff because of less waste and you can pick and choose various colors) the degreaser and zinc phosphate from them It cost about 100$CA which is about 85$US ... and thats more than enough to cover the entire rear axles, drive shaft, springs, various bolts and nuts, all the panels around the radiator, coil pack holder, sway bar, and few other things with still enough left over to do more things.