New to Rotarys! ..80 rx-7
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Joined: May 2004
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From: FL, Orlando
New to Rotarys! ..80 rx-7
hows it goin guys.
just purchased a 1980 rx7 for $300 not in horrible shape but a bit of rust and some engine work.. and TONS of interior work needs to be done, Ill post some pics soon but before that i was wondering if ANYone knows where i could buy stock seats in great condition or of a site where i could buy good stock parts. Also looking for a moonroof if thats even possible.
thnks guys
just purchased a 1980 rx7 for $300 not in horrible shape but a bit of rust and some engine work.. and TONS of interior work needs to be done, Ill post some pics soon but before that i was wondering if ANYone knows where i could buy stock seats in great condition or of a site where i could buy good stock parts. Also looking for a moonroof if thats even possible.
thnks guys
Old [Sch|F]ool
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 12,869
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From: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Congratulations! The '80 is what I feel to be the high point of the (entire) RX-7 history.
Seats... will be hard to come by. It's been a while since I've had a Victoria British catalog, but you can get a free one by going to their website. They stock lots of stock-replacement stuff, so you might luck out.
Sadly, many '79-80 specific parts (like interior) are slipping into the dreaded "No Longer Supplied" from Mazda.
If you have a sunroof already, anything from '80-85 will work. '79 was a one-year-only situation.
Seats... will be hard to come by. It's been a while since I've had a Victoria British catalog, but you can get a free one by going to their website. They stock lots of stock-replacement stuff, so you might luck out.
Sadly, many '79-80 specific parts (like interior) are slipping into the dreaded "No Longer Supplied" from Mazda.
If you have a sunroof already, anything from '80-85 will work. '79 was a one-year-only situation.
Welcome-
have to tip my hat to your choice since I woud humbly submit the 80 is "the" RX7 to own - having a pair of 80s myself obviously leaves a hint of bias
.
As others have wisely said, the junk yard will be your cheapest bet, the challenge being that 79-80s are rare and cars that old, once in the wreckers yard are usually crushed up pretty quickly. Some other sources:
1) ebay. not great for big pieces just because of shipping issues, but an amazing amount of NOS (NewOld Stock) and used bits. The secret is to know what something is worth before you bid. In the 4+ years of daily checking under "RX-7 RX7" in the ebay search I have seen virtually every part offered eventually! Patience and regular check in is manditory to make this really work as a resource.
2) Mazda: as mentioned by others a lot (!) of stuff is fast disappearing from New inventory, and what is still available is usually a horrific price. The good news is that what you buy doesn't come with a shipping-cost hit, whish at least is important for me, living in Alaska. Some stuff it really just makes sense to buy new, specifically real wear-and-tear items that a wreck will not likely supply in useable shape:
-seals and gaskets
-hoses
-engine/transmission/exhaust mounting and isolating components
-weather stripping items
Now, things like rad hoses you will likely ALWAYS be able to get even from a place like NAPA. BUT: things like, for example the interior-heater hoses (the engine compartment has 3) are unique to the 79-80 series and these will not always be around. Likewise the oil-cooler rubber iso-mounts. Again unique to this series. These are just examples of literally dozens of specialty bits that are disappearing as new stock quickly and would be murder to replicate or replace from other sources. What I did - and my wife, among others thinks I have a few screws loose- was I went through the entire parts manual (more on that in a moment) and ordered TWO sets of every rubber component in the car! Mind, I have a pretty decent RX and intend to have it a v-e-r-y long time, so I don't want to be shuffling up to the parts counter in 15 years and get laughed out of the dealership. I had an R100 (first rotary imported into the US in 1970) and watched ALL the parts evaporate for it. And look whose laughing now when you see the odd rare part for sale for one on ebay...
Anyway, that is my parts rant. helps me justify all the boxes of new parts in my shed
3) Victoria British issues a 4x a year RX7 catalogue with a lot of parts, though minimal trim items. Some bits can be pricy so again it pays to have multiple sources to get the best deal. Go to their website and sign up for the free catalogues www.victoriabritish.com
4) Mazdatrix (.com): good folks with a lot of mechanical bits and a nice attitude. Some trim but limited mostly to the same stuff your Mazda dealer has.
5) sites like this forum where a lot of folks have multiple wrecks and are quite happy to sell parts for great prices. My only warning is to try and establish a very clear understanding of what they have and what the condition really is. I am constantly amazed (mostly with ebay purchases) at what some people think "in good/great/excellent condition..." really is!!
Now, you say its a $300 car. Well the bottom line may be that its not worth putting a lot of money into a cheaper car, because by the time you get it sorted out it was cheaper to get a better car to begin with. There is always a thresh hold over which the money your putting in is more than the car is really worth. only you can decide where that is. The GOOD news is if you do find a better RX, a lot of the good stuff you put into your present car can be easily transferred over! (doing that between my 2 right now).
Factory Manuals:
Recommend getting the FACTORY service manual and the Factory wiring manual for your 80 RX. New at $80+ but ebay has them regularly at $25-ish and about $15 for a wiring manual. Hell, I have a spare 80 Service Manual I'd sell if your interested. Anyway, well illustrated and easy to use. great resource.
Parts manual:
Well, Mazda actually did print a few of these (I know cause I have the only one I have ever seen), but they are more common as a Microfische, but you need the Microfische reader to use them. happily, Mazdaformance has, on their website (Mazdaformance.com), downloadable files of ALL the 1st Generation RX7 factory parts manuals! Even the free software to read 'em. This, to me, is the single most valuable asset to getting parts (cause you get part numbers!) and to understanding how the car is put together (or pulled apart. Fabulous resource!!
Rust:
Man this can be a killer depending where you are. Eastern RX7 seem to be literally evaporating whereas Cali cars (bought my latest in San Diego) are almost like new. RX7s are better than many Jap cars but they do rust. And it can be a pricy repair if its gone too far, or your really handy replacing bits of sheet metal. Rear fenders and the fender behind the rear tire are 2 common areas. If the rear-fender is perfed, then expect it to be extensive though not necessarily fatal - yet! I use a product called POR-15 which in my experience is a great rust preventer as well as rust "stopper". Obvioulsy perf-ed rust needs to have the metal replaced, but for many areas where its surface stuff, the POR stops it in its tracks. And the resulting finish seems near bullet-proof. I am doing the whole underside of my RXs with it. POR15.com. I imagine others here have their favorite rust fixes too but this one has done great things for me...
Well. My 2¢ worth! Enjoy your fab little car. you'll never own another car like it! (Which is exactly what I said about my beloved R100! And I was right...
Cheers
Stu Aull
Alaska
have to tip my hat to your choice since I woud humbly submit the 80 is "the" RX7 to own - having a pair of 80s myself obviously leaves a hint of bias
.As others have wisely said, the junk yard will be your cheapest bet, the challenge being that 79-80s are rare and cars that old, once in the wreckers yard are usually crushed up pretty quickly. Some other sources:
1) ebay. not great for big pieces just because of shipping issues, but an amazing amount of NOS (NewOld Stock) and used bits. The secret is to know what something is worth before you bid. In the 4+ years of daily checking under "RX-7 RX7" in the ebay search I have seen virtually every part offered eventually! Patience and regular check in is manditory to make this really work as a resource.
2) Mazda: as mentioned by others a lot (!) of stuff is fast disappearing from New inventory, and what is still available is usually a horrific price. The good news is that what you buy doesn't come with a shipping-cost hit, whish at least is important for me, living in Alaska. Some stuff it really just makes sense to buy new, specifically real wear-and-tear items that a wreck will not likely supply in useable shape:
-seals and gaskets
-hoses
-engine/transmission/exhaust mounting and isolating components
-weather stripping items
Now, things like rad hoses you will likely ALWAYS be able to get even from a place like NAPA. BUT: things like, for example the interior-heater hoses (the engine compartment has 3) are unique to the 79-80 series and these will not always be around. Likewise the oil-cooler rubber iso-mounts. Again unique to this series. These are just examples of literally dozens of specialty bits that are disappearing as new stock quickly and would be murder to replicate or replace from other sources. What I did - and my wife, among others thinks I have a few screws loose- was I went through the entire parts manual (more on that in a moment) and ordered TWO sets of every rubber component in the car! Mind, I have a pretty decent RX and intend to have it a v-e-r-y long time, so I don't want to be shuffling up to the parts counter in 15 years and get laughed out of the dealership. I had an R100 (first rotary imported into the US in 1970) and watched ALL the parts evaporate for it. And look whose laughing now when you see the odd rare part for sale for one on ebay...
Anyway, that is my parts rant. helps me justify all the boxes of new parts in my shed
3) Victoria British issues a 4x a year RX7 catalogue with a lot of parts, though minimal trim items. Some bits can be pricy so again it pays to have multiple sources to get the best deal. Go to their website and sign up for the free catalogues www.victoriabritish.com
4) Mazdatrix (.com): good folks with a lot of mechanical bits and a nice attitude. Some trim but limited mostly to the same stuff your Mazda dealer has.
5) sites like this forum where a lot of folks have multiple wrecks and are quite happy to sell parts for great prices. My only warning is to try and establish a very clear understanding of what they have and what the condition really is. I am constantly amazed (mostly with ebay purchases) at what some people think "in good/great/excellent condition..." really is!!
Now, you say its a $300 car. Well the bottom line may be that its not worth putting a lot of money into a cheaper car, because by the time you get it sorted out it was cheaper to get a better car to begin with. There is always a thresh hold over which the money your putting in is more than the car is really worth. only you can decide where that is. The GOOD news is if you do find a better RX, a lot of the good stuff you put into your present car can be easily transferred over! (doing that between my 2 right now).
Factory Manuals:
Recommend getting the FACTORY service manual and the Factory wiring manual for your 80 RX. New at $80+ but ebay has them regularly at $25-ish and about $15 for a wiring manual. Hell, I have a spare 80 Service Manual I'd sell if your interested. Anyway, well illustrated and easy to use. great resource.
Parts manual:
Well, Mazda actually did print a few of these (I know cause I have the only one I have ever seen), but they are more common as a Microfische, but you need the Microfische reader to use them. happily, Mazdaformance has, on their website (Mazdaformance.com), downloadable files of ALL the 1st Generation RX7 factory parts manuals! Even the free software to read 'em. This, to me, is the single most valuable asset to getting parts (cause you get part numbers!) and to understanding how the car is put together (or pulled apart
. Fabulous resource!!Rust:
Man this can be a killer depending where you are. Eastern RX7 seem to be literally evaporating whereas Cali cars (bought my latest in San Diego) are almost like new. RX7s are better than many Jap cars but they do rust. And it can be a pricy repair if its gone too far, or your really handy replacing bits of sheet metal. Rear fenders and the fender behind the rear tire are 2 common areas. If the rear-fender is perfed, then expect it to be extensive though not necessarily fatal - yet! I use a product called POR-15 which in my experience is a great rust preventer as well as rust "stopper". Obvioulsy perf-ed rust needs to have the metal replaced, but for many areas where its surface stuff, the POR stops it in its tracks. And the resulting finish seems near bullet-proof. I am doing the whole underside of my RXs with it. POR15.com. I imagine others here have their favorite rust fixes too but this one has done great things for me...
Well. My 2¢ worth! Enjoy your fab little car. you'll never own another car like it! (Which is exactly what I said about my beloved R100! And I was right...
Cheers
Stu Aull
Alaska
Airflow is my life
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 6,736
Likes: 2
From: Orlando, Fl
Welcome to the board. While I dont have any 80 interior stuff, I do have some later model interior stuff laying around if you need it. Not in pristine shape, but hey the price is right. And theres alot of upolstery places that can re-do stuff for you here in O-town. What all do you need parts wise?
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Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 376
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From: KY
look in the 4 sale section for 1st gen. There are some 1979-1980 black seats for sale in the "seats for sale" thread. If I remember, $200 will get them shipped to you. I would buy them but I am holding out for Turbo II seats.
My wife bought me 2 RX-7s
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,328
Likes: 3
From: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Just another tidbit, the factory manual for the '80 RX-7 is available online in PDF format. Check out www.wankel.net/~krwright and click on the RX-7 page. He's got the '80 and '85 factory manuals as well as the wiring diagrams for all years of 1st gen RX-7's.
Congrats on the purchase, BTW. I like the older look of the Savannahs compared to the newer '81-'85 look myself and the '80 has some better stock bits than my '79 like better front brake calipers, electronic ignition and the more standard sunroof.
Congrats on the purchase, BTW. I like the older look of the Savannahs compared to the newer '81-'85 look myself and the '80 has some better stock bits than my '79 like better front brake calipers, electronic ignition and the more standard sunroof.
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