lowboy

I have an opportunity to purchase an '81 ish RX-7 with sunroof. I have always liked the RX-7's, but would probably never have bought one if this opportunity did not arise. I am looking for serious advise on whether it is worth my time to refurbish a 1st gen RX-7, probably not to original, but some customized similarity, maybe for light racing.
The car interior is well used and maybe abused. Nearly everything interior would need replacing in one form or another. The dash is cracked, the console cut up, carpet trashed, headliner damage, you name it. Windshield is cracked.

The car runs fairly well, odometer reads 191,000. Some body damage, but fixable and solid. No rust and no bondo near as I can tell.

I would be getting it cheap, cheap, cheap. Is it worthwhile to recondition this vintage of RX-7 for personal enjoyment? Can I get parts? How is engine performance?

Thanks.

Directfreak

iTrader: (2)

As Much as I love the idea of restoring a good RX-7. I think of "parting out" old ones, so that others could live longer.

That one sounds like a parts car more than a project car.

RX-7's (of this age) are worth more in parts than as a whole. It would get REALLY expensive to repair/restore that one if the condition is as you say.

Go Ahead and get it, - as a parts car. Then look for a good running one for yourself. Still should be cheap. It feels nice to know you "have a spare" of almost anything.

Keaponlaffen

It's worth doin if it's not just gunna sit in your driveway halfway completed for 5 years...

You can get common parts like throw-out bearings, etc from most parts stores, but thing like interior pieces, body panels, etc need to be ordered from the dealer ($$$). If the interior is all that's wrong in it, expect to pay about $200 - $400 (US) for interior parts. Before you buy, if you do, check under the storage bins (behind the seats) for rust, It's like 8 screws to un-do, but it's definately worth it. If you find any rust bigger than 3" square, expect to have to cut out the old metal, and replace it with new metal from either a donor car, or like I did and fab a piece to fix it. There's a suspension bracket that rusts through all the time on RX-7s.

It would definately be worth restoring though, if you want to spend some quality time and money on it. Do it! Have fun! This is what most RX-7 enthusiasts love most about the car - working on it theirselves!

Jeff

branca

iTrader: (1)

Aquiring an RX-7 just because it's available and cheap is one thing. Getting it so you can fix it up is another. If you want to save lots of time and $$, than spend the money up front to buy one that isn't beat to **** on the inside, outside, or under the hood.

IMO, unless you have ready access to cheap used parts, you'll be money ahead to buy one that somebody has taken care of, or has already dumped the coin into to restore it.

Look around they're out there.

good luck

lowboy

So far the responses have been excellent, though they've run the gamut from "parts" to "do it" to "look around".
I think I am going to get the car. Perhaps I have portrayed it poorly. Perhaps not. Anyhow, at 350 bucks I think it is a bargain if I am serious about building an RX-7. For me getting a "beat" car is more impetus to strip it and refurbish it from the frame up.
The car is complete.
Power mirrors work, headlamps work, I don't know about the A/C, but in Colorado A/C isn't a big issue. I don't know if the suspension is good, exhaust need repair. This would be a project for me. Keep me out of trouble.
I will check the rust points indicated. I will also look for a "better" RX-7.

I have been fascinated with the Wankel since early childhood. My father got a plastic transparent model of the rotary engine when I was very young.
I also had a friend in high school with a RX-2 that was bad ***. Race suspension would corner flat, it seemed.

Where can I get info on engine specs? Displacement, hp, torque, etc?

Thanks.

Keaponlaffen

Here's a decent analogy of the car... it's not entirely accurate, but it should give you a good idea of what the car will do...

http://www.supercars.net/cars/1981@$...X-7%20GSL.html

Jeff