Ok, so I'm new to owning a 7 but I've always loved them. I bought mine about a month or so ago for $150. It didn't run but a friend thought it was a timing issue. Turns out someone had the pulley on 180 degrees the other way. It runs now. The odometer reads 198K but I don't believe it's the original engine. It's ported. I get the awesome brap brap sound. It also came with a Dellorto 48 DHLA and one piece manifold. My problem is that I live in CA and this car is by no stretch of the imagtination street legal. Any tips on how to tune this thing in the comfort of my garage without getting to drive it would be greatly appreciated. The other problem is that I live in a community with an association that complains about the fumes and I honestly don't blame them. Pictures will follow soon.

 

How is it not street legal, have you had it tested?

 

Congratulations on starting a long-term relationship with a nice car

What sort of exhaust is on it? Are the cat's intact?

I think you first need to get yourself a factory service manual, or a haynes manual and start checking out whats stock and whats not. It's handy to have a manual, but if you look around in the FAQ's you can find links to online manuals (exact copies) of the things you buy...

All the best with your new project

 

Ok, I have the Haynes and I just got a power tuning book for webers and dellortos. I have a Dellorto 48 DHLA, RB header and exhaust, but it's pretty rusty, the rats nest is nonexistant. There is no interior cuz my friends and I pulled it out. It's going to be black when it's done. It has those black mesh wheels with a polished lip that I see all over the place. They need to be painted though. No cats, no rats nest= never pass emissions in california so why bother to get it tested. I have no fluid in the rear end and there's oil leaking all the way around the pan. Nice thing is there's no rust.

 

Sounds a like a good find with the engine, exhaust, wheels, etc. I would think that if it wasnt running when you bought it because the pully was on wrong, it may have never been ran on that rebuild possibly. It wouldnt hurt to take it easy on it for a few hundred just in case. Work some of the bugs out and get it fixed up and Im sure its gonna be a pretty badass little car. Good luck with it.

~T.J.