Richard Miller

So, last year I picked up a SE rear end minus the brake calipers. No problem. I'll just buy new ones. Oh my sweet innocence. So now im digging in deeper since the auto parts stores, even though the web said available the reality it was not. I do not need them right now, hence the casualness of locating them.

My options as I see them. Stay with the 1980 brake system.

Use the SE struts and spindles and convert to 12a calipers and rotors and keep the rear drums and stay 4x110.

create hybrid LSD/drum brake using the SE axles redrilling for 4x110 use.

"big brake" kits using FC parts seem unavailable now

the other option is I make a big push to locate the actual parts I need used.

Please note that this is not a "wanted" post... this is a think tank post. I will be posting into the wanted section.

lduley

iTrader: (1)

they come up on rockauto as available, rears are $121.54, ouch

KansasCityREPU

iTrader: (9)

Try finding rear drums for the 1979/1980. I can't find any.

I think the right move is to install the GSL-SE rear and maybe have to make brackets for a second gen or another caliper.

t_g_farrell

iTrader: (1)

Did you try rockauto? They say they have em.

1985 MAZDA RX-7 1.3L R2 Caliper | RockAuto

They also have 80 drums from Raybestos (ok brand)

http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/mazda,1980,rx-7,1.1l+r2,1192238,brake+&+wheel+hub,drum,1744

I know these things come and go on rockauto. I remember I couldn't find SA RF calipers for a while and then they showed up by including a converter to/from the SA thread pitch so that FB reman calipers would work.

Richard Miller

Rock auto lists, but when you place in cart i get this :

RAYBESTOS Part # FRC3635 is not currently available and has been removed from your shopping cart

Good times.

KansasCityREPU

iTrader: (9)

Cool - I looked up the 1979 last week and RA didn't have any. I putting an order into Summit Racing for 1979 front disc and rear drums. The front shipped but the rear hasn't.

lduley

iTrader: (1)

Well thats bs, it should show it even before you can add it to the cart

I was thinking the same as kansas, how much rigging would there be to put FC calipers on?

t_g_farrell

iTrader: (1)

Looks like it updated and the rears are not on RA anymore. Probably a container is on a ship in the ocean with the next batch of them.

Richard Miller

update... I seem to have the weirdest dumb luck. Or at least the guy I'm buying them from does. I made a ridiculous offer that was accepted. The guy had been trying to get rid of the entire axle for some time now and no buyer had delivered. So he just claimed that he was going to scrap it. I made an offer for the brackets and calipers, to which he accepted. Time will tell how things turn out, but I'm modestly optimistic.

t_g_farrell

iTrader: (1)

Good to hear you found some parts.

Something similar happened to me. I just needed the SA drum adjusters off of a buddies parts SA he had laying about. He said I could have them only if I took the whole rearend. Worked out good for me, the rearend only has 30K on it and I not only grabbed the adjusters off it but also the hardlines as mine were in crap shape. I plan to take that rear end and replace my current one someday as well.

SteveNC

FYI, those Rock Auto drums from Raybestos are pretty decent. I just picked up new ones for my '83 from Rockauto a few weeks ago. I've bought the Centric parts from them too, but preference to the bigger brands.

An alternate option if you have old drums is to bring them to O'Reilly Auto Parts. They are one of the few places which will still turn rotors and drums. You can usually only do that once though before they need to be replaced.

Richard Miller