Good stuff!!

 

Congrauts, sounds like a proud new pappa! Probably don't have to tell ya, but if they painted over the trim without removing it, be careful when you do. You don't want to crack or peel any body paint off. I agree that black trim will provide some contrasting color, giving it more visual intrest and balance the whole look better. A whole lotta red there especially with the interior too. Post up some pic's of the engine and interior when you can. One question, who caved?

 

3650 final price...a little on both sides. I need to make a space for this to come home this weekend and then I will take some pics with something besides my phone lol. Just a couple of touches will make a world of difference...he even took the black out of the plus wheels...lol

 

And thats the way it'd done, an actual real world sale. Congratulations, you just helped set the market! I noticed the mono silver wheels too. I suppose he could have painted the wheel stripes red too.......


You need to add this car in your signature block now too.

 

lol...don't laugh. I have seen it done before! Sig will be updated once the car is home. Should be an exciting weekend.

 

I'm lukewarm on the body colored molding but it looks nice in red and it's clean and it has all the emblems! The body looks pretty damn good, better than mine.

Granted I'm not looking at it live but it looks like all the body parts are lined up. Did the previous owner say how much the paint job was?

What a difference a good picture can make.

How's it drive with an auto? I'd be interested in what kind of mileage you get.

What are the RPMs at 70MPH?

By the sounds of it, receipts for work and such, whoever had her, took good care of her so it sounds like you scored!

 

The car felt solid for the test drive. I have not had it up to 70 mph as yet. Test drive was just local streets. Scored....well IDK...I think I paid good money for a good car...only time will tell what kind of deal I got. The car was indeed looked after very well. Hopefully I can keep up the good job the previous owner did.

 

My father always kept all his receipts and he kept his cars in perfect order. If the previous owner kept all those records, it's a good bet they always changed the oil and kept it up and drove it with care like my father did.

I'd say you scored because you got a car that is already 95% where you would want it. I say 95% because you said you were going to paint the trim and the door handles. Too many people buy a car that supposedly needs a little work and think they got a deal (even though they had the money to buy a better one) and all they need to do is a little work (or are delusional enough to think I'm going to wrench on it for free). I've seen it time and time again and if they ever get to the point where they're satisfied, after adding up all the money and work, they would have saved money paying the higher price for a good car.

I'd don't know what the going rate or range for your car is but if you're satisfied, then who cares? Of course you'll always have friends who know nothing about cars saying you paid too much; these are the same friends that ask if you can help them on their car which translates into will you do the work while they watch.

That's an aftermarket sun roof? It looks stock but in a weird coincidence, I was at the pick and pull yesterday and they had an '85 that had a sunroof that wasn't stock but it looked professionally installed; is it possible that your sunroof was a dealer installed option??? I thought it was odd that even though it wasn't a stock sunroof, someone had bought the glass part but not the mounting hardware unless they made a mistake and if so, I hope they kept their receipt. It also had a perfect panel between the taillights that cost me a grand total of $4. Someone had already snagged the ignitors.

It still had the engine and trans and I'm tempted to go snag it in case I find a decent FB and since the car was wrecked, I assume it ran although how well is anyone's guess. They want $280 for the engine trans combo with a 30 day exchange if it's bad but I'd hate to let it sit and then 6 months later after I've found a decent car find out the engine is toasted.

I'll be interested in what you think in a month or so as well as what you think about driving an auto VS a 5 speed FB. The reason I was looking at a '94 with an auto was I have an 80 mile commute and 40 of those miles is stop and go and shifting gets old after a while and so does rebuilding the clutch slave cylinder on the side of the road (I always carry a spare kit but now I buy a new one and the kit is just insurance). I don't know the reason the '94 drove so badly though since it had practically a new engine and turbos. I don't know if the tranny was bad or it just wasn't maintained correctly since the A/C didn't work either.

When you post the new pics, please include the engine compartment.

Man, I wished I got paid by the word...

 

quote: "I'd say you scored because you got a car that is already 95% where you would want it. I say 95% because you said you were going to paint the trim and the door handles. Too many people buy a car that supposedly needs a little work and think they got a deal (even though they had the money to buy a better one) and all they need to do is a little work (or are delusional enough to think I'm going to wrench on it for free). I've seen it time and time again and if they ever get to the point where they're satisfied, after adding up all the money and work, they would have saved money paying the higher price for a good car."

I can't agree more with you...my 81 is a great example of what you are saying. I bought the car for 400 bucks and I prob have another 1500 into it just because it needed everything! I'm still not done and will def pass the 4 grand mark by the time the car gets bodywork and paint, but for now she is my dirty girl, risk car...if I feel like trying out a new intake or exhaust, or even drivetrain this is the car that I will do it on...right now she is getting all new unders, then its back to living on the street so I can switch out the doors and try my hand at a little rust patching...point is that my 81 will never be as nice as this 85 is I prob will spend twice as much on it...its a different kind of fun though...

 

I do the same thing, the difference is we know investing $10,000 in a car does not make it worth $10k.

My SE is my daily driver but when I need to do work to it, I buy new parts and replace everything.

I needed a brake job so I bought new:
Brake Master cylinder.
4 New calipers
4 New dimpled and slotted rotors.
Complete set of stainless steel lines.
Front bearings and seals and studs to go on new rotors.
Silicone brake fluid.
Ceramic pads.

The only thing I didn't replace was the brake booster, the hard lines and the proportioning valve.
It probably cost what the car is worth but if I'm going to be wrenching, I want the best parts possible.
With the SS lines, the brakes are firm and the difference is like night and day.

I've replaced the rear end twice and the pumpkin once. Unfortunately, the last SE I saw at the P&P someone had already snagged the rear end. I'll keep looking and when I finally snag one, I'll start rebuilding it as well as buying new all 4 locating links and the complete Watts linkage plus the Watts linkage reinforcement Mazdatrix sells.

I've got two new rotor housings for when I need to rebuild the engine but I want to find an SE 13b that I can use at least for a core or maybe more. If I have a core, I can get everything machined and ready to build and I might get lucky in that it has usable housings which I can keep for another project.

The thing the SE really needs is a decent paint job. I've had an RX-7 done at an Earl Scheib place for $99 and the key to it looking good is to do all the prep work you can since they will literally spray over dirt on your car. They say they use a some type of spray on primer that they say is like sandpaper, yeah right. Do the prep work and it will come out decent. Since I've had this car for 20 years, I think I might spend more than I would on a car I want to turn over.

I can easily spend over $10k on a car I never could get that much out of but if I plan on keeping it then to me, it's worth it and it's a conscious decision. I've seen some incredible builds on this site and you can tell they spent a lot of money and labor but I don't think anyone here has illusions of actually getting what they invested back in money, no, you get it back when you drive it!

Since my SE is my daily driver I want it reliable which is why I'm thinking of buying the 12a and trans from the P&P. If nothing else, I can rebuild the tranny and put it into the SE when I finally need to replace the clutch. Even if I use the tranny to rebuild, I'll still have the old one out of my SE to go with the 12a.

If I get the engine & trans combo, I'll start looking for a decent '84 or '85; it's not hard to find a decent RX-7 that only needs an engine (you only paid $400 for your '81) and this car will be like your '81, something to build and experiment on. I had an '84 GSL and it had the best running 12a I've ever driven and I got the engine with all accessories for only $450 at a salvage yard. It ran so well I regret selling it so if I can get another one to run that well, I'd be happy.

I don't know how the laws are in NY but in CA, we have to smog the vehicle not only for a sale but also every other year as well so I can't go hog wild on any car I want to register.

But on an FB, you can use the two precats hollowed out (they tend to do that by themselves) I wouldn't ruin two good pre-cats since ones with crumbled inerds are easy to find. Then you use a '90 or newer 3rd Cat, you have to elongate the holes on the stock pipes since the flange is maybe a 1/2 inch wider but if you set the timing at its exact stock setting, it practically guarantees it will pass.


The biggest problem is the physical inspection so if you have a header, you'll have to put the stock manifold back on for the smog inspection. That's not too much work but if you want to run a ported engine with Webers, you're going to need a spare engine to put in every two years to pass smog.

Finally, the worst part is the Ca air resources board has declared our cars to be, 'Gross Polluters". This means that you have to go to a test only station. If your car passes, this is not a big deal but if your the average Joe and your car doesn't pass at the test only place, you have to then go to a shop to get it fixed and then go back to the test only place and hope it passes. I don't have any idea why they do this or what it accomplishes.

 

Ny is startimg to lighten up a little on being rigid with their smog laws...96 and newer vehicles must pass safety and emissions, anything below will just need a safety. There is supposed to be a visual, but its not been that critical here in bklyn or queens. I believe "historic" plated vehicles don't even get a safety. Our inspections are annual however.

 

Finally got the car home and was able to snap some pics in the daylight.

rear pic and the horrible fart can 3a muffler...oh the drone.

By cfamilyfix at 2012-05-06

Looks like another order to black dragon for some window seals is in order

By cfamilyfix at 2012-05-06

kinda like the shiny front emblem

By cfamilyfix at 2012-05-06

Some shots of the custom interior...not sure how I feel about it yet...but it looks and feels quality. Just needs to be toned down a bit

By cfamilyfix at 2012-05-06


By cfamilyfix at 2012-05-06


By cfamilyfix at 2012-05-06

Engine bay

By cfamilyfix at 2012-05-06


By cfamilyfix at 2012-05-06

don't know if any images really capture it, but this car was originally blue

By cfamilyfix at 2012-05-06

 

There were a couple of dissappointments however, one was this...


By cfamilyfix at 2012-05-06

a bit of bubbling starting by the hatch...drainage was clogged. I want to get right on this before it becomes a problem. I was so busy checking for bin rust and was so impressed to find none, that I completely forgot about the hatch area . I poked at it for a bit and it is still very solid, so I am being hopeful that this is minor.

The previous owner also included a brand new stock style muffler...was hoping for a RB Prima Flow, but this might fit the bill nice to quiet her down a bit.

By cfamilyfix at 2012-05-06

Of course this does not do me much good since this race muffler is welded and the flange from the stock connecting pipe is no more...this will have to be a weld in application for now.

 

On the maintenance side of things, nothing too major...accel pump has a little leak, and the belts could stand to be changed

 

Don't beat yourself up too bad. You'll always find little things after getting it home. You have 3 seals on each door plus the window welting. Might want to check the others too. The interior may grow on you, but I suspect it would look great in a black car. I'd also be curious about the seal on the aftermarket sunroof. I don't have any experience with one of these but without the factory channel and drain holes, might be something to check out before getting caught in a shower.

 

Thanks Banzai...the seals I just bought for my 81 cause I am about to put a better set of doors on it...I will just do another order for this car when I can. As for the sunroof...I drove the car home in pouring rain and not a drop so some good news there. For the interior I am thinking of going with some black oem style floor mats, a black grant gt wheel, and lose the tint that turned purple from the sun. I kinda enjoyed the automatic...its wierd. But the drone of that muffler was really annoying...o god...auto and its too loud...I'm getting old! lol

 

after a spirited drive I smelled a burning smell....and sure enough, this is what I found....coming out of each plate...damn beehive

front housing...


By cfamilyfix at 2012-05-28

rear housing


By cfamilyfix at 2012-05-28

needless to say, I'm not thrilled, but I am hoping to pull the motor this fall and be a testiment to how pampered a auto 12a is...wish me luck. If this goes well, it is a simple refresh, no biggie. But if flaking etc is found...its a whole new problem

 

Just an update on this car....I have been running it from time to time to keep the battery charged. I removed all the emmissions and rats nest only to discover a bad o ring leak. I took off the fart cannon muffler and installed a racing beat prima flow. Looks like I will be trying out Eagle One's stop leak for a while and putting some plates on this to get some use out of it. Oil metering pump is also leaking, but its all rust prevention in my book. Here is a video I took of it today running on a 23 degree day in NYC....

VID 20130203 00000 - YouTube

 

I would like to go FI on this car and have a line on a gsl-se drivetrain, but I am committed to the automatic...can I use the gsl-se engine with an auto tranny???

 

Beautiful Car, Congrats! My only lament is the aftermarket sunroof....I hate those things. Good luck with it.

 

Of course you can use a GSL-SE engine with an auto tranny. Ask yourself how many 86 and later FCs were automatics. What you'll need is an auto rear counterweight for any 76 to 85 rotating assembly. That's a wide range so finding a rear CW is pretty easy and cheap. Don't pay over 100.

The only gripe I'd have is the stock ECU. They were all for manuals so I don't know how it would react to a big fluid filled donut spinning back there. I'm sure it would work but it's an ancient ECU from the mid 80s. Wouldn't it be better to get a modern tuneable ECU like a MegaSquirt? But don't take my word for it - I prefer carbs.

Or heck stay with the 12A. It was pampered its whole life. Only a minor bit of chrome flaking will be found. Atkins apex seals are perfect for rotor housings like that. The current apex seals will be pretty short but probably won't break, again due to the pampared life. You might find the apex slots to be kinda widened (worn) so be prepared to look for a set of 83-85 rotors. Or I guess Goopy oversize seals could work. But you gotta spend great amounts of time with a file they sell. Whichever is less costly in time and money.

Do not get the side plates resurfaced, remember? There shouldn't be much step wear anyway, but whatever you do, don't get them resurfaced if you want this engine to run for a while.

 

I am very interested to see the wear on this engine...I have always heard that the auto 12a's led a pampered life. If that is the case, a refresh of the engine and a carb rebuild would not be out of the question. EFI intrigues me since I know how nice it can be once its all sorted (which can take a while I know..).maybe an fc auto ecu could be the comprimise, I'm not sure. My first instinct was to find a auto fc and do a complete swap, but there is no room for another car right now. The car drives pretty nice once started and warmed up, so I'm not really pressed, but it would be nice to be up and running for the upcoming season.

No re-surfacing...I remember Jeff.

 

Looks like this one is staying 12a for now. I just paid for a fairly low mile 12a rebuild and it should find its way into this car. Stock ports so a holley 465 might be a great match with a header and single pipe to a prima flow. It wont be the fastest 12a auto but it should be enough for a good cruise or two. Also picked up a nice fmoc...just gotta figure a way to mount it with the Long style radiator (84-85). That means the SP motor I just built will be going into the 81 for sure (very excited for this) and if I can finagle a deal...the 84 13b I'm looking at might make its way into the GLC complete with header and re-done exhaust and fuel pump. Wow thats a lot of work for a guy with 2 jobs 2 kids and one on the way and one day off a week, but who doesn't love a challenge? lol

 

You'll like the 13B in the GLC. The header can be modded to fit. I used an FC header in mine!

The 84-85 has oil cooler mount perches in front of the radiator. An FC oil cooler might be adaptable to it. But look for a GSL-SE oil cooler since it was designed to work.

I've gotta come up with a set of oil cooler mounts since mine were separating rubber from steel. j9fd3s says you can't buy the stock ones. I'll probably have to make something. So will you, unless you can find some. Hmm, I haven't checked black dra... victoria british yet.

 

Hmm...the oil cooler I have is the earlier type. If I can't find a way to make it work, I can either sell it and try to find a gsl-se one or go with a short style radiator. I guess its an easy solution, but its always more fun to make the parts work that you already have.