So I'm looking at buying a 84 S model RX7, I haven't personally looked at the car yet but the engine needs a shutter valve, cooling seals, radiator hoses and thermostat.

What are the posibilitys this engine is toast?
Would driving the car with those items not in working condition ruin the engine.

I have talked with the owner and he said the car doesn't have any coolant in it right now and he has been starting it ever once in a while so the battery doesn't die. The problems with the engine kinda scare me because of the horror storys I have heard of overheated engines.

Any thoughts about this I would like to hear.

 

If the coolant seals are gone, it needs a rebuild. If he is starting the engine to charge the battery, with no coolant, either he is an idiot, or there is a mis-communication somewhere.

Driving the car with a non-op cooling system will kill the engine as quickly as running it with no oil. If the cooling system is gone and there is no coolant in the engine, I doubt he has started it more than twice and brought it up to operating temperature.

 

if it needs all that i would say that the engine needs a rebuild asap. if he is starting it with no coolant it is alright as long as it is only for a short time...probably about 1-2 minutes is all i would let it run for in that state and i would actually advise against it just because of the potential for causing serious damage to the engine.