Hi all, I am trying to remove the right rear tail light on my '82 GSL so I can replace the antenna.

I pulled out the Haynes manual and my tail light doesn't match what Haynes shows: Haynes shows the lens being held on by external screws, but the tail light lens on my'82 GSL doesn't have any such screws.

Normally, I would just pull back the carpet and dive in to figure it out, but it's so hot here in Texas right now that I just want to get in and out and otherwise spend as little time as possible twisted like a pretzel over the rear trunk sill.

Anyone want to give me a quick 101 on how to remove this type of G1 RX-7 taillight (i.e., the type with no external screws to remove the lens).

Thanks.

 

Found this pic of one for sale on eBay.

Looks like 8 stud-nut combos hold it on?

Is this right?

10mm? smaller?

 

Yes,10mm nuts. Unplug taillight connector 1st.
Be gentle removing taillight from body.the foam seal is NLA so watch for it to be stuck to body or taillight housing or both. It can be gently coaxed off one or the other,just don’t tear it.
You will need to remove jack 1st so backplate can slide off studs to allow light housing to slide out.

 

OK, so there's a foam ring in there in addition to the seals around the housing (those are still quite pliable, no cracking). Good to know.

Would a little WD40 help to ease that foam ring out?

And thanks for the advice on the jack . . .

Will let you know how it goes.

 

The foam seal is flat and goes around the perimeter of taillight housing and has 6 holes thru it to keep it in place on the studs of taillight housing. It is sandwiched between outside of car and inner surface of light housing. Should come off with housing,may stick to car body,housing or both.
You can see/feel it as light housing comes out. If it seems like something is holding it,put your hand behind and feel for it and release it from body or light housing,whichever it's least attached to.
Would refrain from spraying anything on taillight seal,not necessary and unsure what it would do to 35 year old foam.

 

Thanks, I'll refrain from using the WD40

 

please recycle the haynes manual, its just not very good, factory manuals are here Things that make ya go Vroom! and here http://foxed.ca/index.php?page=rx7manual when it comes back

 

Sounds like the Haynes wasn't rewritten for the FBs when they came out. The SAs have external screws and if Haynes has picture it should look like an SA light.

Haynes manuals are better that Chiltons but not as good as Clymers (which are NLA I think). Theres a pecking order to these third part manuals, LOL.

 

The Fox manual is not working or not there any longer, at least from all my apple gizmos.

It is/was the best place though

 

the haynes is an SA manual with an FB addendum to the back, its really clumsy, and when you have the Mazda manual...

 

Downloaded (all of) it.

Thanks.

I'm rock'in now.

 

Foxed.ca appears to be down from the east coast for some reason.

 

foxed.ca is unreachable from the country of Texas as well . . .

 

If you ever need any of the FB, FC, some of the FD manauls and other literature that Foxed had. I have been saving local copies of everything over the years. Fits on a 700 mb CD, could send one out if you wanted to pay for shipping or something electronic.

Has a bunch of other random stuff in there too... pictures of the Rv7 Evolution Group B rally car that was put up for sale last year for instance.

 

Wayback machine FTW! You can click on the manuals and some of them will load from google docs directly. Others have issues. I tried t he latest archive. Maybe going back further you can get to others.

https://web.archive.org/web/20181225...anual#firstgen

 

Thanks guys!