Second Gen Usable Parts
 

Getting the wording right makes this a tough search (FC is too short), so if this has been covered, giving me links would be appreciated.

I have an 82 RX-7, and a friend is selling an 87. The 87 is beat up, the 82 is in much better shape, but I'm about to start building up the 82. What parts are usable from the 87 on the 82? Both are base models, so as far as I know, no LSD in either. The engine is functional, and can probably be rebuilt into something pretty fun, so I know that's a good swap. (both engines run, btw, transmissions both work)

The 87 has rear disc brakes, though, so I'd like to swap all the hubs (front and rear) for both brakes and different bolt pattern. Is this possible?

If the engine gets swapped, can power steering come with it?

Any suspension pieces that make a good swap, or should I just plan for aftermarket?

If anyone can offer any insight, I'd appreciate it. I'm pretty new to RX-7s, but I'm loving them, the more I read, and I'm anxious to start building in the Spring.

Thanks

almost everything is usable.. just depends on how much work you want to do.

No amount of work is too much. I have a daily driver, so the car can be decommissioned for a while.

in that case you might consider swapping the IRS and rack & pinion steering into your FB

Please keep us informed of what you do.

You can swap the steering wheels, oil cooler,seats,headlight bucket,,switch from round,,to square headlights, all this stuff is easy to do,,,nuts/bolts
anything else is more involved.

Really? You know this personally? Hmmmmm...

By the way, all you can really use is the engine and some little interior items and such.. You can't use the suspension, or brakes, or steering system, so please don't assume it's a bolt-on, because it isn't.

One person is saying you can swap steering, one is saying you can't... Has anybody either done this or been unable to do this?

Directfreak, you said you can't use the brakes... Do you mean you can't just bolt on the calipers (obviously), or that you can't swap the entire wheel hub? Same goes for suspension. Which suspension components can't be used? Of the many parts making up the suspension geometry, most are probably better designed in the second gen. Are you sure NONE are usable?

Narcisse91, I take it you haven't seen Directfreaks project yet? lol:) sweet btw.

The headlight assemblies are the same?

Link?

Suspension is NOT a bolt in , the headlights are very different too :D Good luck

woah - I wasn't saying you could swap the steering as a bolt-in... it takes a LOT of fabrication, but you'd said "No amount of work is too much. I have a daily driver, so the car can be decommissioned for a while" so I figured steering & suspension was worth mentioning.

Yeah DF,, the headlights can be switched, i've done alot
with the lights, i have the square's already, i just need to go to the boneyard and rape an FC for the mounting brackets. still use the rest of the FB hardware. it's mostly the plastic that goes around the bulbs ( for looks)
And not the STEERING,,just the STEERING WHEEL. I installed a FC wheel and felix wankel did too.

if you like the way square headlights look then go for it, but personally I think round compliment the look of a stock FB much better.

I'm curious to see how this looks. Braces himself...:eek:

I agree. I was next to an FC today, and they do seem wider (although I didn't measure them.) I like both styles of lights, and am curious to see a good, clear picture of this headlight swap.

I know the FC headlights go up and down on a swivel, so the headlight beams are always parallel to the ground for the Flash to Pass beams, but you state that you use the FB ones.

Do you you have to fabricate anything? Please keep us posted.

When I bought my FB...they had square headlights...of course I was...er..still am a n00b to the Rx7 scene...I never knew they were originally round...I guess I could take a picture of my head lights.

Ok, my misunderstanding about the steering, Manntis.

So I'm gathering there really isn't much that's swappable (without a lot of fabrication). The situation is that a parts car is available to me now, but if there is a lot of fabrication to get a few parts swapped, its probably not worth the money at this point, since there is a lot of work to be done in the spring before I get to the point where I'm building a new steering system.

Does anybody know what parts of the driveline, if any, can be swapped so I can use the brakes off the FC?

There is a kit in Australia that lets you use Turbo II calipers and pistons, - but as I have heard, it is still not a "bolt-on".

Trust me, unless you are running high horsepower (300+) and running laps around a racetrack and repeatedly stopping from high speeds, - you're not going to need more than your stock brakes.

A world of difference can be made to your stock system by:

People who race their 1st gens all the time use this combination and it works great. Do a search and see for yourself.