willjoe

I've come across an opportunity to pick up an RX-7 as a project car, so I thought I'd come and ask for opinions here where the expertise is. Its extremely cheap (around $300), but it's not currently running.

The car:
1985 RX-7 GS
Manual transmission
Needs carb work to run, according to owner.
Needs interior work, but not neccessarily immediately.
Missing passenger window glass.
Engine rebuilt ~68,000 miles ago.
Clutch needs a look, pedal goes to the floor and stays there. Maybe just needs bleeding?

I don't have a lot of experience with any of this, it would all be a learning experience. From what I am told about the carburetor, the car was running in the last year, but fouled the spark plugs, they were replaced, and fouled again. Supposedly with the carb put back on, the engine will turn, but not run.

I am figuring that the best case scenario is that I get an extremely cheap project, learn to rebuild the carb, and then spend the next year or two doing fix up tasks one at a time. Worst case scenario, it turns out to need an engine rebuild, and I have to save up over a longer time for that one task, and learn a whole lot more than I bargained for.

What do you guys think? (I have a few pics i can resize and post if y'all think they're relevant)

clbsinvaders

Do it. I love mine.

Rotary-MG

iTrader: (1)

I'm in a similar predicament wondering what to do with my 85GS that i sold to a friend years ago, and he recently gave it back to me. My RX7 is straight and resonably clean, but i just descovered a 'green' foamy substance in the oil fill tube which I suspect to be antifreeze. The car starts but stumbles throughout the rpm band. the plugs are clean.

I used to baby her, but he left her sitting for the past few years under a pile of boxes. So I imagine that the coolant had time to eat away at the aluminum housings.

I can't afford an engine rebuild right now. I'm wondering if this is a problem that signals the end for this engine, or can I live with it for a few months?

TomH

What about rust and body work? In my opinion, that's the most important thing to look at before starting a project. Depending on your mechanical ability and the true state of the 'rebuilt' engine, you can probably get it running. If the car has no rust or dents and the paint is really good, it might be worth it. Otherwise, you could probably spend thousands to make a decent car. Check the 'for sale' section here to get an idea about prices and availabliity. So many times people see and old car in their area and think it's cool, so they just have to buy it. I know because I've done it quite a few times myself. But what you are doing is limiting yourself to a market of one car. With the internet you can probably find a bunch of RX7's or other cars that your interested in within a reasonable distance.

defakto

If it was fouling the spark plugs, chances are it was running rich which may be what is leading to the problems it's having not starting.

I've had a few friends run into ones like this that were just flooded but the owner didn't know how to un-flood it correctly.

It won't need a new carb, but it will probably be in need of a rebuild for sure. about $20-30 for a gp sorenson kit to do it.

willjoe

Alrighty then. I went ahead and agreed to buy it. This is going to be a fun project.

Pictures here on flickr

Now I'm ordering the carb rebuild kit (The GP Sorenson as suggested)

Anyone know where to find a passenger window (outside of a junkyard search)

firstgen689

i love mine and they said the same thing about mine but i got newer coils and denso plugs and it runs like a camp with the shitty car it has. the carb has some build up. go for it. and about the window i have a gls se 85 and they windows are supose to be the same and im parting it out and ill make a deal on the windows. the got some wierd roses sketched into the window but there are no cracks.

and anyone else interested its and 85 gls se with 13b fuel inj. im taking the rear end and the wheels and so on but the motor is being parted out and the chassie will be sold

firstgen689

and i got an origonal spoiler

willjoe

sent you a pm

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

Welcome to the forum. If you haven't found them already, the FSMs and carb manual are online, link is in my sig line.
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Kentetsu

Wow man, can't see any rust from here. Can't hardly screw up a deal like that. Nice grab, and welcome to the forum. You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave...

willjoe

Well, there is a little bit of rust on the rear, just above the bumper, but not a lot.

Man I'm excited. It's like waiting for Christmas, only its hot outside...

willjoe

Also, thanks for the link trochoid!