I have an FD, and I just sold my civic daily driver. I was thinking of buying a 1st gen to replace my civic, cause I really like them and I guess they're pretty inexpensive.

Would you recommend getting one? I would use it for commuting, but I would like to do some auto-x or track racing also. I want something that would be simple and wouldnt give me alot of problems (my FD does enough of that).

Also, what are the different models? The GSL and GSL-SE and all that? Which one should I get? I dont really care about cosmetics and clean interior, just a straight frame. How much would I expect to pay for one, and where is a good place to look?


thanks!

 

As the 'ol Cowboy looks into his cup of coffee grounds he can fortell your future.....Here's what I see

You'll find a beauty '84/'85 RX-7 GSL-SE...It will cost no more than $2500. You will become totally intrigued with the car....It's fun to drive, easy and cheap to work on (especially compared to the FD), unique enough to draw attention. You'll add aftermarket wheels, strap on a header and a modified intake. You'll start searching the net for an air-dam front end. You will supply your new love with competition shocks, or coil-overs, polyurethane bushings, brakes, shifter. You'll talk to that 'ol Cowboy Denny 'bout how to get and install a wicked looking wing, and there's more, much more....

You will change your life. Your new friends will be 1st gen Cowboys.....Your FD will sit and gather dust, as you pick up yet another 1st gen....A deal to good to pass up....People will ask you if you still have the FD....You'll respond, saying, "Yeah, but let me tell what I've done to both my 1st gen!"

Finally, you'll sell the FD, and become totally devoted to the Cowboy Union of 1st gen Sevens. This I see will come to pass.

We're waiting for you with a hearty handshake and a can of MMO!

A tip of the Stetson,
Denny, from the 'ol corncrib....

 

First Gen are easier and cheaper to work on.
One thing to keep in mind is with any older car its not going to be 100% reliable. The gslse is the model everybody wants its got all the options as well as lsd rear end. You could get one as low as $500 up to maybe $3,000. I would favor the 1st gen over the civic any day.

 

Ditto: Nothing.. 20 or so years old is going to be 100%.
That said my daily driver gave me very little trouble for years.

As your bang for the buck a first gen is hard to beat ( you can by whole parts cars for less than a FD intercooler upgrade.). It also has a lot more character than a Civic.

Also keep in mind that it is as practical as your 3rd gen, as it has one other seat.

Just my $.02

 

hells yeah you should get one, too bad you live in CA otherwise I'd help you with building it to your specs. I've got 3 1st Gen's, one street car, one race car, and one parts car. All of them pretty much rust free (a rarity up here in Michigan/Ohio). Anyhow, I'd get one, cause they're ALL OVER the place, parts are dirt cheap, you can pick up a whole (good) parts car for less than $500 if you look around, I got my '79 for $200 on eBay from Kentucky, and it is really in great shape for a $200 car. Only thing is, in the off chance you ever see snow, although (you're going to laugh) I've never driven any of my 3 RX-7's yet (hey, I just got them within the last 2 months and none of 'em ran when I got 'em.. the race car will run soon..).. I do hear from the racers that they're extremely tail happy.. so if you don't like steering with the throttle, then don't get one.

 

thanks for all the info. I feel alot more confident in buying one now. I looked in a local classifieds and found 3 gsl-se's for under $1000 each. I'll probaly start looking soon. what should I look out for when buying one? any common problems? There is probaly a site which tells me all of this information, like a 1st gen buyer's guide??

As far as it being tail happy, I'm not very experienced in driving a car like that. Im really used to my (old) FWD civic and my FD, which both handle pretty neutral. I guess I will have to take it out to the track to learn how to drive it.

 

If you get a GSL-SE or a later model GSL they have LSD wich makes them very easy to control even when the *** does step out. Yes the the rear does like to wander in high speed corners but I have never had a problem controling it. It's very predictable once you get a feel for the car.
My buddies 83 GS, on the other hand, loves to swap ends if he lets it get away from him.
Just get a car with LSD and you will be fine.

Good luck,
Mike

 

You can't go wrong with a 1st gen.
Fun to drive, easy to get in and out of compared to the other two gens, and very sporty. Get one with a sunroof so you can take it on nice days, and it'll be just about the most enjoyable around town car you can ever have.

Look out for rust on the door bottoms and inside the rear wheel wells because thats one of the only problems I've had with mine.