I was wondering what I should do with my 83 mazda rx7 gsl it has been nothing but a pain in the *** since I bought it and I don't know if I should cut my loses or finish it. It has two rust holes under the rear window, the tail lights are cracked, there are rust holes under the car where the bins are, bins broken, headliner broken, head lights have to be put down manually, all the parts under the car are rusted and flaking. I have put about 4k into this should I just part it out and get mebe 1k or fix it I feel like now setting the car on fire and burning it when I fix something another thing breaks on it what should I do?

 

Its time to say **** it and get another shell

 

+1 What Mel said!!

 

Yeah but then I would have to transfer all my parts over to that car I know **** about that. Mebe I should just part it out.

 

If you dont know how to remove and replace all the parts to another shell, find a friend that can help or jus part it out and by another 7.

 

how much could I get parting it out?

 

Nothing a little metal work, and bondo won't fix. Your car is just starting to get good, all the weak things are falling off so only the strong things are left.

Fix the headliner later, throw the bins in the dumpster. Fixing the rusted metal under the bins can be tricky. Pictures would help. Cracked tail lights? I replaced mine for $25.

Headlights won't go up by themselves? What's wrong with a couple of toggle switches?

Every month or two, people come up to me and talk about the rx-7 that they had, and how they wish they didn't get rid of it.

 

Well I paid a guy $300 and he is going to fix a lot of it I paid him because I thought it was a electrical issue on my car but it wasn't so he is fixing different stuff I can get him to fix the shocks, breaks, and rotors, also the headlights, gas cap that won't open, the window that won't go down. So it will be mostly down mebe I will just use it as a Junker till it breaks.

 

Owning an RX-7 requires the desire and ability to tear in to things. It's not the kind of car that you expect to get in and turn the key and go without sometimes having to fix things. They can be a leaning experience. Think of this car as your RX-7 education. After you get done fixing this one, you'll be ready for the next challenge.

I'm with Siraniko on this one. If the rust is so bad it's going to cost more to fix it then get a better shell and transfer parts. Get this one running first. A decent shell should cost under $1000 based on condition/year.

 

It doesn't have to much rust just the two small ones on the rear and I think two under the car one is about 2 inches long by 1 inch wide.

 

There is this shell on craigslist by me could this work?

1983 Mazda Rx7 GSL - NEED TO SELL

 

You are in rust country. That shell is probably better than yours but there's rust starting on it. On
the other hand the price is right for some of the extra parts on it.

If you expect a 30 year old car to be DD, forget it and get a honda. Yours sound like a rust
bucket, so yeah you should get a different shell and swap it all over. Sounds like you may not
be up to the task. If you want to learn a lot and get very dirty and wrench on the car, then get
the other shell and go at it. If thats not something you like to do then you should look for
another 7 in better shape and expect to pay 3 or 4K for it.

 

I wouldn't say a rust bucket there are a lot worse cars in my city that have 5 times more rust yeah I don't know if I am up to do a engine swap mebe I can just fix up this car and just drive it in summer and store it in winter

 

burn & film it

 

Forget what I said about "a little metal work". The whole under body looks rusty, even the rust has rust!!

 

I would take pics and post them but I don't know how to.

 

 

I did just find more rust on the bottom of the doors and under the body kit but it is Minnesota there are cars with 5 times worse rust and people still drive them. There is one good thing on the car the is a aggressor Manifold from Rotary Reliability & Racing is that anything good on the engine?

 

Post pics of the rust and any after market parts.

 

I will try to take some pics in the morning and figure out how to post them.

 

you need to upload them to photobucket (make an account) and then paste the URL in a message using the instert image button. rust is rust. all old cars in our general latitude will have it, but its all fixable! with time and patience there is nothing you cant accomplish! i hope the suspension parts work out for you!

 

here are the pics of the engine and rust

 

Nice business socks.

Get another shell and swap the engine over. Seriously. These aren't vintage Dusenburgs; they made thousands of RX-7s. I wouldn't touch that rust with a 10-foot pole.

A side benefit of doing an engine swap is that you can use the recipient car's non-toasted wiring harness.



Edit: You're going to need a donor shell anyway to repair the rust, since to get rid of it you'd need to cut it out and weld in intact sheetmetal. Much, MUCH easier to swap an engine than to do rust repair.

 

Would it even be worth it and I don't know nothing bout engine swaps I know these engine are not as complex as newer cars but still

 

As engine swaps go, rotaries are probably the easiest of all engines. They're light, compact and there isn't too much attached to them. I had absolutely no mechanical experience and I swapped an engine from a rusty '85 GSL to a rust-free, cosmetically-mint '85 S. First car project ever. Loved it.

If you find someone to help who's done a swap before and get all your ducks in a row beforehand, you could do it over a long weekend, no sweat.

Anyway, rust repair is even harder. Looks like your options are:

1. Repair the rust and fix the car as-is. Hard, expensive and time-consuming.
2. Swap the engine to a nicer shell. Challenging but doable.
3. Junk the car and buy a Civic or equivalent.

If #1 or #2 aren't your cup of tea, junk it and get another car.