Ok my 85 RX-7 that I bought (From eBay) was supposed to be just the standard model,
but I had my doubts when I picked it up, as I noticed that it had rear disks, the clarion
radio/cassette with the joystick on the console, electric mirrors and electric windows.

Yesterday I was replacing the plugs, plug wires, distrubutor cap, air cleaner and
radiator cap, when I noticed a filler tube sticking out from under the air conditioner
compressor. looked around and found an unused 3rd pully grove on the main pulley
and an Idler pulley somewhere on the block (dont remember exactly where but
seemed to be inline with where the belt would go if it were connected to what's
under the compressor). funny thing is the pully is missing from the thing under
under the compressor and my brother felt around under there and said it feels as
if the shaft has been broken off. I think this is/was a power steering pump.

Now with all of these options I'm thinking I might have a GSL, but there are no GSL
badges. Where the GSL badge would be was a dealer badge, I peeled it off and I think
I can see a faint outline of another sticker that use to be in that same place, that
would be agout the right size for the GSL badge

Is there any way to tell if the 85 was a GSL if it does not have the badges?

If it is a regular 85 (S/GS?) someone shure spent alot on options they could
have gotten cheaper as a package

What do you guys think? do I have a GSL or is it just wishful thinking?

Thanks

Chuck E

 

If it has rear disks its a GSL

 

unless the windows have been swapped the gsl had power windows.

 

discs in the rear is the giveaway here.

 

Power steering on a GSL? Was that even an option?

Does the engine have a blue carb air cleaner or an FI air box? Maybe it's a GSL-SE?

 

Most GSL's aren't badged (at least in Canada). My 82 GSL didn't come with a GSL badge. There isn't even any sign of where one was if it was taken off.

 

On the '85s, the GSL badge should be in chrome just above the LH tailight (same position as the MAZDA badge over the RH tailight. It's just glued on with side molding tape I think so it's possible they fall off over time.

Maybe this was a dealership application only thing... I know back in the 80's that the dealerships were req'd to place stickers & pinstripes on certain models instead of the factory doing it for some reason. I guess because in Japan it would be called something else.

 

some gsl's did have power steering, check for disk brakes in the rear, tale tell sign.

 

Any one know where I can get a replacment power steering pump?
this one is shot (The whole missing the pully and shaft thing).

if I keep driving this thing without power steering
I'm gonna have arms the size of Big Paul from
American Chopper

Farleytron, the engine is a 12a carburated version, so unless there was an
engine swap, it's not an SE, but I'm gonna get a 13b, eventually.

What are the differences between a GSL and a GSL-SE besides the engine?

Thanks

Chuck E.

 

SE has Larger brakes all around with vented rear discs.

Engine (So fuel pump and gas tank are different to accomodate EFI.)

SE had stiffer shocks (Negated if you use aftermarket)

SE has 4.10 rear end ratio versus 3.909

SE has ONE LESS LSD Clutch plate.

Wheel bolt pattern and 14inch wheels... Offset is also different. IIRC it has +7mm over the 12A cars.

5th gear is taller. (.7something versus .8something on 12A cars.)

ALL 1984/1985 cars had the 20mm lower trailing links in the rear suspension.

 

I've yet to see a Series 3 GSL *without* power steering. It was an option, only on the Series 3s, only on GSL and GSL-SE. (I've seen several -SE's with manual steering)

I have a feeling people bought them just because it was the cheapest way to have power steering.

Rear discs doesn't mean it was a GSL, since plenty of people swap that in. (Our cars are a minimum of 19 years old, plenty of time for FPO's to swap stuff around) However, rear discs + power steering + power windows + the digital stereo with joystick + rear wiper + power steering + Logicon type heater controls means it's a GSL, since it's really unlikely that somebody would go to all the trouble to swap ALL of that stuff in.

- Pete ('85 GSL, power steering, cloth interior)

 

Got one in the driveway you can come look at!

~T.J. (85 GSL, no power steering, leather interior)

 

These cars are not hard to drive without power steering. If you drive it for a while, you will soon find out that it is easy as long as you let the car move a little before trying to turn the wheel. Having no power steering really doesn't bother me at all and I am pretty skinny. With that said, you should try to get your power steering fixed asap because often certain lubricating properties will be lost without the power steering box functioning. It sounds like you got a GSL, so that sounds like a good bonus to me. Good luck, and have fun with your car.

 

can't you tell from the v.i.n. # ?

 

I have a 85 GSL without power steering and leather also. Was leather only available in red? Vin number only says 85 mazda rx7 1.1 rotary when I looked it up on carfax.

 

alot of people think the GSL-SE came standard with power steering, this is in fact not true, ask me how

 

there were 3 interior color options for series 3 cars, black/grey, maroon, and turd brown, leather was available for the maroon and the brown, but for some odd reason it wasent available for the black/grey interior colors which is beyone me, if i was running the show back then the series 3 would have one option for interior, BLACK **** that marron **** and poop brown were they thinking

 

Also I have a GSL with no P/S... The only car I can't tolerate with no P/S is my pickup truck... Aside from that, I cut the P/S belt on my '93 Civic when I had it, and every previous car had no P/S.

 

I had an 84 GSL automatic with no p/s.

I actually prefer a sports car with manual steering (like my 83 GSL) b/c I think I get a better feel of the road while zooming through the mountains.

However, if you have a car that is p/s and either the pump isn't working or it's been removed, then it's gonna be a B*TCH to steer b/c the steering is setup for fluid pressure to relieve the driver, unlike manual steering. I've driven a car when the p/s pump went out and I about wrecked it was so hard to steer!

 

my 85 GSL has all around disc brakes, power steering, power windows...look for all that.

 

The power box has a faster ratio, though.

Interestingly enough, removing the pump and connecting the box's input and output lines together gives steering that is about as light as the manual box.

Except faster.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong. but only the 1984/1985 SEs had the 20mm lower trailing links in the rear suspension... not all RX-7 models.

 

It's all Series 3.

Real easy to tell a S1 from a S2 from a S3 by staring at the bodyshell.

S1 versus the other two is obvious - the different nose, and tail panels. Additionally, if it's US market, there are two braces in the "bin area" going from the behind-seat cross member to the general area of the rear spring mounts, that do not exist on the later models. "Bin area" is in quotes because S1's didn't have bins, just a carpeted cover plate.

Series 3 has the lower-mounted rear lower links. This is a fairly obvious difference - on the S1/S2 the body bracket's bottom edge runs almost parallel with the "framerail". On the S3 there is a quite noticeable difference in plane. (The S3's also have a "softer" looking front valence panel, but this is kinda subtle unless you're really familiar with the cars) Additionally, all S3's have the brackets for the GSL-SE's oil cooler, which was mounted in front of a "tall style" radiator instead of the '79-82 short radiator/oil cooler stack.