good day eh
today i was at a local towing service's lot, and noticed an rx-7 sitting forlornly in the corner. it was a gsl-se, and the driver i was with said it had been in the lot for about 4 months and they didn't expect to find the owner. he also sounded like if i wanted to buy it they could probably work something out.

right now i own a 91 talon turbo awd, so another sporty car isn't a strictly rational choice, especially one in questionable shape. on the other hand, i've been interested in rotaries since 8th grade, and this could be a chance to pick one up for cheap.

here's my question: what things should i look for if i can work out some purchase deal, and is a se something i could put on the back burner for working on and not be bled dry? i know, very vague questions.

 

the main thing is rust. check the fender wells and especially under the storage bins. if its not rusted you might want to see if it runs
after you crank her up let us know how it goes. we'll guide you from there
you can rebuild the motor yourself for pretty cheap even if it doesnt run, and if you need other parts lots of forum members including myself have parts cars that contain many cheap parts
other than that have fun. oh it should smoke on start up so dont worry when it does
good luck
gamble

 

The GSL-SE is the most desirable of all 1st gen RX-7's. If it isnt' rusty, get it. The engine and other mechanicals are fixable.

 

You must send the car to me, you want to send the car to me.

 

really? all the rebuild kit's ive seen are ~1000$... thats half the price of a new motor, and the cost of a running fb, rom what I've seen...

 

you know, after searching for "gsl-se" i saw a bunch of people bemoaning not having an se, so i almost went and removed my location from my profile before i posted.

anyway, if i understand correctly, the gsl-se has a 1.3 liter NA engine, LSD, and 4 wheel discs. that sound right? and it was offered in 84 and 85? i didn't even look if it was 5 spd or slushbox, but i understand 5 spd is more desirable, even more than usual for sports cars?

 

gsl-se did not come with a slushbox, afaik.

 

not just 4 wheel discs my man, bigger discs with 4x114.3mm bolt pattern that you can actually find wheels for
and yes rebuild kits are cheaper than 1k. i forgot where, but i've seen em for around 500 bucks
also its efi, i ahte efi so i didnt get an se, well ive got an se parts car thats got efi, but i just want the block and stuff, so im sellin all the eectronics just to get it outta my garage. holley for me please

gamble

 

It's a 1.3 litre N/A engine with EFI and the largest 4 wheel discs available on an FB (vented!) The engine has a nice relatively flat torque band when compared to the 12A. I've never seen an auto SE, but I've never seen a live hippopotamus either yet I've no reason to think they don't exist.

FOr upgrade ideas feel free to peruse my (admittedly self-indulgent) writeup on my car at http://www.rotorhead.ca/mycar.php?pn=01

 

There are hippos , no automatic tranny on gsl-se....

 

pink hippos, flying around the ceiling..............

pick it up. if anything you could probably sell it and gain if you don't like the car.

 

alright, thanks for the advice guys. i haven't reached a decision yet, but i haven't been down to look at it again either. i'll keep your comments in mind.