Alex-7

Ok, I just bought this car. It's a 1985 "S" base model with no sunroof, 208k on the factory 12A still running well. An old school RE header/ presilencer. and a wicked dowel pin leak.





Now, I already have a pretty nice GSL-SE with new paint, 2k on an Atkins street port 13B, Full RB exhaust, Light flywheel/centerforce clutch, RB Holley 600, RB springs/sway bars, Tokiko Illumina's and polly bushings. Pretty much the traditional build up of an FB.

I'm trying to figure out a rout to take with this new car that will be fun yet different than my SE. In my mind it would be pointless to build a car that did the same things in the same way as a car I already have.

The few things I've thought of so far include:

Option #1 Project civil seven (re-install an AC system out of parts I have laying around, freshen up the susspension with some new OEM pieces, and maybe order a sterling carb)

This would be a daily driver that ran and rode smooth and didn't have any of the harsh, loud, smelly, hot aspects of my SE.

Option #2 Ghetto turbo project (write up on how cheaply a 12A trubo setup can be made using used parts, and other cheap skate trickery)

Option #3 Nasty bridge port project (you get the idea, big port big weber ect)

Option #4 V8 swap (I love V8's and have never owned the rumble. All you nay sayers need to sit back and realisticly think about how much fun driving a first gen with a torquey 300hp would be. And besides, I already have a rotary powered seven)

Feel free to throw out any other ideas if you want.

FirebirdSlayer666

iTrader: (3)

I say go Peripheral Port 20B with a big blower sticking out of the hood LOL. I'm going the turbo route but really it's your choice in the end. Good luck

ray green

iTrader: (14)

Option #1, the carbed 12As are great daily drivers, very reliable and surprisingly quick and nimble. You may be able to virtually fix that dowle pin leak by changing to 20-50W oil (I use Castrol) and adding a 16 oz. bottle of Bardohl Engine Oil Stop Leak and Smoke, this worked real well on my 84 GSL, nearly eliminated the leak and I drove it another 50,000 miles without any engine problems, still going strong.

Ray

Alex-7

I've been useing 2050 castrol. I might try the stop leak though.

There is a low mile stock port 12A I could pick up from midwest 7's for a good price. I may just end up doing that because the leak is so severe and the motor in general is just worn out and slow.

neektar

iTrader: (2)

Keep the 12a. Street port with a 100shot of nitrous. Full rb exhaust and a holley carb.

Upgrade suspension to SE specs.

Alex-7

I already have a street ported GSL-SE with a full RB ehaust and Holley 600. It's ready for nitrous.



I want to do something different with this car.

Directfreak

iTrader: (2)

Fuel Injected V8

Alex-7

A FI 302 pull out from a mustang would be the rout I'd take.

Some nice heads/intake and a mild cam.

Possibly even a built AOD instead of a T5.

ray green

iTrader: (14)

The Bardahl stuff costs about $3.50 a bottle and starts working almost immediately, the easiest repair I ever did. Might even improve engine preformance.

So why not give it a try before you give up on that 12A and start some expensive engine repairs/replacement?

You said you want something different, why not a stock 1st gen built like the Mazda engineers designed it? That's my daily driver, fast, nimble, great classic looks and as inexpensive as an old Volvo for the 55 mile drive into work and back.

Ray

Alex-7

The DD seven is probably my front running idea.

Even If I replace the 12A it will be with another lower mile stock port unit.

You can get the bardahl stuff at any parts store? I wanna try it, just to see if it works.

OnlyOnThurs

Id say DD the 12A. That is how mine is. AC works like a charm and she runs nice. Shes a little loud though...but i like it.

ray green

iTrader: (14)

Probably have it at the parts store, but I get mine at Walmart, it's less expensive. Be sure to get the Bardahl stuff "for engine oil leaks and smoke", or equivalent, it's a thick syrupy product that costs around $3-4 a bottle. There are a lot of other "stop leak" products that are less expensive and watery, I'm not sure if they will work. Apparently the product softens the oil seals and swells them a bit, it's really neat to see a drip-drip-drip oil leak virtually dissappear (I say virtually because the drips are gone, but there is still some oil on the casings, but not enough of a leak to need added oil between 3000 mile changes).

Nice looking car, by the way!

Ray

inuissus_cendi

nasty bridge! that'll give you a hell of a rumble too, and it'll be unique, not like every muscle car on the street.

Rogue_Wulff

I say the stock option. Put in the fresh engine, if the leak stop doesn't help. Keep the car fairly stock, and DD the hell outta it. A well tuned, stock 12a car, can easily achieve 20+MPG, and is quite refreshing to drive.
Regardless of whether you manage to patch the leak, or have to swap engines, toss the beehive in favor of a FC front mount.

Alex-7

FMOC and S5 seats have already been installed. Along with an intermidiate exhaust pipe to quiet it down (the old one had a hole in it)

Rogue_Wulff

Cool.

I have a fairly stock 12a in my '83. The body has 204K, no idea on the engine. I know the engine has been into at some point, but I have no clue about porting. It may have some mild porting. I recently tossed the beehive in favor of a FC FMOC.
I dyno'd the car a while back, and it hit 100RWHP, with stock carb and exhaust manifold, free flow system from manifold back. Not a lot, but plenty to enjoy the drive.
I love driving this car so much, that my 90 Nissan truck has been sitting 95% of the time since I bought the 7. Hell, it has sat so much, the battery went dead.........
The point is, a stock to mildly modded 1st gen is a very nice daily driver, unless there is snow/ice.

Edit: I have driven this car to many places, and always get 24-27 MPG on road trips. Around town, with combined city'highway, I usually average 19-21MPG.
I even drove it witchita last october. The red one with black wheels.......

rbf41182gt

option 5-

strip the interior, weld in a cage, and go racing!!!

Alex-7

If I had the time I'd be all over it.

I built my SE with auto crossing in mind but haven't got to a single event since I got it on the road.

Alex-7

It's been fun for the last week.

It seems less than half as fast as my SE, but it runs so smooth and quiet it's refreshing.

I never realised just how insanely loud my holley blue fuel pump was untill I got this new car. LOL

ray green

iTrader: (14)

Yeh, you gotta like that ride. I'm totally addicted, 12A all the way.

Ray

Alex-7

I thinking about a combo between civil seven, and ghetto turbo.

AC and 7-8psi sounds nice.

CHEF_EG_1

I have the nasty bridge motor for sale, if you want.


13B Motor with only 3K miles: J-bridgeported front/intermediate/rear plates from a 76 Cosmo, 86 TII rotor housings with race porting on exhaust and notching on intake to match porting on plates, GSL-SE 3mm rotors, compression test showed 90-95-90 psi on front rotor, 95-100-95 psi on rear rotor; new distributor, 8 NGK BR8EQ14 plugs, 4 j-109 ignitors, 89 TII direct fire ignition and coils, Vitek 8.5mm racing plug wires; front cover from a GSL-SE, to mount in a 1st gen RX-7, and a Racing Beat mounting bar for mounting the 13B into a 12A chassis; HKS lightened steel flywheel, Clutchnet 4puck sprung copper clutch, ACT extreme race pressure plate; Racing Beat intake manifold for Weber IDA carb; Racing Beat header that has been merged into a 3" collector; Car dynoed at 288.9 rwhp/202.4rwtq with a Gene Berg 58mm IDA carb, NATURALLY ASPIRATED! Motor was built by Jason at MAZSPORT (Orlando, FL), and cost $4300, Asking price: $2500 obo.

milton

ok well i like the v8 dea but i am a chevy guy so i would say get a 350 lb9? i think from and iroc it is tuned port injection and you can find them anywhere, they are quick and fun, my car before the seven was an iroc. but i way do the daily driver w/ a turbo, like the jdm gsl-se which had the 12at motor in it and just keep it like that get good mpg and have a fun little thing that looks stock. o yeah i would say if you had the time just do a full unique seven with a custom made all wheel drive system and a 20btt that would be cool i think

No_Rotor_RX7

fast - cheap - reliable.... you can have all three! ahahahaha GO V8!!!!

ray green

iTrader: (14)

Zooommmm.....zooooommmm..........zooooooooooommmmm ........