I've always wanted to get an old sports car and fix it up. I noticed my parents neighbor selling an rx7 so I've considered buying it if I can get it real cheap. I looked at it with a friend of mine the other day and...well...its pretty beat. I don't really have any experience working with cars, so I'd have a lot of learning to do...but what would be involved with fixing this thing up? I didn't even look at the engine...it probably doesn't run. I'm not afraid to take it completely apart if I have to. But the body is pretty rusted all over...the windshield is cracked and the dashboard is cracked...the seats are pretty shoddy too. I'm pretty sure, after looking at it, I'd be better off spending some money and getting a car in better shape. What do you guys think?

 

Well.. the saying with rust is if it looks bad on the outside, its 10x worse on the inside. If the storage bins are completly rusted through, it may be more work then you think. If it runs / drives and it's cheap enough, it would definetly be a fun beater to cruise around in.

 

Well, it's a 79-80. It's worth something for parts for that, since certain bits of it are 1- or 2-year-only parts.
I dig my '79, but I've upgraded a lot of it with later bits...
If it runs and drives, it could be fun, as Mschafe says, but it looks like it's been there a while - slowly sinking into the ground.

 

I kinda like that color :-)


And I'm with mschafe and frankenrex.... Take a good look at the rust....

 

if you don't know cars very well, and you're looking for a daily driver, i think you'd be better off spending your money on somthing you KNOW runs and you are certain that it's not going to give you any problems. These 7's are fun to drive, work on, and over all own; but if you don't know jack about cars, and it's your life savings i'd say spend it on somthing else until you get familiar with cars and have extra money and spare time. ON that note: things to look for when buying a 7. Guys, help em out on this one: First off, make sure it runs. then worry about Compression, take out spark plugs (one at a time) and turn engine by hand and listen for three PFFT sounds. (check each rotor) They should all be constant. Another thing is rust, like you mentioned, take out the storage bins behind the seats...it'll take a phillips head screwdriver (it's only like four screw when you flip up the lid) Check the coolent, for any crap floating around. Check the oil, for any non-oil textures/smells. Other suff guys?

 

Well being a '79 or '80 that car doesn't have storage bins so checking for rust in the usual spots will require removing the rear carpet and disassembling the sheet metal covering the rear collision brace. Where is it rusty that you can see? From that limited picture the wheel arches look decent, so that's a good thing.

As for buying the car, it's all about two things:

How much are you willing to spend?

How much work are you willing to do?

If the car can be had for around $500 and you're not afraid of rolling up your sleeves and diving in, then go for it. 1st gen RX-7's are fairly simple cars to work on and maintain and they have wonderful character. I bought my car in a similar situation, though it hadn't been sitting for nearly as long, only a few months.

I've got around $3000 CDN invested in my RX-7, including purchase price, which is pretty damn cheap for a car that has around ~125 hp and handles like a dream. That price includes a new rear axle, brakes, header/muffler/springs/struts/shocks/tie rods/idler arm/new seats/new ignition/new tires etc. I'll probably spend another couple of hundred on materials when I do the body work and paint this summer.

Much of the work I did wasn't necessary per-se but I wanted a car that performed to its full potential. If you're looking for just a daily driver you may be able to get away with less. What can you buy for around $3k CDN that looks, performs and feels like a RX-7? I don't know of any car at that price point that would suit me as well as my 7.

 

always remember , If it has **** or wheels ,it will give you problems.

 

500!?!?! Looks like a best offer before calling the junkyard car.
I'd leave it for now, it dosen't look like it's going anywhere. Like they said, buy something right the first time, it's worth it in the long run.
After you get another 7 and learn, go back and pick it up.
I'd be on that thing, unless there was major structual rust, but I have loads of parts and a little experience.

 

Is the rust from driving in salt? Does it run? How many miles on it? Is interior cooked? Offer $200.00-500.00 depending on the other findings. The bra makes it look like someone might have cared???

 

Nice find! It looks like a great project car but it will need a lot of time, effort, parts, patience, etc. You might want to start out with something not so far gone.

 

I'd guess that after sitting in the grass like that for some time that the floor is completely rusted out and it's the carpet holding the innards from falling out!!!

 

I'd give no more than $100 for it, then chop it up and sell the parts... :-)

 

Oh damn... Double post... Sorry!

 

HOW TRUE THIS IS. AND YET HOW SAD.

 

Ok you guys are really helpful, thanks. This wouldn't be a daily driver...just a project car. I want to buy an inexpensive car to work on basically. Spending a few grand to get something that already works really isn't my plan. I already have a car that works. The picture doesn't show the rust very clearly, but it really is all over. The car is parked about 1000 feet from the long island sound and has
been sitting in the sun for years. Thats really whats done the damage. I think the big thing stopping me from getting it right now is the fact that I don't really have anywhere to work on it. I live in an apartment building at the
moment. I could always leave it at my parents house, a half hour away, but then
I know I wouldn't get to work on it quite as much. The odometer said 16999 but
of course it was only 5 digits so it could be anything. If I had somewhere to work on it, and I could get it cheap....even if I never get it running, it would be fun to just hack at and figure out. maybe take the engine apart and make a table or something.

Here are some more pics of it.




Getting it running is one thing...but how hard is doing the needed bodywork? The last pic shows some of the rust. It doesn't seem past the point of no return...but it needs work. It definitely needs a paint job. I guess the best thing about it is that the body is still in the right shape. not good shape, just the right general shape. Thanks for everything, guys.

 

Not worth restoring. If you can get it for $100 go for it. Then tear the engine down just for the experience, rebuild it if economically feasible, sell off as many parts as you can, and then call a wrecker to take it away.

 

Think with ur head not with ur ***. I kno whats going through ur head u want a fast car that a good choice looking at a rx7. But with ur experience with cars n the fact that u want a daily driving its way outta the question ull spend a while juss making it drivable it seems like it carbon locked the way its sinking into the ground. If i were u dump the car. Now if they r asking $100 or less then grab it n sell the good pieces or make it into a project car ( have fun)

 

Actually, he said he is looking for a project, not a daily driver...

I still say it's worth around $100... Parts would come in handy for the one that's more driveable later...

 

if u buy it, u might need 1/2 another a car to fix it up. Buying parts is alot more expencive than buying a car, so you'r probably better off buying a good car and that one. Sso i say hold at it till another one comes up, then as others say, buy the car l8r fro parts. It's just gonna sit there. The longer it sits, the less they'll want for it !!!

 

u said u didn't take a look at the enging, are u sure it's got one, thats always good to know before you offer anything, if u decide to!

 

looks like an 80 since it has the low speed speedo. I would hold out for a 78 1/2 or an 79.

the 78 1/2 have the hood prop on the passenger side. If I remeber corectly