Hey all, Im Basically a newb to the rx-7 world. I know only the basics of the car but i LOVE the styling and performance ability of rx-7's. I was thinking of buying an 86 with a blown engine from a friend of mine, and doing a engine swap, not sure on which tho. Anyway, i would like to know what you guys think of the price of the car. Its an 86 rx-7 with a pretty decent shape body that isnt running. Hes asking about $400 for it, is that a good deal?

Any help would be appreciated and sorry if i seem like such a newb lol, i'll learn all about the car in time

 

Before you buy it, make sure you have about $2000 extra for the swap. That should cover the cost of a J-spec TII motor and any incidentals you may have along the way.

 

Thanks for replying, and yes i have the money for the engine swap. I just wanted to make sure the $400 for basically the shell and interior was good.

 

There were no turbocharged RX-7's in 86, so it must be a non-turbo model. Note that the non-turbo model had a weaker transmission, weaker driveshaft, weaker differential, weaker halfshafts, and smaller clutch. If the car you are looking at also has 4-lug wheels, then you can add weaker brakes and suspension to that. You can still install a TurboII engine, but you have a much better chance of breaking something, especially if you add performance items which increase the torque. Also note that some of the non-turbo components are not compatible with the turbo engine, so you will need to modify or purchase additional parts like a boost gauge, brake booster valve, exhaust, etc. IMO it is not worth the trouble, and this swap is possibly beyond your abilities if you are asking questions such as the value of a roller. I recommend starting with a TurboII if you want a turbocharged car. The TurboII only sells for $500-1,000 more than a non-turbo of the same year and condition, and the insurance is almost always the same price. You can buy a running TII for $2,000 - 4,000.

Back to the original question, the price of the roller depends on the condition of the car. Besides the aesthetics you mentioned, the condition includes the mechanical items such as the transmission, driveshaft (probably dead by now if it is original), differential, suspension (probably also dead if original), tires, brakes, exhaust, etc. The problem with cars that don't work is that you cannot assess the condition of some of these items. IMO the roller is worth $50 - 500, depending on the condition of the car. You may have $2,000 for the TII engine swap, but do you have $10,000 to replace everything else?

See this site for an RX-7 buyer's guide:
http://www.aaroncake.net/RX-7/tech1.htm