it is metal, and goes to ****.

 

Yeah mine was pretty ratty. I just painted it with model paint. It actually didn't turn out too bad.

 

as mentioned you must also paint the cig lighter!

 

yeah, i'm jealous, and really i'd like to have black metal for these pieces or center trim similar to the late fb metallic interiors only black.

on the s4 convertible the lighter has a 3 mm metal trim, but it sits in a slightly larger plastic ring that is identical in quality to the ash lid.

since i never use either of these items a NICE storage pocket would be a good replacement.

i like that the 88 has no abs, no airbags and NO cupholders,

so anything that would simplify and clean up the center stack more would be great, then i could just keep the original bits in a bag somewhere....

any of us trying to keep these cars going for another 20 years in close to original trim,

will eventually need alloy or composite replacements for most of the 80s interior bits.

the original real vinyl top on my car is virtually unchanged from new.

really i'm impressed it has not crackled and hardened like most old vinyl, but it has been coated 2-3 times yearly for 20 years with goop.

no these dressing don't magically restore oxidized black things, but used early on and proactively i do believe they SLOW the process.

to put BLACK back on oxidized gray/green/brownish plastic a new BLACK pigment coating is needed, like the paint or girot's black or other black trim coatings...

i'm surprised no one has suggested using a black sharpie...

well i hope it's not serious but will look forward to your update on this issue.

henry

 

I used to use one to re-color the window molding trim on my previous coupe. It worked OK and would last several months before needing a refreshing. I think I found that the Sanford laundry markers worked better than Sharpies though!

 

there really is not that much room in the ashtray area for storage, a cell phone would barely fit, a coin tray would be more like it

 

i have an rx8 and racing beat makes a sick 3 guage pod that replaces the ashtray, check it out on there site sometime. I have yet to see one for the rx7 but im sure one will be available soon. When i removed my ashtray in the 8 i had to laugh at how almost identical the setup was to the 2nd gen rx7, the ashtray is exactly the same, just wider.
Other then that i would recommend buying a new ashtray guys, i bought one for mine and it was expensive but if your restoring your whole interior like i did then its well worth it.

*EDIT* SEM makes some trim paint that matches factory finish very well, just scrub the thing with lacquer thinner or wax and grease remover before you paint it.

 

there is just no depth in the ashtray area, I was going to put a very small boost controller head there and it would not fit

 

you can make it deeper..cut the plastic part out of there until you see the carpet...

 

i have an apexi auto timer in mine

 

depends on what you consider fitting, I would not want it sticking out any further then the ashtray would

 

you can open and close it with no problem...its only about as big as my middle finger...

 

well **** you can fit that anywhere!

 

very nice purchase mate cheers

 

I've seen that Apexi one in person. Its pretty small.

 

too funny, and thanks for stepping up.

no doubt a LOT of guys here use a sharpie/sanford (same company now) for touch ups, they do work prett well.

so it' looks like exhaust is next on the list of updates for the op...

https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/coolant-flush-leave-well-enough-alone-854674/

i hope you post some pics of the process and don't need a torch for the take a part.

henry

 

Hah, I won't lie, I filled in a couple blemishes on my steering wheel with a Sharpie

 

They're also great for blacking out the stupid white Reebok logo that they insist on putting on the side of new NFL baseball caps. I hate that crap.

 

i once traded a 3 month old BRAND NEW car on an exact duplicate, because i hated the color after one week.

it was DARK metalic green, had all the issues of a black car, but was green, and i hate dark green cars.

made the transaction by telephone including the price/trade, the lesson cost me a 2000$ bill, but the dealer did all of this site unseen.

i had to drive 700 miles to deliver/exchange the car and in route the dealer called to say he had a buyer already for the greenie,

and the new buyer SO wanted this color/model that they were awaiting my arrival AT the dealership.

so i stopped 10 miles from the shop and washed the car, at which time i discoverd 2 NEW paint scuffs, from road grit that morning.

a quick detour to officemax and sharpies to the rescue, i did NOT want to tank my trade price on 2 small scratches.
__________________

so 3 months later, i'm all happy with a new color and get a call from the buyer of GREEN.

they had a couple of NEW paint scuffs and wanted to know how i'd done such a good job on those other spots...

whatever i'd done looked MUCH better than the audi oem touch up paint, the dealer used...

rather than explain, i just mailed them my '3 part kit' for that audi dark green metallic....

one black, one metallic silver and one green sharpie, with instructions on how to layer them...

honest
henry

 

This thread makes me want to keep my turbo even more. These cars are getting rare and if maintained properly are very reliable. When I see a nice Z4 or Miata I question keeping the turbo, but once out on the road and into the boost- it maintains it's place in my garage.

 

Actually I'm installing an alarm, keyless entry, and trying to get the hatch to open via the same remote. Never done an alarm install before; it's a bit of a pain. Wife and kids are out at her parents all weekend so I have the entire garage to myself.

Adam and I are doing the suspension at noon on Sunday - I have the heavy 60 lb. box still sitting on my porch! I haven't opened it yet - hope it's not a few bowling *****!



So, let me tell you guys about last night. In Ohio we have to have front license plates. My car lived its life in Michigan, which doesn't require them. So I ordered a front license plate bracket, which of course came without any screws/bolts to mount it on the car OR mount the plate itself. No big deal. So I look in the front grill and there's 2 10mm bolts that are made for the front bracket. The one on the right, unfortunately, has a 2nd nut (same size) threaded up tight against the original bolt. God only knows why it's there, but the 2 nuts (no pun) are basically rusted onto each other, and the top side of it just keeps spinning when you try to loosen it. I don't have any wrenches small enough to hold the top one down. A friend who's a board member here stopped by out of the blue while I was working on it. Thank goodness he did - the two of us couldn't get the bottom nut off. It had to come off as there wasn't enough thread left to mount the license plate.

So we run off to Lowe's to get some tools, like a super skinny vice-grip. Still not enough room. So Colin calls his Dad who lives nearby, and I get the idea of taking a bench grinder to the 10mm wrench to make it skinny enough. It worked - sort of. Yes, the bottom nut finally came off. But the @#$#@% bolt broke in the process. So his Dad and I (mostly his Dad) took his grinder and had to grind the freaking bolt off.

But, now I am legal. I speed way too much to not have a front license plate...

 

you know, some cars never came with front plates originally...given the age of the vehicle hows anyone to know whether the bracket is still available from the dealer. suffice it to say, i'm a police officer. none of my RX-7's or my RX-8 have a front plate. i caught hell for it from the guys at work for a little bit, but gently explained that the bracket is non existant. and due to the age of the car, it completely understandable. doesnt make it any less illegal..just more believeable

 

Here in Pataskala Ohio we have a local rotary shop. The guy has been in business for over 20 years and worked on these cars when they were new.

I took the car there today for a coolant flush (plus new OEM thermostat).

Here's what else he recommended needed replaced:

All the hoses (which are original) = $350
All the belts (also original) = $125
Plugs, ignition wires, oxygen sensor (again, all original) = $325
Water pump slight leak ($250)

I realize I could probably do some of this, but I just said hell with it - you do it. He's also going to change the transmission/differential fluid and the shifter bushings.

My wife is unimpressed, but like I told her, the car is worth it! I told her there's plenty of guys that have a Harley or something sitting in their garage (or a dumb Corvette) that they've spent way more money on...

Broke in Ohio
Shawn

 

if you get the parts and bring the car up i'll put the parts on for you at no charge. and i can pre-order the parts from the dealer at my cost if need be

 

the hoses are worth it, thats a pain in the *** if they are original to break free, plus you have to drain and dispose of the coolant. The belts would cost you about $60 or so let him change those too.

you might be able to argue that if your paying for the belts he should reduce the labor for the waterpump job