Maverick-214-

Hi I'm new here and am interested in the RX7s. I look on craigslist every now and then for these cars and I found an 88 with 13b and 5 speed. It looks like mostly a parts car and I think I can get it for a couple hundred $. Is it worth getting and looking into trying to make it run..? I figured I can always get my money back if i part it out. I don't know alot about rotarys so any advice is grrat. Thanks.

SpeedOfLife

iTrader: (16)

A good thing to do is dig through these forums and read, read, read. A critical thing to know about any car this old is unless it's been taken very good care of and you have the aptitude and experience with cars to determine this is the case, you should assume it will need lots of maintenance.

Another good thing to do is to read Aaron Cake's stuff.
http://www.aaroncake.net/rx-7/why.htm
http://www.aaroncake.net/rx-7/facts.htm (<-- Aaron! I think a couple of those facts are outdated!! And where did your "what to look for when buying an RX-7 page go, or was that yours?)

Evil Aviator

It depends on what is wrong with the car. Unfortunately, a car that is in "parts car" condition could be hiding all kinds of problems because you can't test drive it. Most likely the answer is no, it's not worth the trouble because you can get a decently-running RX-7 for $1,000 to $2,000, which is much less than it would usually cost to get a parts car running in the same condition.

Do you happen to know what is wrong with the car?

Maverick-214-

I do have expierience with motors and cars, just not these rotary motors. The guy wants a couple hundred so my thought is if I end up not trying to get it to run, than I could part it out and probably make money. It sounds like it hasnt run for about a year and who knows what else. The modey is supposed to have only one rust hole. It does have a manual 5 spd.

SpeedOfLife

iTrader: (16)

Only one rust hole? lol it doesn't have to have many holes to still be a PITA to repair the rust.

Jdrift

Id pick it up, then pick up a running car of the same series. Spare parts are gold if you don't have a good source or a ton of money to buy new. Also, get a FSM, that is my bible coupled with the search bar on this fourm.

rx7fcfc

iTrader: (1)

is it a blue one ? lol

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

pass on it, find it in the wrecking yard a few months down the road and pick up the motor for $50

put the motor in your garage and place a seat on it

sit on said seat and make "vroom vroom vroom" noises while making shifter movements with your arm

done.

Maverick-214-

I realize there would be rust elsewhere I am mainly concerned about the motor.

Maverick-214-

I don't want to dump money into it. I mean I see guys selling rotors for over 100$, so if the motor is decent at all I could part it.

No.

Negative, my other car will work.

SpeedOfLife

iTrader: (16)

Then these cars are probably not for you. If you don't absolutely love it you'll wish you were driving something else. I'd slit my wrists if it were the only way to keep driving my '7. Obviously that's absurd since I can't drive it if I'm dead, but maybe that puts it in perspective...

REAmemiya_fan

just curiosity, where is the guy who is selling it to you located?

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

and people don't pay $100 for an S4 n/a rotor and usually the rotor housings are for ornamental purposes beyond 150k miles. you can find these engines for $50 at the wrecking yards.

there is also a FAQ thread that answers most of your questions, i find it a bit irritating that some of our members spent so much time answering questions for people only for it to be completely disregarded. it is disrespectful actually.

Maverick-214-

I find it disrespectful that your getting off topic on my thread and telling me what I should do.

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

on topic, there is a section in the FAQ thread specifically for people looking to buy a used 7.

http://www.aaroncake.net/RX-7/buy1.htm

we don't know the car, just that it's in such bad shape that you can get it for a few hundred bucks. does it need body work? are you asking how to do the bodywork? does the car run? how is the compression? are you asking if it's within your capability to rebuild one of these engines? are you asking if it's worth it in parts alone?

your topic is as vague as they get and we get them daily here, so get used to it.

if you ask specific questions you are more likely to not get abrasive answers/questions in return.

if the motor is toast you'll be into it nearly $1k even if you do all the work on your own. these are not just fixer upper cars now, they are restoration projects.

Maverick-214-

I apologize for the lack of description I posted. I currently am involved in a car project so I know that they are money pits. I was just looking for more general information and answers about how finicky these motors are. Generally a guy is able to part out a piston motor if the components aren't completely destroyed. I figured for cheap I could get into one for a winter project, take the motor apart while learning about it, and then part it out if I didn't want to rebuild it. I will look into FAQ's and read up on these projects.

rx7w/yaw

iTrader: (1)

If you have the money and the time why not. I picked up an 86 s4 and the motor had a blown coolant seal... I popped that motor and picked up a running s4 block w/emissions already deleted for $250 because the guy who owned it was going ls1. Worst come to worst sell it for what you paid. The people here generally are right in saying go to the FAQs but are more likely than not ******** about it.

Check it out, you never know you might love these cars. But these are spendy builds and depending on if/how the motor is blown you could wind up with paper weights and scrap.

Let us know how it all turns out come back with compression #s and the issues it shows for a better answer on whether or not its worth it.