To FD or not to FD
To FD or not to FD
I have the opportunity to buy a 1993 FD but I have some questions and concerns I’m hoping the brain trust here can help me with.
The bad: The car has been sitting in a front yard, uncovered, for about 5 years. It needs a new transmission, specifically 3rd gear, new ignition solenoid, and new tires. This is based on what the seller said was wrong when life got in the way of him being able to spend time on the car.
The good: The current owner is the 3rd owner and said the car has 40k original miles on it. don’t know the owner personally, but he’s part of my wife’s extended family. The owner did a ton of stuff to it when he got the car in 2007:
- Engine was built by PF Supercards in Fredrick, MD (has about 2500 miles on it)
- Full Bridgeport with single 67mm Borg Warner Turbo wrapped in heat blanket
- Downpipe wrapped
- Water/Meth kit
- Apexi FC commander
- ACT 6 puck cluth
- lighweight flywheel
- carbon fiber drive shaft and diff cradle
- a/f, oil temp, and water temp gauge
- carbon fiber hood (probably toast after sitting in the sun)
After 5 years of sitting, it obviously needs the fluids flushed and checked for rust. Probably new hoses/lines as well. The town its been sitting in is a coastal town and the car was probably no more than 3-5 miles from the beach. I can’t imagine that salty humid air did it any favors. A buddy I talked to who has an RX8 with an RX7 engine and tranny is advising me to keep away. He said if that engine is Bridgeport and hasn’t been turned over in 5 years, the seals are probably toast, nevermind whatever else could have stopped working due to Father Time. On the flip side, I’ve got some other gear head friends who think that it should be OK with some love and repairs.
I owned an RX8 back on 2004 but I never did any mods or got my hands dirty with it. Not 100% sure what I’m getting myself into here. I’d appreciate any feedback/thoughts on what this car may need, etc.
The bad: The car has been sitting in a front yard, uncovered, for about 5 years. It needs a new transmission, specifically 3rd gear, new ignition solenoid, and new tires. This is based on what the seller said was wrong when life got in the way of him being able to spend time on the car.
The good: The current owner is the 3rd owner and said the car has 40k original miles on it. don’t know the owner personally, but he’s part of my wife’s extended family. The owner did a ton of stuff to it when he got the car in 2007:
- Engine was built by PF Supercards in Fredrick, MD (has about 2500 miles on it)
- Full Bridgeport with single 67mm Borg Warner Turbo wrapped in heat blanket
- Downpipe wrapped
- Water/Meth kit
- Apexi FC commander
- ACT 6 puck cluth
- lighweight flywheel
- carbon fiber drive shaft and diff cradle
- a/f, oil temp, and water temp gauge
- carbon fiber hood (probably toast after sitting in the sun)
After 5 years of sitting, it obviously needs the fluids flushed and checked for rust. Probably new hoses/lines as well. The town its been sitting in is a coastal town and the car was probably no more than 3-5 miles from the beach. I can’t imagine that salty humid air did it any favors. A buddy I talked to who has an RX8 with an RX7 engine and tranny is advising me to keep away. He said if that engine is Bridgeport and hasn’t been turned over in 5 years, the seals are probably toast, nevermind whatever else could have stopped working due to Father Time. On the flip side, I’ve got some other gear head friends who think that it should be OK with some love and repairs.
I owned an RX8 back on 2004 but I never did any mods or got my hands dirty with it. Not 100% sure what I’m getting myself into here. I’d appreciate any feedback/thoughts on what this car may need, etc.
I’m not sure I can do that since the car isn’t drivable and it’s in a small NC town where I highly doubt there is anyone who knows anything about a wankel. As it stands now, I’d have to probably take the rims off and put new tires on it just to roll it onto a trailer. I saw it a few months ago and just now got in touch with the seller. I’d have to go back and look again but those tires are probably so rotted out, I can’t even roll the thing.
A guesstimate of the car's worth IN REASONABLY GOOD COSMETIC and DRIVEABLE SHAPE is between 15 and 18k. Given the circumstances, buy it assuming you'll have to go through the engine again. The interior has likely become a condo for wildlife as well, and wiring often suffers when that happens. Professional rebuilding of the transmission should be around $1200. Or you can source a used "JDM" transmission for maybe $400 + shipping. But with the latter you're never sure of quality and 5th gear ratio is lower.
Know that no matter how cheap you get it, you're biting off a lot of work. The car had some serious mods and the Factory Service Manual won't always be a help in some areas. If you're an experienced wrencher with time, space and ambition it might be worth it...at something less than $7k. Otherwise, your RX8 buddy is right.
Edit: I'm not a mod, but don't see where your other thread wasn't proper for the NEW MEMBER TECH section. Maybe they can just merge both of these there for the best exposure.
Know that no matter how cheap you get it, you're biting off a lot of work. The car had some serious mods and the Factory Service Manual won't always be a help in some areas. If you're an experienced wrencher with time, space and ambition it might be worth it...at something less than $7k. Otherwise, your RX8 buddy is right.
Edit: I'm not a mod, but don't see where your other thread wasn't proper for the NEW MEMBER TECH section. Maybe they can just merge both of these there for the best exposure.
Last edited by Sgtblue; Apr 8, 2018 at 08:03 AM.
Thanks. I asked the same question in the TECH section. The sticky at the top said I shouldn’t use that forum for buying advice and that it should for very specific tech questions.
Im not an experienced wrencher. This would be a project car as I’ve been looking for a 2nd car. I do love cars and have had a decent number of modern fun cars but I’ve always wanted something to build/tinker with. Space I have. Time is debatable as we just had our first child. Part of me thinks this could be a steal if I can get it for maybe $4-5k but with no rotary expertise in the Raleigh area (that I’ve been able to find), I am a bit worried. I know some guys who know rotaries but they all live out of state. They can be a resource on occasion but not a local one if I get stuck and decide to just pay an expert vs DIY. My buddy across the street is a gear head and handy with a wrench. He’s putting a lift in his garage. He suggested LS swap ...
Im not an experienced wrencher. This would be a project car as I’ve been looking for a 2nd car. I do love cars and have had a decent number of modern fun cars but I’ve always wanted something to build/tinker with. Space I have. Time is debatable as we just had our first child. Part of me thinks this could be a steal if I can get it for maybe $4-5k but with no rotary expertise in the Raleigh area (that I’ve been able to find), I am a bit worried. I know some guys who know rotaries but they all live out of state. They can be a resource on occasion but not a local one if I get stuck and decide to just pay an expert vs DIY. My buddy across the street is a gear head and handy with a wrench. He’s putting a lift in his garage. He suggested LS swap ...
Last edited by Djseto; Apr 8, 2018 at 08:29 AM.
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$7k doesn't sound bad for the car. One of the things i've learned about working on this car is that it will nickle and dime you and can be very frustrating at times. If you have the time. money and patience, i'd say it might be worth giving it a go.
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,496
Likes: 1,484
From: West Coast
I hate to say it because I ******* LOVE the FD, but I'm with Sgtblue and RX8 bro. You might be better off lurking the classifieds here for a clean, well maintained one.
Before you put it on that trailer at least put in gear, get it rolling and pop the clutch. See if it'll turn over or what. 5 years is a long time, it doesn't sound like the PO was thinking about reliability when he built it, and a new engine is nightmarishly expensive.
Don't ask me how I know. lol
Before you put it on that trailer at least put in gear, get it rolling and pop the clutch. See if it'll turn over or what. 5 years is a long time, it doesn't sound like the PO was thinking about reliability when he built it, and a new engine is nightmarishly expensive.
Don't ask me how I know. lol
The original owner was on this forum. I found some his old posts. From talking to him, life got busy and and car got put aside and never got touched. It’s not even at his house. It’s at a family members. It’s a real shame because he put quite a bit of money into it that he knows he’s not getting back. I’m sure it was one of those I’ll get to it and then time just kept ticking by. He seems to think it’s needs about $4k of work to get it running. I think if it hasn’t been sitting for 5 years, he’s probably not far off but it’s the 5 years that scares me. Would the engine just need new seals and some cleaning or would the time have caused more issues? I also worry about when we the turbo would even spool.
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,496
Likes: 1,484
From: West Coast
I don't mean start the car, just see if the engine will move at all. If the engine is frozen and the seals are toast, the road ahead just got a lot longer.
New seals = rebuild = more than 4 grand in 2018
New seals = rebuild = more than 4 grand in 2018
Ah. Gotcha. I assume the $4k is having someone do it? I think I saw new seals are around $1500 or so. Is a rebuild a DIY job? I know there are a lot less moving parts so maybe it’s something I can do with some good guides and internetting? I however know nothing about water/meth Injection but I’d be inclined to take it off. A LS engine swap sounds easier but part of me thinks that just bastardizes the RX7
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 19
Likes: 1
From: Del City, OK
Funny, seems like this section is full of 2nd or 3rd generations of "project cars". Read..."cheap cars". The new owners join the forum, make a dozen or so posts before finding out just how *****-deep they'll have to go into their cars just to get them running and are never heard from again.
Last edited by Sgtblue; Apr 9, 2018 at 04:50 PM.
I can see that being pretty common. I think the rarity of knowledge Rotary mechanics doesn't help. I'm sure more people would take this on if they knew they could just pay for help if they got stuck. I'm quite sure this engine will need new seals at a minimum and unless I can DIY, I'm going to have to ship it off vs. having it done locally. I called my local Mazda dealer and they couldn't even point me to single rotary mechanic they knew of. I have to think anyone with an R08 is SOL relying on Mazda for engine or general service.
^If you haven't yet, you might search in the regional forum for NC and see where the closest shop might be to you. https://www.rx7club.com/se-rx-7-forum-35/
But honestly based on what you said, this car probably isn't for you.
But honestly based on what you said, this car probably isn't for you.
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Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 6
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From: Mn
Go
Fd's are cars that will always need attention. Its not a car that you keep modding. A lot of times it's just maintenance. Be ready for a lifetime project car. Best way to do it is with a shell and go up from there.
You will spend more than 10k on that car if you dont know how to work on the car. Like others have said, $7k its not bad if the paint is good and interior, but a shop will charge you about 5k for a rebuild with maybe ports and oil mods. Then tuning and tires, transmission, etc.. if you have a good $10k to get it running, go for it.
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 31,835
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From: https://www2.mazda.com/en/100th/
if the body and interior are nice, its worth 7k. plan on replacing everything that moves.
engine will probably be ok, but bridgeport is pretty hardcore, its like a 320 degree cam in a piston engine
engine will probably be ok, but bridgeport is pretty hardcore, its like a 320 degree cam in a piston engine
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 31,835
Likes: 3,232
From: https://www2.mazda.com/en/100th/
the cool new part (i got a selfie of the parts manager with it) is the FD engine, Mazda Japan really goes out of its way to support the FD. for service, you are correct those guys can't fix a sandwich, but what do you expect for $11 an hour?
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 10,672
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From: Charlottesville VA 22901
Sounds like a great parts car.
Part it out and sell the roller for 4k minimum. You should end up with 10k easy in your pocket to invest in a better car.
Good luck!
PS Or buy it, clean it up and flip here for at least 10k possibly 12. Make a few grand and continue looking.
Part it out and sell the roller for 4k minimum. You should end up with 10k easy in your pocket to invest in a better car.
Good luck!
PS Or buy it, clean it up and flip here for at least 10k possibly 12. Make a few grand and continue looking.