DreamInRotary

iTrader: (49)

Well, here goes!

Current list to get done on the car:
To Do List

• Interior

Fix doors – Driver’s side specifically, figure out how to get the door to tighten and shut right. Handle on inside all the way to the latch that actually closes the door.
Door handle cups – $25 – Inside handle cups, driver’s side especially.
Cleanup/tighten door panels – Get them tighter on doors, fix little gaps.
Door top trim – New vinyl?? Figure that out and paint it.
Tighten window cranks – After taking off panels tighten up mechanisms.
Tighten mirrors – Outside screws, maybe trade out to bolts and paint them.
Match carpet for hatch – $15 – Car interior carpet, entire hatch, possibly add grommets to keep carpet down to original grommets and new ones in back corners. 6ft x 15ft
Work with shifter boot – Paint it, try to get the boot to be pinned back up to the trim piece.
Dome light cover – Try to get it back up to the mirror, find a replacement one.
Fix Driver’s side vent – Take off dash and fix the outside/inside air control.
Moon roof tightener fix – Take off the **** and re-paint the whole thing.
Oil temp gauge – With 1 other gauge in a 2x gauge pod
INTERIOR PAINTING - Returning Faded Interior Back to Black - RX7Club.com

• Motor & Drivetrain

CAI
Look at beehive o-rings – $20 – New o-rings for beehive oil cooler.
Oil cooler – Front Mount Oil Cooler (FMOC) possibility.
Emissions removal – see “Rat’s Nest Removal” attached list
All new belts – O’Reilly’s
Find oil/coolant leak
Exhaust, from header to muffler.
Possibly rebuild carb.
Install amp
Finish up sound system
Test both the 80a alt in the car and the 55a stock out of the car to ensure they both work
83 LE RIMS
FC FUSE BLOCK - https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati...2/#post4129885
RATS NEST REMOVAL - Mazspeed Tutorials with Rx7Carl and pratch
DLIDFIS - https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati...ics-ac-805362/
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-gen-arch...stions-216618/
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati...-894669/page8/
LSD REBUILD INFO - https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati...-961402/page1/
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-gen-arch...g-soon-717591/
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati...torial-711712/
AC CHARGE - A/C Charging with Easy Cheap Safe Alternative Refrigerant - Page 3 - RX7Club.com
REWIRING BATTERY - Replacement Battery Cables
IDLE - How do you tune a carb? - RX7Club.com
FC TRANS SWAP - https://www.rx7club.com/1st-gen-arch...mation-783499/

• Exterior

Crack in windshield – Possibly call insurance next spring and ask about glass coverage.
Door jambs/seals/window seals – $100 – blackdragonauto.com
Headlights – $100 Halo headlights w/HID conversion kit
Fog lights – $50 halo fog lights
LED marker lights, 2 front 2 back. 2” x 1” into bulb. Shave them also.
Tighten rear striker.
Remove trim.
Paint exterior parts.
Clean out vent tubes in rear hatch.
Windshield washer system.
New silver MAZDA badge where original was on front from a Mazda MPV

Current Hot Wheels Collection:


Made a cool keychain for the 7 key:


Working on wiring in a second gen fuse block soon:

DreamInRotary

iTrader: (49)

Seriously considering a TII swap right now, just waiting on funds

If I do I'll have to start a new build thread since it won't be a "12a Build on a Budget" anymore.

ioTus

iTrader: (5)

do it....... i strongly suggest EFI and not blowthrough

DreamInRotary

iTrader: (49)

Oh Lord yes, no blowthrough for this guy. Swapping in a 13bt with a longer 5th gear and double the horse power is cheaper and easier for me right now.

Should be getting the car this weekend - fingers crossed XP.
I'm also considering going with an Adaptronic ECU as well - not sure yet..

rxmiles

iTrader: (11)

Nice find on the LSD. Hopefully this guy gives me a deal on his complete GSL-SE. I suspect it has blow coolant seals. never the less a complete car

Nice build by the way, I cant wait to see the finished product.

Coltdaddy47

Glad to see someone maintaing their ride and picking parts carefully. Hopefully you stay with 12a tho.

ioTus

iTrader: (5)

I'm sure you've heard this before but I'll just throw in my .02 - dont get the HID conversion kit! Unless you're getting a projector headlight housing it will spread the light all around and **** off / blind oncoming drivers!

Get a headlight relay from BD, then check out an H4 conversion lamp, either IPF or Hella, and put a good quality H4 bulb in it - OSRAM Nightbreakers (NOT Sylvania - their cheap American subsidiary), Fatboys, or IPFs:
IPF high output head light, H4.

DreamInRotary

iTrader: (49)

An -SE parts car would be amazing!

I'm trying to get a GSL parts car right now for cheap with a 12a with only 10,000 mi on a rebuild and the same color interior as mine as well. I can only hope!

I am in a serious debate with myself whether or not to stay 12a or go 13bt and full TII swap. I'll post more on this below.

Thank you for the tip! I wouldn't have thought of that. I have heard good things about the BD kit and now I will do that instead.

So here's where I'm at.
12a
$300 car from CL
$1000 79-85 12A Rx7 Overhaul Kit B (ARE22)
$35 GP Sorensen Nikki Carb Rebuild Kit
$32 12A Racing Beat Streetable Exhaust Porting Template
$51 12A and 13B Racing Beat Streetable Intake Porting Template
$325+ RB exhaust from Forum Member
$450 LE rims and tires from Forum Member
TOTAL $2193

13bt
$2300 car from Forum Member
$250 custom exhaust
$400 BBS Vert rims and tires
$200 1978-1985 Rear Mark I Big Brake Kit RE-Speed
$100 wheel spacers
TOTAL $3250

So I'm completely torn.
12a
-Will need to rebuild and not sure of engine internals. Ad states that "it hasn't run for years and had a rebuild 10,000 miles ago"
-I'd be taking it apart and rebuilding it myself (of which I've never done before)
-Staying with the 4x110 bolt pattern even though I want aftermarket or better rims

13bt
-More power (duh)
-Higher 5th gear
-More options and more expandable and upgrade able over time
-5x114.3 bolt pattern for better rims and tire options

So for a little over $1,000 more I could have the option to get up to 300rwhp but so many more hours of fab work/wiring work/customization's that I've never done.

Undecided as of now. I'm tempted to get both cars but I'm only allowed to have 1 car at a time for parts where I'm at now so I'm just not sure.

ioTus

iTrader: (5)

No problem! Both the Hella and IPF have a great beam pattern, but the lamp itself isn't all that fancy looking. I really like the clear "euro" look they have in the BD catalog, but i dont know anything about the light pattern from it. I'll do some research and see what we come up with.

So with the 13bt setup you're looking at - are you getting a full 2nd gen Turbo2 parts car to pull off of? If so, that might be ideal as you could drag and drop everything over. You're planning on swapping the sub-frame as well for this to get the bolt pattern of the 2nd gen and rear end gears? That will be quite a bit of work.

Generally the T2 swap is done by swapping over the GSL-SE front cover and oil pan / oil pickup, get the 12a-to-13b cross-brace engine mount converter from RB, run the mechanical OMP on the front cover from the GSL-SE. If you want to use the 2nd gen transmission, My understanding is its relatively simple - swap out the back housing from the 2nd gen with the one from the FB and the spacing will be correct so as not to shorten the axle and move the shifter back too far.

Swapping the sub-frame across will be a lot more work on the chassis but make it so you can directly drop-in the motor. Plus you'll be upgraded to rack and pinion steering.

Honestly I'd tack on at least a grand to both of those final numbers. Stuff comes up. Things break and need replacing. Little stuff here and there.

Not trying to shoot you down at all here - I've done the T2 swap before and it was a lot of fun, and a LOT of work. More than I anticipated, even having done my research, and had it not been for my awesome friends and fellow rotorites I would not have got far

DreamInRotary

iTrader: (49)

I'd get a full 87 TII running car for the swap for $2300. It would be a direct swap from the FC into my FB - no engine teardown. I wouldn't have the money, and the compression numbers are good (almost 120 on both rotors).

I would put my spare GSL rear end in my GS car.

I read that as well and figured that I'm going to go all out if I go for it and do the subframe swap and RE-Speed brake kit for the rear.

Exactly my thought. It would be cheaper as well, if I have the full car already.

My thought as well. I was going to add that up there but thought I'd leave it out. Stuff always adds up and needs to be considered as well.

I'm not concerned about the work too much - I'm looking forward to either option whether I go 12a or 13bt. It's just the cost and time it will take that worries me. I have a DD car right now and will have it for long enough. I just want to be able to drive the FB this summer and not have it sit in storage slowly being tinkered with for a few years.

Thank you ioTus, I appreciate your input very much. I needed to hear from someone who has done it before. If I go for it it will be all or nothing, leaving nothing undone or left behind.

ioTus

iTrader: (5)

The 13bt in an FB is ultimate - will be a FUN car. Nothing beats the sound of a massive blow-off valve PFSHH!ing out of an old skool FB

DreamInRotary

iTrader: (49)

Oh trust me, I've watched every video on YouTube of Turbo FB's and I just want that soooo badly it's ridiculous.

We will see when the money comes through and if the owners of both cars are still willing to sell when I have the chance to buy - if someone else doesn't take either one first. Then my hand will be forced but I wouldn't mind that either - it would be easier and I'd be ok with it.

ioTus

iTrader: (5)

Ya know, I've always wanted to do a turbo 12a... Something to think about

DreamInRotary

iTrader: (49)

The thought has run across my mind as well

Well, word just came through that I'll be getting more money than I originally anticipated from school and a tax return so if no one else buys the TII within the next ~2 weeks I'll be going that route

I am actually planning on getting the GSL parts car for myself to source FB parts off of to swap into my GS (power windows, power locks, leather seats, other interior parts I need, etc) so I'm pretty stoked right now - hopefully both car purchases work out!

ioTus

iTrader: (5)

Saweet!

DreamInRotary

iTrader: (49)

Someone's trying to buy the TII out from under me - oh no! Hopefully the money comes through soon or its 12a rebuild for me!

82transam

iTrader: (18)

Seems like your mind is already made up, but in case it isn't - Go T2 swap! you won't regret it Be warned though, re-speed's reputation has kinda fallen (a lot) lately, so you might want to think of a plan B for the rear 5 lug conversion....

DreamInRotary

iTrader: (49)

I actually want to stay 4x110 now for the LE rims that I can get for cheap

As of this moment I am going to be getting an 87 TII on Monday night from a forum member.

My plans are as follows:
13bt engine swap
TII transmission swap
Keep 4x110 bolt pattern
Swap for GSL rear end
Get 1983 LE rims from a friend
Many many other mods and things

I will post again on Monday night if all goes well with a link to my new build thread...still undecided on the title

jbarton95

sounds like a great swap. im jealous your getting the LE rims, i have one of them but the car with the other 3 was sold before i could get it :/ i hope to do a tII swap at some point this year but i might just run a blow thru turbo. im not sure yet

DreamInRotary

iTrader: (49)

Well, I just got an 87 TII so my new thread is found here at Austin's FB TII Swap - Details and Pics Aplenty so feel free to check it out - thanks!