So here is a project I have been trying to put together for about a year and a half...its a 79 Rx7 non sunroof car prob a base model 4spd in its prior life. I really don't know since I picked the car up as a roller with a full racing beat streetport exhaust. Here are some pics the day it was delivered...






it presented remarkably solid for a east coast car with just a little troublesome rust in the right quarter. No wheel well rust and no rocker rust



there are other areas that show signs of deterioration but otherwise it makes for a nice patina if you are into that sort of thing.

 

As fall approached I wanted to seal up that troublesome rust in the right rear quarter before the winter snow came. First step was to start poking and see how far it goes



its always more than it appears to be. Only thing left to do was cut it out



Ask me why I cut it out this way and I couldn't begin to give you an answer...but it made for an interesting time creating patch panels

 

more cutting....





and finally going back together for the repair





thank god this area for once didn't need any attention

 

There are other areas on this car that need a little attention but along with my 85 this is a very clean example. I want to have a driver really so appearance is not that big of a deal....stance and attitude will go a long way. Besides no budget for paint on this one lol

A lot of upkeep seems to have been done already like bushings in the front and sway bar links front and rear so I sourced a set of Racing Beat springs that will go on when the time is right. Along with stance I wanted a nice set of period correct wheels...Almex Keyholes to be exact. I found some on this forum and refurbished them a bit



I then mounted a set of 215 50 13 sumitomo tires to complete the look and stance I was after. Havent mounted them to the car yet so no idea if I pulled it off lol

Since this car came with a nice streetport exhaust I thought I would use my 12a that I painstakenly rebuilt about a year ago...build link here https://www.rx7club.com/1st-gen-non-...oject-1018658/

and finally got around to installing mating a 79 5speed and installing in the car



That's as far as I got right now...still need to connect the driveshaft, install the starter, and put in a fuel pump. Intake is a weber 44idf Rotary Engineering set up. I have zero experience with aftermarket carbs, but it looks way easier to deal with then the Nikki's I am used to.

 

For the interior, the original SA seats were too far gone for my taste but I found a nice set of FC seats covered in black leather. Not perfect but fit the build perfectly in my case





the interior is far from complete but I have an original radio and cassette deck to be installed

 

Oh man, I can't begin to tell you how jealous I am! Without the typical wheel well rot your car must have been treated very well in the winters. Glad you have a nice solid toy to play in. I'm really diggin' those wheels and can't wait to see a pic of them on the car.

Thanks for sharing!

 

nice project! Looks likes she will run soon!

 

Fingers crossed...

 

very interested in seeing the direction this thing takes. yours will be yet one more SA project through which i will have to live vicariously until i am able to get get my own. good luck with it.

 

Thanks diabolical...I will try to keep it interesting. The wiring is gonna be a challenge as I see a lot of cuts and splices and with this car I want to take some risks and go outside my normal build box. Later model alternator and msd with direct fire...that all assuming my engine rebuild sputters to life which would be the biggest treat of all

 

Looking good man Rust repair came out nicely

 

Thanks Sean.

I got my driveshaft installed and started mounting my fuel pump. I using another holley red pump and holley regulator


It looks like the previous owner added a bigger delivery line to this fuel system and wasn't using a return
Notice original delivery and return are capped in red



Any disadvantage to setting up the fuel system this way??? Other wise I will go with a regulator that has a return port

 

Not much to update on this but managed to get a few things done while I was home "sick" from work lol. Got the fuel pump completely mounted wired and plumbed with all new hoses. Tested and we have fuel!. Not sure what type of holley pressure reg I got but from I can see not many of them regulate pressure below 3lbs. In fact most are only capable to 4lbs and I "think that might be too much for the weber. All I can do is try it out and see what the car needs from there. I also got the starter all bolted up and connected.

I am using a later model alternator with and internal regulator in this car so I decided to wire in the two relays off the old voltage regulator connector write up here: https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati...pgrade-967330/

I still have a gaggle of wiring to sort out and it is a mess...previous owner had an MSD Box so the ignition wiring is all hacked and mangled. I have an msd set up to put on this car as well but wanted to get it all running in stock configuration so to eliminate as many possible "no start" scenarios as possible.


I will prob remove the alt to install a dual pulley set up I bought for a different build and I have some brand new belts around here somewhere...lol





also have to get a proper connector to finish wiring ing the alt

 

Nice project car there, I like the hard tops more than Sun roof cars. And I really want to see it with those wheels

 

Thanks project7s...I'm anxious to put the wheels on too...but first I need moar loooowwwww. lol

 

good luck with a smooth build ... man I don't miss the rot back home

 

What are you thinking about doing for lowering it?

 

I have a set of racing beat springs that I will chop a coil or so off, that coupled with the tire size should give me what I want in terms of stance.

 

Oh ok,I have rb springs under my 80 and the front it's pretty low but the back is jacked up like your going to put some big drag slicks under it lol which I don't like, I've been thinking about cutting a coil off the rears to drop it down back there.

 

These cars tend to be so old and the springs so saggy that the new lowering springs actually raise the car...couple that with ne shocks in the rear and you can actually get a raised look...def not what I am after

 

Yeah I'm running tokcio blues all around and while combined with the racing beat springs, has a nice firm ride,I don't like the rake look.

 

how are you negotiating the external volt reg and tach?

 

If I am reading the above link correctly, my relay wiring should have this covered. Remember this is all being done off the old voltage reg connector...the tach I believe gets its signal from neg side on trailing coil (yellow with green stripe). Gonna fill it with oil and crank to check for oil pressure soon. If the tach bounces while cranking I should be ok

 

nice project. really digging the non-sunroof

 

opps meant the volt meter in the tach

I want to upgrade he alt but won't cut my harness