Austin's Red RestoMod - You Just Wait and See...
12-08-14, 11:31 PM
#29
Na, don't buy a new lock set... Then you'll be the guy that needs two different keys to operate his car. To hell with that.
Yes, you can remove the ignition cylinder there are some shear off bolts. But do your best not to shear them off. If you do you can get the bolts out but they are a pain in the ***.
Your best option is to remove the door cylinder and take the tumblers out of it. Line them up on a piece of paper and cut a new key with a file.
I know it sounds tedious but it really isn't that hard. I can make a key from scratch in about 15min if you give me the tumblers in order.
You can bypass the keys entirely if you just pop off the switch and turn it with a quarter. (but whats the fun in that?????) And its a auto so you won't be able to shift.... or did they think of that in the 80's?
EDIT:
This link might work... You can follow it to an expanded picture of the tumblers I'm talking about.
Yes, you can remove the ignition cylinder there are some shear off bolts. But do your best not to shear them off. If you do you can get the bolts out but they are a pain in the ***.
Your best option is to remove the door cylinder and take the tumblers out of it. Line them up on a piece of paper and cut a new key with a file.
I know it sounds tedious but it really isn't that hard. I can make a key from scratch in about 15min if you give me the tumblers in order.
You can bypass the keys entirely if you just pop off the switch and turn it with a quarter. (but whats the fun in that?????) And its a auto so you won't be able to shift.... or did they think of that in the 80's?
EDIT:
This link might work... You can follow it to an expanded picture of the tumblers I'm talking about.
12-08-14, 11:44 PM
#30
And I should say I can make a key in about 15min now... First attempt lasted about 30min. But most of that was anxiety. Like locksmiths have some kind of degree in locksmithology. But no its really simple. Just grind and cut until your tumblers match the key blank.
The electrical switch that turns the car on and off is detachable from the lock cylinder with a pair of Philips head screws. You can run the engine but depending on your car's wheel locking ability you might not be able to turn the steering wheel or the shifter.
As for the distributer you have to guide the distributer down in the whole with the cap off so you can feel the teeth as it settles in. Yeah it looks from the pictures you need to move it over another tooth.
The electrical switch that turns the car on and off is detachable from the lock cylinder with a pair of Philips head screws. You can run the engine but depending on your car's wheel locking ability you might not be able to turn the steering wheel or the shifter.
As for the distributer you have to guide the distributer down in the whole with the cap off so you can feel the teeth as it settles in. Yeah it looks from the pictures you need to move it over another tooth.
12-09-14, 08:59 AM
#32
As for the key, you can take one of the locks out (hatch it probably the easiest) and a lock smith can make a new one. My uncle is a lock smith and had done this many times. Hell, on my REPU, I just gave him the number off the lock and he cut me a key and mailed it to me.
12-09-14, 11:39 AM
#33
Na, don't buy a new lock set... Then you'll be the guy that needs two different keys to operate his car. To hell with that.
Yes, you can remove the ignition cylinder there are some shear off bolts. But do your best not to shear them off. If you do you can get the bolts out but they are a pain in the ***.
Your best option is to remove the door cylinder and take the tumblers out of it. Line them up on a piece of paper and cut a new key with a file.
I know it sounds tedious but it really isn't that hard. I can make a key from scratch in about 15min if you give me the tumblers in order.
You can bypass the keys entirely if you just pop off the switch and turn it with a quarter. (but whats the fun in that?????) And its a auto so you won't be able to shift.... or did they think of that in the 80's?
EDIT:
This link might work... You can follow it to an expanded picture of the tumblers I'm talking about.
And I should say I can make a key in about 15min now... First attempt lasted about 30min. But most of that was anxiety. Like locksmiths have some kind of degree in locksmithology. But no its really simple. Just grind and cut until your tumblers match the key blank.
The electrical switch that turns the car on and off is detachable from the lock cylinder with a pair of Philips head screws. You can run the engine but depending on your car's wheel locking ability you might not be able to turn the steering wheel or the shifter.
As for the distributer you have to guide the distributer down in the whole with the cap off so you can feel the teeth as it settles in. Yeah it looks from the pictures you need to move it over another tooth.
Yes, you can remove the ignition cylinder there are some shear off bolts. But do your best not to shear them off. If you do you can get the bolts out but they are a pain in the ***.
Your best option is to remove the door cylinder and take the tumblers out of it. Line them up on a piece of paper and cut a new key with a file.
I know it sounds tedious but it really isn't that hard. I can make a key from scratch in about 15min if you give me the tumblers in order.
You can bypass the keys entirely if you just pop off the switch and turn it with a quarter. (but whats the fun in that?????) And its a auto so you won't be able to shift.... or did they think of that in the 80's?
EDIT:
This link might work... You can follow it to an expanded picture of the tumblers I'm talking about.
And I should say I can make a key in about 15min now... First attempt lasted about 30min. But most of that was anxiety. Like locksmiths have some kind of degree in locksmithology. But no its really simple. Just grind and cut until your tumblers match the key blank.
The electrical switch that turns the car on and off is detachable from the lock cylinder with a pair of Philips head screws. You can run the engine but depending on your car's wheel locking ability you might not be able to turn the steering wheel or the shifter.
As for the distributer you have to guide the distributer down in the whole with the cap off so you can feel the teeth as it settles in. Yeah it looks from the pictures you need to move it over another tooth.
As for the key, you can take one of the locks out (hatch it probably the easiest) and a lock smith can make a new one. My uncle is a lock smith and had done this many times. Hell, on my REPU, I just gave him the number off the lock and he cut me a key and mailed it to me.
Originally Posted by j9fd3s
you are a lucky guy! the key # is "XXXX". if you go anywhere with an electronic key machine it'll make that key. Mazda does sell the blanks if you want a real OE key. it is HA43-76-201A
there isn't much else on there, the assembly date of the car is neat though, 4/1/1984, sold new at morries mazda, in minnetonka
there isn't much else on there, the assembly date of the car is neat though, 4/1/1984, sold new at morries mazda, in minnetonka
So I've got three different locksmith places within 10 miles of where I'm sitting, each with an open tab on the computer right now, that I'm going to call and get a quote of what they'd charge me to electronically cut a key.
I'll maybe have a spare made so this doesn't happen again...
Very cool to know the build date of the car and that it was sold at Morrie's Mazda Dealership in Minnetonka, MN which isn't too far away from me right now. I believe that my original FB (K9 Tornado Gray with maroon interior, got TII swapped and sold a little over a year ago) was sold from the same dealership within a few months of this FB. Kind of a very cool coincidence between the two cars that I would have never known.
So end goal of the day is to get a key cut from a locksmith or Mazda if they're cheaper. Then I have a beater to work on and probably won't get around to trying to start the car today - just will make sure the key actually works.
12-09-14, 11:44 AM
#35
Also about the distributor, the A/C bracket gets in the way. You have to rotate the distributor to the right (counterclockwise) a little bit to clear the huge A/C bracket. Maybe the teeth are engaging when it's in that position and I need to counter that by rotating it in the opposite direction to fix that problem...I'll check later.
And for you old school rotary guys, did you know if your car has an original wingnut on the rear license plate there's a possibility that there's a spare key on the other side of the plate? A friend told me that - Mazda would give you a spare and people would use the rear license plate bolt to hide it behind the housing. I should check for that before I leave to go get a new key made...
And for you old school rotary guys, did you know if your car has an original wingnut on the rear license plate there's a possibility that there's a spare key on the other side of the plate? A friend told me that - Mazda would give you a spare and people would use the rear license plate bolt to hide it behind the housing. I should check for that before I leave to go get a new key made...
12-09-14, 11:46 AM
#36
I'm calling Morrie's here in a minute to get a quote - might as well get a key made from the dealership it originated at! And I can get an OEM Mazda key blank with it as well. Might as well get two while I'm there
12-09-14, 12:24 PM
#38
Called Morrie's Mazda in Minnetonka and got quoted about $14 for a key blank so I ordered two of them, should be in tomorrow. Then I'll bring the title for the car in with my driver's license and get both key blanks cut according to the key code in the system. I'm a little nervous about it and I'm considering going out and pulling the code off the ignition to make sure it's the same...but I don't know if there is a code stamped on there or not. Decisions decisions...
I'm also going to have a key made for the rear hatch cylinder so I can open it without having to go to the driver's door and hit the switch every single time. I'm going to add power locks to this car with a key FOB and I'm thinking of just getting one with a three way setup, lock + unlock + hatch release. Would make life much simpler than running two keys for the car.
12-09-14, 09:37 PM
#40
My last final is on the 17th too, then I've got Christmas stuff of course.I'm leaving for Florida on the 28th and won't be back for about a week after that. Going to see Busch Gardens and the Citrus Bowl Game with the Gophers as part of a mid-winter vacation with my fiance's family. Should be a pretty good time for sure.
My month long break is already getting shorter and shorter...
But I have a local guy here offering to sell me a RB 2 piece sidedraft manifold and matching Dellorto setup for the 12a, really has me thinking about pulling it apart and porting it 
12-09-14, 09:55 PM
#41
I hate it when those triple triangles get stuck in transport... My last final is on the 17th too, then I've got Christmas stuff of course. I'm leaving for Florida on the 28th and won't be back for about a week after that. Going to see Busch Gardens and the Citrus Bowl Game with the Gophers as part of a mid-winter vacation with my fiance's family. Should be a pretty good time for sure. My month long break is already getting shorter and shorter... But I have a local guy here offering to sell me a RB 2 piece sidedraft manifold and matching Dellorto setup for the 12a, really has me thinking about pulling it apart and porting it
My last final is on the 17th too, then I've got Christmas stuff of course. I'm leaving for Florida on the 28th and won't be back for about a week after that. Going to see Busch Gardens and the Citrus Bowl Game with the Gophers as part of a mid-winter vacation with my fiance's family. Should be a pretty good time for sure. My month long break is already getting shorter and shorter... But I have a local guy here offering to sell me a RB 2 piece sidedraft manifold and matching Dellorto setup for the 12a, really has me thinking about pulling it apart and porting it You've got a busy schedule my friend!
Yeah the break is never really a break lol
Should just sell it and save for an fd with a/c :-p
12-09-14, 10:18 PM
#42
And hey, that FD needs a sunroof AND A/C - remember?
If I end up moving I'll consider picking one up down south. Would be much cheaper and I could actually drive it more than 3 months like in this accursed state. But I don't want to end up rotary-less like I was for an entire year recently...
12-09-14, 11:55 PM
#43
No, the CL one is just a one piece sidedraft 12a manifold. This would be a little nicer setup that would include the carbs with it. Only thing left would be to get the beast torn down, inspected, ported, rebuilt and reinstalled. Then I'd run a better fuel pump and adjustable FPR with a nice exhaust system. Simple and neat! Yeah, the break is getting really really short lately. I'll be lucky to just be able to look at the car.
And hey, that FD needs a sunroof AND A/C - remember?
If I end up moving I'll consider picking one up down south. Would be much cheaper and I could actually drive it more than 3 months like in this accursed state. But I don't want to end up rotary-less like I was for an entire year recently...
12-10-14, 10:11 AM
#44
But it's all up in the air right now, gotta love the college life
12-10-14, 10:18 AM
#45
Why would the u of m push you out?
And Minnesota sucks. Other than good living and education (but who needs that right :-p). Weather is trash only because of winter and the salt the state puts down lol.
In order to grow one must change... I'm ready to graduate law school and start applying out of state just to see what I get offered (but then I would have to take the bar exam in the state I'm practicing lol).
Anywho, wherever you decide to go (out of the states you picked) I have friends there lol.
They are not rotary enthusiasts like we are, but still car enthusiasts.
And Minnesota sucks. Other than good living and education (but who needs that right :-p). Weather is trash only because of winter and the salt the state puts down lol.
In order to grow one must change... I'm ready to graduate law school and start applying out of state just to see what I get offered (but then I would have to take the bar exam in the state I'm practicing lol).
Anywho, wherever you decide to go (out of the states you picked) I have friends there lol.
They are not rotary enthusiasts like we are, but still car enthusiasts.
12-14-14, 12:34 AM
#48
Why would the u of m push you out?
And Minnesota sucks. Other than good living and education (but who needs that right :-p). Weather is trash only because of winter and the salt the state puts down lol.
In order to grow one must change... I'm ready to graduate law school and start applying out of state just to see what I get offered (but then I would have to take the bar exam in the state I'm practicing lol).
Anywho, wherever you decide to go (out of the states you picked) I have friends there lol.
They are not rotary enthusiasts like we are, but still car enthusiasts.
And Minnesota sucks. Other than good living and education (but who needs that right :-p). Weather is trash only because of winter and the salt the state puts down lol.
In order to grow one must change... I'm ready to graduate law school and start applying out of state just to see what I get offered (but then I would have to take the bar exam in the state I'm practicing lol).
Anywho, wherever you decide to go (out of the states you picked) I have friends there lol.
They are not rotary enthusiasts like we are, but still car enthusiasts.
I really do hate the winter length here due to the lack of sports cars and street bikes. I love to snowmobile and downhill ski, and going sideways easily in the snow is great fun. But the !SALT! oh how I hate it. Looking at going down south it's amazing how good of condition most cars are because they don't salt the roads for half of the year.
The rotary community is thick down south too, no doubt about that. The main state I'm considering right now *cough* Florida *cough* has the second largest RX7 population besides California in the US. I'd be curious to know where they stand in the world - whether Japan has more 7's or not...anyone know?
Here's an update on the actual car for a change!
I got two key blanks from the local Mazda dealership and had one of them cut using the key code. Of course it doesn't work in any of the key cylinders!
But my fiance's grandma found the key in her couch cushions! I must have had my key chain on me at her house last time we were there and it fell off on the couch. So that's awesome that she found the original key, super stoked about that. Going to get it in my possession in the next week so I can keep chugging along with this build.
The timing thing has me thrown way out of whack and I think I'm going to make a video of it to show you guys what my issue is. It feels like no matter what tooth I'm on the distributor is in the wrong place now. The x thing points way wrong no matter which tooth I put it on. Pretty frustrating to say the least. It also doesn't help that I'm sitting here watching Mighty Car Mods's episode of their Japan dealings (Temples and Turbos) and it has me thinking of making rotary videos through my channel "DREamInRotary" that has all my videos to date...and they went to car auctions and saw a black FD for $300! I wanna just move there and go to college if I can get cheap FDs! FB's are probably free for that matter...
01-04-15, 03:35 PM
#50
But I could start contemplating an REW swap if you cut me a deal on a full keg...This build has really hit a wall because I went on vacation here for pretty much two full weeks. I'm fixing up the daily tomorrow and getting to pulling the engine out of this car and doing the manual swap, engine teardown and inspection, and anything else that's hindering it from running at the moment. I'll post some pics later this week when I get around to it!