First Generation convertible - Global coach and Pacific Avatar
 

Well,
I just purchased this car and transported it despite snowy conditions, from it's latest home in New jersey to Southern California. It is a 1983 Mazda rx7 gs or gsl that has been converted professionally into a convertible. The owner knew very little about the car and the prior owner in Indiana was also new to rx7's. Here are the loading pics in New Jersey, last month.

Please keep us posted.

What are the plans......

And....what have you been able to determine about the history of the car,

Who did the conversion?

Why no trunk?

I have always thought the 1st Gens were well suited to be convertibles.

Plans for this car are to keep it fairly stock - per Pacific Avatar 1985 standards.
At least superficially: keep it narrow body and see what we can do.

The car was noted several years ago by a few board members, who i talked to before the purchase and it was mainly conjecture what it's history was and who did the conversion.

I own an original wide body pacific avatar that i was able to carefully compare it to and we seem to have a pretty accurate analysis of the car coming.

The closed in trunk is identical to my Ultima Pacific Avatar. I was told by the original owners of my ultima car that it came with a trunk. The story is that the turbo was too powerful and the car twisted so the trunk was welded shut in order to strengthen the car chassis.

Ah so it was you who bought that car! I saw it on ebay a while back and Dover is only 25 mins from me. I meant to go check it out (really just out of curiousity) but I waited too long and couldn't find the ad. Glad it went to someone who will take care of it, looking forward to seeing more pics of the progress!

thanks,
Maybe better california than New jersey - it's cold out there for a convertible!
When it arrived we started on it.
After charging the battery it started !!!
Radio was hooked direct to power so it killed the battery.
Ripped out the radio :(
Fixed a left front flat tire.
The rear brakes were disc and have been changed out to a bad set of drums?
the e brake was disconnected - as the drum brake ebrake set up is different - it would need all new cable etc
rear end leaked, rear brakes leaking.
Shocks so bad it is funny - it starts wallowing and won't stop.
radiator dead.
Window switches corroded - no windows.
Covered in black dots of paint overspray ? cut polish and clay time.
So, first major thing we did was put it on a hoist to evaluate how this car was put together: is it a Pacific Avatar or Global coachworks production or junk :(

I remember seeing that car on ebay. Good luck with the project.

The biggest question was to the origin and integrity of the conversion for the car.
The seller couldn't confirm anything so I was a little worried.
I have a pacific avatar convertible, so comparison was easy.

Here are 3 length wise pictures of the chassis supports.

1st gen conv chassis supports
 

The long "rail road tie" appearance matches the pacific avatar supports:
They have protruding bolts with lock washers and nuts riddled the length of the car.
Here is a side view showing both supports, and multiple views of different areas on both sides.

1st gen conv chassis supports
 

ok, so we have some hardware under the car - good.
But is it the custom PA stiffening stuff?
Well, the PA stuff is notched towards the rear of the car,
and extends at an angle up into the engine compartment.
These pics show that this is pretty darn close.

The left front support has some light rust: I will sand blast and undercoat it. Here are the unflattering pics of that. :(

In fact, even though the rest is rust free, except for a spot under left rear rocker panel corner, a wire brushing and primer painting is standard for my cars, when my mechanic lets me use his hoist.

I think in some of the pictures you can see my mechanic, Rob Biarbe of Rob's Truck and Auto in Fullerton, looking at the leaky right rear brakes. He has put up with my cars for over 20 years and is fantastic in every way. He always finds time for my stuff. Here is a picture of the brake fluid dripped on the right rear tire, and a bit of differential leaking sadness.

When I researched first gen convertibles, I was so disappointed that I could not find any info on the boards except Zach's car - '56k no way" post. I will look up Zach's old post and see if his pics match these for the supports. When i can get my other PA car to a hoist, I will take pictures, as my original ones were lost.

i need to post pics of the quarter panel supports, the wing windows, the trunk & supports and the top arrangement to complete the study.

If anyone is interested I will measure this stuff and post specs.

Please do.

I will have to leave the measuring stuff until i get back into the mechanics shop.
I do want to compare my two cars.

I drove the car around LA for over 500 miles since it arrived and I had a blast! It needs a complete suspension and brakes fix but it was great.

Years ago, I had told Zach that if I turned my other first gen convertible into FRANKENRX7ZILLA, with a bunch of non stock modifications, (which I did) I would go after a second P A convertible to restore in the stock way. This was still the idea.

So? By chance, I posted a "Parts Wanted" on Craigslist and I received a peculiar email on Wednesday from a guy near San Francisco asking if I wanted a complete 12a engine with a first gen turbo set up installed. It took me 5 years to install the turbo motor in my other car, so i was hesitant, but I was interested. The stock PA setup was a 12a turbo! Fate.

Time was a factor for him, so I drove my Honda Element 400 miles to Concord, California which is 25 miles east of San Francisco, after working late Friday night, and met him early Saturday morning before his ex-wife could make scrap metal of his setup by his 5pm Saturday deadline. Road trip. :)

These are the pictures he sent me.

Is that a cartech drawthough?

Close. It is a BAE turbo kit with a Ray Jay turbo drawthrough type with a Carter carb.

B A E turbo pick up
 

I pulled into Concord at 1:30 am and slept in Boyce's driveway until morning.
He described the engine as "plug and play" - complete with wiring harness plug in.
The idea was that the set up was complete, although after sitting for 8 years the integrity of the motor was not promised.
The Racing Beat light weight flywheel was a bonus. Counter weighted.
Carter afb carburator 625 cfm - needing rebuild.
Ray jay turbo. Checked for shaft play.
Stock oil cooler - my 83 has a beehive.

Loading complete motor
 

A little prep goes a long way...

One engine hoist, one modified pallet into one Honda element and we were good in a few minutes.

Heading back to Southern California, ahead of rain and possible snow.

turbo exhaust
 

I hear any parts for these BAE turbo setups could be long gone:

BAE manifold is custom - got it.
Carter carbs - bought out by Edelbrock - but still lots around.
Ray Jay turbo - bought out by Cartech - good for 200 -230hp

I was warned about headers and waste gate acquisition, so when Boyce offered
to throw in the exhaust, I was game.

Nice I have always wanted this type turbo setup.

BAE/cartech drawthrough turbo
 

Thanks,

I hear there are not many left.
Boyce said this ran before he removed it from his car.

I spoke to Bob, locally here in So Cal, the Bob in BAE, and he was in nostalgic shock.
I didn't want to promise him much before getting the set up home, but he asked me to mimic the Pacific set up and said he would feature it on his web site! He now makes airplane turbos at a significantly higher cost but said he missed the Ray Jay turbo kits. Cool !

Is it the manifold that limits everyone from duplicating?

I offered Dave Meditz any left over pieces to replace his lost single turbo set up before I went up to get it. However as it appears complete, I think I can install the whole set up. This didn't help Dave much. Sorry Dave :(

BAE turbo
 

Here is the BAE plate, and carb.

Yea most of the kits I have seen over the years haven't been complete.

Me too - which is why I offered Dave whatever I got, hoping it would compliment his remaining parts.
I was pleasantly suprised to get the whole kit. Hopefully, it doesn't need any major work: a turbo rebuild might screw up the whole thing.
My mechanic suggested a compression test then decide if we try the whole motor for a bit, or start swapping parts over

Looking over the pics again I dont think any kit I ever seen for sale had the heat shield.

heat shield
 

Ah, yes. observant one, smart guy:

I was told that due to inherent starting vapor lock problems in hot weather, Boyce customized that piece - a heat shield. He said it worked. An additional note was that it didn't interfere with the removal of the motor in one piece.

I expect my overzealous mechanic to get the machine shop to fabricate one to match, should he like it.