nosliw

I just traded for two 83 FB RX-7s one I believe is a GS and the other a GSL. This obsession of owning an RX-7 came when my good friend CJ started an autocross event in our small town of Carthage, MO. CJ owned what is now mine a light blue 83 GS. I instantly fell in love with that car. That was over eight years ago. My younger brother bought the car from CJ six years ago. My brother owned the car until 2 years ago. Since that time the car had traded hands some ten times and traveled as far as Wichita, KS. I had just sold my 91 Honda Civic Hatch Si and was in the market for another vehicle. Upon visiting Craigslist I found what looked like the long lost RX-7. The ad stated that the now black GS and an 83 GSL were up for sale. The GS was in need of repair and the GSL while complete outside minus the driver window and the pass rear quarter window didn’t have the engine anymore. I discovered while talking with the owner that it was CJ's brother Brad. We immediately stuck and deal and I trailered the two cars home.

nosliw

Here are a few pictures of the GS while my brother owned it.

nosliw

And here are a few more pictures.

nosliw

Here are a couple pictures after my brother slid it down the ramp of a highway.

nosliw

Here is when I became the owner of these cars.

nosliw

Another

nosliw

Im sorry for so many pictures I have quite a few saved up.

nosliw

I have started my build by changing the rear differential, fenders, front nose piece, lower fascia, grill, door lock mechanism for the rear hatch, some wiring, the head light plastic covers, and headlight linkages from the GSL to the GS. I have drained the fluids from the transmission and rear diff for royal purple and added friction modifier for the LSD. I still have the wide body kit, but that will wait until I decide wether or not I like the stock look better.

chino_rx3

iTrader: (3)

Looking good but pictures look small

nosliw

I plan on taking some larger shots of my progress this weekend. Tonight I plan on performing a compression test, removing the OMP, and salvaging the interior of the GSL for future use. I am removing the OMP to verify that it is indeed working and if not I plan on rebuiding it if possible. When I had swapped the LSD diff into the GS I noticed that the drum ebrake cables were of a different design. The ebrake cables that were originally on the GSL seemed to be functional, but upon removing them I noticed that one was seized and with a whole week of PB and prayer it still has not freed itself. I called the local rotary shop and he has a few GSLs out back and wont charge me for parts, just to remove them and only if he finds a good set.

notveryhappyjack

iTrader: (4)

if that falls through rockauto sells the 3 piece handbrake cables, iirc $60

nosliw

That is good to know, thank you. Well folks it seems that I will be doing a rebuild and possibly looking for some housings. The compression test wasn't very good and I've got white foam in comming from the radiator when I opened the cap.

nosliw

Its 13b time. Updates to follow soon.

nosliw

So lets rewind a few months ok about 8. My prognosis of the waining 12a was correct but not without 4 months of fun. Back to early january it was when missouri had a good amount of snow. I was In a hurry for work and wasnt concerned with how bad it was outside and I was running late. I hit a snow drift slash man made ramp the city so kindly put at the end of the alley. Im stock height but my oil cooler wasnt. That drift had broken one of the mounts for the cooler and It hung that way for twenty miles. Two miles before my turn off I hear a pop noise and thinking It was Ice that had fallen from the car I kept going. Oil coolers dont last long on a highway at 70. I got to work smoke coming from under the hood and saw cooler was done.

nosliw

During this time I was able to acquire an 85 gsl-se. The body was rough but the engine and drivetrain were intact and unmolested. I had planned to do a swap at a later date but fate had a different say. After the cooler received a large hole in it I robbed the gslse cooler. It was very cold and I was rushed and I accidentally cracked the bungs on the cooler. I took it to a local shop and tried to have the cracks welded but they still leaked. I then ground the bungs down past the cracks filed them flat and presto cooler fixed. So cooler installed drove the gs home. I took the wifes subie to work the next day because I was low on gas and pay day hadn't hit yet. The following day was cool around 45 degrees. Gas money in hand I hopped in the gs and tried to start her with no success. I later found my problem of coolant entering the combustion chamber.

nosliw

I came to the conclusion that it was definitely 13b time. This 85 gslse was on top of a bluff in the middle of bfe arkansas. Left out in the elements the body had seen better days. All four tires would only hold air for about 60 seconds. The critters also didnt do this old car any good. A good deal of the engine wiring had been eaten and or chewed. The interior was almost perfect except for the hundreds of spiders under the carpet. 350 dollars and 6 hours of travel and moving thr car it was finally home. I would have just drove the car but it didnt have a title. So I had just got a complete parts car.

nosliw

A few pictures of the SE loaded up and ready to go home.