My Early '79 Restoration
06-03-17, 12:47 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
My Early '79 Restoration
I have been "encouraged" to start a build thread for the SA22 that I am restoring. It was built in April of '78 making it the oldest Rx7 I've ever seen and the 12th oldest '79 in the registry. It was the demo for my local Mazda dealership. I bought it with 7k miles on the clock in June of 1979. I paid full price for it which was a bargain because the new cars were getting $2,000 over sticker. I still have the window sticker.
The car means a lot to me. It is the first car I bought on my own. I drove it during college. I was driving it when I met my wife of 32 years. We took it everywhere -dates, skiing, cross country trips, etc.,
It led a hard life; enduring a couple significant accidents and some really bad fixes. It sat in my driveway with only occasional use until I pulled it apart about eight years ago. The frame needed straightening and the right rear corner was rusted out. I completely stripped the car and built a rotisserie for it out of two engine stands and some extra bumper mounts. I did all the body work and paint. Rebuilt the engine in my family room in front of the TV following Atkins' rebuild video. The trans was rebuilt by a local Mazda shop.
The pictures attached are the current state. As you can see it still needs hatch glass and windshield installed. Interior is completely out. No front bumper or rear sway bar installed yet. Brakes need to be finished. The most frustrating tasks so far have been the vacuum system and the engine wiring. The pictures I took were inadequate and there are no '79s in the area (Denver) of which I am aware.
That's the background. From here forward I will be asking for advice and intel from the sages that frequent this site. Thank you in advance.
OCDHerb
The car means a lot to me. It is the first car I bought on my own. I drove it during college. I was driving it when I met my wife of 32 years. We took it everywhere -dates, skiing, cross country trips, etc.,
It led a hard life; enduring a couple significant accidents and some really bad fixes. It sat in my driveway with only occasional use until I pulled it apart about eight years ago. The frame needed straightening and the right rear corner was rusted out. I completely stripped the car and built a rotisserie for it out of two engine stands and some extra bumper mounts. I did all the body work and paint. Rebuilt the engine in my family room in front of the TV following Atkins' rebuild video. The trans was rebuilt by a local Mazda shop.
The pictures attached are the current state. As you can see it still needs hatch glass and windshield installed. Interior is completely out. No front bumper or rear sway bar installed yet. Brakes need to be finished. The most frustrating tasks so far have been the vacuum system and the engine wiring. The pictures I took were inadequate and there are no '79s in the area (Denver) of which I am aware.
That's the background. From here forward I will be asking for advice and intel from the sages that frequent this site. Thank you in advance.
OCDHerb
06-03-17, 01:13 PM
#2
Rotary Enthusiast
Love the back story, a labor of love.
06-03-17, 01:14 PM
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Engine Bay Wiring Issues
As the title says I have issues with the wiring in the engine bay. There are a too many wires that do not connect to anything. If you '79 guys could please take a look at the pics and give me a clue as to what they connect to I would very much appreciate it.
Herb
Herb
06-05-17, 10:21 PM
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I think your best bet is to download a copy of the wiring diagram and track them down that way:
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati...t-link-894736/
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati...t-link-894736/
Herb
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06-05-17, 10:22 PM
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
06-05-17, 10:24 PM
#9
Senior Member
Thread Starter
More 78 wiring help needed. This time I'll try to be more specific.
Q1) There is a cable coming off the distributor with a yellow/green wire and a blue/yellow wire. Does it connect to the cable coming from the coil area with a yellow/green wire and a yellow/red wire?
Q2) That same cable from the coil area has two more wires with plain bullet couplers. The wires are yellow and yellow/black. I presume they hook to the distributor too but don't know what?
Q3) What do the condensers connect to?
Q1) There is a cable coming off the distributor with a yellow/green wire and a blue/yellow wire. Does it connect to the cable coming from the coil area with a yellow/green wire and a yellow/red wire?
Q2) That same cable from the coil area has two more wires with plain bullet couplers. The wires are yellow and yellow/black. I presume they hook to the distributor too but don't know what?
Q3) What do the condensers connect to?
06-06-17, 08:06 PM
#10
Q1) There is a cable coming off the distributor with a yellow/green wire and a blue/yellow wire. Does it connect to the cable coming from the coil area with a yellow/green wire and a yellow/red wire?
Q2) That same cable from the coil area has two more wires with plain bullet couplers. The wires are yellow and yellow/black. I presume they hook to the distributor too but don't know what?
Q3) What do the condensers connect to?
Q2) That same cable from the coil area has two more wires with plain bullet couplers. The wires are yellow and yellow/black. I presume they hook to the distributor too but don't know what?
Q3) What do the condensers connect to?
Herb,
Q1: Yes the connector from the coil area w/the YEL / GRN and YEL / RED wires plugs into the one at the Dizzy w/the YEL / GRN, BLU / YEL wires. See my pic of a 5/79 build car.
Q2 and Q3: The 2 bullet connectors go to the condensers. YEL wire to top condenser / YEL / BLK wire to bottom condenser.
06-06-17, 08:20 PM
#11
Herb,
Some of your other pictures: Do you have 2 YEL / BLK wires coming off your rear coil (one with a bullet connector)? I only have one wire (no bullet)
Your 2 wire connector coming up by the usable links (BRN / BLK and GRN / ORN) it does not connect to anything. Same with another 2 wire connector in the same area (BLU and GRN / BLK)
Some of your other pictures: Do you have 2 YEL / BLK wires coming off your rear coil (one with a bullet connector)? I only have one wire (no bullet)
Your 2 wire connector coming up by the usable links (BRN / BLK and GRN / ORN) it does not connect to anything. Same with another 2 wire connector in the same area (BLU and GRN / BLK)
06-07-17, 10:29 PM
#13
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Herb,
Q1: Yes the connector from the coil area w/the YEL / GRN and YEL / RED wires plugs into the one at the Dizzy w/the YEL / GRN, BLU / YEL wires. See my pic of a 5/79 build car.
Q2 and Q3: The 2 bullet connectors go to the condensers. YEL wire to top condenser / YEL / BLK wire to bottom condenser.
Strange but I appear to have 3 condensers. Is that possible? Also, there is a second set of wires coming from the distributor. They are also YEL/GRN and YEL/RED but have bullet connectors. Know what they are for?
Herb
Nice.