Restoring my '79 Limited: A Journey
 

This year, I finally have enough money to restore my 1979 Limited. I don't see many restoration threads, so I thought I'd start one so everyone can see this one from start to finish. I'll be narrating this in somewhat of a story form and throw in pictures along the way. Should make for a good adventure!

Back in 2003 I was 17 and in my junior year of high school. I purchased my 1979 Limited RX-7 for $900 when my dad grounded me from the family car. Unbeknown to me, this was somewhat of a rare car. As many of you probably know, only 3000 of them were produced. I didn't find this out immediately, but I thought it was a neat car. Later that year, I unfortunately rear-ended a lady. It did minimal damage to her car, but mine was bent up behind the bumper. Instead of turning it into insurance, I chose to go to the local scrap yard and find straight body pieces and live with it being different colors. I do not have any pictures of it prior to the accident, but I do have the following pictures. They were taken in early 2005 when I was in college.

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I drove it for another year or so until I purchased a truck, as an RX-7 does not do well in the snow. I moved a couple of times, always taking the RX-7 with me, but never driving it much. It was old and needed help that I wasn't able to give it. I worked a lot and didn't have a whole lot of automotive experience.

In 2007, I realized my fenders were FB fenders, and did not fit correctly. So I bought correct ones. So it was 3 colors, white, black, and gray. Later that year, my brother in law's car broke down. I let him borrow the RX-7. While at work, someone hit the car in the parking lot on the passenger fender. I didn't feel like replacing it a third time, or having a car that was four colors, so it just stayed that way.

In 2009, I decided I wanted to do some work on it. Having next to no automotive knowledge, I decided to do a complete rebuild on the engine. I got as far as removing the engine when I decided that it was probably out of my abilities and put the engine back in. However, I could never get it to start after that. Shortly after, I bought a 1977 Chevy Corvette and a motorcycle. Those two toys did well at filling in the joyriding void that I enjoyed in the RX-7. It continued to sit in the garage, collecting dust and being neglected.

Last year, though, I was laid off from my $25/hour job. I took a job at a local auto parts store. I was learning new things every day. But I hardly had the money to pay my bills, much less put any into any of my toys. Especially a Corvette. Everything for Corvettes is expensive. Well, it just so happened that a manager of mine always wanted a 1977 Corvette, as it was the last year that they made it with a flat back window. He offered me $7,000. I couldn't refuse. I took it and decided to restore my RX-7.

There was a restoration shop in town that I had always heard good things about. I asked him how much it would take. I had taken some pictures and showed them to him.

Pry bar marks at the hatch from where someone tried to break into my car in high school:
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What appears to be a bend from hitting a pole or something:
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A crack above the driver side rear tail light:
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He dropped by, as it was not running at the time and pictures weren't enough, and quoted me $3500 for body work and primer. My father-in-law owns a collision shop and could give me a good deal on the paint job. He said it would be less if I could find a parts car as the rear quarter panels were heavily bondo'd. Taking good panels off of another car would be much cheaper than having them fabricated. This also worked to my advantage because I needed an engine as well.

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Within a week, I found an '83 that had only had two owners. The body was in great shape and it had its engine replaced around 20,000 miles ago with a brand new engine. The owner had died and left it to his daughter. They didn't see any value in the car, as it desperately needed painted and interior work. But having a straight body, a practically brand new engine, and brand new tires, I was more than happy to take it off of their hands for $700.

The next day, I swapped the engines. I also broke a bolt off of the hood, so I had to use the hood off the car I just bought. I now had an RX-7 that was black, white, gray and blue.

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I asked the owner of the shop I would be taking my RX-7 to if he could save some of the old weather stripping and pitch some of other pieces. He recommended that instead, I should remove all the glass, weather stripping, and unnecessary exterior pieces myself. Much more economical for me to do it for free instead of paying him to do it. I thought that made sense. Even though it was now running, it had no glass or lights, so I rented a U-Haul and took it to him.

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When I arrived at his shop, he had me park it around the side of the building. It had been raining that week and I asked if he would get it inside before it rained again. I had a car cover and told him I'd much rather go get it than risk it getting rained on with no glass. He assured me that it would be inside before it rained next. I took his word on it.

The following Sunday was the day before Memorial day, and it had been raining for almost four days straight. I decided I was gonna drive over to his shop, just to make sure that it was inside. I discovered that it was not. I promptly ran home for the sunroof, car cover and steering wheel club. This guy was not going to touch my car.

Come Tuesday, I returned to the shop with a tow truck. As they loaded the RX-7, I went inside to have a discussion with the owner. The discussion went as follows:

Me: "I'd like my key please"
Owner: [Reaches into pocket] "Here ya' go."
When he pulled the key out from his pocket, I realized that he knew I would be coming for my car.
Me: "I just want to understand. What part of 'do you want me to bring my car cover? I don't want it out in the rain with no glass' did you not understand?"
Owner: "Hey, I was here working all weekend... I just couldn't get to bringing it in... ya' know what, get outta my shop. I don't wanna deal with you. I'm sorry we couldn't do business."
Me: "Yeah, me too."

I had the 7 towed to another shop in town. The owner looked at it, came by my house to look at the '83, and told me that he thought I got low-balled on the price. He told me he would do all of the body work and primer for $4000. I didn't care at this point, so long as it was done right. He said I could pay half now and half when it was done and he'd have it back to be in 60 days. I told him I'd give it to him in full now if he'd have it done in 45. He agreed. Before the tow truck could make it to my house and back with the '83, he had my '79 in the shop with a guy tearing into it.

That brings us to today. He's had it 6 days now. He has discovered a lot more bondo.

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Apparently it was in a rear end collision of some sort at some point in time. And someone used a lot of bondo to cover it up. He saved the corner to show me how much they had to take off of the entire rear end.

His due date to be finished is July 15th. I will update no less than weekly on progress made. I will do so again after paint and upholstery. I hope you guys enjoyed! I am stoked and would like to think that there's others out there who understand my love for this RX-7.

Whoa... I've never seen bondo that thick!! I can't believe that car held together. Your body guy sure has his work cut out for him. Good thing you decided to take it to a shop rather than do it yourself. I went that route with mine a year ago and it's still not completely finished. You should report that first shop to the BBB or the "local news investigation guy" if your city has one.

Can't wait to see what it looks like next month!

I wanted to initially, but the guy does do really good work. I think losing my business was bad enough. I also found out he laid off some of his workers recently cuz of the slump in restoration work. He was way over-worked. I just wish he woulda told me he didn't have the time to get to it.

My hat is off to your determination!
many with a weaker constitution would have run screaming the other way (me, for example).
The $$ your putting in could easily have found you a no-stories clean SA - tho prob not a Limited. Will be curious how close to "original" you will make it... or CAN make it since spares are a tough find for Ltds. Prob with "specials" (Limiteds, LS, etc) is their value as a "special" is in originality, be it restored like you are doing or clean, original cars. once you start adding things like other-model-year 12As and such is it takes away from that, at least, as far as the "market" is concerned. But for yourself, as your own car and project - who cares? Enjoy the journey - may it be everything you hope it will become-

Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

Well I'll be damned! Stu, I bought a limited badge back from you in April of 2005! I saw your name and thought you sounded familiar. I check my email and sure enough, that was you. In fact, my avatar picture is the picture that you took of the emblem that you sold me. Crazy how you run into people again after so many years. Yeah, you might call it constitution. My wife calls it something different, haha. She hated this car for the longest time, but she is very supportive now. She doesn't understand my obsession, but she is supporting me now because she knows its important to me.

As far as value, I am over that. I'm going to end up spending more on it than it books for, so I'm going to make it my own. I like the original beat black, but its hard to keep clean. The Corvette was black, and I had to wash it every time I pulled it out of the garage. It'll be a custom color, just not sure what yet. I will also probably not replace all of the emblems either... just the 'Limited' ones. And I'll probably hold onto the original engine, just in case.

Great story.... love this thread already!

I'm glad to see your desire to treat her right and bring her back from the brink like this. I'll look foward to more pictures and posts on your progress. It's your baby and your decision on what you want, but my 2 cents on color is that it won't be the same if it's not repainted E-6. The color, stripes, wheels and interior appointments are what set Limiteds apart from the standard S's and GS's.

With the investment you're talking about, wouldn't it make sense to have it worth as much as possibile when finished? It would be like putting a 4 banger in an original Hemi Cuda. I admitt, I'm a purist, so to me, having the original color out weighs and any additional care requirements. Like I said, it's your money and your call. You only have to make yourself happy.

Your right in that if done right, you'll be upside down and have more invested than what you could probablly get for it. Believe me, I know all about that and the reasons to do it anyway. (I'd estimate the bodywork to be more in the 6-8K neighborhood) I know of 10-12 surviving Limiteds out there owned by half a dozen forum members. Out of those, maybe 3 cars are what I'd call exceptional, another half dozen in good or decent shape and the rest unkown condition to me.

Limiteds do pop up from time to time, sometimes in surprisingly good shape. If you decide to go for originality, I doubt you'd regret it. If you need any info on what an original car should be, PM me. I'd be happy to assist.

I will be watching this thread. Looks like a good restoration.

I'm subscribing to this as well, I love seeing restoration/build threads!

/follow

For the longest time, I really did want to restore it to the original color and everything as well. I really don't care about the monetary value, as I never plan on selling it. I do realize its the originalities that set it apart. Unfortunately, I'm missing the original seats. I have the original door trim, but it's in poor shape. In the end, for me, what it comes down to is that every day I'm going to be driving this car and I know how much of a pain a black car can be. I want a color that no one has seen before on a model of RX-7 that they will probably never see again. I want the car to not only be rare, but also unique.

Small world! Glad I could contribute in some small way-
Color - your choice of course but since, in its defense, the Ltd is actually dark gray I don't think it has the cleaning challenges OR scratch presentations actual Black cars have! As the pic of one of the nicest Limiteds in the US shows... this car _really_ looks magnificent in this color...

FWIW virtually every RX7 owner knows just what a "Limited" is, and no matter how well presented, your Beloved will leave a lot of shaking heads at a color-change of a very special car... Its a bit of a Burden to be owner of something so unique
;)

Lecture Mode: Off-

with apologies

Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

Man after my own heart...

go for something new unique nice idea....thats exactly what i have on my 79' rx7 that i worked on restoring the interior and some minor engine stuff, have had it on the road as my daily driver to school and stuff considering im only 16 and obessed with rx7s(cheap mans corvette :)) and i tell you i turn heads at every stop light, passing people and everything,somebodyis always watching, heres some pics of it

You got it all wrong dude- a corvette is a cheap mans 7.:)

Good luck with the resto.:icon_tup:

thats a good one....time to get a decal that says that

Update:

I went in today to check on the car. I guess that the guy that was working on it had to take some time off because of a family emergency. I will check in later this week.

6/20 Update:

They have begun working on replacing the rear quarter panels using pieces from the '83. Horray!

Right quarter panel removed from the '83:
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Lower panel of mine removed, and marked for the rest of the removal:
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This is awesome i think that between the "limited" "leather sport" and gsl-se They are some of the coolest japanese cars ever made. Hopefully you can keep it around and pass it on to your kids someday(When they are mature enough to appreciate it) +1 on an awesome ride and good luck. If you ever have engine or electrical issues feel free to shoot me a p.m.

Update 6/27:

Went to check in again today. Both rear corners are in! The boss said the body work and primer should be done by this weekend. If that is the case, I'll be sure to update again when I get it home.

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Man, that body guy is brave! Especially scary that he welded FB rear quarter pieces to an SA... something straight out of Frankenstein. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

Structurally, rear ends on SA's and FB's are the same. Just different bumpers and lights. The front end is where there are many differences. I'm so stoked!

That is some really good body work

Stopped by again today. The same shop is doing some upholstery work on my motorcycle, so I figured I'd check in on the RX-7. The rear quarter panel is all welded in!

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My thoughts precisely.