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Hi. Original owner of 1979 RX-7 and new to this site. Last 10 years car has been garaged and not driven. Probably needs a lot of work to get it going. Looking for someone in the Dallas area who would like to take on this challenge. Please let me know. Thx
Congrats and welcome aboard. What are your plans for her?
Would love to get it running and keep it, but not willing to spend a lot to do so. Rotary Performance, who rebuilt the engine over 20 years ago, said they would not know how much it could cost. As original owner for 45 years, we have a lot of memories and would like to keep the car but a huge price does not work. They said once they start, they might keep finding things to fix/replace and the labor, in addition to finding parts, could be problematic. So I would consider selling it as is, to someone who has time and know how, to fix it. I would also consider selling it to someone who just wants parts, but that is my last option. What do you think?
As an original 79 owner myself, I'd say keep it. However, your personal situation is different than mine. Old cars aren't without costs and that shop is right, after sitting for so long w/o upkeep, the list of things it might need could be longer and more expensive than expected. Especially so, if you are not able to do the wrenching yourself.
From the pics, the car looks like it's in decent shape. I'd disconnect the fuel line and pump out all the gas in the tank. Inspect what comes out to see how skunky it is. Worst case, you may need to drop the tank and clean it out or find a place that can. The carburetor may also need cleaning and rebuilt. These two things alone can probably cost you $500 - $1000 if you don't want to tackle them yourself. However, they aren't as hard as you might think.
I assume the engine still turns over by hand? If so, remove the plugs and squirt a little Marvel Mystery oil in the plug holes and turn the E shaft a few time to circulate the oil. (19mm socket on bottom pulley nut) You can try and start the car with fresh gas, gravity fed from a can on the windshield. Don't use the fuel in the tank as its probably all gummed up and you don't want to run that into your carb.
Yea, some parts are hard to find, but I wouldn't let that stop me. You can still find most everything with enough patience. Like eating an elephant, its easier to digest and afford, one bite at a time. This place is a great resource to help you through the process. In the end, the joy of being back on the road with your old gal will transport you back those 45 years. And that is a feeling that you can't put a price on.
