Inherited a 1982 RX7 - not sure what to do with is
07-12-23, 10:58 AM
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Inherited a 1982 RX7 - not sure what to do with is
Hey All,
We recently inherited a 1982 RX7 and have no idea what to do with it. Here is what I do know. This car was my wife's dads, he was the sole owner. It was stored in a barn since he took it off the road, I believe almost 20 years. The good news is the car looks like it is in fairly good condition mechanically and interior, the whole car is original and he was very particular about this car. It has the Wenkle engine which I believe some people are fans of. Bad news - it has a lot of rust on the bottom. Since it was stored on dirt the bottom of the car is very rusted out. Also, it does not run and I have no idea what it would take to get it running. At this point, I am not really interested in this car as a project but I figure someone might be. I don't know what it's worth, don't know what level of investment it would take to get it running, etc. I am looking for any advice on what to do with this next as I do value the car but just am not sure what to do with it. Open to any advice you all may have. Thank you for your time and consideration!
We recently inherited a 1982 RX7 and have no idea what to do with it. Here is what I do know. This car was my wife's dads, he was the sole owner. It was stored in a barn since he took it off the road, I believe almost 20 years. The good news is the car looks like it is in fairly good condition mechanically and interior, the whole car is original and he was very particular about this car. It has the Wenkle engine which I believe some people are fans of. Bad news - it has a lot of rust on the bottom. Since it was stored on dirt the bottom of the car is very rusted out. Also, it does not run and I have no idea what it would take to get it running. At this point, I am not really interested in this car as a project but I figure someone might be. I don't know what it's worth, don't know what level of investment it would take to get it running, etc. I am looking for any advice on what to do with this next as I do value the car but just am not sure what to do with it. Open to any advice you all may have. Thank you for your time and consideration!
Last edited by Mazda_NH; 07-12-23 at 03:19 PM.
07-12-23, 01:14 PM
#2
Wankel's are not rare, its the engine they all came with. Just my opinion, but to me the car does not appear very "mint" at all. When you see that kind of surface rust, there is bound to be more extensive damage lurking underneath. Go here to see some nice cars and what they can sell for:
https://bringatrailer.com/mazda/rx-7-fb/
The average 1st gen price on BaT is probably around 10-12K. Your car would take a lot of work, involving expensive paint and body, not to mention tracking down some hard to find parts to get it to that level. Plus, a fair bit of mechanical aptitude, unless you have deep pockets to also pay for that. You'd probably be underwater at that point with more than 10K invested in it. Then there is the time it takes to complete it. Not a project for the faint of heart. The type usually undertaken by someone with an emotional attachment to the car.
The car may be worth saving, but you'll need to be knowledable, dedicated and enthusiastic. Sounds like you are neither. You may just want to consider selling it. It's probably worth more as parts, but would be easier to have it gone all at once. Not that many years ago, this would be a $500 car but values have gone up. Maybe you'd have some bites at a couple grand? Could donate it to a local high school auto shop class?
https://bringatrailer.com/mazda/rx-7-fb/
The average 1st gen price on BaT is probably around 10-12K. Your car would take a lot of work, involving expensive paint and body, not to mention tracking down some hard to find parts to get it to that level. Plus, a fair bit of mechanical aptitude, unless you have deep pockets to also pay for that. You'd probably be underwater at that point with more than 10K invested in it. Then there is the time it takes to complete it. Not a project for the faint of heart. The type usually undertaken by someone with an emotional attachment to the car.
The car may be worth saving, but you'll need to be knowledable, dedicated and enthusiastic. Sounds like you are neither. You may just want to consider selling it. It's probably worth more as parts, but would be easier to have it gone all at once. Not that many years ago, this would be a $500 car but values have gone up. Maybe you'd have some bites at a couple grand? Could donate it to a local high school auto shop class?
07-12-23, 03:23 PM
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Thank you for the feedback, much appreciated. I edited my post, I realize mint was not a great description. I don't have a big budget, and really have no interest in parting it out, but I would sell it if someone was interested. I am not a car guy admittedly, but do appreciate this car and would love to see someone benefit from it. Does anyone know what a good offer for this may be? Sounds like somewhere between $1-2K?
07-13-23, 06:03 AM
#6
Welcome to the forum. The car appears complete and looks like it was once well cared for. It's a shame about the rust. The car will need a total restoration and if you have no interest in restoring it, I feel as though it would be best to find an enthusiast and sell it to them. I see a lot of potential in that car and it deserves to be restored. If we were closer, I would definitely buy the car from you. Here in Ohio, I'm no stranger to rust lol.
