6italia0

Hey my name is nate and these are both my previous and current RX-7(s). My first RX-7 was a 1983 FB GS model and I bought it for $700 under the condition that it ran and drove. I bought it to use as a daily while building my RX-8 (Complete R3/S2 drivetrain swap on my S1 - RX8Club.com) and it was awesome (except when things failed and had to replace due to old car problems), but it was running very strong and solid at just over 261,000 miles when it was T-boned by a truck coming out of a side street that I didn't see until the very last second. The car was totaled and ended up receiving $1,385 from the other driver's insurance (added up costs for new parts installed and paid out accordingly - original value from adjuster was $1,000). Anyway I fought with USAA for over a month to raise their payout offer until I came across my current RX-7 (1980 SA22C LS) at a nearby junkyard. I was told it was their, but no details about it. So I went to check it out and the first things I noticed were the two very old and very different 70s and 80s recaro seats and wooden momo steering wheel and those alone got me interested and excited to see what was under the hood. So I pulled the hood release and opened the hood to find a GSL SE 13B painted black and yellow with a 465 cfm racing beat holley and intake set up, full racing beat exhaust (header back) and an FC oil cooler with SS lines and AN fittings and, from what I was told, an RX4 transmission swapped in as well (as you could imagine, this got me very moissssssssst lol). So I talked to the junkyard desk clerk dude about it and the asking price which was $1,200 out the door, I replied with an $800 offer if I couldn't jump it and get it started or $1,200 if it did start and run. Their response was to wait til he heard back from the manager and the next day they agree to $1,000 out the door and free towing to my house. I accepted and purchased the car and to get it to start and run for the first time (never got it to start at the junkyard btw) all I had to do was replace the battery and ignition switch and add gas (w/premix obviously) and she fired right up after about 5 seconds of cranking and since then I started a youtube series on restoring the car and getting it road worthy running and driving reliably which honestly hasn't been very hard to do at all and is now about there (so far runs and drives smooth and strong through all gears, just have a few more bugs to work out).

Here is my youtube channel if you wanted to follow the progress on this car: https://www.youtube.com/user/6italia0ufficiale/videos

Also some interesting things about the car is the possibility the engine was done by Rotary reliability & racing as one of their "killer bee" engines which is usually just an NA street ported engine and a weber carb setup (however mine has a racing beat holley setup, so it may just be a copycat killer bee or just happens to have bright yellow housings with black side housings). Whether it is or isn't a killer bee, it definitely pulls very nicely and I have no doubts it may be street ported as i'm sure the racing beat holley and exhaust setup alone wouldn't make a night and day difference like it did between the stock GSL SE I test drove and this RX-7, but either way i'm very happy with my new daily even though the circumstances that had to happen in order for me to get it still make me very sad as I still miss my little blue beater buddy

JzRotary

Great story. Unfortunate about the blue FB but looks like it you came out alright in the end with another car.

6italia0

The blue FB was an absolute tank and literally took whatever was thrown at it without even flinching, if a part failed, I replaced it and it started right up every time hot or cold and had alot of plans for it after I finished the 8 which included an S4 TII engine & tranny swap which I actually drove 70 miles in that FB to pick up and 70 miles back home with everything loaded in the car and after I got back home I had only used just over 1/2 of the tank. Also the weekend before it was totaled I went to a local meet with some friends and one of them wanted to see how my car did against his in a straight line (2016 automatic dodge dart), well let's just say he had his tail between his legs for the rest of the night because on bottom of the barrel vee rubber tires (stock size) with 261,000 miles on that little 12A in an old beat to **** 83' FB put a few car lengths on his brand new dart. Nothing to brag about at all as it was just a dart, but it happened and I was extremely surprised and impressed. Then monday came and I left my army reserve unit for some stuff I was called in for after work that morning and then the accident happened. The car was still 100% mechanically sound after the impact, no leaks, still idled perfectly and still able to move under it's own power (to get out of the road). That old little blue beat to **** POS was seriously one amazing car and I wish I had the means to buy it back and the rx7 I have now, but it was one or the other and I needed a daily so I bought the SA and brought it back to life instead.

*I also still have all of the Turbo II stuff I bought for the FB too lol