Rotary amateur, bad life choice professional
 

I just bought my first rotary powered car, a 1980 RX7 with a clean-ish body, decent interior, and a toasted motor. I'm hoping to swap in a good motor (no idea what yet) and just have a fun driver. With any luck I can find some rotary guys in the area that don't mind helping wrench for beer and pizza because I have no clue what I'm doing with this thing.

Is that by chance a Leather Sport edition? Hard to tell from the picture if the waffle wheels are gold. I don't see an LS badge on the B-pillar but they could have been removed. What color is the interior? If it is indeed an LS you have a rare car on your hands. One that demands a premium over the standard SA. Would be great to restore it back to stock and original condition! Those cars can be worth quite a bit!

First off in regards to the engine, the spark plug that was in the engine is the wrong type of plug. The correct plug is made by NGK. BR7ET is the plug number I believe. I would run a compression test before condemning the engine. Someone may have dropped that plug and ruined it. There is a tiny chance however that an apex seal took it out. Its time for a compression test.

It has brown cloth interior, the wheels are just grey. Almost all of the badges we're removed by the previous owner so I haven't even figured out what sub model it is. I plan on running a compression test when I have some free time this weekend, but from what the previous owner told me, I'm definitely not getting my hopes up.

Sounds like its not an LS. Does it have a 4 spoke steering wheel and a 5spd trans? If so you have a GS trim level. Sure does look like a nice car though!

It does indeed, thanks, I've been really curious about that.