PaddyG

HI there! I had just recently bought an 85 rx7 with the 1.1L 12a from a tow yard... without realizing it didn't have a carburetor. I still have the stock intake manifold (I think) but cant seem to find a 12a nikki carb anywhere. The places u do find a carb, its just the carb body and no housing or basically anything. And yet again I had made a misinformed purchase of just a carb body without any other parts for 250 dollars... After reading countless threads and not finding any answers I finally made an account so here I am!

Question time - I found a 15a carb that seems complete on ebay for just under 100 bucks. Will this carb fit on a stock 12a intake manifold? I just want this thing to run and after making countless mistakes on purchases already I just want a clear answer and don't know where else to look.

KansasCityREPU

iTrader: (9)

Never heard of a 15a carb. Stick with 1 12A nikki. Place a WTB on this forum.

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

welcome to the board.

well, my official answer is i don't know. however, if what i think i know about the 15A is correct, then my guess is that it would have used the Hitachi of the day, not the Nikki. you probably need to/should dig through some of Jeff20B's old threads to find out for sure if the Hitachis will bolt to a 12A manifold. however, it still feels like there would be some level of uncertainty if the part is being identified as an actual 15A part. do you have a link or photo?

i can imagine your plight (being excited and wanting to hear the thing run), but my advice would be just give it some time. my experience with 12A parts these days, in general, is that they are now in very low supply, and relatively high demand. if you find certain parts, expect to pay for them!

chances are if you plug yourself into a local rotary community, you might fare better than looking to Ebay and Craigslist and the like. when you have enough posts, check out the Forum for your region and see if you can make some connections there. more than likely someone will either have one, or be able to help you find one.

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

so, i just want to add this ....

i spent a little time digging around today, and it doesn't sound like the 15A ever made it to production. according to one of the things i read (and i believed) they were planning to produce it in 1973, but then the oil crisis hit and it was shelved. that would make it sketchy, at best, that someone has a carburetor from one and is selling it on EBay.

PaddyG

Thank you for this... in your opinion, should I just save up for a complete aftermarket setup on the carb?
My friend suggested fuel injection but i shot that one down since id have to get an EFI system in place - in short id rather go for a 13b swap if i wanted fuel injection.
But would an aftermarket intake manifold and carb be a better option in regards to the demand of parts for such in old car?

Thank you btw for your help

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

it really comes down to what you want to do with the car overall. i can't/won't tell you what to do because at the end of the day, you have to live with it.

my first question would be what you want from the car, but it doesn't sound like you are particularly partial to one setup over another, so the next question would be budget. whether you go big carbie or EFI, you're probably going to be in for costs and time spent tuning it. 13B would just add to it. this is NOT me trying to dissuade you from any of it, just trying to lay it out for you.

the flip side is the Nikki is simple. will probably cost a few hundred, but as long as everything else is in place with the car, you just install it, tune it and enjoy the car.

so give it some thought. take it to pen an paper if you need to - make a "pros and cons"-list and see what you come up with. either way, you will have support here when you're ready.

cmnork

I recently saw 2 or 3 nikki carbs in Facebook marketplace. Suggest you look there?

PaddyG

Thank you for this! Unfortunately, when I went to go look - I messaged the guy and within two hours someone else had snagged it. I shouldn't have waited in hindsight but I was so scared of getting a none complete carb for a second time that I didn't jump the gun...

The other posts about another nikki carb seem to be by the same person (posted multiple times). i appreciate the heads up though! In the meantime I guess I'm back on the hunt.

cmnork

Happy to help; I only recent joined the Facebook rx7 groups. That is your other option, join one of the first gen rx7 groups and post that you're looking for a nikki. People usually respond pretty quickly.