Robet Medred

I want to buy a parts car for my near-mint condition 82 RX-7 GSL and request advice on the type of car to try to buy. To help with potential advice, I provide info on my intention of car use and current modifications.

Background:

Car use. The car is street drivable, and I think I'd like to keep it so. I am in the track driving learning process (currently HPDE 2). For sentimental reasons (I am the original owner), I intend to go no higher than the time trail level with this car. I want to preserve the body, as much as possible, by keeping it away from other drivers who don't think so much about body damage. I may wreck the car anyway, but at least it'll be up do me (assuming a collision doesn't happen in HPDEs).

Car mods. Engine is a 13B EFI (from a 1987), street ported, intake flow matched with street port, aluminum flywheel, high pressure fuel pump, Haltech E6X ECU (**we're still trying to figure out why the tach shuts down at about 5,500 rpm and why the OEM water and oil gauges don't work right--any help would be appreciated here (we just recently installed Autometer gauges)**), 2nd gen stock coils, 2nd gen spark plugs without the electrodes, Racing Beat ignition wires, 2nd gen alternator, larger non-stock starter (can't remember were we got it) Racing Beat headers and exhaust, removed emissions, quasi cold air intake/box with Marhia Motorsports headlight air intake, replaced all suspension bushings (still using rear sway bar), Tokico adjustable shocks, Racing Beat springs, front slotted brake rotors, Hawk disk brake pads (front and rear), stainless steel braided brake lines, have 14 and 15 inch rims (still testing to see if the heavier steel Diamond Racing 15 inch, 7 in-wide rims are more beneficial than the lighter 14 inch alloy rims, (Falken tires on both sets of wheels)), roll bar, Kirkey seats, 5-point harness, Sparco steering wheel with extension, replaced battery with Miata AGM and relocated battery to passenger-side storage bin, car is nearly perfectly weight balanced (front to rear and at each wheel), new but 1st gen radiator, electric fan, dual pulley on alternator. I think that's it.

Part Car Question. Of course the availability of parts cars that are compatible with my car (maybe even one that still runs) is limited for a price of range of less than $1,000. My main concern is having a backup rear end/suspension and manual transmission, not to mention body parts for the dreaded wreck. Given my use of the car, what year and sub model of car would be best to buy for a parts car? Is a 84/85's GS or GSL rear end and suspension drop-in compatible with my 82 GSL? Does a 84/85 GS have rear disk brakes (obviously, the 84/85 GSL and GSL-SE does)? I know that a 84/85 GSL-SE has the larger wheel bolt pattern and requires mods to go into an 82. If my rear end/drive train breaks badly, is it worth the trouble (and money, since I don't have the expertise to do major work myself) to replace the entire suspension with a GSL-SE or should I stick to the same suspension?

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

For the diff, stick with the GSL, it's a slightly better, grabbier, diff than the SE. The SE has a different bolt pattern which won't match the extra wheels you already have. As far as sub-models, any of them will have the needed replacement parts except for the diff. The 84-85 diffs have a different bolt pattern for the drive shaft, other than that it's all bolt and go.

Only the GSL/GSL-SE have rear discs and lsd. Download the FSMs from the link below.

http://foxed.ca/foxed/index.php?page=rx7manual

You may find that much of the suspension work isn't that difficult. Next time, before you purchase aftermarket parts, check out Re-Speed first.

http://mrcmfg.com/catalog/

rxtasy3

iTrader: (2)

as long as u stick with parts for gsl, i don't think the yr will matter that much.