Where to Start???
 

I'm new to the Mazda scene, but I've done plenty of research, I just purchased a 1986 RX7 convertible and in its previous life it was a drift car, it needs some body work, the interior is stripped, and the motor runs but I can feel it's pain, it struggles to idle and likes to stall, the tps is not connected and several other connections I can see aren't either, these are just things I've noted at a glance, I know problems such as the grounds and other electrical bugs, and I plan on doing a full restore, paint, engine rebuild, transmission, interior, the works, and none of it is very good as is, my question is, where do I begin, I want to do the engine work first but if I'm rebuilding it I might as well paint the thing while the bay is clear, and I really don't have funds to do them simultaneously, looking for advice from someone who's been there, thanks!

-86RX7Rebuild

A running car is better than a Lawn ornament.
Get it to Fire up and run on it's own.Then you can address all the other stuff needed to make it look pretty.
Who cares What the car looks like..IF IT RUNS then it is pretty well 90 % of the battle!

By the way the car doesn't care about your wallet so you'd have to figure out where you wanna go with it.
..and YES I have been there..am Still there ..! (...looks in garage to see Giant Headache that should have moved ..Last year!)