So, after months of searching, I finally picked up an SP!
(I had one back in the day but sold in in 1988 and I regret it to this day.) Anyway, she's definitely a project but I'm up for it. I've been out the game for almost 20 years so I can use all the advise and help I can get. She has been parked since 1997. (The previous owner thought she had a blown water seal as a bunch of white smoke kept coming out of the exhaust) but that's all I know. I trailered her back to my house from Washington.

The good:
She's an SP.
Electrical is good.
Got the engine to turn over.
Has a Holley carb & intake
RB header.
Electronic ignition.
All glass is good.
Door panels, dash and console good.
Tranny seems o.k. and tranny tunnel is not cut.

The bad:
She's got a fair amount of rust.
Engine troubles.


I'm missing a few things like the louvers, front spoiler, antennae, original steering wheel, original shifter/****, SP seats (have seats from an earlier 3), plastic piece around hand brake, plastic piece that covers ignition wires so if anyone has these things let me know. I will try to post pictures as soon as I figure out how to post them here (if anyone knows how let me know).

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Was it the SP on ebay last week in WA state?

I have very similar story as you in that I owned an 77SP original blue which I departed with back in 89-90 when I was 19 yrs old... Right around the time u have exactly not very much money working at a pizza joing, let alone buy parts for what was to be a project/commuter car (or at least that was my story)

I recently scored a 73 RX 2 on ebay and will do the same thing as you (mid life crisis practice/therapy)
Only thing is the 2 is in awesome shape, could use a street port and good to go!

 

What is a SP? lol

 

it's a special factory version of the rx3 that came with a 5spd tranny, spoiler and airdam, different tail light, side and rear glass louvers and special grafics. probably some other stuff i'm not sure about.

 

Congrats man. Love 3's

 

Thanks guys! Yes it was the SP on Ebay last week. As soon as I saw it I emailed the owner and he called me. I asked him what he really wanted for the car to end the auction right then. He told me his price, I agreed to it without even attempting to negotiate (it was a good price) and paypal'd him a deposit right then. Two days later...BAM! SP on my auto transport and I'm grinning from ear to ear all the way back to Cali.

Within an hour of loading it up, 3 different drivers made positive comments to me about it. The first guy asked me if I wanted to sell it. The 2nd guy (in a spanking new Vette) just smiled and nodded repeatedly as he looked at it and passed by. The 3rd guy (on the FWY) kept honking his horn, giving me the thumbs up sign and holding up 3 fingers. Man, I can't wait to get this baby back on the road.

1st I gotta find someone reputable to take care of the rust and body work. I was thinking about Tri-point Engineering in Canoga Park to do a rebuild and streetport for me. Any thoughts?

SPfan, yes our stories are similar. I was 20yrs old when I sold mine in '88. I really didn't know what I had. I loved rotaries but did not know only 1500 SP's were ever produced. I got 6 tickets in one year in that car, was put on a driving probation and decided to part it out instead of losing my license with one more ticket. I bought a totally stock '64 Bug and drove it for a year while on that probation. After that I said I'd get another rotary but never did. It's good to be back, y'all!

If anyone knows how to post pics here let me know and I'll put some up of my SP and my '73 deuce.

 

Rxtasy3, by the way, Eatmyclutch knows what an SP is lol. He's been around the way and back a couple times. He was just giving me a hard time and it's all good! You are right about the SP's. In addition they are a little lighter than regular 3's. The rear windows don't roll down. The decals are a dealer item so some don't have them. I also heard they came with 4:11 diff but I'm not sure on that though.

How'd you put that pic in of Michael Andrade's SP?

 

All of the SP's had 3.727 rear end ratios from the factory and unfortunately they were open diffs.

 

Yey...now you can stop asking me if I wanta to sell my car lol. the story are all so simillar as I did the same thing back then. As a matter of fact that red sp above is my original car. Welcome to back to the money pit club, remember the sp didnt all come with the bells and wistle....

 

Thanks Arnel. What can I say? Desparate men do desparate things lol. Now I can stop hounding you and try to regain some of my dignity back. I might need to pick your brain from time to time though if that's cool.

 

Not a problem, let me know if you need any help

 

let me know what you need ,77 or 78 , have some 3 parts left over and I have the mold for the side shades and may still have the back metal shade let me know ,

 

Ricksrx3, I pm'd you. Thanks.

 

By the way Ricksrx3, she's a 1977.

 

Does "open differential" mean one wheel driving the vehicle as opposed to posi or lsd?

 

That ****** is sweet. I must own one some day!

 

congrats markeddief on the SP. post some pictures.

 

Thanks Xiongal. I'm still trying to figure out how to post 'em.

 

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Hopefully this works. Enjoy the pics.

 

I see.

 

nope, try again.

 

if u have the pics on ur comp, just attach them to a post.

 

Test for pics

 

http://www.msnusers.com/oldschoolrotaries/shoebox.msnw

Hopefully this link will take you to some pics.

 

www.msnusers.com/oldschoolrotaries/shoebox.msnw
can't get it to work. If you copy and paste to address line it works though, go figure.