were do you guys find the oldies?
01-03-10, 04:12 AM
#1
will be boostin soon!
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were do you guys find the oldies?
ive been looking everywhere i just want to know where the heck do you guys find the rx2 rx3's and so on.. im interested in maybe buying one up if i find a good deal around me and keeping it around as a little side porject or just a lawn ordimant but im curious i dont even know a ball park price range of something that maybe rusty, falling apart, good fixer upper...and are parts (beside the engine, i have plenty) hard to find?
thanks
thanks
01-03-10, 01:54 PM
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i found my rx2 skateboarding over to a buddys house. i have been past this house hundreds of times looking at a tarped car under a car port. finally one night i was convinced it was a datsun 510 and wanted to take a peek and when i seen the rx2 badge i almost shat my pants! after that night the next day i was over asking how much it was. now its all history 
and im in love with my 73 duce !!!!!
and im in love with my 73 duce !!!!!
01-03-10, 02:24 PM
#6
Friends that have rotaries and old school imports usually know someone , That was my case, Friend owned it and bought it, And like they say they aint cheap so when love is their it dont matter how long it takes how much time you have to spend fixing it and how much doew you gotz to save for it at the end is well worth it,well worth it and like ( oldskoolme ) says rx7 owners come and go old schoolers stay old school/.
01-04-10, 10:43 PM
#7
Mel hit the nail on the head, 7 owners come and go but those that do old school we stick around.
As for where you find them..... I run around all the back roads I can find looking for that hint of shape in the backyard. I stop at every little bitty junkyard way out in the middle of nowhere even though they only have 20 cars. You look on craigslist and ebay and finally when you have 3 or 4 and other people know you have them and like them you hear about the ones that have been stashed in garages for years or hidden under a tarp or the my friend's friend's brother.... and when you hear about them you go check it out even if it is a wild goose chase. Because all the sudden you end up with a 35k mile R100 that sat in a barn for 20 years, or an Rx4 bought for parts that turns out to be in the first 100 built, or just another rusty cosmo that no one wants but you have made another contact.
As for where you find them..... I run around all the back roads I can find looking for that hint of shape in the backyard. I stop at every little bitty junkyard way out in the middle of nowhere even though they only have 20 cars. You look on craigslist and ebay and finally when you have 3 or 4 and other people know you have them and like them you hear about the ones that have been stashed in garages for years or hidden under a tarp or the my friend's friend's brother.... and when you hear about them you go check it out even if it is a wild goose chase. Because all the sudden you end up with a 35k mile R100 that sat in a barn for 20 years, or an Rx4 bought for parts that turns out to be in the first 100 built, or just another rusty cosmo that no one wants but you have made another contact.
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01-05-10, 10:47 PM
#8
I actually own Rotaries
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Mel hit the nail on the head, 7 owners come and go but those that do old school we stick around.
As for where you find them..... I run around all the back roads I can find looking for that hint of shape in the backyard. I stop at every little bitty junkyard way out in the middle of nowhere even though they only have 20 cars. You look on craigslist and ebay and finally when you have 3 or 4 and other people know you have them and like them you hear about the ones that have been stashed in garages for years or hidden under a tarp or the my friend's friend's brother.... and when you hear about them you go check it out even if it is a wild goose chase. Because all the sudden you end up with a 35k mile R100 that sat in a barn for 20 years, or an Rx4 bought for parts that turns out to be in the first 100 built, or just another rusty cosmo that no one wants but you have made another contact.
As for where you find them..... I run around all the back roads I can find looking for that hint of shape in the backyard. I stop at every little bitty junkyard way out in the middle of nowhere even though they only have 20 cars. You look on craigslist and ebay and finally when you have 3 or 4 and other people know you have them and like them you hear about the ones that have been stashed in garages for years or hidden under a tarp or the my friend's friend's brother.... and when you hear about them you go check it out even if it is a wild goose chase. Because all the sudden you end up with a 35k mile R100 that sat in a barn for 20 years, or an Rx4 bought for parts that turns out to be in the first 100 built, or just another rusty cosmo that no one wants but you have made another contact.
01-05-10, 11:21 PM
#9
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Rotary Dude couldn't be more correct,
Rx3 Wagon - A customer at work after seeing rotor and housing in my office
REPU #1 - Friend of the son of a Co-Worker after they saw the rotor and housing in my office
REPU #2 - Was talking to the owner of a yard in a small Nor CA town that had accumulated cars over decades. I saw some first gens and then he showed me the REPU that he kept hid inside.
REPU #3 - For years was just down the street from my house, but out of site in the back yard. Nearly drove into a ditch when I saw it sitting out front one day. Parked since 1984
RX2 Sedan - In the back lot of a feed store, had been stored there since 78 when it broke down.
RX2 Sedan & RX4 - Small family owned wrecking yard
RX2 Coupe - This one killed me, it was a project, but all bone stock with even the original keys (still have) and zero rust. Got the call and before it could be shipped out, they inadvertantly dropped another car on it. I left work and drove a few hours to see how bad it was, but it was too late.
The real trick though? Go blow all of your money at a casino because the best deals come out of the wood work when you are broke.
Rx3 Wagon - A customer at work after seeing rotor and housing in my office
REPU #1 - Friend of the son of a Co-Worker after they saw the rotor and housing in my office
REPU #2 - Was talking to the owner of a yard in a small Nor CA town that had accumulated cars over decades. I saw some first gens and then he showed me the REPU that he kept hid inside.
REPU #3 - For years was just down the street from my house, but out of site in the back yard. Nearly drove into a ditch when I saw it sitting out front one day. Parked since 1984
RX2 Sedan - In the back lot of a feed store, had been stored there since 78 when it broke down.
RX2 Sedan & RX4 - Small family owned wrecking yard
RX2 Coupe - This one killed me, it was a project, but all bone stock with even the original keys (still have) and zero rust. Got the call and before it could be shipped out, they inadvertantly dropped another car on it. I left work and drove a few hours to see how bad it was, but it was too late.
The real trick though? Go blow all of your money at a casino because the best deals come out of the wood work when you are broke.
01-05-10, 11:48 PM
#10
No distributor? No thanks
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Mel hit the nail on the head, 7 owners come and go but those that do old school we stick around.
As for where you find them..... I run around all the back roads I can find looking for that hint of shape in the backyard. I stop at every little bitty junkyard way out in the middle of nowhere even though they only have 20 cars. You look on craigslist and ebay and finally when you have 3 or 4 and other people know you have them and like them you hear about the ones that have been stashed in garages for years or hidden under a tarp or the my friend's friend's brother.... and when you hear about them you go check it out even if it is a wild goose chase. Because all the sudden you end up with a 35k mile R100 that sat in a barn for 20 years, or an Rx4 bought for parts that turns out to be in the first 100 built, or just another rusty cosmo that no one wants but you have made another contact.
As for where you find them..... I run around all the back roads I can find looking for that hint of shape in the backyard. I stop at every little bitty junkyard way out in the middle of nowhere even though they only have 20 cars. You look on craigslist and ebay and finally when you have 3 or 4 and other people know you have them and like them you hear about the ones that have been stashed in garages for years or hidden under a tarp or the my friend's friend's brother.... and when you hear about them you go check it out even if it is a wild goose chase. Because all the sudden you end up with a 35k mile R100 that sat in a barn for 20 years, or an Rx4 bought for parts that turns out to be in the first 100 built, or just another rusty cosmo that no one wants but you have made another contact.
01-06-10, 08:05 AM
#11
+1 to Chino and Dave. make friends, lots of friends...sooner or later, you will get the hook-ups. remember, friends will know it first before anything for sale goes in paper or craigslist in this case.
and please dont forget, if you dont have an open mind, you may as well buy a honda civic or teg or others wherein bolt-on parts are easily accessible. I have restored several old school RXs, I get depressed most of the time, I have spent countless hours BUT at the end it is all worth it. It works out for me since my kids are in high school and college now and this hobby keeps me in shape and preoccupy after work hours plus its an excuse to have a couple of drinks at night. Imagine what I can do once my 2 kids are out of my house???? thats an extra $1K+ in my pocket. LOLLLLLLLLL
and please dont forget, if you dont have an open mind, you may as well buy a honda civic or teg or others wherein bolt-on parts are easily accessible. I have restored several old school RXs, I get depressed most of the time, I have spent countless hours BUT at the end it is all worth it. It works out for me since my kids are in high school and college now and this hobby keeps me in shape and preoccupy after work hours plus its an excuse to have a couple of drinks at night. Imagine what I can do once my 2 kids are out of my house???? thats an extra $1K+ in my pocket. LOLLLLLLLLL
01-06-10, 08:52 AM
#12
Rotary Dude couldn't be more correct,
Rx3 Wagon - A customer at work after seeing rotor and housing in my office
REPU #1 - Friend of the son of a Co-Worker after they saw the rotor and housing in my office
REPU #2 - Was talking to the owner of a yard in a small Nor CA town that had accumulated cars over decades. I saw some first gens and then he showed me the REPU that he kept hid inside.
REPU #3 - For years was just down the street from my house, but out of site in the back yard. Nearly drove into a ditch when I saw it sitting out front one day. Parked since 1984
RX2 Sedan - In the back lot of a feed store, had been stored there since 78 when it broke down.
RX2 Sedan & RX4 - Small family owned wrecking yard
RX2 Coupe - This one killed me, it was a project, but all bone stock with even the original keys (still have) and zero rust. Got the call and before it could be shipped out, they inadvertantly dropped another car on it. I left work and drove a few hours to see how bad it was, but it was too late.
The real trick though? Go blow all of your money at a casino because the best deals come out of the wood work when you are broke.
Rx3 Wagon - A customer at work after seeing rotor and housing in my office
REPU #1 - Friend of the son of a Co-Worker after they saw the rotor and housing in my office
REPU #2 - Was talking to the owner of a yard in a small Nor CA town that had accumulated cars over decades. I saw some first gens and then he showed me the REPU that he kept hid inside.
REPU #3 - For years was just down the street from my house, but out of site in the back yard. Nearly drove into a ditch when I saw it sitting out front one day. Parked since 1984
RX2 Sedan - In the back lot of a feed store, had been stored there since 78 when it broke down.
RX2 Sedan & RX4 - Small family owned wrecking yard
RX2 Coupe - This one killed me, it was a project, but all bone stock with even the original keys (still have) and zero rust. Got the call and before it could be shipped out, they inadvertantly dropped another car on it. I left work and drove a few hours to see how bad it was, but it was too late.
The real trick though? Go blow all of your money at a casino because the best deals come out of the wood work when you are broke.
01-06-10, 10:30 AM
#13
73 13B 4 port
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+1 to Chino and Dave. make friends, lots of friends...sooner or later, you will get the hook-ups. remember, friends will know it first before anything for sale goes in paper or craigslist in this case.
and please dont forget, if you dont have an open mind, you may as well buy a honda civic or teg or others wherein bolt-on parts are easily accessible. I have restored several old school RXs, I get depressed most of the time, I have spent countless hours BUT at the end it is all worth it. It works out for me since my kids are in high school and college now and this hobby keeps me in shape and preoccupy after work hours plus its an excuse to have a couple of drinks at night. Imagine what I can do once my 2 kids are out of my house???? thats an extra $1K+ in my pocket. LOLLLLLLLLL
and please dont forget, if you dont have an open mind, you may as well buy a honda civic or teg or others wherein bolt-on parts are easily accessible. I have restored several old school RXs, I get depressed most of the time, I have spent countless hours BUT at the end it is all worth it. It works out for me since my kids are in high school and college now and this hobby keeps me in shape and preoccupy after work hours plus its an excuse to have a couple of drinks at night. Imagine what I can do once my 2 kids are out of my house???? thats an extra $1K+ in my pocket. LOLLLLLLLLL
01-06-10, 01:20 PM
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I find cars at garage sales. Even if there not for sale. I just wait by them and ask the seller, usually if there looking at garage sales (they like to buy and sell too).
01-06-10, 08:35 PM
#18
Well I was at my friend shop and he was another guy talking about this guy that bought a rx2 from arizona for 600.00 recently he had it shipped here and now putting rx7 suspension and rear end, I heard theirs no rust and it turns over,wow and he founf it in craiglist, once i get picture of it if i can i will post it,
01-06-10, 11:31 PM
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Well I heard this guys Wacky's got a few junk Rx3 in his back yard. You might wanna give him a try. He's also selling a nice black rx3, hit him up.
I've been broke a long time and still waiting on that diamond's in the rough.
I've been broke a long time and still waiting on that diamond's in the rough.
01-07-10, 06:40 PM
#21
One of my best find it stories was like that sh-t in the movies that you see and think naw man that never happens. We were crushing out Rx7 parts cars that we had, pretty sweet deal with a scrapper/junk yard in Kansas City that is no longer there. Saturday morning is always their busiest time, but we used these guys all the time. I had about 10 Rx7s we were crushing dragging them in on the trailer 2 at a time. I had just scaled the truck and trailer and pulled around to the crusher to unload and what is in front of me. A 76 Rx3 coupe in the crusher..... They just put it in there and started the crusher, I jump out run up to the control panel frantically looking for the OFF button of course nothing is labeled I just start smashing anything that looks big and red. These guys are laughing their asses off at me, I was pissed. Anyway I storm back over to the office and tell the owner what the hell... his comment I didn't think you wanted one that Old I only thought you wanted the rx7s. Needless to say I took it home they hadn't done too much damage to her and she even had a clean title.... total cost $50. Oh yea she was complete and a runner she only needed a fuel pump.
01-07-10, 07:53 PM
#22
I used to break whatever I dont need at the junkyard. But once in awhile, i still get that itch, so I have been smashing whatever I dont need out of FBs and FCs. My theory is that if no one wants them, I may as well smash it (part of my anger management), this is before they get crushed. 
01-14-10, 01:31 PM
#23
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Sounds like you guys in North America really struggle to find old skool RX's.
Thank-fully we do not have that barrier here in NZ. I could go out today and pick and choose from over 50 old skool RX cars for sale.
The barrier to old skool rotary ownership here is the price!
Thank-fully we do not have that barrier here in NZ. I could go out today and pick and choose from over 50 old skool RX cars for sale.
The barrier to old skool rotary ownership here is the price!
01-16-10, 06:02 PM
#24
My 74 RX4 2 dr coupe, was spotted by a co-worker of my fellow rotary enthusiast. It had been sitting in a residential neighborhood in a small rural community for months. I stopped and left a note on their front door. It turned out that the passenger door mechanism was jammed and the door would not open. The wife didn't like climbing into the passenger seat from the driver's side. Go figure. Any way, I ended up trading a salvage title RX7 'vert for it on the last day of December, during a snow storm. The wife was happy.
My second RX4 (a 76, 2-dr coupe) was spotted on craigslist. The seller farted around too long and the-friend-of-his-dad, who had been storing the car, had a tow company/wrecking yard take the car away. Some weeks after it was towed away, the wrecking yard posted it up on craigslist. I bought it from the wrecking yard with only a bill of sale (no title). I had kept in contact with the waited-too-long-seller, and after he calmed down and realized that he no longer had claim to the vehicle, he sold me the title to it. So now I have the 76 RX4 and a clean title too.
During the summer of 1973 I sold Mazda's at the local dealership. They gave me a '73 RX3 Wagon to drive as my "demo". It was yellow with black interior and went like a bat out of hell. I was (and still am) a shitty salesman; but I sure fell for the rotary's. One of the mechanics later became one of the owners and Service Manager. He's the one that I jokingly asked to call me whenever he has a thousand dollar FD for me. So I get a call from him and he says that there's a guy that has an FD and thinks he has a blown engine. He blew the first one up 50k miles ago and doesn't want to spent the few hundred dollars to put it up on the rack and find out how bad the damage is. There was coolant spewing out of the engine as soon as it began cranking over. I called the guy up; asked him how much he wanted for it; he said "a thousand dollars". I thought he said "eight thousand dollars", because I couldn't believe my ears; and after getting confirmation on what he said; I bought it. All it needed was a new air separator tank (AST), and coolant fluid. Best $1000 third gen RX7 I've ever bought.
Last summer I found a 73 RX3 Wagon (yellow with black interior), on craigslist. The only problem was it was about 3,000 miles round trip to get it. I talked the seller into selling it to me. I also talked a friend (who talked another friend, and his wife) into taking my truck and trailer down to get it. After a long and adventurous journey they returned with it.
Again last summer, I found a first gen RX7 convertible (85 GSL-SE w/13b) that had been found in a wrecking yard and purchased by the guy I bought it from. He paid $100 for it. It had had an engine fire. The seller fixed the damage and had it repainted (silver). It sat in his storage warehouse for eight years before he decided to sell it. This was another craigslist find.
Later that same summer, I found another one on craigslist. This one was a red 85 RX7 convertible with Weld wheels. It had GSL-SE badging, but had a 12a engine and automatic. The seller took it out for one-last-drive just before I got there to buy it. Well, it turns out that there was a fuel delivery problem and it would get a "vapor lock" type problem which kept fuel from the engine, and the car stopped, and would not re-start. This "problem" caused the seller to drop the selling price over 25%.
I'm nearly done boring you with my "finds", so here is my last one (for now)...
I found (again on craigslist) an 88 anniversary edition turbo'd RX7, with an asking price of something like $500 which was located in another state, about 250 miles away. It turns out that about a zillion people offered to buy it, so he opened it up to "or best offer". A week or two later he emailed me and let me know he would sell to me for $1500. It had a massive coolant leak which could mean a complete rebuild. Turns out that the coolant leak was a simple fix and did not need rebuilding. What's kinda cool, to me, is the car was originally sold by the dealership in town, traveled to another state and is now just a mile away from where it was first sold.
My blown 20b FC and my other FD which is being LS1'd are other stories.
Peace.
My second RX4 (a 76, 2-dr coupe) was spotted on craigslist. The seller farted around too long and the-friend-of-his-dad, who had been storing the car, had a tow company/wrecking yard take the car away. Some weeks after it was towed away, the wrecking yard posted it up on craigslist. I bought it from the wrecking yard with only a bill of sale (no title). I had kept in contact with the waited-too-long-seller, and after he calmed down and realized that he no longer had claim to the vehicle, he sold me the title to it. So now I have the 76 RX4 and a clean title too.
During the summer of 1973 I sold Mazda's at the local dealership. They gave me a '73 RX3 Wagon to drive as my "demo". It was yellow with black interior and went like a bat out of hell. I was (and still am) a shitty salesman; but I sure fell for the rotary's. One of the mechanics later became one of the owners and Service Manager. He's the one that I jokingly asked to call me whenever he has a thousand dollar FD for me. So I get a call from him and he says that there's a guy that has an FD and thinks he has a blown engine. He blew the first one up 50k miles ago and doesn't want to spent the few hundred dollars to put it up on the rack and find out how bad the damage is. There was coolant spewing out of the engine as soon as it began cranking over. I called the guy up; asked him how much he wanted for it; he said "a thousand dollars". I thought he said "eight thousand dollars", because I couldn't believe my ears; and after getting confirmation on what he said; I bought it. All it needed was a new air separator tank (AST), and coolant fluid. Best $1000 third gen RX7 I've ever bought.
Last summer I found a 73 RX3 Wagon (yellow with black interior), on craigslist. The only problem was it was about 3,000 miles round trip to get it. I talked the seller into selling it to me. I also talked a friend (who talked another friend, and his wife) into taking my truck and trailer down to get it. After a long and adventurous journey they returned with it.
Again last summer, I found a first gen RX7 convertible (85 GSL-SE w/13b) that had been found in a wrecking yard and purchased by the guy I bought it from. He paid $100 for it. It had had an engine fire. The seller fixed the damage and had it repainted (silver). It sat in his storage warehouse for eight years before he decided to sell it. This was another craigslist find.
Later that same summer, I found another one on craigslist. This one was a red 85 RX7 convertible with Weld wheels. It had GSL-SE badging, but had a 12a engine and automatic. The seller took it out for one-last-drive just before I got there to buy it. Well, it turns out that there was a fuel delivery problem and it would get a "vapor lock" type problem which kept fuel from the engine, and the car stopped, and would not re-start. This "problem" caused the seller to drop the selling price over 25%.
I'm nearly done boring you with my "finds", so here is my last one (for now)...
I found (again on craigslist) an 88 anniversary edition turbo'd RX7, with an asking price of something like $500 which was located in another state, about 250 miles away. It turns out that about a zillion people offered to buy it, so he opened it up to "or best offer". A week or two later he emailed me and let me know he would sell to me for $1500. It had a massive coolant leak which could mean a complete rebuild. Turns out that the coolant leak was a simple fix and did not need rebuilding. What's kinda cool, to me, is the car was originally sold by the dealership in town, traveled to another state and is now just a mile away from where it was first sold.
My blown 20b FC and my other FD which is being LS1'd are other stories.
Peace.
01-20-10, 04:49 PM
#25
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found my rx3 coupe after being told about a small ad on a forum in England- they are very rare in England having all rusted out.
Went to view it and it was one owner low milage car that had been stored away after the water pump failed. After 21 years in storage it was handed over to me as my first RX3. all original and a great interior. exterior wasn't so great but....
Went to view it and it was one owner low milage car that had been stored away after the water pump failed. After 21 years in storage it was handed over to me as my first RX3. all original and a great interior. exterior wasn't so great but....