Hi all, just registered on here....This is my latest acquisition:
(http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f324/Baz70/Album%202/DSC01512.jpg)
(http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f324/Baz70/Album%202/DSC01511.jpg)
(http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f324/Baz70/Album%202/DSC01513.jpg)
....My 1983 Mark 1 Series 2....Joining my white 1991 MX-5, and my white 1992 323f 1.6i GLX in my "White Flip-Light Mazda" collection (I have 3 Renaults aswell, but I\'m phasing them out, in favour of Mazdas!), the RX-7 was supposed to replace the 323f as my winter transport (the MX-5 only comes out in the summer), but I\'ve grown quite attached to the 323, so I decided to keep that on aswell....Good job I did, because the RX-7 was not quite as described in the Ebay ad! :mad:
The Ebay text:
Quote from: Ebay FibberHi there this is a chance for you to own .. a true classic sports car . This RX7 is a 1982 with ONLY 64K ON THE CLOCK FROM NEW. YES 64K FROM NEW. it has full service history all stamped . it is in very good condition as you can see from photos and drives like a dream. i have spent £500 on it last month on a complete new clutch and pressure plate. and full service and mot. O and eletric arial which some kind person broke off. it has full mot 12 months and tax for 4 months.. well what more can i say the car speaks for it self.. happy bidding and any questions feel free to ask me..
O BY THE WAY IF YOU WIN BID YOU BUY . CASH ON COLLECTION . 48 HRS AFTER AUCTION ENDING..
....The reality is that it had FSH upto 27,000 miles (20 years ago!), it has 7 months\' M.O.T, a few days tax left, drives like a nightmare due to a steering idler that\'s shot to bits, runs like a bag of cack, most probably due to the fact that a piece of the exhaust is missing at the front, needs some welding before the next test, and to cap it all, the "New Electric Aerial" has just packed up! :mad:
So, not a very good start to a relationship then, but the car has charm aplenty (plus, I\'ve wanted one for twenty years!), meaning that I\'m willing to forget my initial anger/disappointment and (as funds allow) set about getting the car somewhere near right....It may take some time, but we\'ll get there!
Look forward to talking to some of you along the way! :chat
Welcome to the club mate. I\'ve done the opposite to you and just bought a 97 323F BA. The chap selling told a few porkies saying there is nothing wrong with the car, and it has a bit of rust on the door. I got there and found this bit of rust is so bad it\'s rotted the whole bottom of the door, the exhaust was blowing, the headlamps were pointing in different directions, the interior was filthy, he said he\'s had it for 7 years, turns out it\'s only 2 years and both front wings are dented. It drives perfectly though so not all that bad. I knocked him down in price and im currently doing it up.
Anyway good luck with the FB, and keep us updated with the progress
Quote....My 1983 Mark 1 Series 2....Joining my white 1991 MX-5, and my white 1992 323f 1.6i GLX in my "White Flip-Light Mazda" collection (I have 3 Renaults aswell, but I\'m phasing them out, in favour of Mazdas!), the RX-7 was supposed to replace the 323f as my winter transport (the MX-5 only comes out in the summer), but I\'ve grown quite attached to the 323, so I decided to keep that on aswell....Good job I did, because the RX-7 was not quite as described in the Ebay ad! :mad:
The Ebay text:
....The reality is that it had FSH upto 27,000 miles (20 years ago!), it has 7 months\' M.O.T, a few days tax left, drives like a nightmare due to a steering idler that\'s shot to bits, runs like a bag of cack, most probably due to the fact that a piece of the exhaust is missing at the front, needs some welding before the next test, and to cap it all, the "New Electric Aerial" has just packed up! :mad:
So, not a very good start to a relationship then, but the car has charm aplenty (plus, I\'ve wanted one for twenty years!), meaning that I\'m willing to forget my initial anger/disappointment and (as funds allow) set about getting the car somewhere near right....It may take some time, but we\'ll get there!
Look forward to talking to some of you along the way! :chat
Hi There. Saw the car on ebay. Glad you\'ve logged in. I assume it\'s Baz.
The steering idler is dead simple. It\'s usually just bushes, which you can fit in a couple of mins without pulling the steering apart. (The idler assembly unbolts off the chassis leg and you can work away on it in peace). I got my bushes from Rotechnics in Grazeley, Reading, through the post. Under £15 for Mazda ones. They\'ve got a website. I think Dave is still the man there. Also new idler arms complete are available - I\'ve seen Atkins Rotary in the states advertising them, but should be available here I would have thought.
The steering was only ever adequate at best though, I recently read a write up about an american car that said that the steering system between car and driver was a bit like a democracy, with 1 vote each for which way to go! the 1st gen can be a little like that but with new idler bushes it shouldn\'t be too bad.
Hope to see you on here again.
Dave
The idler\'s already in bits and cleaned up, awaiting the new bushes, which are on order from Wrights, the local Mazda dealer....I do have an independant specialist called "Jimmy\'s" just down the road, but they couldn\'t help on this occasion!
The bushes should be here any time now....If I hadn\'t just discovered the knackered exhaust, I might have been able to get a couple of days use from the car before the tax runs out! :2Confused
Are replacement exhaust parts readily available? I haven\'t had the time/inclination to go out and get underneath (where there is, no doubt, a large puddle at the mo) and establish what exactly is missing, but I\'m sure there is fresh air somewhere in the region of the steering box, where a bit of exhaust should be! :eek
I have to admit that I\'m slightly disappointed, as the Ebay ad suggested it\'d be a car I could just get in and drive....I don\'t understand why people can\'t just tell the truth....On a positive note: I now own an RX-7! :driving
If I were you I\'d look at replacing the entire system with an aftermarket one, and removing the air pump etc. You will get more power and slightly better MPG :)
Welcome to MRC btw :wave
Quote from: Brett;578513If I were you I\'d look at replacing the entire system with an aftermarket one, and removing the air pump etc. You will get more power and slightly better MPG :)
Welcome to MRC btw :wave
Thanks! :)
Yes, that\'s worth considering I suppose....Was hoping to just get the car mobile at minimal cost just for the time being, then fit stuff like that at a later date (If it gets through it\'s next M.O.T.without being written off!)....But then again, any new parts could be flogged on Ebay! :Giggle
Brings back memories when I drove the 1st gen back for the first time. Overtaking was an art !
The bearing had been replaced by silicon sealant and the steering was transformed by the bushes. There is also an adjuster for the steering arm but will make the steering heavier if too tight.
Welcome aboard. Looks like its been well looked after !
Shaun
Quote from: shaunwil;578532Welcome aboard. Looks like its been well looked after !
Shaun
Just goes to show how deceptive appearances can be, doesn\'t it? :Giggle
It\'ll be well looked after from now on, anyway! :chat
If it\'s the original system with the air pump, then chances are that the front box has fractured somewhere inside the heat shields. Brett has to be right because a complete new system in stainless will probably be less than than the original front box (if you can source one). I\'ve got an \'SS\' (or is it \'Double S\'??) stainless system which I was lucky enough to get off a scrapper I pulled for spares. I think \'SS\' are still going - somewhere down in the west country I think. Anyway, plenty of advice on here if you do decide to chuck out the standard system and air pump. I think everyone\'s done it?? Anyone tell me I\'m wrong??
WGT do a full system, manifold back for around £350 +vat in stainless ! First thing I bought because my exhaust system was knackered !
Shaun
I simply adore that car!
Quote from: Twilight;578749I simply adore that car!
Why, thank you! :D
If I find much else wrong with it, before I start putting things right, you can have it....I\'ll post it to you in little envelopes! :2Confused
Seriously though, Mrs.Baz has collected the idler bushes from the dealer in The City for me today (I\'m relieved to see that the bushes have a taper, meaning the inside of the housing is
SUPPOSED to be that shape!), so hopefully that\'ll be one of the numerous jobs completed before I go to work tomorrow night! :D
Have started making some enquiries regarding possible exhaust solutions....Think I might ask my flexible friend for a little help in this instance....I can pay him back out of the proceeds of my Ebay empire (I sell car/bike brochures/handbooks/magazines) over the next few months....I can\'t wait to get the old heap mobile again! :driving
I\'m a bit worried....The wife seems to have "Affectionately" christened the car "The Money Pit"....I\'ve a feeling I may be getting a talking to before long! :D
Welcome to RX7 ownership, hope the problems sorted soon.
Daverey
It simply looks so great. But well you can assume some technical problems with that- old rotary.
Imagine n/a 20b running with peripheral ports... mmmm
Is your car red Daverey? I\'ve got it logged as red but with a question mark after colour. And quite low miles? Hope you don\'t mind me asking.
Steering idler now fixed....Improves the driving experience no end! :D
Managed to get a look at the exhaust, and the main part of the front pipe seems to be intact....It\'s another, smaller pipe, running alongside the main pipe, that\'s broken....Anybody know what this other pipe is for? :3Confused
Jimmy\'s, just down the road from me, want £500.00 plus fitting and V.A.T. for a stainless exhaust....I\'ll need to be finding a CONSIDERABLY cheaper solution to the problem than that! :eek:
From memory the smaller pipe is the hot air output from the thermal reactor (cooking pot thing) thats bolted up to the engine. You loose all that and the air pump itself if you go to an aftermarket system. Never tried to repair one of the original Mazda front silencer assemblies but I assume it\'s possible. I never fancied doing that because the big back box is prone to failure every 5 years or so on the original system.
Quote from: David Nock;578854Is your car red Daverey? I\'ve got it logged as red but with a question mark after colour. And quite low miles? Hope you don\'t mind me asking.
Hi David
The car is red and has 45000 on the clock. Would also like to mention exhaust is original, so therei s one out there.
Dave.
Welcome in mate :) I was on the club323f forum, can\'t beat popup lights on the BG can you lol :D you got anything planned for it?
Quote from: m1tch;579022I was on the club323f forum, can\'t beat popup lights on the BG can you lol :D you got anything planned for it?
Yeah, I\'m registered on the 323f forum too (as well as MX-5 Club, Renault Megane Forum, Auto....e and Retro Rides :2Confused)....The 323f was really just bought to use as a winter hack, so that I could save my MX-5 from the worst of the winter crud....Most of my money goes on the upkeep of the 5 (although I suspect that\'s gonna change with the arrival of the RX-7), but if the 323 makes it through it\'s M.O.T in September, I may treat it to some bits n bobs....Maybe a nice set of alloys and GT Spoilers....For a £400 car, it\'s very impressive indeed - I\'d much rather drive the 323 than my 2006 Megane! :chat
Quote from: David Nock;578935From memory the smaller pipe is the hot air output from the thermal reactor (cooking pot thing) thats bolted up to the engine.
Is it feasible that the car could pass an M.O.T. with just the small pipe broken, do you think? It looks like it\'s been that way for quite a while! :3Confused
Quote from: daverey;579016Hi David
The car is red and has 45000 on the clock. Would also like to mention exhaust is original, so therei s one out there.
Dave.
Thanks for the info dave.
Quote from: Baz-7;579098Is it feasible that the car could pass an M.O.T. with just the small pipe broken, do you think? It looks like it\'s been that way for quite a while! :3Confused
You can try, but I\'ve had a car failed on the same thing a good few years ago.
Quote from: David Nock;579325You can try, but I\'ve had a car failed on the same thing a good few years ago.
I was thinking more: Could it have passed an M.O.T. in that condition back in July....It\'s obviously been that way for quite some time....As had the steering idler....I\'m begining to question the integrity of the M.O.T. and the testing station that carried it out, and I\'m half tempted to talk to the ministry about it....I\'m gonna get the chap who looks after most of my other cars (actually a Gt.Yarmouth based Renault Specialist) to spend a hour looking over the car, and give me his honest opinion over whether I should persevere with the car, or chuck it....I hope he recommends the former, but if it is the latter, I\'m definitely gonna get another some day soon, because despite this one being a bit of a heap, I really love it! :yes
Hi Baz IMHO the things you\'ve found wrong so far aren\'t really that bad for an old car. Idler bushes, easy fix, exhaust.....yeh, expense starting to bite now but nearly all s/hand RX7\'s have something expensive wants doing. The prime consideration has to be the shell, then the engine, then the exhaust in that order. If you\'ve got a good shell and engine, most other things are a laid-back-life-experience. (I\'ve just invented that phrase - good eh?).
Get your man to take off the back wheels and check the triangular reinforcing plates that attach the back axle top link to the chassis. Cracked or even rusted away? Also door bottoms on series 2. Check also the chassis legs for cracks at the points where the steering idler and steering box attach. Check fuel tank for leaks.
If the shell gets a clean bill of health and the engine starts and pulls well, I think all else is sortable. The car looks the business anyway.
I do love the car, I must admit....I\'ve been using it for the past couple of days, and it\'s growing on me all the time....I\'ve even started having perverse thoughts about selling my beloved MX-5 to finance renovations!
I\'m not really getting anywhere with the exhaust....RoTechnics don\'t seem to want to respond to my enquiries, and there\'s a car on Ebay at the moment that\'s supposedly fitted with a Janspeed exhaust, so I\'ve tried contacting them....Again without response....It\'s easy to lose heart when supposed "specialists" keep ignoring you! :3Confused
The only company that\'s bothered to respond is far too expensive (Jimmy\'s @ £500.00 plus fitting plus V.A.T)....Can anyone point me in the right direction here?
Rotechnics and WGT over in Cheshire are both bad at getting back on emails. You might have to push them on the phone. I would think £350 for a new system plus fitting is the best you\'re going to get. (And fitting is a bit of a job because removing the thermal reactor and air pump eats labour costs).
Try a guy called Tim at RX motors in Dorset. He often has a few cars breaking. Google should find him.
You may just find a reasonable secondhand Mazda front section somewhere, but I think you\'ll be lucky. I think it\'s all new or, like me, a lucky find of a complete stainless system on a scrapper.
Hope this helps.
//www.rxmotors.co.uk Tel 01725 516462.
Although response can be slow as with Rotechnics etc, usually because they are in the workshop.
Dave.
Thankyou gents....That\'s RX Motors now contacted aswell....Hopefully SOMEBODY will respond eventually! :D
RX Motors have quoted me £200 plus carriage, plus V.A.T. for a secondhand stainless system....But I think I\'ll go with a new one from WGT at £345 plus V.A.T. but including carriage, as that comes with fitting instructions....I need to know which bits to keep, and which to discard!
Now....Where did I leave that credit card? :2Rolleyes
I\'ve got some fitting instuctions Baz, I think they\'re all much the same for any system because all the head scratching goes on at the front, the reactor has stub pipes in it which need cutting down and there are a few blanking-off plates to fit where the air pump goes. The blanks are easy stuff, the stub pipes a bit harder, then setting the carburettor to run a bit leaner is a bit tricky.
The rest of the exhaust is obvious pipes and hanger stuff.
It\'s on an A4 double sided paper if you want to pm me with an address or email address.
That\'s very kind....I\'m guessing I have to be a "Proper" member to send P.M\'s (and have a signature and avatar?), but my e-mail is on my profile....Think I\'ll have to join properly soon! :D
Got it David. I\'ll have a look at scanning and emailing this weekend. Doubt you\'ll be under the car this weather? As for being kind - lets just say we\'ve all been there at some time.
When I saw the broken exhaust on our third 1st Gen I just thought "oh well, better get the \'exhaust changing papers\' out again".
And yes, I think now that you say it PM facilities are limited to members. Sorry forgot.
Another setback in my plans for the car....Didn\'t win the replacement glass sunroof....May seem like a small thing, but I needed something POSITIVE to happen for me....It\'s all been negative so far, and now I feel I\'ve lost heart completely (Two family bereavements - One unexpectedly -within the last month haven\'t helped either)....I think the car is going to have to go back on Ebay as a "Project" at a tremendous loss to myself.
I\'ll concentrate on my MX-5, and maybe find a NICE RX-7 one day, when I\'ve more money....Feel a bit stupid really, as I could have had my MX-5 resprayed with what I\'ve wasted on the RX-7 so far!
One lesson learned: BEWARE WHEN BUYING CARS OFF EBAY!!!! It\'s a horrible fact of life, but people aren\'t always honest....I feel quite depressed....:(
Quote from: David Nock;582072Got it David. I\'ll have a look at scanning and emailing this weekend.
Done it David. 4pages sent which is 2 sets of double sided instructions for 2 different exhausts. Both the same thing though as said.
Thanks very much....I must say, everybody on here has been most friendly and helpful! :)
Car is sadly now back on Ebay....:(
The reserve I\'ve set is (obviously) less than I paid for the car, but isn\'t THAT cheap, so there\'s a chance it won\'t sell....I\'ve decided to re-list once if it doesn\'t, and if it still doesn\'t go after that I\'ll keep it, but it\'ll have to be a LONG TERM project....My MX-5 will take priority when money needs spending!
If it does go, I definitely want a better First Gen RX-7 one day! :2Rolleyes
New owner Ary collected the car today and took it off to Wales....Nice chap, and I get the impression that he\'ll have a bit more in the way of funds to throw at the car than I would have had! :2Rolleyes
I\'d just like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for the help and advice you gave me during my brief ownership of the car....Should I ever "grow out of" the MX-5, then I\'ll be looking for another (nicer) first gen....Maybe I\'ll catch you all again in the future! :D
Kind regards,
David.
Quote from: Baz-7;587135New owner Ary collected the car today and took it off to Wales....Nice chap, and I get the impression that he\'ll have a bit more in the way of funds to throw at the car than I would have had! :2Rolleyes
David, my wife will totally disagree with the funds statement. :)
Nice meeting you and thanks for the stewardship of the RX-7.
Good luck with the MX-5 projects.
Cheers,
AR
Theres probably a few people on here who can sort you out :)
Stick up a post in the wanted section :D
Hope to see you on here again sometime mate. Glad you think we\'re a good lot.
Quote from: Rotaryguru;587167Theres a complete stainless FB system for sale on the \'other\' forum. :2Confused
Other forum?
I am not 100% sure the system is gone but\'ll I have a look hopefuly later on.
If it is gone a wanted add will go up.
Theres an old school mazda rotary forum. Have a read of this thread...
http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55097