Looking at an FC Cab this week!! Advice?

[uncle silvia]

Hi all

Im new to this Forum and am kind of new to Rotarys (i lent my mate some cash to buy an FD a few years back and i drove it a few times! lol) but am hoping to view a low milage FC Cab this week!

Ive been reading the forums on here all day and Im getting to grips with what i need to do when i go and look at it!

The main thing seems to be the compression test but as the car is very low milage (33k) im hoping it will be spot on!

The only issue with the car seems to be the roof where the covering has cracked slighty due to age! The current owner says he can organise a new roof from the states for about $400?? How hard are they to fit if I do this at a later date?? Apparently its not that bad anyway Im just thinking worst case!!

Anything else i should look for on these Cabs when i go??

Cheers, Scott

[Prof]

Check for:
 
Rust underneath - although the cabs have a much thicker floor pan, they are still prone to the usual rust infestations - sills, on the front and back of the wheel arches and so on.
 
Check for dampness around the passenger footwell - could be an indication of a leaky roof - and they all do leak in the long run.
 
You mention the roof had a split it in - I am guessing it\'s gone where it joins the pocket just behind the doors - they all go in that place - if you replace the hood - consider going for a fabric rather than vinyl one, as the design is flawed and weak and the vinyl ones split open. $400 from the US isn\'t a bad price - would cost about £300 to get fitted - and it\'s worth having it done professionally - it will need stretching over the frame - looks easy enough to do on paper - but I\'ve taken an old roof off a cab - and the cutting in of the rear window and stretching over the frame need to be done properley or it will look gash.
 
Also, take the spare wheel cover off (behind the seats) and have a look/feel about behind - any sign of a lot of damp and it could spell problems - should be dry as a bone in there.
 
Oops - where\'s my manners !
 
Welcome to the forum !

[uncle silvia]

Spot on Cheers for that advice!!

Ill let you know how I get on!!

[dthebuk]

well theres a buyers guid on rx7club.com which i would read, don\'t think its aimed at cabs though.

I\'d be slightly suspicious of the 33k though. It must have been stored which could be bad news for the engine if stored incorrectly, so i think a compression test is a good idea.

As far as cab only stuff goes....i know nothing about them, im sure there will be someone to come and give you advice soon


oh, and welcome to the club

[uncle silvia]

Cheers!!

Basicly the car has been the current owners sunny day car and is stored in a garage and comes out to play on nice days!! The car has been used and not stored for very long periods!!

Other than the compression test, is there anything else that i can look for engine wise??

[Prof]

You can check for oil leaks - check where the sections of the engine join - if you see evidence of oil leaks it could mean oil seals going - there is a form of leak called dowel leak - it\'s not immediately terminal - but is a sign of an engine getting long in the tooth.
 
Also, check for water weeping from the bottom of the water pump - that\'s on the shaft that drives the fan.  There is a small weep hole underneath that pulley - if it\'s leaking then the water pump seal has gone - relatively easy fix but it needs sorting.
 
Check the smoke on startup - a little blue / white when first starting is ok, but it should clear pretty quickly.  If it remains blue then the engine is burning a lot of oil or the turbo seal has gone.  If the smoke is white and sweat smelling - then it\'s cooolant - means a water seal has probably gone.
 
Ideally see the car when the engine is cold, and let it warm up for about 5 minutes - engine should rev up when first started, settling down to around 2000 and dropping slowly and evenly to a stable idle of around 750-900.  If the idle is erratic it could mean air leaks or badly adjust tps - nothing that\'s a show stopper but it will need sorting if you want reasonable fuel economy.
 
If the car is hard to start when cold it could mean problems.   Also once it\'s warmed up - shut the car down and restart it - should fire up again without issue.  If it\'s hard to start cold or hot it could mean low compression.

[peterwolds]

welcome i got an fc cab recently 32000 miles after having an FD for a few years,love it.as dave ( prof says to check) then enjoy

[uncle silvia]

Im gonna print this page out!! lol

Cheers guys!! and cheers for the warm welcome!!

[lee mills]

Cant help with your questions but would be good to have another rx7 owner in the south west good luck with the purchase
 
Lee

[uncle silvia]

Well If i get it we will have to meet up! Your not far away.

[g.miller]

If it\'s the black one with the 3 spoke wheels, check it over very carefully. 33,000 miles do\'s not ring true and claiming 230 bhp would mean it had had an engine rebuild as they only came with 200bhp.Also 33,000 miles of London use would not be good and the the huge single exhaust may mean it has been driven hard and is is not right. link below to the car i mean, what to you guy\'s think?
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C55838/#
Also check for crash damage, if i where nearer i would come with you, but there maybe someone else up for it, for a small bribe!:Ladys-man
Grant

[uncle silvia]

Yea thats the one!! Ive already spoken to the owner!

If there is anyone in the area this week (probably thurs) that can come along and help me go over it that would be great :Thumbs-up

Few beers in it for them if they can help :cheers



Surely at 33k it wouldnt of had a rebuild yet unless someone has done something daft with it?? Ive seen several of these around that milage too!

The current owner sounds like he has looked after it but I dunno about previous owners??

[dthebuk]

a full exhaust and filter can add 30bhp if mapped for it. Racing beat claim 60-70 with their exhaust. Though the owner is most likely just putting out a ball park figure.

For the not being driven properly, as long as its warmed up before driven hard (can be driven straight away just not on boost and high revs) and cooled down (left to idle before switching off after using boost) it doesn\'t really matter how its driven, too a point that is. Personally i wouldn\'t ask about it, i\'d see what the owner does with it.

oh also to add to profs statement about the white smoke, this can take a while to stop, If i just warm either of my two up they will smoke, it usually takes another few minutes to completely stop

anyway, good luck, you seem to be going the right way about it

[peterwolds]

Hi Grant
hows the latest project going ?
hope some sun soon so can drop roof down she hasnt been out much.

If it\'s the black one with the 3 spoke wheels, check it over very carefully. 33,000 miles do\'s not ring true and claiming 230 bhp would mean it had had an engine rebuild as they only came with 200bhp.Also 33,000 miles of London use would not be good and the the huge single exhaust may mean it has been driven hard and is is not right. link below to the car i mean, what to you guy\'s think?
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C55838/#
Also check for crash damage, if i where nearer i would come with you, but there maybe someone else up for it, for a small bribe!:Ladys-man
Grant

[uncle silvia]

When Buying a new car I always look into it first. I never buy "ordinary" cars so I always go to a club or forum to find out what Im actually going to be looking at!!

Ive always fancied an FC as I would love to cover all engine types and a Rotary is definately on that list of things to own!

A V8 is the other thing Ide like eventually and I nearly bought an FC last week off a mate with a V8 fitted! That fell through due to him not being able to give me the history of the engine and the conversion in full!

At that point I had my heart set on an FC but never really thought about the Cabs! I saw a few and just got thinking of how different that would be!

So here I am lol