BUYING A FB/SA RX7 - Things to know Before You Buy

[@ottolohr]

Just throwing some info out there. On FBs (non GSL-SE) it is harder to find heavier duty struts and shocks. The old school standard Tokico Blues struts/shock are no longer available. But for front struts (will not work on SA) you can use Koni strut for 1st Gen Toyota MR2. For rear shocks; Koni orange shocks for Foxbody body Mustangs fit. The OEM replacement KYB struts/shock work fine with standard springs but if you go to higher spring rate springs; the KYB will not work well. I enjoy watching RAD posts, keep them coming and help keep the rotary spirit alive.

[@RADPotential]

need to get some part numbers from you on this. may buy a set and do a video on it.

[@gobblu]

​@@RADPotential did you ever do this?

[@marcolepsey]

Glad this video exists. Still learning more about my first gen every day

[@TooLooze]

I bought my '85 GSL-SE new, kept it for 18 trouble free years then gave it to my son who was born in '86. He wrecked it within a couple of months, but its organs were donated for parts.

[@RADPotential]

Dang!!!!!!!

[@harrod19]

Nooooo 😢

[@Calebc-hc6yr]

Working all summer to buy an 81-83 rx7 hoping to open a rotary shop sometime in the future

[@RADPotential]

Hell yea man!!!!!

[@kalunakirkham6220]

I’m going to go check out a fb rx7 gsl this Saturday and this video was great. Imma subscribe. Thanks man

[@rotaryroman9548]

im sure you wont see this but did you end up buying it? if so hows your build going?

[@chiefskippy00]

Man, thanks for clear informative no garbage videos! Keep it up.

[@RADPotential]

You're welcome sir°

[@zeus014]

Owner six of these - all 1st gen series 2 and 3, all 12A and all with the GSL package (called the GX here in Canada from 81-82, then called GSL thereafter). Other notable differences: SA cars (78-80) had green instrument panel lighting, all subsequent years had switched to orange-red. For 83 through 85 the bean counters at Mazda decided to cut costs on the 12A by switching to the useless "bee hive" oil cooler, a small and inefficient unit that that was mounted under the oil filter and used both fins and engine coolant as heat exchangers to cool the oil. (I wonder how many engines overheated before their time because of this change). The GSL-SE kept the conventional under-rad oil cooler arrangement, albeit with a slightly different oil cooler than on the pre-83 12As. All series-3 1st gens (ie: 84-85) has vertical slots in the front air dam to cool the front brakes - likely more for aesthetics. Other notable things to watch out for: The rust problem at the storage bins has another bad consequence: on the L/H side under the bin is the main connector plug in the harness that services all electrical components in the rear of the car - including the electric fuel pump. The rust holes allow water/salt/brine to enter and contaminate the connector causing shorts and open circuits. Ask me how I found that out. No matter how often you change/top up your engine oil it will not amount to a hill of beans if/when the oil-metering pump wears out. This pump typically goes south around the 120-140K mile mark, starving the apex seals of lubrication. Said seals then get very unceremoniously spat out the exhaust ports, destroying a few thousand dollars' worth of housings and rotors on their way out. Some of the taller foreheads in the rotary community cut this possibility off at the knees by scrapping the OMP system, installing a block-off plate and opting to go the pre-mix route instead. On the 81-85 RX7s the rear tail lights tend to leak with age, allowing moisture and dust to enter and cloud them. Rear hatch shocks get weak over time. If the engine sounds like it's only running on one rotor (backfiring, refusing to idle at rpms under about 1500, drastically reduced power, slow acceleration) there is one easier-to fix cause that you should check out first: swap the ignitors located on the side of the distributor. If the trailing ignitor fails you'll simply lose your tachometer (which takes its signal from the trailing ignitor) and maybe notice slightly less power and fuel economy - but the engine will still run and idle smoothly and remain drivable. This is because the trailing plugs fire 15 degrees after the leading plugs do, which does not retard the timing. But if the ignitor for the leading plugs fails it immediately retards the timing by 15 degrees, mimicking the afore-mentioned symptoms of a thrown apex seal. Since both ignitors are the same part number, if the problem was a bad ignitor the swap will cause the engine to run smooth but the tach to quit. If the swap does not solve the problem, it's time to pull the plugs and confirm which rotor is no longer producing compression. More often than not it's the rear one. With the engine running, look for oil leaks on the L/H side of the rotor housings in the areas near the top of the housing and at the split between the rotor housings and irons. These leaks are caused by aged and brittle o-rings that no longer seal properly. Only fix is a tear-down, but at least the engine should still run fine. White smoke accompanied by the sweet smell of coolant and steam-cleaned spark plugs? Engine was over-heated, warping the housings and breaching the coolant seals. Run like hell. That is all.

[@7ujn1qaz1qaz]

Wow, that's a lot of useful info, appreciate it man!

[@ThreeDaysOfDan]

if your car smokes always check your crab first, my car smoked on start up after a rebuild, but my carb was also flooding, got my carb rebuilt, smoke went bye-bye .

[@zeus014]

@@ThreeDaysOfDan Black smoke = too much fuel/too rich mixture. Blue smoke = burning oil due to worn seals. White smoke = coolant seals breached.

[@ThreeDaysOfDan]

@@zeus014 except my smoke was whitish, black smoke is straight-up too much gas . The coolant is steam, not smoke and the smoke looks milky white.

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

I used to own a 1985 charcoal black with red leather interior, gs-se. Mine had the vented disk brakes all around, limited slip diff, sunroof. Man I wish I still own that car now! I miss it a lot. I bought the car almost new back then. Great review and video. 👌😎👍

[@RADPotential]

Heck yea man!! I am swapping all of my stuff from my 1980 into a tornado silver gslse. Charcoal gray basically. With red interior. You should check it out!!

[@Sir.Munoz.1117]

Why are all of your videos so helpful!!everyone of them! Love my fb gsl! Can you make a video doing the bigger bearing replacement

[@RADPotential]

Meaning swapping suspension. Or actually replacing a wheel bearing?

[@KenBober]

I have an 88 fc, only had minimal rot on the bottom back of the front fenders. Fabricated patch panels and silicone bronzed them in, this is a original New England car. Floors are solid. Ended up fully repainting it 46V.

[@franksummer1170]

Looking to buy a 1984 rx7 gs Friday and this very helpful video! Definitely going to check out more of your channel! Edit: nvm the guy sold it 😑

[@nomore7285]

Im sorry for your loss wish me luck tommorrow looking at a 84 fb for my first car hopefully the apex seals arent blown and theres no major rust

[@J.F.K.O]

lol your dog was doing it's Cadillac Crossfire impression when you were talking about the leaking sun roof :P

[@garrisonboswell2225]

One additional, common rust point on 1st gen RX-7s is under the battery tray (My SA is pretty rusty there currently). Also, new SA brake drums are impossible to find which can be a safety concern if you are buying the car from someone else.

[@ThreeDaysOfDan]

the drums are good, just DO NOT get good pads back there, stick to the shit that wears out fast, they last 30k miles, and your drums don't get worn.

[@realtruth2468]

DAMN BRUH RX7 HEAVEN 😁

[@chriscole9621]

The sa22c could also have a 4 speed One we just bought for 200 bucks has one

[@TheOGFrisky]

Great vid as always. Thanks for the info

[@noneone8726]

I fell in love with photos when the first generation Mazda RX7 came out, and got to test drive a used one years later. I HATED IT. I am five foot nine, the exact average for an American male, yet the seat made me feel like I was lying down. If you tried to sit up, SLAM, your head hits the roof which is an 8th of an inch over your head? I could BARELY see over the dashboard, and rear visibility was ZERO. No, douchebag, rear view mirrors are NOT SAFE reliable or logical. So, explain to me with microscopic detail and flawless logic: WHY would a car designed to go fast DELIBERATELY leave you with zero rear window visibility, just a slit like in shitty douchebag muscle cars; WHY are you practically Lying Down and can't see over the dashboard? WHY is the gearbox so janky and non intuitive? I grew up driving a five speed seventies Corolla. It was PERFECT shifting, so WHY when you pay fifty thousand times more money, do the gearboxes on sports cars Suck Donkey Balls? Why didn't they hire the people who made the outside of these cars LOOK beautiful to make the ACTUAL INTERFACE beautiful? When you are going FAST you should have 360 degree huge bubble of glass window view, and you should sit NORMALLY, sit UPRIGHT so your arms and legs have normal human leverage on the gear stick and clutch. All the douchebag cunt redneck dukes of hazard cars......YOU CAN"T SEE OVER THE DASHBOARD

[@matthewjmedeiros]

RAD, I recently retired from the Army and I'm hoping to get another RX-7. When I first joined the military, I had an '88 and an '88 convertible. I really wish I still had that convertible! I'm especially interested in the first-generation models, and that will be my next project. What year do you recommend? I can handle about 95% of the work myself. I'm not looking for a track car-just something fun to drive around town and that I can park during the winter since I live in Rhode Island. I just discovered your channel and I really enjoy it!

[@harrod19]

Nice, thanks for this

[@berzerkbiker4555]

I have an 84 gsl and I don’t have rust there I do have rust on the wheel wells in the trunk but not behind the bins or in the floor

[@arfawcett22]

Good videos thanks for the info

[@M-PASTA]

thank you!

[@sirsurr2835]

Is there a chance you could do a video or a quick thing about the Louver hardware? I know its hard to find and I'm trying to make my own but I can't find super great pictures online, if you could that'd be lovely! Great content!

[@TurvsFbs2]

My fb series 2 has the license plate between the rear lights

[@landonbussieres1125]

HOLLY COW, THATS A LOT OF RX7'S!!

[@RADPotential]

Gotta catch em all

[@teresamcfarland6697]

I own a 91 rx7 been off road for 3yrs cuz I had to replace clutch it ran great now it won't start do u think it's plugs new battery in it too I just replaced

[@danielduran2523]

Dude! Thank you!

[@RADPotential]

Anytime brother!! If you have any questions. Holler!!

[@sa22see]

Doritos 4ever!! 🙌

[@RADPotential]

all the wankels!!

[@ghost.of.aleksz.salad.]

hey guy. i have one of these but its the rare leather sport one, i want to get one that needs engine so i can make a over powered one with custom stuff, cant custom the limited edition one cause value

[@ghost.of.aleksz.salad.]

so if you have a shell for cheap id be interested

[@Taco1567playzmcpe]

Do you know of any good places to get the rear glass

[@mythbusters8847]

I found a turbocharged 12a FB RX-7 that I want to buy for my daily driver(Note: It would be my first car). My only concern really is safety. I don't want to die if someone hits me on the road(where I live people get into accidents a lot due to crazy drivers). Do you think it would be a good idea to buy it?

[@gerrittosborne633]

If you’re that concerned for your safety you really shouldn’t get any older car without airbags or abs. It’s part of the charm for these kinda cars imo and you will just have to learn how to drive very defensively

[@mythbusters8847]

@@gerrittosborne633 ok thx

[@ThreeDaysOfDan]

i got a good laugh when you said" and I don't mean fenders" no one in so cal has spare SA fenders NOT mounted on a parts car. I spent 2 years looking for new ones because every single one I would find was dented. I have my dented silver one, a light dented black one and two new ones. If I ever do sell my car ima plop the black on it , spray it sunbeam silver and keep the minty new one just because I know I can get 300$ a pop. I also had a neighbor give me a NEW old stock Nikki carb off a 84

[@sabz3one3]

Hey can you please explain about the flaky chrome on the engine

[@RADPotential]

Yup ill make one next week

[@seblo8462]

In the US the gsl-se is the only FB worth buying, you will thank yourself in the long run...

[@Dastardly_X]

Seems like the RX8 , no starter, Is the better investment ⁉️

[@edlippjr]

random question - you don't have any extra side mirrors for a '79 do you?

[@RADPotential]

I will need to check the cars up at parents farm. But those are generally hard to come by. The later model manual mirror are essentially the same

[@arfawcett22]

On 84 rx7 will the racing beat holley kit fit with the stock exhaust manifold?

[@RADPotential]

Yes it should

[@johncorreia9041]

just asking witch engine is better gslse 13b or 13b turbo- II or can you use t2 turbo on gslse?

[@RADPotential]

I can make a step by step guide. I more so made videos detailing certain aspects of them on my channel

[@ismaelcolon2446]

I need the two front door

[@edwinaguayo801]

Rx7 1984 12a driving go left o right the bearing go front

[@berzerkbiker4555]

And my fathers built 2000 mx5 doesn’t keep up with my 84 rx7

[@InfiniteCheeseCrates]

I almost went with an FB RX7 with an S5 NA 13b swap, but I had an FC RX7 pop up with low miles for cheap and the FC is a dream car for me. Love my FC, but I met the dude that wound up buying the FB with the 13b swap and with basic suspension mods and old hoosier drags, it would dominate at AutoX/HPDE/Track days. Miata's, some pro-touring and even a dedicated Datsun 510 race car struggled to keep up with that thing. Wish I went with that FB now. If I can find one in good shape after finishing up my FC, I think I'll build one.

[@RADPotential]

That's epic!!!! I have had both and I prefer the first gen. Just a simpler project to keep going. I do miss the comfy interior of the FC though.

[@Stretches_R6]

Was it blue/teal?

[@berzerkbiker4555]

Yeah gas tank does have a leak though

[@berzerkbiker4555]

Only near the top though not while I’m driving just if I fill it too much

[@juliogildelamadrid2354]

Hey u sell parts?

[@robertocastro5971]

9:21 💩💩💩🐕🐕🐕

[@ilyas5708]

Rip to 800-1500 and 500-1200

[@172montes]

You have and 85 parts for sale

[@armin1022]

😎

[@jeffreysuarez5658]

I will like to know if you owned a RX3 if you do let me know.

[@RADPotential]

A buddy has an rx3 wagon. What do you need to know about it?

[@wertbe1718]

Bro's got like 20 rx-7s..

[@RADPotential]

shhhhhh haha

[@teresamcfarland6697]

Strong cranking just won't catch

[@hiltonmillan27]

Sell me a gsl 84 red wine steering wheel

[@RADPotential]

I dont know if I have a red one. I'll check. I dont need it if I do. The split 3 bar wheel from 84 to 85 right?

[@RadDadisRad]

That FB won

[@652_pm3]

Why are there so many😂

[@RADPotential]

Cornering the market.

[@ThreeDaysOfDan]

@@RADPotential you have about a few hundred thousand to go lol

[@ItsProbablyFine]

Probably best just not to buy that old RX7. Go look for something else, but call me and tell me where the RX7 is that you were considering. Especially if it's a 5 letter.