So I want to buy an RX-7...

Here is one to match the back

MAZDA_RX7_86_91_BOMEX_FRONT_BUMPER300.jpg
 
The Bomex kit doesn't look that bad but it still looks a little "off" - especially the rear. I find body kits for most older cars just don't look right. Maybe it's because most older cars are "boxier" and most body kits are round is why I find them so unusual. Either way, a body or lip kit is far from the first thing I'm going to do. The only thing a kit might impact would be the exhaust because it would depend on whether I want something subtle to go with a subtle or no kit (like the RB true dual) or something a bit more aggressive like the Corksport or Apexi to go along with something like the GP Sports or Bomex kit.

GOOD NEWS! The fiance' checked out the '89 GXL today and she actually said she liked the car (this is a huge step already). Mechanically the car seems flawless (from what I hear) and the body is nearly perfect as well. There is some fading of panels (it is a 20 year-old car!) mainly limited to the front bumper and side mirrors. As for the bad, like I've said before the driver's side door lock does not work and neither does the rear wiper. The sound dampening/heat shield material under the hood is torn but I was going to remove thatg anyway. The only other "quirk" was that the driver's and passenger's window controls are reversed (in other words, the driver's switch controls the passenger's window and vice versa). So based on the info I ran a Carfax. No accidents, no salvage title, no thefts, major mechanical overhauls etc. were reported. I'm going to talk with the fiance' a little more tonight before pulling the trigger as she is technically going to be in possesion of the car through August more than likely. If everything looks good I am going to call the seller and try to work something out. I should have my P5 sold by Wednesday this week so I can transfer the money to fiance' and everything can go from there.
 
Looks like tomorrow is the day. THe fiance' is picking up the '89 GXL for me. Unfortunately the car will likely be staying in VA until after the wedding and honeymoon (late August/early Sept.) and technically the title will be in her name (nuts)
 
lol I may be getting an 88 gtu this weekend lol

NICE GRAB. pics a must and the lady will tittle it?? BOOO :( hahaha
 
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i want a fc so bad but between being in school full time and working part time when theres any work at all its just got gunna happen

me and my dad are still building the fb and that was supposed to be done this summer but it doesnt look like thats goin to happen either
 
lol I may be getting an 88 gtu this weekend lol

NICE GRAB. pics a must and the lady will tittle it?? BOOO :( hahaha
Yeah the car is in VA and I live in OH so in order for the sale to go through it'll have to be placed into her name first. It kind of sucks that it will be staying out there for a few months but I guess that gives me time to save money and think about what I'm going to do with it. I'll be out that way sometime in July so at least I'll get to see it and drive it then.
 
congrats on the purchase and welcome to the family.
Thanks. The fiance' picked it up tonight. She already has it on her insurance and tomorrow she'll have it registered in her name and have the title in her name as well. It'll stay that way until we're married - it's just easier with being in two different states and all. So I was told one other issue with the car - the intermittant wiper doesn't work, but I believe this is a pretty common problem as well. So over all just about as structurally and mechanically perfect as I could ask for with three little niggling electrical issues - not bad.

So can you get decent N/A power out of these? I'm not sure if I want go the TII swap route so I'm curious how much I could expect out of a street ported N/A motor with tuning and all the bolt-ons. One of the first things I'm likely to do is rebuild the motor with the street port. I think bridge or peripheral might be a little too extreme... I'd love to do a 20B swap however and convert that to N/A (evil)
 
Jumping in with two feet huh....make sure the fiance takes the car out and runs it up to redline once a week to keep the engine cleaned out.

Do yourself a favor before tearing into that engine and get the chassis/suspension sorted out the car will work a lot better. Also make sure everything else is working on the car. Things like 5/6 ports may or may not be working and as you found out some electricals don't work. Ohh and your right the wiper thing is normal mine was bad...its about $50-90 for a switch off ebay.
 
the wipers can be the switch or the harness. the wiper switch has a 12" wire harness that tens to burn up to.. check both before u drop the money on the switch..

congrats!
 
Haha yeah, I told my fiance' she has to drive it at least once a week and that she needs to redline it once or twice each time. She's being a good sport about it for not really being a car person (I think she actually likes this one).

As for maintenance - definitely doing that first. I was commenting more along the lines of performance mods. The first thing I'm going to do when I get it is get all new filters, plugs, etc. and fix the electrical issues. As for performance mods I have been debating doing the wheels/suspension first or jumping right into the engine. It's either going to be wheels/tires/coilovers/swaybars or a complete engine rebuild with at least a street port (how bad does bridgeporting kill driveability? I know peripheral will.). I'm just going to build this up right the first time around and not go through iterations like I did with the Protege.

For suspension I'm thinking BC coilovers, Racing Beat swaybars, Mazdatrix three-point front strut tower bar and Enkei RPF1 wheels (16x7 and 16x8), Hankook RS-2 tires (225/50 and 245/45). Engine-wise it'll probably be a streetported rebuild from www.rx7store.net as they are only about 1.5 hours up the road in Columbus. Exhaust will likely be Corksport header and cat delete pipe and Apexi dual cat back.
 
Don't forget the bushings expecially the dtss eliminators and a rear camber adjuster. Also look into a lsd.
 
There is a good chance that the intermittent wiper is a bad relay. If you can solder you can probably fix it for a couple of dollars. I will see if I can find the part number for the relay, I think the receipt got lost when I moved. Congrats on your purchase! This thread has really made me want to get my RX-7 back on the road! I miss that car!
 
do tune up and suspension fist.. u wont believe how much faster and how much better the car will handle with a nice tight suspension and fresh tune up.

Comming from somebody who had WORKING dtss bushing DON't remove them unless they are bad.. they can be tested and if they are bad then all u can do is either find some rear arms with good dtss bushings or rip them out for dtss eliminators..

I put in elims over the winter.. I still wish I would have left the dtss bushings in

get some energy suspension front arm bushings, bigger sway bars adjustable end links, as for the rear end.. unless u plan to goall out I would not worry about it otherwise check my build thread and do like I did..

moly diff and rear subframe bushings
mazdas comp front diff mount
mazda comp adjustable camber bar

doing adjustable camber links means cutting into the frame work and body.. something I look down on so I did not and wont do them (as I feel they are CLEARLY unnessecary unless u go all out to drift/race)

nice set of tanabe or racing beat lowering springs, koni or kyb agx struts etc etc
 
Why leave the dtss bushings in? The car its really twitchy at the limit and unpredictable its not a real progressive change like driving a s2k (been in one for the week) I can't wait to get rid of those bushings to make the rear a little more solid.
 
Why leave the dtss bushings in? The car its really twitchy at the limit and unpredictable its not a real progressive change like driving a s2k (been in one for the week) I can't wait to get rid of those bushings to make the rear a little more solid.

because when u get to the limit if the bushings are in great shape and not worn the car will actually perform FOR YOU.. the back end will glaze through the corner and once u learn how it reacts (because it does it the same every time) the system really is flawless and works to the drivers advantage
 
because when u get to the limit if the bushings are in great shape and not worn the car will actually perform FOR YOU.. the back end will glaze through the corner and once u learn how it reacts (because it does it the same every time) the system really is flawless and works to the drivers advantage

I will gladly trade you my rear dtss knuckles for yours with the eliminators lol. I prefer a car that I know will remain the same throughout the corner to me the dtss makes the rear too squirrly
 
I will gladly trade you my rear dtss knuckles for yours with the eliminators lol. I prefer a car that I know will remain the same throughout the corner to me the dtss makes the rear too squirrly

thats because u don't understand how to "use them" to your advantage.. I love the back end with the dtss elims in..
 
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