I want turn one of my 1 Gens into a 'vert.
Anyone have pictures or info about some one that has done it?
Big question is what to do for a top... just a tonneau....

 

There was on listed on ebay and i would look at it and it said where it was done also.

dan

 

I have one or two pictures of a convertable on my web page.
Go to the second page.. The link is at the bottom of the page

www.portugesethug.homestead.com/jim.html

 

Please please please don't do this....

I've seen a couple in person and I can honestly say that they look like $hit. Plus it'll weakin the car unless you do some serious underbody work to strengthen the frame....

No Pluses here except wind in your hair.


Just my 2cent

 

It's pretty nice. I like the TSW blade on it.

 

I agree. I bet that little 7 will sway like a bitch...

 

Plus you lose your trunk.

It's actually decent looking with the roof down tho. How's it look with the roof up I wonder, I can't imagine it looks too good?

 

PLEASE put the recipricating saw down before you do something that you'll regret! Just my opinion. If you must do it, do it right. Jason

 

You would. http://home.mn.rr.com/linnihan/histo...estoration.htm

 

made 1st Gen Verts. Serious, serious additional bracing done underneath the car to make up for the ridgidity you loose from cutting off the top. Thats why 2nd Gen Verts are so much heavier than regular 2nd Gens.... the weight of all that extra bracing. And 2nd Gen's are by design much stiffer than 1st Gen's So, without that bracing you'll totally screw up your 1st Gen. And the cost to design and install that bracing will provide a fair amount of damage to your wallet.

If your heart is REALLY set on doing this, call Nick at Rotary Reliability and Racing in Santa Ana, CA. I believe he was involved in the design and construction of the bracing done in the creation of the famous Pacific Avitar 1st Gen Verts back in the early '80's. These were SWEEEETTTT looking as they were done right.

There was one with side body damage auctioned off on E-bay recently and I swear it was one of the Avitar cars. Buying THAT car and repairing the body damage would have been your best bet cost wise to realize your goal.

Hope that answers your question.

 

In the USA, Pacific Avatar built 126. The base price was $25,000 compared to the top of the range GLE SE of 17,000, reflecting the high cost of all the structural improvements needed. John Matras in his book on the RX-7 has a section on them. With any flex the top comes off at high speed due to the lack of full windscreen bracing.

I have one of the four built in Australia, the difficulty was getting the modifications right to get them road registered. It is a full professional modification on a new car, and would be very dangerous to do yourself without full engineering design. From experience, you will also have to upgrade the suspension including shocks, springs, bars, plus a strut tower brace. There goes $2,000 just on that!

The modification is heavy so you need to increase power to around 160-bhp. the Gen 2 version is only worthwhile in the Turbo model

The trunk space is minimal and requires a Spacesaver wheel, even an overnight bag is a tight fit. The only worse car I had was a road going Lotus 47. Luggage normally went above the engine/gearbox but I lost the space when adding a larger turbo. Who cares when you are doing 180mph on the highway!

Its a good cocept but the RX-7 structure is not designed that way.

As far as looks are cocerned, I think my car looks great far better than a Miatra, Boxer, Audi or Merc. However, there are a couple of Ferraris that could tempt me.

The joy is not the wind in your passengers hair, but the sound of a tuned rotary in full flight.

 

That dark green convertible was actually made by some friends of mine. It has a 4 port 13B from a REPU with aftermarket fuel injection!! They used the top off an Alfa spider and having seen the car in person, I can honestly say that it is beautifull. They did a great job on the conversion. I wouldnt be surprised if this thing is STIFFER than a stock 1st gen. It has been exstensively reinforced and has that roll bar anchored by the kicker panels, beside the seats and the rear shock towers. Also, their trunk space isnt all that bad... I'd say average for a sports car.

Can you believe most of the work on this car was made in a little garage with no hoist? By little I mean you can hardly squeeze by when the car is in there. They've been working on this car for years now and hopefully this summer it will be ready for some RX-7 meets .

 

The car that I am thinking about chopping is an '83 with a Mariah widebody kit. The car needs a cosmetic restoration anyways so go big or go home!

My initial thoughts on chassis stiffening are a 4 point roll hoop, an X-brace from the hoop the the rear chassis shock towers, with an brace from tower to tower. Aswell as a strut tower brace with attachment to the firewall.

RXcetera- I would like to talk to your friends about there car. Do you have an email address?

 

I noticed from the photograph it was not a Pacific Avatar car due to detail differences such as top storage. However a significant point is the lack of any windscreen brace which is essential. EXcetra's friends did the right thing in uppowering the engine. Not only does the conversion add significant weight weight, but the shape is not so efficient with a CD of about .38, in stock trim it would be blown-off by a Triumph Spitfire!

Some of the versions were really souped up. Over 300bhp, with twin turbos I think, besides wide bodies. One appeared in the film Smokey bites the dust. Both 12a and 13b cars were used.

The RX top forms a strong structural box. The problem with the conversion is fore and aft rigidity, rather than side to side. A roll cage does not help. This is why the X brace underneath is so critical. A simple solution would be to weld the doors shut and end up with a real 1920s retro! Its a problem with all convertibles. My AC Ace, the original Cobra model, really flexed to the extent my girl friend got sea sick inspite of being a sailor. However, there was no such problem in the AC Aceca I had later, which was the coupe version with the BMW/Bristol motor.

As for lack of luggage space, note that on the factory Gen 2 version the trunk is higher up than on a standard car.

Its not a conversion for the faint hearted, no wonder this attempt took so long to get right. The end product looks great.

 

The only thing that worries me is the Chassis rigidity. As Paul said, it is not side to side but (I believe it is call torsional rigity) the twisting of the front of the car compared to the back. Sorta like grabing a Coke can on either end and twisting in opposite directions.
But if bracing is done right, much of the rigidty can be restored.

I know if will flex more than stock and that it will be heavier, with less space and poor weather proofing, but these are all compromises I am willing to accept for a cool unique car.

It's not gonna be my daily driver. And if I want to go to the track, I will take my race car, if I need to carry large objects I take my truck. It will be for cruising.

Plus, I have access to the facilities/tools/equipment to complete the job.

 

Perhaps a strange idea but why not build a model first and work out where things are going to go. www.speednation.com has some 1.24 models kits for about $17. You can cut it up and glue in plastic sheets and strip before working on the real thing. It will also end up as a nice display item! I did that to add to my collection of RX-7 models.

Decide first what top you are going to use and fabricate sheet metal to cover the hole where the hatch went after measuring up a 626 trunk lid to fit. A tower strut brace like the RB one anchored to the firewall helps to keep the front stiff. Your X frame should tie the firewall to the rear end. Keep in touch with the builders of the car and learn from their mistakes!

With well designed bracing it should not flex too much. One point I have not really overcome is the windows. Without any framing they really vibrate.

Good luck!

 

Paul, interesting you should bring up the windsheild bracing... that's the first thing I asked them when I saw it for the first time. These guys are always one step ahead though...

They decided early on that they didnt want the windshield brace. Instead they REALLY reinforced the existing windshield mounts. I beleive the mounts themselves have been replaced by something solid. Having a flex free chassis seemed to be the first order of business for these guys and I wouldnt be suprised if they've pulled out every trick in the book.

A funny story about this car: A couple years ago, they had completed the body work and just finished painting the car. They decided to go for a little spirited drive on some backroads that night. That's when they hit a deer! Tore up the front end . Luckily, the damage was repairable and they fixed her all up .

Duck, best of luck on your conversion. Be prepaired to spend alot of money on it though. That green vert has over 50,000$ invested in it !

 

View http://www.winisp.net/gsl-se/convertibles.htm for some photos and scans and text of various 1st Gen convertibles.

Dave

 

Its a great bit of information which I have added to my collection on convertibles.

I really like the idea of a 340 hp motor in such a light body. It would really fly, particulary without a front dam! The audio system is fantastic and would balance 340 hp of rotary noise.

Points of interesi are that the turbo engine still kept the NA compression, and the diagram of the strengthening used. while the decking was of aluminum. I thought the trunk lid was a modified 626 one.

The recent photographs are of cars modified by other than Pacific Avatar
if the top and windshield detail are anything to go on. What is unusual is a 5 lug wheel on a gen 1.

 

PRETTY! Very shiny! Very pretty! Thanks Dave!

 

Here are some pics of the "RX-7 Club of America" ULTIMA Convertible, done in the '80s. It was a Avatar conversion which Mariah sorted out and added it's wode-body package to. The car had all kinds of flexing/bracing problems even with the additional structural members added by Pacific Avatar.

Mariah Ultima Convertible

Bern
83GS mariah turbo

 

hey Duck
I'm interested in this same project, and chance you sharing what you found out with me.

thanks

 

Save yourself a lot of trouble and buy an early Miata.

BTW, the low profile quad lights on Jimmy54's site look pretty good - how do they hold up, and where can one obtain them if they're worth it?

 

I am considering buying a "weathered" 1979 RX-7 that already had it's top cut off. I see this is an old thread, but perhaps it should be revisited by some of those interested.....

 

Look at this chopped POS
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...&category=6327