Sweet find. Get a local member to take a look at it (I'd personally do it for someone for a small fee if it was a local car in question) and have it shipped to you if it checks out.

Then go crazy

Edit: Read the thread before you reply, ********. -Syncro

Glad to hear it's working out well for you

 

Congrats, looks like a winner!

 

i have a driver side window regulator i just removed from a parts car

 

What's a fuel gauge sending unit cost?
My fuel gauge is pegged at zero right now. The ground looked good, but I think the 10 year old gas it was sitting in finished it off.

 

I can't believe there were so many posts telling you this thing needs a complete restoration and will cost $5000 bucks. I bought my first rx7 (1985 RX7 GS) from an old used car dealer lot for $150 bucks. The car was sitting against the back fence in the back of the dealerships parking lot under a tree and on some grass some dirt. It was sitting for at least 7 years. I replaced the carburetor, fuel filter, and had the gas tank cleaned and soaked. Everything else has been fine since about 5 years now. Oh yeah, the sunroof drain hoses rotted so I get a bit of leakage. haha.

I also bought an 88' Turbo II with 96k miles on it that was sitting for at least 5 years with a bad clutch. I paid $500 for it and replaced the clutch, installed a fuel pump switch (leaky injectors), put an exhaust and tires on it and autocrossed it for a year before I retardedly sold the car. Full restoration...pheew, if it ain't broke don't fix it. haha man that sounds redneck, but sometimes it's a very true statement. haha

GL with the build, continue to update with pics of course!

 

First off half the people here have no idea what they're talking about.

Depending on the conditions of the environment the brake and fuel lines may have rotted out and leaked. Easiest way to check is to lift the vehicle on a hoist and visually inspect the lines they are 3/16 line and shouldn't be swollen more than a few millimeters. Some mechanics may condemn lines if they see rust at all on them.

Brake fluid is not corrosive! It is to paint and may irritate skin. Why the hell would they use a corrosive fluid, with rubber cup seals and flex lines thats just retarded.
After USE brake fluid retains copper which can corrode parts of the system..DOT 3 absorbs water which also causes corrosion. Brake fluid itself is made to work with its components.

Now the calipers may be seized, e-brake cables are probably seized or rotted. (Calipers probably free if you moved the car but may be stuck deep in the bores)

Headlights may be seized, wipers may be seized and various relays or buttons may not work.

Mine sat in a field for a few years which turned paint chips into rust spots, but lines, floor and subframes are rust free. My headlights seized, wipers seized, various relays don't work, antenna doesn't work.

When I first got mine it wouldn't turn over, I reefed a little harder and it felt like it broke something and started freewheeling with zero resistance. I believe the seals may have been stuck to the housing and broke after I reefed on it, that motor has yet to be taken apart though its sitting on my garage floor.

I decided to skip majority of the thread since it looked like it was just people talking out they're asses or congratulating you so I probably missed some stuff, I did correct some of the stuff I saw you already did.

 

Nice 22 month old thread.

 

Been 2 years since the last update. How does the story end!??

 

I forgot all about this thread, I would like to know how it ended as well.

 

Here's the update.

The car had been sitting behind the Vermont store for well over a decade.
The car had 39,000 original miles on it and had been driven by a woman.
I didn't drive it home, but I did tow it on a dolly from Vermont to Florida.

I have all of the original paperwork and documentation, even including the "Rusty Jones" undercoating receipt from the dealer.

The brakes were rusted out and the fuel pump was shot, so I replaced them and then I just did the regular maintenance. Fluids, filters, battery, and tires.
The car started up without a problem and it's been a great car to drive.
After I charged it up, the A/C even works.

It does need some exhaust work though, the mufflers rusted.

There are some gremlins with accessories due to having been stored outside for so long.
Headlights, windows, powerlocks, sunroof, a/c, and even the original premium 1986 Mazda cassette deck and e/q all work.
The power antenna is stuck "up" though.



For the last year, the project car moved down the priority list.

It's a great car, though you do with a car that's so small and that makes less than 200hp returned better mpg than my V8s.