I am in the doing a color change on my 94 RX7. I purchased the car from guy named Robert (don't remember his last name) in San Antonio Texas. The guy had the car sitting outside for the last 3 years when he stopped driving it due to a cooling problem. He got it running before I bought the car, but not reliably. The cooling system was still leaking and it was never tested to see if it was going to overheat. I was in Iraq at the time so I had my dad pick up the car a stick it in the garage.

I've wanted one of these cars since I got out of high school in 2002. So right when I got back stateside I started the rebuild. Here are some photos of the car before I started.

Trent

 

Clean car, if you don't mind...How much did you pay?

BTW, my opinion...Keep the white! It's already one of the rarest colors out there!

 

I downloaded copies of the Mazda Service manuals, parts catalogs, and electrical troubleshooting books and had them bound for easy referencing.

We built a workbench in the garage as well as picked up some containers to store stuff in as we dismantle the engine bay.

My buddy Jason also came over that weekend and helped remove the front clip. I only get to work on the Weekends because I'm still active duty. So I make the drive from Ft Polk LA every weekend.

I think dad was a little tired at the end of the weekend. I was pushing him pretty hard.

Some Photos:

 

Time to remove the engine.

We rented an engine crane from the local rental supply for about 20 bucks a day. It was huge!! Definitely a little over kill for pulling this engine, but ohh well.

I used the Mazda Tech manual as well as some documentation that I found on http://www.rotaryresurrection.com/. We decided to pull the engine and transmission at the same time. It turned out to be easier than I thought. This is my first time to pull an engine of any kind, so all in all I think it went ok. We did have some trouble with removing the transmission from the engine, but we got figured out after a couple tries.

I have to say I was probably the happiest guy in the world when that engine finally came all the way out. Awesome....

More Pics:

 

After some negotiations… Dad picked it up for $7700. Yeah whites a nice color, but I’ve already made up my mind on a Blue. It’s going to be a couple shades darker than the Jet stream Blue found on the 09’ Corvettes, with a green pearl. It’s a really nice color..

 

You're going to lose a few friends repainting one of the few chaste white FDs. But nice work, nice project.

 

Stationed at Fort Hood? I used to rock my VR R1 around Harker Heights and Killeen back in the day

I recommend you invest in some nitrile gloves, it'll save your hands a beating

 

Actually I’m currently stationed at FT Polk. I’m getting out of the service after 6 nice years, and going back to school.

I don’t like using gloves because I feel they just get in the way.

Are you still in the service?

 

Before going with a color from another maker, or something that's custom mixed, consider the '99+ paint code P20 aka Innocent Blue Mica.

 

Where in TX are you? Got a pretty good deal and I'm glad someone got it who's willing to put some work into her. I actually looked at that car and was considering it for a 'non-rotary involved' project lol... decided to put the $ into a single for my current car tho. Check out the link in my sig if you're near SA.

 

the project looks great so far, keep us posted the car looks good.

 

if youre taking a chaste white fd and painting it montego blue, im gonna scream!

 

White man......keep it white !



LAter

 

Chaste White is the best color, keep it pretty!

 

Please keep the car chaste white. Fix the engine, sell it, and then buy a red or montego car and paint it.

 

any chance you could post up the links for the manuals i have them but not full compleat versions would like to bound a copy too.
thanks for any help

 

lol
thats what i'm doing

 

Killeen still has a good car scene. Minus the ricers rolling by trying to drift around curbs running into the target building in the process.

Only the real "G's" of the scene are still active from back in the car wash days and that was the spot to be at for a little over 15years if im not mistaken, till the ricers really ruined it for us...... we changed 3 different spots after that till we settled at the old target lot

 

Project looks great. I have to agree with everyone else, keep it white. BTW, I enjoyed Killeen a lot more that Leesville. That's for SURE!

 

+1 for keeping it white!

 

white

 

Maybe if you guys wanted it to stay white, you should of bought it when it was for sale.



That blue you have picked out sounds nice. Keep us posted, I want to see it!!!

 

Keep it white.

 

People should start talking with there wallets and not there mouths if they want to bash him for painting HIS car the color HE wants... lol

 

If I wish rich, I'd buy all the FD's in the world, paint them all orange, put lsx and 2jz's in them, street glow the **** out of them, and hand them out at the DMV for free to high school kids.