1979 Mazda RX-7 SA22C

1979 Mazda RX-7 Additional Info:

1979 SA22C Mazda RX-7
Up for sale is my 1979 Mazda RX-7. I bought this car a few years back as a non-runner that had been saved from the crusher. It had accident damage on the front passenger side, but the previous owner had replaced the fender, bumper, etc. The frame rail and bumper mount was still mangled however. Over the next few years I worked on it in what little free time I had and here's the rundown.
The Good:
Accident damage on bumper mount repaired and reinforced
12A Rotary freshly rebuilt using Overhaul Kit B from Atkins rotary
(The oil control rings had failed, starving the engine of oil, causing the front rotor to spin a bearing. New rotor and stationary gear bearings were pressed in and the eccentric shaft was repaired on the lathe, staying within specified clearance.)
New water pump and thermostat
Leaky radiator repaired
(Seriously, the engine runs very cool. Right between 75 and 80 C as checked with one of those laser thermometer things.)
New plugs, wires, distributor cap and distributor rotor
Flywheel resurfaced
New Exedy clutch, pressure plate and throwout bearing
New starter
Transmission and differential filled with Redline MT-90
Very little rust on entire vehicle
(There was rust on the hood, sunroof and just behind the rear glass when I purchased the vehicle. That was cut out, new steel welded in and fresh black paint applied.)
Engine bay coated in POR-15 to prevent any future surface rust from appearing
New brake pads, brake shoes, wheel cylinders and master cylinder
Equipped with factory A/C (needs oil and a charge)
New outer door handles for both doors (not that this is worth mentioning, it's just... they were expensive)
Brand new ties with less than 100 miles on them
The Meh:
The paint
Both the orange and black paint look way better in pictures than they do in person. I am not a paint and body guy in the slightest, so my Bondo and paint work leaves a lot to be desired. It is functional and looks good from 10 feet and great from 15+ feet. From 1 foot, it looks... not good.
The carburetor
Nikki carburetors are either trash or require a special level of understanding that I simply do not possess. The carburetor that was on the car when I bought it was mismatched, missing pieces and the float needles absolutely refused to seat. I bought the next cheapest Nikki I could find on eBay which was from an RX4 or RX3 or something. The engine runs well, but is difficult to start and won't idle below about 1,500 RPM. In order to get it to start, you have to pump the pedal like the drummer from Van Halen while cranking it over. Ideally, I would take the Nikki carb and throw it in a lake somewhere, then replace it with a downdraft Weber.
The brakes
The brakes feel like monkey trash. I've bled the system three separate times, each time with no air. Still the brakes have a long throw and just feel... not good. Maybe it's the front calipers or soft lines. Maybe Mazda just designed it to feel that way (if so, shame on you Mazda). Maybe I just like my brake pedal to feel like I'm stepping on a brick and I'm being picky. Maybe it's Maybelline. Either way, it should probably be looked at.
The interior
The interior is neither good nor bad, it just is. There are no tears in the seat, but there are tears in the carpet, particularly on the driver side. The dash had lots of cracks and looked terrible, but now has a form fitting dash cap over it. There is no radio. The trunk popper works. All the gauges work. Etc. etc.
The sunroof
The rust on the sunroof was so bad I just re-skinned the whole thing. The panel looks alright, but it doesn't fit as well as I would like (ie. spray a hose at it and it'll leak). Ideally, you'd get a new one from a junkyard somewhere and repaint that one.
The rear section behind the glass
I painted the section behind the glass because I repaired some rust back there. Initially I was planning on putting a rear spoiler on the back. However, the quality of the spoiler wasn't quite to my liking. It will come with the car, so you can install it at a later date if you want.
The window regulators
They are loosey goosey and feel like someone had a weird fetish for rolling windows up and down repeatedly until everything wore out. They still work, but you gotta be gentle with them.
The door weatherstripping
It's old. Like nearly 40 years old. Probably a good idea to replace it.