RX7 S3 Resto in N.Ireland

[Lunawolf044]

Hi I'm Corey from Northern Ireland, introducted myself and my 7 in the intro section but just in case some people haven't seen it I'll reintroduce myself. If you have seen my post in the intro section you can skip this part as is just a repeat haha
I'm 19, got Rexy (my RX7's name for now), have had her for 2 years now after saved up EMA, pay from part time work. It's a self funded project so it's been really slow, got her cheap after she had lay for 15 years in a field out the back of a BMW breaker yard. Bought for £750 after got him down from £1000 because engine wouldn't turn at the time, got her home, stuck new battery and fuel in and she started without struggle with even a little backfire haha
Ok well she has a lot of good parts to me as is original and not modified as far as I know and has a lot of things I have usually seen removed in them which to me is a bonus.
Bad points when I got her were that she had a lot of surface rust and a few small holes but nothing major, brake calipers on front are stuck and rears seem to be too, cassette player was screwed and face missing so it's gone now, clutch seems to be stuck or something not sure yet but she won't engage gears at all, she is missing her front badge and also the owner is a noob to cars and 99% of the time has no idea what he is doing

Plans for her are to restore her back to original with maybe a few upgrades like stainless exhaust etc will see how things go with her but probably won't do much until she is fully restored so can decide then what I want to do to her but mostly want to keep original.
She also has about 83000 miles last time I remember on her and engine is sweet and runs 100% with smooth revving all the way to 8k until fuel pump stopped working.... also carb is clean and looks like it was rebuilt just before she went off road so maybe engine was too I don't know but her mechanics she really good for having lay for 15 years without being started (don't worry I let her warm up and it was after she had been started and serviced that took her to 8k and let off accelerator as soon as she hit it.)
So in the two years I've had her there has been a lot of things happen in my life and with tech etc I've been really busy and haven't made much progress on her: got rid of the surface rust, cleaned her up a bit, cassette player is out and gone and looking for a new one, she blew the fuel pump about 3 months after got her so need a new one if anyone knows what type of one to get or where to get one would be grateful as I have no idea haha, have given her a full service and also she has a new starter motor in her as old one was struggling to start after the first time.

Few pics of her:





Hope to be able to update regularly and some real progress is started to be made this summer on her if things go to plan

[Lunawolf044]

Sorry for being really quiet as busy with degree ending etc so haven't had time to do anything or go to the cars until yesterday.
Well just going to run through the updates on her:
Got her cleaned up a bit, looks slightly better now with some extra dust etc off her, planning to clean the engine bay more soon.
Got her starting again and she is healthy so super happy, even gave a bit of a spit haha
Problem with fuel pump was easier than we thought, a wire had just come loose whilst she was on the trailer which stopped it going, we were going to pull it out and noticed it, plugged it up and she fired
Next plans are to order brake pads and try to fix the calipers ourselves if can do something with them and also to maybe to jack her up and check suspension etc out and even clean up the underbody more so it isn't covered in surface rust etc.
Only problem is she was unhappy as tried to eat my hand when trying to start her haha
Well sorry for no pics phone was dead so couldn't take any but will take some next time out, btw in case someone is wondering that there is little work done to her for having full days there, it's because we actually have 5 cars that are all getting either restored or fixed up out there, she is the main resto but I have a 323f I'm trying to fix up too for using as first car so sorry for the slow progress on her as 323 has main priority atm as doesn't need much and is needed on the road asap. Just decided to let u guys know
Hope can update more often now that finishing degree and going to have more time now.

[spoddy]

Good stuff. Be interesting to see how good the usual rust areas fb's suffer from will be on your fb.
Hopefully you can get all the rot cut out and nice new steel welded in, get everything working and booked in for an MOT.
then get some tax etc sorted and out on the road.

It'll take time but you'll get there.

[Lunawolf044]

Yea it will be, haven't updated here in a while. Sorry about that just been flat out finishing degree and then getting a full-time job to fund the project and life haha
Well haven't had much time with her so only got the fuel pump sorted by a loose wire... lol
Also cleaned the top part up a bit and started the stripping the interior out for now to get a better idea of the shell state as decided might as well be 100% sure she is fine before start pouring money into her as want to make a list of everything wrong with her before I start, don't worry she will never be gotten rid of just the worse she is the longer time and more money will go into her. Sorry but she could be the worst condition one ever and be impossible to fix and I'll still try haha I like her too much

MOT is a while away but she will get there eventually and hopefully to RetroRides after that to be with the family haha.
It will be worth it all when she is done as she is my dream car and just hearing her running makes it worth it.

Will try to start updates more so any questions throw away or any advice etc or places to get anything please feel free to say as it is all appreciated

[Lunawolf044]

Hi, sorry for lack of updates as got full-time job and also had some personal issues to deal with so haven't been doing much or even near Rexy much lately sadly
Miss her haha

So what has happened:
Well there is no more rust on the top part of her just need to get the holes welded, took another quick look underneath and no hoes to be seen just surface rust and old parts haha

Engine is getting slowly run in and carby setup again so getting better, just need to get brakes fixed and clutch sorted now and she will be moving around.
Clutch is starting to attempt to work though think the master cylinder or something along there is broken so checking them out atm.
Any advice for this?
Also brakes are starting to unstick, calipers will likely be got rebuilt anyway but at least know I don't have to replace them
Well except from this just looking for more parts around and starting to think about small old rally style fog lamps for the front of her haha anyone thoughts on this?
Anyone have any ideas what wheels are worth on these? I have 2 spares so thinking about trying to find 2 more like them so can have a full spare set just to have incase something happens or in case another FB is got that needs them haha (yes if I finish her and have enough money and time I'm going to get another though maybe a rolling shell or something to resurrect as something crazy)

Sorry don't have any pics as phone was dead and was there overnight for 2 days working on her and the other projects but progress is being made don't worry, it is slow though as I'm an idiot and looking at things funny when I don't know them haha

[codge]

If your clutch pedal is working 'normally', get underneath and get a helper to put the pedal down. You watch the clutch arm movement into the bellhousing....is it full travel? If so problem is not in the hydraulics.
No travel or only slight travel, most likely hydraulic seals in the master, or most likely in the slave cylinder.

Wheels.....Only new S3 wheels or professionally refinished wheels have a value....old wheels are give-away items. Remember every scrap car with standard wheels leaves 5 wheels to dispose of......no value.

Hope that helps.

[Lunawolf044]

So life decided to go crazy so sorry for being quite so long.
Well not much to update being honest as I've barely been able to get out to her except that the brakes are working except calipers stuck on front and the clutch and gearbox seem to work fully.
Sorry for not posting in so long life crap been going mental and just haven't had time but hopefully can more now that settling down.

[myatt1972]

I have the same problems, life always gets in the way.
So many cars so little time

[spirit r]

I have the same problems, life always gets in the way.
So many cars so little time

One classic to restore, drive, have fun, making Service is ok. Two classics are to much, especially you have to work hard for your money Keith.
BTW your red 1978 was a fantastic deal for making money, congratulation!

[Lunawolf044]

Yea I have another classic to restore and it's as much a pain and also another one to fix up for road to sell on haha I need to stop with the amount of cars I'm getting and fix what I have.