anyone here driven/owned an rx-7?

[Engel]

Has anyone here had any experience driving or owning an rx-7?

They are pretty rare where I live so never had the opportunity to drive one, just seeing if anyone had any driving impressions.



Ive been wanting to buy an rx-7 for about a year now and drop and ls1 into it, but as of right now I don't have the time nor money for the swap.

So I was considering purchasing a stock rx-7 and driving it around for awhile, and do the swap later on (i hate 4 cyls). I heard these cars have alot of problems..



buying the car straight up with the ls1 swap already done is 17k-20k, Im pretty sure I can get decent 7 stock for about 11k.

I want to get a roller do the engine swap myself having it cost me only 16k, but in college right now and really don't have the time and the extra money.

 

[Blackened302]

4cyl? those cars have a rotary engine--no cylinders! rx = rotary expirimental

 

[xr8d302]

What generation are you talking about?

the 94-ish era RX-7's are incredible cars, stay away from anything earlier than that generation.

The last generation of RX-7, from my experience, was a hell of a car, my only complaint was in-car noise....but that had soemthing to do with the fact that the rx7 was modded quite extensively. If it had been my car, I probably would have spent the extra money on some sound deadening

 

[fawcett]

Rotery engines are pretty cool and dead quiet. Too bad they need boost to make power. The RX8 revs to like 9grand, if I remember right a chime comes on somewhere above 8,000rpms to remind you to shift.

The problem with the design is that over time the engine is prone to carbon build up-accelerated by turbo boost. Then the engines get blow-by and shoot smoke out of their pipes like their diesels.

An LS1 in one of those would be killer, I've seen one with that set up before. Talk about a G-machine. Big power, decent handling, light weight and you can build up the brakes to make it give you nose bleeds.
Sounds like fun!

 

[Engel]

oh I would definitely go with 93 and up.

Thats right I totally forgot it doesnt have cylinders

 

[Therian]

I'm going to disagree and say that the late eighties generation RX7s are also excellent. My friend had one in highschool, and it was an awesome car (no turbo)

 

[mo_dingo]

My dad owned an 86 non turbo from the factory brand new, put only 50k on the car and the tranny blew and there were a plethora of electrical problems.
Scott

 

[1slow95]

I used to have an 85 1.1L non turbo. It was extremely slow, but still a blast to drive. It had over 150k and it was starting to burn a lot of oil. I heard something about once the rotary engines get over 100k on them it's about time for a rebuild. Other than, my car only had the usual high mileage problem...Clutch, brakes, water pump, etc. Oh yeah, they're gas mileage sucks for some reason.

I have no experience at all with the 93 up cars...

 

[tjh566]

lol he said plethora

 

[Engel]

lol he said plethora

 

[1red95gt]

I own an 84 rx-7 gslse....but i have an 95 1.3L n/a motor in now...its not fast but handles like no other

 

[95five-oh]

My grandpa used to have a rx-7 convertible a couple years ago. It was maybe a '90 or '91. I remember it sliced through curves but was way lacking on torque and had to be wound way out to go fast. Cool car tho, wish he woulda kept it around.

 

[Engel]

yea apparently roller + swap costs around 16k total with the ls1/t56. labor done myself.

It seems like a good combination of torque/handling, even with the v8 its only 20pds heavier in the front then the back. weighing about 2800pds total.

With a stock ls1 its performance/handling is the same as a 03 z06, go kart on steroids im pumped!

 

[Adam95GT]

I'm going to disagree and say that the late eighties generation RX7s are also excellent. My friend had one in highschool, and it was an awesome car (no turbo)

yea they are.... but i still like the FD's 1993+'s

 

[zZsKyZz]

Kinda reminds me of the miata with the 5.0 swap.

 

[MustangGT95]

I have driven a LS1/t56 1993 RX7 it was insane. Realllly sweet cars. I love the LS1 camaro's but that rx7 is way more badass. It handled very well also.