In addition to running A&M's Challenge team (Civic & Miata), I have two project cars of my own. How? I really have no idea. I seem to attract crappy cars.
This car, a 1985 RX-7 GS had been abandoned at Texas World Speedway for the better part of a decade. It sat outside untouched until I was offered the chance to buy it for $500. Maybe I should have bartered a little bit more, but given the condition of the body (not paint) and interior, I decided to pull the trigger. Here are a few pictures of the day I signed the check in June of last year and dubbed her "Jane."
She sat outside at the track for a month or two at the entry to turn one, watching all the faster cars go by. I had to pull her into the shop to work on her, as at some point in her past, someone had changed the spark plugs and forgot to put one back. The motor was about as useful as a 400lb paperweight can be.
Pulling the damaged 12A out was the first order of business.
Last fall, a garage opened up, and I decided it was worth paying the extra rent to keep this car under a roof and be able to spread out. So Jane got a new home.
In a matter of questionable priorities, I jumped at the chance to pick up a set of 15x7 +7 4x110 Enkei 92s. Last winter, someone in Houston listed these for sale on CL in Monday, and within a matter of hours I'd agreed to show up with $400 cash the following Friday. These rarely come up for sale, and down the road this will really open up my tire choices. It may have delayed the project a little bit, but I think it's worth doing right. I have no plans of getting rid of this car.
In March I picked up a known-good 12A from a friend for $150.
A user on RX7Club decided to do some spring cleaning, and offered up several sets of tires for free to whoever wanted them. I picked up a set of barely used A048s, and a set of brand new A008Rs. Not the latest and greatest tires, yes, but they were free and they fit the stock wheels. I have enough race tires to last me for a while now.
Last Friday night, myself and two friends decided to push to get the engine in the car since not much progress had been made in a while.
It's amazing how something as simple as installing an engine can renew your motivation for a project. This has been on the back burner for a while now, and now that my courseload has lightened up for summer, I've got time to focus on this and our '10 Challenge build.
But it's also restrictive as hell and is one reason why 12A's wake up so quick with exhaust modifications.
