5k: 1979 Mazda RX-7 w/ Ford 5.0 V8
The first generation Mazda RX-7 was introduced in the US market in 1978 as a direct competitor to the 260Z, Celica GT, Mustang, Camaro, Porsche 924 etc. It had an excellent chassis and a free revving rotary engine that made for a fantastic driving experience, but was lacking in power and torque. Swap in a domestic V8 and the RX-7 transforms from Dr Jekyll to Mr Hyde – like this 1979 Mazda RX-7 with Ford 5.0 V8 for sale in San Diego, CA and currently bidding on ebay for $6,500 with 4 days to go.
This Mazda, originally silver, was repainted in this red color about ten years ago and had Mazda Tricks or Racing Beat body kit installed. The seller admits that it is more of a daily driver paint job and not something that will win shows, but at least it is a rust free SoCal car.
The original Mazda 12A rotary engine has been replaced with a Ford 5.0 liter V8 from a 1991 Mustang GT and is mated to the Mustang’s T-5 manual transmission. The 5.0 is still mostly stock, and the seller mentions that it was dyno’d at 219 horsepower to the pavement or about 250 horsepower at the flywheel. This is healthy for a stock 5.0 and was left stock so that it could pass California smog test and this particular car has been signed off by the Bureau of Automotive Repair so it is actually street legal. The owner spent the time and effort to get a California smog referee to inspect it and it now will test for smog the same as a 1991 Ford Mustang GT.
Inside is a bit of a mess – the tach install is really nasty and the seats look like they’ve seen better days, much of the carpet is missing and the shifter boot is made from what looks like a used garbage bag. We also aren’t big fans of roll cages in street cars -especially ones that don’t have 5-pt harnesses installed as the cage tubing is extremely dangerous when you aren’t wearing a helmet and strapped in.
This car represents a decent deal for someone looking for a street/track/autoX car and doesn’t want something ordinary. It does require some attention from the new owner to fully sort out all the little issues associated with an engine swap (we’d also bolt on some more power) and we think it would be a fantastic daily turismo when done.
See a better V8 swap? email us here: tips@dailyturismo.com
~ good basis for a fun project. needs attention but may not get super expensive.
Haha I'm glad that I bought this car. It's pretty good. He lied about the rust but it isn't all that bad.
Hey – send us some photos of this car in action, we'll post em up!
tips@dailyturismo.com
I sent you a some pictures and a video of the car doing a quick rev.
~ i'm glad this was posted in the comments today. it has prompted me to return to, and reread a favorite car from earlier in the DT archive.
how about an in-depth report, Alex?
~ and all that happened while i was typing!
Haha I guess I'll start with the current build.
-Engine
-Stock 1991 Mustang 302 mated to a T5 trans
-2 1/2" straight pipe exhaust to a flowmaster 60 muffler
-aftermarket Crane coil
-Chassis and body
-4 point roll cage
-Pacific body kit and wing
-Suspension and rear end
-All suspension and rear end was updated to 1985 GSL-SE parts
-4×114.3 bolt pattern instead of the stock 4×100
-larger brakes
-Koni Yellow struts
-Unknown springs most likely racing beat or eibach
-worn out steering box that needs a rebuild or replacement
-4.08 rear end gear
-currently on 205/60/14 tires mounted to 14×5.5 GSL-SE aluminum wheels
-Interior
-Autometer tach with shift light
-carpet stripped by previous owner
-ripped seats
curb weight: 2450
whp: around 220
torque: 270lb-ft
Current 0-60 is just under 5 seconds if I can get grip.
Overall the car was a good buy. I love it. I've never driven anything that is fun to drive at all speeds. It's constantly engaging you as a driver. It's just as fun running to the post office as it is driving through the hills. Going down a main street in town it turns heads and gathers attention. At carshows not so much, people who actually take the time to look at it appreciate it and spend at least 10 minutes talking to me about it asking questions. That being said it did some with some problems. There is some minor surface rust on the interior and a portion of the spare wheel well was cut out. There are countless wiring problems and grounding issues with the swap, tach, and water temp gauge installs. The headlights don't go down, rear defroster doesn't work, and the battery drains itself if the car isn't started every week.
All of this being said I wouldn't trade this car for anything. I feel connected to it when I drive. If there is anything else you want to know just ask.