New to RX7 forums (but old timer)

[a2ndopinion]

My name is Bob, and I'm in Hillsboro (Portland) Oregon. I'm new to this forum, and rather new to RX7s, but am 52, so have been around for a while. I have been turning a wrench since I was, well, working on bicycles at the age of like 9, 12 on small engines, 13 on motorcycles, and cars at the age of 15. I studied mechanics in Jr High, HS and college, then spent 15 years in the Navy as a Construction Mechanic (Seabee).
I'm an ASE certified Master Auto, Master Truck, Master Auto Body and Master Machinist. I work as a "Vehicle Inspector", verifying mechanical damage failures for warranty companies, end of lease and used vehicle inspections on heavy equipment, semis...
My screen name is the same as my business, “A Second Opinion” which is why people get a hold of me for work!
I'm an old school (RWD) Toyota fanatic, especially Celicas powered by the 20/22R/RE, and the last of the Coronas.
You can find me over at http://www.celica-gts.com//forums/ where I have the 3rd highest post count, at http://classic-celica.com/modules.php?name=Forums where I have the 2nd highest post count (behind the owner/moderator), and at http://vintagecorona.forumotion.com/ where I have the highest post count and am a moderator.

I now have an '82 RX7 GSL as well. I acquired it for the great price of free! I'd been the mechanic on it for over a year, helping out the owner, who is a good friend of my daughters. She finally got a Subi, as she'd been wanting one for quite some time, but two hours later was in an accident before she even got insurance. So she asked me if I could get it road worthy, and I jokingly said, “Yeah, but by the time I finish with that, and all the work I've done on the RX7, you can just give me the RX7.” Half an hour later, she texted me and said "My parents said that is a great idea!" (The RX7 was in her parents name, a gift to her.)
I drove it for a while and LOVE it - it's like a little go-cart! I have now "loaned" it to one of my daughters to drive until she can get herself something - but she's fallen in love with it, even though it only gets about 15 MPG around town and 20 on the freeway. It has Konigs and 205/50R15 BFG Comp T/As, a header, Magnaflow cat, some porting, some weak-ass lowering springs, KYBs and... I don't know what all.

My daily driver is an '81 Toyota Corona wagon. Its chassis is almost identical to the Celica of the same years (1" longer wheel base), so I've upgraded to 3rd gen Celica ('82-'85) strut tubes that are shortened with AGX 4x adjustable struts, coilover springs and have upgraded to '87-'88 Cressida rotors and calipers. It has an Addco Supra sway bar (28mm), all urethane bushings, boxed 3rd gen Celica lower control arms, Roll Center Adjusters, camber plates... The rear end is the bigger 7.5" (Celicas/Coronas got a 6.7") out of a Mk I ('79-'81) Supra (SRA) with disc brakes and a 3.90 geared LSD. The wagon is the only Celica/Corona that got leaf springs, so I've pulled three factory leafs and put in two sets of Hilux truck overload springs, upside down, which lowered and stiffened the rear. The rear shocks are AGXs, 8x adjustable for a Camaro. I had a built "hybrid" 20/22R (20R head on a 22R block) motor, but lunched it, so it is currently running an almost stock 20R It has a mildly ported and shaved head with oversize SS valves and a TRD stage 1 cam, along with all of my bolt-ons from the old motor - Cannon intake with a Weber 32/36, Thorley Tri-Y header, Magnaflow cat, Dynomax "Bullet" glasspack after the cat and a Borla turbo type muffler at the back, MSD 6A box and blaster coil, 140 amp GM CS144 alternator, umm, I don't know what all else I may be missing. It also has 3rd Gen Celica GT-S / Mk II Supra seats - made by Recaro - VERY comfortable! It has Cressida 15” wheels and BFG “Pro Touring” 205/60R15s, soon to be upgraded to an ultrahigh performance all season (BFG Comps, Kuhmo, Toyo…) It has an automatic that is about to upgraded to the truck A43D, which is considerable stronger. That trans (called the AW71) was also used in turbo Volvos, and the turbo brick (.com) guys have come up with a “shift kit” for it, and I had a stock torque converter rebuilt with a higher stall speed to in it with the new motor I’m building.

I also have 4 (yes, four) Celicas in my shop. My ’78 ST Coupe, my ex-wife’s ’79 ST, my youngest daughters ’79 ST, and my (one of 4,14 ’85 GT-S convertible (my ex has one also). I also have the back half of both an ’83 GT-S Liftback (it wasn’t worth rebuilding) and an ’85 GT-S coupe that will become a trailer for my convertible.





With my youngest daughter


With my wagon


My ex and her convertible




Here’s a photochop of my trailer (my convertible is black, as is the coupe)


And the “license plate” I’m going to have made for it (trailers in Oregon under 2,000 lbs don’t need a license)


The liftback – future trailer