HELP with car purchase

[rickster]

A friend has an 84 GS which I can get for $200. The problem I have is that it has 203,024 miles. It also has drum brakes. I know the ideal car is a GSL, however, for the price it may be a good deal. It does run! I would like to run in Spec RX7 or ITA. Should I buy or keep looking? Any advise is greatly appreciated.

[Hotshoe]

Sounds like a good deal to me. Even if you don't use the car the front end sheet metal and transmission are worth more than $200.00.
You can always install a disk brake rearend later. It was an option for the GS model in 1984.

[Speed Raycer]

Buy it. The spares alone would cost you triple the $200. Keep looking for a lower mileage GSL though. If you dont find one, you can install the safety stuff in your $200 beater and go racing.

------------------
Scott
It's not what you build...
it's how you build it
http://home.swbell.net/srhea66/AllThreeProjectsRealSmall.jpg (http://www.angelfire.com/mo2/radrodder)
http://home.swbell.net/srhea66/PFMSigPic.jpg (http://www.angelfire.com/mo3/rudder_racing) http://home.swbell.net/srhea66/replica2small.jpg
E-mail me for deals on
Lightweight Replica Blocks!

[lateapex911]

While you will replace many items before racing any car, I would give the chassis a careful lookover as theres no point in building on a rust bucket or a twisted unibody. And the transmission might be trash. The engine too might need "refreshing". So, after you do all the replacing, (the entire brake system, all the bearings, and anything else thats worn, like bushings- uh oh!) and you get the right rear end, the safety stuff...cage, straps, net, etc. you've got yourself in for a few thou min, if you don't do much performance stuff. And it will take awhile.

So....why not buy a built 7? Plenty to choose from, and many are cheap. You can run it in IT7, and ITA, but a good ITA field will give you fits. The best of the 7s at the ARRC were about 5 seconds of the pace of the lead ITA cars. Do your homework, as there are a number of diferent ways to do the susp, and you may find that you like some setups better than others.

That said, if you have the space to house the car, it will make a great spares car. Or get your sawzall out and strip it.

Good luck!

[Krusty]

Naaaahh! You don't want that thing.

(where did you say it was again?) ;-)

Jump on those deals when you can. It doesn't take much of a "rub" or a "love tap" to completely re-shape the Coca-Cola can body parts on these Mazdas. Nice to have some extras lying around.

If you want to keep shopping... and you don't want to keep that car... buy it anyway. Print up an ad and post it on the bathroom door at your local track for $400.

For your actuall race car