The little Spitfire that couldn't

Operation Cheap Clean Fun

Ok, Here is a little gem that I just got for christmas, for the princely sum of $200. Not too bad considering it came with $400 worth of body panels in the trunk. That total almost covers the cost of the car and the tow to the house. Unforunately the frame seems to be made out of rusty tin foil. I don't know if it can be patched up but it will be fun trying. My buddy dave just got a hobart 135 for christmas, talk about good timing. I am gonna practice my non-existant welding/bodywork/painting skills on the spit.

I really want to put a dodge 2.2l turbo and overdrive 5 speed into this little deathtrap. Unfortunately That's probably a little more complicated than I can handle right now. So I am going to put in a Mazda Rotary 12A engine & 5 speed tranny into it. From what I have gathered from a little detective work is that it basically drops right in with little or no hacking. I am going to stick with the 79-81 RX7's since they use carbs & not fuel injection to make life easier for me. The 12A engine has motor mounts on the front of the block as opposed to the middle with the 13B engine. The 12A is also 60 pounds lighter than the anemic british 1500 motor as well. I will detail the swap as well as I can as soon as I find a donor car!

Well, I just found a donor car, a 1988 Mazda RX-7 SE. Man that wankel is TINY! (how many times have I heard THAT from women?) Its a 13B so I may have bit off more than I can chew with the Fuel Injection and wierd motor mounts. Well, I have started ripping out the motor and electronics, then I am gonna dump the carcass on ebay to see if someone will haul it away for me. I don't wanna have to cut up another car with a sawzall again!

Special thanks to John Sisler for all his amazing technical help about this swap!

Update 09/16/2002
Got me a WANKEL!!!

ugh, there is like a million miles of wire out of this RX7, longer than a humans intestines stretched out!

Update 07/10/2002
Got a frame! Couldn't find one locally so I ordered it from some dude in Oklahoma for $400 delivered. Of course 2 weeks after I ordered it 10 spitfire parts cars apeared in the local want ads after several months of none! Below is the new frame having sex with my 1972 lemans frame. Maybe they will produce a mid-sized offspring?

Older Pics of the rusty little runt

It just EXUDES Testosterone

Underwhelming motivation

gutted interior, floors are actually ok except the drivers side

looks naked without its bonnet (thats limey for hood)

Trunk is full of rust, holes and vomit

look ma, no radiator! I took it out with a spanner (limey for wrench)

Ok, lay any bets on whats going back in?

Looks suspiciously like Fred Flintsones car

Ok, unfortunately I have to store the body until I get a frame that isn't made out of rusty tin foil. Its rotted right around the pumpkin and I don't think it will hold up to the fat bastard that is middle aged me. The hunt for a new frame begins!

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