Waaaaaay back my freshman year of college, I built a 1991 Mazda RX-7. This one, if fact: I didn't drive it near enough, and unfortunately, days after graduation I had to pack up my E36 M3 and and drive halfway across the country... the car couldn't come.
Knowing I would never get the value of the rebuilt, streetported engine, I sold just the car, and kept the engine. So the engine sat, in hibernation, until now.
As some of you are aware, I recently bought a Chevy Astro. It's a much better car than expected, and it's good condition enabled me to sell my beloved WRX wagon to a friend (no need to have TWO useful cars, right?). Now, what to purchase as a toy? Might as well use that 13B I've got doing nothing! But what? An RX-3 would be great, but they're getting thin on the ground. Another FC? Ehh, I want something that will or will soon be able to get a historic plate. Duh, an FB! So I bought one.
1985 GSL-SE. These are, if you don't know, fuel injected, so I don't have to bother with carb voodoo, or wiring voodoo. Better brakes, LSD, and common bolt pattern on the axles don't hurt either. So here I am, same heart, older body.
Day 1: Prepping the engine for cleaning
Pretty short work tonight, stripping the block down to clean it and prep it for creating the hybrid S5 manifold setup for the GSL-SE.
Before:
After:
Not exactly hard work, but there's something comforting about working on a engine you know inside and out, not to mention the engine that introduced me to cars.
Tomorrow, maybe, some sandblasting.