Well, apparently if you're me, you try to replace that car with one which has spares availability that is spelled "custom made". Sometimes what passes for thought processes in my brain scares me.
And in completely related news, I appear to have agreed to buy a Maxton Rollerskate. Specifically, this one.
Needs a bit of TLC but based on an extensive video call with the owner, it's in pretty good shape but not so pristine that you never want to drive it.
Road trip coming up to actually pick it up in a couple of weeks. And no, I'm not driving it back - this car is completely original, and that includes the tires. No way I'm doing a 1000 mile Interstate trip on 30 year old tires.
The running gear is RX7 correct?
As for the other bits it's not that big of a deal. I've have to do this for almost every part on my F500 but I have a great fabricator.
My Datsun is a mix of Datsun, Nissan & custom parts. If you like the car it doesn't matter that you need to have a part made from time to time.
Yep, carb'd 1st gen RX7 engine, RX7 gearbox and stick axle. Most of the rest of the car is custom built but uses relatively common components like Mustang II uprights in the front.
Tim with those components I wouldn't be worried about getting replacement parts.
On my Datsun I have everything written down. I've got 280ZX front struts and brakes, a 81 210 trans, 510 wagon ankle with 240z brakes and a roasted LSD. The motor is a max and match of 1200 & 210 stuff.
For you car there is really good support for RX7 and Mustang II stuff.
So far it looks like the only parts that are (mostly) unavailable are good quality rear brake drums. Switching to later RX7 disc brakes would require different wheels at Mazda changed the PCD.
Have a parts car or two in your back pocket. 
Only difference is it just takes longer to get parts. No last minute runs to a parts store, you aren't making that event if something goes bad.
It's not that awful, especially if you are more proactive on maintenance.
Find a pair of good quality brake drums and just keep them handy....simple as that. Don't go crazy with spares just get the basics.
In reply to Tom1200 :
That's more or less the plan - find what consumables are in short supply and try to get some spares of them.
The good news is that the car is supposed to only 3000-ish miles on it so I expect the existing drums to be in really good shape.
Apexcarver said:
Only difference is it just takes longer to get parts. No last minute runs to a parts store, you aren't making that event if something goes bad.
It's not that awful, especially if you are more proactive on maintenance.
That just means you stock up on spares. RockAuto commonly has closeout sales on older stuff, pennies on the dollar sometimes. Ive gotten a good amount of spares and common maintenance items for my truck that way.
dxman92 said:
Have a parts car or two in your back pocket.
That's not that easy when they only made about 50 of them...
(Yes, I'm planning to have a few 1st gen RX7 parts just in case)
Just don't hit anything but that thing is pimp
In reply to Fueled by Caffeine :
Not hitting stuff is definitely part of the plan.
BoxheadTim (Forum Supporter) said:
So far it looks like the only parts that are (mostly) unavailable are good quality rear brake drums. Switching to later RX7 disc brakes would require different wheels at Mazda changed the PCD.
lug bolt spacing is the same for drum and disc rear axles for the 12A cars. You shouldn't need to get new wheels. Will need to source a disc brake rear axle housing as the flanges are different drum vs disc, so you can't just bolt on the different brake parts.
You do know that Tire Rack will ship tires to any number of shops 
I dont understand where in the hell "you people" find this crazy badass E36 M3 to buy. It's like every day a new thread with some cool car I have never heard of before.
Dont you people have jobs?
Olemiss540 said:
I dont understand where in the hell "you people" find this crazy badass E36 M3 to buy. It's like every day a new thread with some cool car I have never heard of before.
In this case? Posting a wanted thread on this forum and someone popping in pointing me at that car. Although I probably would've had a chance to spot it if I had spent a few minutes looking through the owner's registry FB group. Which I didn't, so kudos to the forum member who pointed me in this car's direction.
Keep in mind I've been kinda looking for one off and on since reading about them in our host's magazine in 2011.
Dont you people have jobs?
Gotta have one to pay for the toys, at least in my case.
This is a dream car of mine and many on here..
Don't think too much.. Just do... If you hate it.. you won't lose much if any money on it.
In reply to Fueled by Caffeine :
Funny you should link to that, I've also watched those.
Fueled by Caffeine said:
This is a dream car of mine and many on here..
Don't think too much.. Just do... If you hate it.. you won't lose much if any money on it.
Working in the "doing" part. As it's one of the cheaper Maxtons out there, there is a chance that I won't lose my shirt. At least that's what I keep telling myself.
In reply to BoxheadTim (Forum Supporter) :
very formative for late 80's me..
Very cool!
As said above you should be able to locate a complete rear out of a non GSL-SE to keep the 4x110 bolt pattern. IIRC in 83 the driveshaft flange size changed so you might want to take a look at what you have before finding out you have to modify your driveshaft.
Also I've got a very light set of 16x10s in 4x110 if you are looking for a set of track wheels. 
BoxheadTim (Forum Supporter) said:
So far it looks like the only parts that are (mostly) unavailable are good quality rear brake drums. Switching to later RX7 disc brakes would require different wheels at Mazda changed the PCD.
Nope. There were 4x110 discs, solid 9 inchers, from '81-85. The rearend housing is different for disk rears because they incorporate the caliper mounting.
The good news is, calipers have been NLA for quite a while now, so you're going to have to fabricate to mount up calipers that ARE available! So you may as well keep the housing you've got. Or.... just don't worry about it. The drums are just fine and IMO better than the disks, especially the '79-80 non-servo (and also non-self adjusting) drums.
Everything related to the engine is going to be NLA. Premix a little two stroke oil in the fuel, don't take it over 6000 for extended periods of time (the water pump will stall and it will run hot, without underdrive pulleys, and the iron 3mm apex seals will wreck the rotors and rotor housings from all the bouncing they do) and don't take it over 8000 *ever*.
Wow, very cool.
I wanted one of those things very badly when they came out. I remember reading about them in Autoweek and then writing to the company for more info, even though I was Dirt Poor at the time. They sent me a big envelope with brochures and articles. I'm pretty sure that I still have it all, including the issue of Autoweek.
I think they would have sold a whole lot more of them if the Miata didn't come along just a few months later. Miata was the immediate Easy Button.
