Parting out a 1983 Mazda RX7 GSL

Bought the car as a non-runner, pulled the engine to discover a blown rotor and housing. Have pretty much everything you might want, and it's all for sale! Let me know what you need, I probably have it and it's cheap! 

Location? (EDIT: Nevermind, I see you're in Salt Lake City)
Is it a late or early '83, if you know?

You know I'm not sure. Do you know of a good way to check?

I do know the owner before me had bought a parts car which I believe to gave been a gsl-se, so som of the interior is newer or in pretty good shape.

The build date would be a good way to check. It only matters because the later cars have the '84-'85 rear diff and driveshaft and the early cars have the '81-'82.

Oh ok I'll have to check when I get home!

When I had the wheels off the ground, I did the spin a tire check for an LSD and they spun opposite directions, so I figure I have an open diff, but I'll look at the build date too.

Does it have disc or drum rear brakes? If it has drums, it is not a GSL (or has had the rear end swapped). If it has discs it has an LSD (unless the center section has been swapped, which would be very weird).

Ok that's a good indicator! I have rear disc brakes. And I'm not 100% sure how to check, but I believe the build date it 03/83?

In reply to TheRX7Project :

Also, to be candid, just had a local guy text me asking about the rear end. Who knows if we make a deal, but didn't want to sell it if you think you'd be interested.

TheRX7Project said:

The build date would be a good way to check. It only matters because the later cars have the '84-'85 rear diff and driveshaft and the early cars have the '81-'82.

This is false.  All '83s have the early rearend and the later driveshaft.  '83 was a weird year, it had the later engine (beehive, light rotors, 225mm clutch) with the early wiring harness (bulkhead connectors under master cylinder) too.  It was kind of a series 2.5.

Production starts early enough that some states may have issued 1983 titles to 1984 cars.

If you want fun, some people insist that early 1984s had the small axle rearend.  The early build '84 that I have with the 3.933 rearend was definitely a large axle, and they only used that gearset for a couple of months...

TheRX7Project said:

Does it have disc or drum rear brakes? If it has drums, it is not a GSL (or has had the rear end swapped). If it has discs it has an LSD (unless the center section has been swapped, which would be very weird).

A good number of GSLs have open diffs in them. Mazda set the clutch packs up really tight, and they would bark and shudder in parking lots.  The official warranty fix for this was to put an open diff in them.

In reply to Knurled. :

And this is why cars are a great hobby. You'll never know everything! So what you're saying is it probably isn't an LSD dispute having disc brakes, since I did a tire spin test and it is likely to have been swapped as a warrenty?

Did not know about the open diff GSLs. I was misinformed about the rear diffs (I was under the impression that some had early and some had late). I'd be interested if you were closer- but shipping would absolutely kill me. Sell away!

In reply to Schizamm :

It might just be worn out.  Only way to be sure is to pull the axles and see if there is a cross-shaft in the diff.  I only have direct experience with Series 3 LSDs but they have a four way spider with a hole in the middle you can see through.

In reply to Knurled. :

Looks like you were right! Had a seller lined up. be he asked if i could do what I could to confirm it was a LSD before purchase, and I felt that was fair. All signs looked good while pulling the axle (he wanted the entire axle)

But I pulled off the cover as you recommend since it is the only sure fire way to tell, and sure enough, most likely a warrenty swapped open diff

I do have a racing beat intake and weber carb I figure could go to a good home, as they are one of the better pieces from the car!