UPDATE
I just drove the car. Super nice older guy selling the car. He is the second or third owner, used to have a 1979 until five years ago, saw this one on the side of the road two years ago and had to have it, but never drove it much.
The body is rust free. Like Arizona-rust free. The interior was worn but not worn out. Everything on the car looks completely stock except a 1985 era cell phone and a Clifford alarm, for which he had the book. The car has 81,000 miles on it and he had a receipt for a clutch replacement. The rear bumper may have been repainted and there was a little overspray on the tail lights, but the rest of the paint was original and really, really good. I didn't really like the color. He said it was a special order color, something-Blue, but it had a definite green tint to it.
I drove there in my Miata, which is always sort of for sale, in the hope of offering it up as trade bait. He suggested a trade before I could. I drove his car (twice), he drove my car. He liked the Miata.
It started right up with minimal smoke. The choked worked like it was supposed to. The first hot start was fine. The second hot start was a problem, but that may have been my fault. I think I flooded it. It's been a while since I've driven anything with a carburetor. Even my Harley was fuel injected.
I don't know if it was a rotary thing, a carburetor thing or a 1985 thing, but I just couldn't fall in love with the car. It just felt old when I drove it. Probably because it is. The steering was sloppy. There was a minor vibration, but I think it was flat spotted tires.
I could have done an even swap for the Miata and it would have been a fair deal for both of us. I said I'd think about it, but I'm going to call him back and pass. It's a really nice car, but I didn't want it. Driving my Miata home in the rain confirmed it. The RX-7 just wasn't as much fun. If both were parked in my driveway, I couldn't see myself choosing the RX-7 unless I was going to a cruise night.
