Driveshaft U-Joints for non-turbo

[FC Zach]

Greetings,

I have a 1987 RX7 non-turbo with an automatic transmission. The forward U-joint gave out, and I learned I need to replace the whole driveline to fix it. I was wondering if there is any other way around this, like drill out the old U-joint and put a new one in the existing driveline.
I thought I could fix it for a hundred bucks or less, but wherever I have looked so far, the cost is almost $300 bucks for a new driveline.
Maybe I am not looking in the right places for what I need.
I love this car; my favorite one I have owned - not that I have owned that many.
I only paide $400 for it, but I think it was well worth three or four times that.
It has low miles, not yet turned over. I once snuck it up to 130 mph, and it seemed like it could have gone faster, but I didn't want to chance it.
I knew it was the U-joint going south when it started clinking when I shifted from park, and later started vibrating.
When I removed the driveline today, I saw it was down to its last few miles - I think I was pretty lucky.
Thanks in advance for any comments toward what I am thinking of doing about it at this point. I do have access to the means to drill out the old U-joint. I just don't know how hard it would be to stick another U-joint in the existing driveline. The rear joint seems to be in good shape, no detectable play at all.
I will try to be diligent about checking for responces for the next few days; even moreso if I get any hits to this thread.
Everyone I have met who owns an RX7 has been very friendly, but those folks have been people who I meet here and there around town - no one I know how to contact at this point.
I live in Salem, Oregon.
Thanks for reading.

William

[Chiputapec]

Greetings,

I have a 1987 RX7 non-turbo with an automatic transmission. The forward U-joint gave out, and I learned I need to replace the whole driveline to fix it. I was wondering if there is any other way around this, like drill out the old U-joint and put a new one in the existing driveline.
I thought I could fix it for a hundred bucks or less, but wherever I have looked so far, the cost is almost $300 bucks for a new driveline.
Maybe I am not looking in the right places for what I need.
I love this car; my favorite one I have owned - not that I have owned that many.
I only paide $400 for it, but I think it was well worth three or four times that.
It has low miles, not yet turned over. I once snuck it up to 130 mph, and it seemed like it could have gone faster, but I didn't want to chance it.
I knew it was the U-joint going south when it started clinking when I shifted from park, and later started vibrating.
When I removed the driveline today, I saw it was down to its last few miles - I think I was pretty lucky.
Thanks in advance for any comments toward what I am thinking of doing about it at this point. I do have access to the means to drill out the old U-joint. I just don't know how hard it would be to stick another U-joint in the existing driveline. The rear joint seems to be in good shape, no detectable play at all.
I will try to be diligent about checking for responces for the next few days; even moreso if I get any hits to this thread.
Everyone I have met who owns an RX7 has been very friendly, but those folks have been people who I meet here and there around town - no one I know how to contact at this point.
I live in Salem, Oregon.
Thanks for reading.

William