First gen RX-7 owners speak!

[chiefmg]

As the title says, post up if you have one.

Mine is a 1981 GS model. I bought her new in november of 1980 for just over $10,000. Currently she is in sad shape due to a lot of things, but when I do drive her she puts a smile on my face. Eventually I plan on doing a widebody kit along with the ever-popular TurboII engine transplant, as well as the GSL-SE suspension (already have it, just need to get some rims so I can install it).

Now I just have to figure out where to source one of those nifty smilies of an FB so I can quiet Kansei!

[alchemy will]

I'd like to have another RX-7 one day, just not in the plans right now.


Of course, I'd have a V8 in it this time. :)

[kansei]

I'd like to have another RX-7 one day, just not in the plans right now.


Of course, I'd have a V8 in it this time. :)

:'(

[alchemy will]

Don't give me that OH BOO HOO WHAT ABOUT ROTARY business.

[distr0]

theres many respectable cars with v8's

0 of them are rx7s

[alchemy will]

theres many respectable cars with v8's

0 of them are rx7s


Yeah, because you have to add one first. :wedgie:

[SteveO]

A local guy, Brian Hinson, started the whole LS1 in a FD thing. When I first heard about this I shunned the idea. A few months later he showed up at a normal Saturday night racing spot (4-5 years ago now). He ran the fastest car that came out regularly, which was an '03 Cobra with a KB blower, some pullies, and alot of other bolt ons. Car dynoed around the 700WHP range. Hinsons car was a stock LS1 in a 93 FD. Super quiet also.

They lined up and launched. I have never seen a car launch on the street like Hinsons. It was unbelievable. He immediately pulled 3-4 lengths on the KB Cobra.

Ever since then I have had immense respect for V8 RX-7s.

HOWEVER, I would never do that myself. RX-7s are disappearing super fast these days. Ricers get ahold of them and totally destroy them, young kids and bad drivers get FDs and total them out, FBs are rusting away in most Northern states, and FCs are falling victim to that retarded drifting fad and end up in walls and in ditches.

Personally, Im all for keeping the rotary right where its at. The 13B and 12A are GREAT motors when properly taken care of. They get bad reps from people who have never owned one, or if they did they abused them and didnt know wtf they were doing.
N/A rotaries will go 200K miles without a hiccup. Turbo rotaries are a little more maintenance intensive, but well worth it.

Rotary engines are easy to work on, light as heck, can be rebuilt in a few hours, can be modified to make enormous HP with very little money.

Ill never replace a rotary with a V8.

[liquid_ag]

+1. love me some rx7s/rotaries

[kansei]

well said SteveO. I too feel the need to 'rescue' an rx-7 from it's death

.. it'll just have to wait until I'm not in school.

[alchemy will]

drifting fad

Oh boy, here we go...

[SteveO]

Oh boy, here we go...

It may be neat to do/watch on a track...but when people do it on public roadways it is unbelievably retarded and inherently dangerous.

[chiefmg]

To each his own. If you pay for something then you can do with it as you will. I think it is great the ingenuity that people show when doing something like completely different engine swap, and I support those who do that.

Having said that, I personally love the rotary engine. It is elegant from an engineering standpoint (3 moving parts in the engine). Might not be the best solution in many ways, but for me it is synonymous with the RX-7.

I do find it funny that so many people who want to go this route take offense when purists say they are making a mistake. Do what makes you happy, and devil take the hindmost.

[alchemy will]

It may be neat to do/watch on a track...but when people do it on public roadways it is unbelievably retarded and inherently dangerous.

And that makes it a fad?

I am sure that drag racing fad is going to die out any day now...

[kansei]

I am sure that drag racing fad is going to die out any day now...

oh I hope you're right ;)

really I wish it would though haha

[SteveO]

And that makes it a fad?

I am sure that drag racing fad is going to die out any day now...

Yes, it does. It started to get serious here in the US what...3-5 years ago? Anything that new with the kind of following it has (very small in comparison to other motorsports) I consider a fad. It may die out, it may not. Im willing to bet it does, just my opinion though.

Drag racing has been around since the automobile. That would NOT be considered a fad.

[alchemy will]

So because it started by a small core group of people (like drag racing) and blew up with popularity (like drag racing) it's a fad.

Interesting.

[SteveO]

Lose the e-attitude. You started this discussion when you picked a sentence out of my original post.

Drag racing started, blew up and has stayed popular ever since. Drifting may do the same. I have not said it will not.

Personally, its interesting to watch maybe fun to do, but while I grasp the concept, I do not see it becoming anymore serious than what it is now. I beleive people have already started to lose interest in it somewhat. However, I could be wrong. But its not talked about in car mags, car show, and TV as much as it was 2 years ago or so from what I have seen.

[wes.pro5]

Turbo rotaries are a little more maintenance intensive, but well worth it.

anything with a serious turbo on it is maintenance intensive. rotaries are just more fun to turbo. thanks for the words though. i am thinking about buying a 91 convertible in great condition and a few people are giving me hell over it. it is nice to hear a few good words about rotary.

[wes.pro5]

Yes, it does. It started to get serious here in the US what...3-5 years ago? Anything that new with the kind of following it has (very small in comparison to other motorsports) I consider a fad. It may die out, it may not. Im willing to bet it does, just my opinion though.

Drag racing has been around since the automobile. That would NOT be considered a fad.

+1. i don't see drag racing going anywhere for a long time. the youth following of drifting, i feel, is comparable to the former youth fad of british bands. it is kind of the japanese invasion.