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This is a look at how I even ended up owning this company and a little about me. Part of this is sad so don't read if you don't want to.
This really starts with me and my best man and friend of 28 years. He was around when I had my first 80'rx 7 in 1987.
We tried to blow it up and ripped the clutch out of it first.
Several years back we went to the NCAA final four in Indy. After the first game we left to go eat and ended up on the wrong side of Indy. We were basically lost trying to find some good food.
We cut through an alley and I see S5 tail lights sticking out behind a garage. I said turn around, we went back and it was a 90' vert the owner came out. I said how much he said a thousand bucks it ran when he parked it. He said it needed a top and alot of little crap. It does start but barely runs. I look underneath straight pipe all the way back, very loud.
Open the hood and wires are about a 100 years old and some plugs not even sure what they were for. I told him $750 and I will return the following weekend. So we did I changed the plugs and wires, had a whole exhaust system already. Put them on and started it and headed for home not knowing if I was going to make it or not.
Drove it a couple years, then it had a coolant seal failure. Which lead to a catastrophic apex seal failure.
So it sat in my brothers pole barn for two years.
In that time I got married to my awesome wife another reason I am here. Momma makes good money so in spring of 2014 she looks at me. Says call Banzai Racing and see how much to put a motor in the vert, you can have the tax refund.
I was on it, scheduled a time to drop it off and my friend went with me.
We get there Chris does a quick compression test. No compression on front rotor, not good!
I look over and he has a 2004 winning blue rx8 on the rack, rebuilding the engine.
I look at my friend and tell him that's what I want one day.
The motor was rebuilt, after 6 housings and 4 rotors and 2 sets of plates we had a good motor.
We went back to pick it up the rx8 was done and gone forever so I thought.
My car was done it was a great day except for the hanging caliper on the rear from not being driven for years.
This was in June several months later I'm on Craigslist I flip a few 8's here and there.
What do I see? That same 2004 rx8 for sale that was resurrected along side my vert. Less than 3 miles from my house.
He wanted $9000 for 2004 AT GT with 62k and 4k on fresh rebuild. I'm a forum user I read the warnings I know most of you hate them. But I'm older been shifting a five speed Rx7 for a long time so I wanted an auto the vert is a 5 speed and I go to a lot of Nascar and Nhra races. So clutching in traffic for an hour or more sucks!( I only use the paddle shifters the AT side sucks). Me and my other friend trade cars sometimes, he has a Lightening yellow 04' 6 speed so I have a 6 speed available to drive if I want.
I kept watching and the price kept dropping. Got down to $7k and the wife said go look at it.
I did, clean, no rust anywhere, garage kept 4000 miles on Banzai rebuild, new Borla exhaust.
New Magnaflow cat(already hollow after first 13k with new everything, $600 race pipe now) aftermarket MKW wheels, tint and Pirelli tires. It started on a dime and drove amazing.
I knew I had to have it, this and my 7 already had bonded for several weeks before they ever got to call the same driveway home.
The next day I called him and offered him $6500 cash and he accepted. He said he couldn't afford 3 car payments anymore. He handed me $6300 in receipts they had spent in the last 5 months.
So after getting history from local Mazda dealer I found out it was on its fourth engine at 62k.
I wanted a compression tester beings I own the bastard child of all Rx8's.
That brings us to February 13th, I wanted one and twisted rotors was out so I googled rotary compression tester. The RCT-V5 came up, said 6 left and no more.... EVER. The wife said if that's what you want for Valentine's day order it. So I did, and couldn't wait. On the 18th me and my friend from beginning of story went to dinner and I showed him my purchase.
He said he would like to see the first time I use it.
I said what if he would sell me the company? He said it doesn't hurt to ask and he would help however he could.
We drew out a what if logo design on a napkin, stuffed our faces as we had a cocktail.
He never got to see this happen, he went to bed on Sunday night and never woke up. He died February 21st, funeral was Thursday the day my tester arrived. I was crushed like my brother died.
I knew then life was to short not to do something with something I love.
Yep those silly spinning triangles.
So I asked Stuart if he would sell me the company. He said he would think about it and my wheels started turning.
In the end we came to an agreement. Stuart said he would sell me the company and help me get it set up here in the USA with everything I needed, so I bought it.
I knew this was something I had to see through.
The company logo I'm going to use is what we came up with.
Don't hate me because I own an AT, if it wasn't for that car and a great deal on it. I probably wouldn't be here trying to sell you a compression tester today!
So here I am and hope to make many happy customers in the future.
RIP John Hiles 1971-2016
I know you're looking down, smiling with your foot to the floor!
Banzai Racing has no affiliation with this product. I'm a forum user and smart enough to know that was where I was going for my rebuild, @ 40 miles away if that.
I've not had a chance to go see them since this all began, I've honestly had no reason to. Both cars run excellent, so if you do need a rebuild.
Chris and Elaine will take great care of you and your ride!
Last edited by Rotary Compression Tester.Com; 04-09-16 at 10:22 AM.
04-09-16, 08:22 AM
