A few updates...
 

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...4219d82076.jpg
Car is still going strong. Zero issues. Made a few updates.... Loving it!

Clear fogs and BBS wheels. Sweet! Would love to come down someday and see this in person. DGRR next year maybe?

Thanks! And yes. I am planning to be at DGRR next year.

Your story made my day! Perhaps my favorite back-story to date ....

The Pacific catalog? ... Jesus.
Matchbox cars (I'm assuming from when they were REAL, the Lesney, England days)? Which did you have the blue race car or the white, stock-bodied one with red trim?

Caldor? CALDOR??? That's bringing it way back ....

All in all, I enjoyed your thread. I love the family moments you shared, particularly about your dad and his reactions to your having cherished those moments past. I'll speak for myself, and simply say ... thank you.

The car looks phenomenal. Given a limitless budget and a clean Gen 1, I think I would always go simple ... every time. You keep doing what you're doing. Whenever I can get my bloody life together, I would like to make the trip up one of these days and attend one the meetings you guys have up there (OGTA or something else). It looks like good fun. :)


EDIT
Epsilons? Wow ... I'm going to take a moment to myself. :)

WOW! this thing looks amazing! i too look forward too seeing it and meeting u at dgrr next yr.

Thanks for that! And as for the Matchbox cars, I did have the blue race version, but the one I "modified" was a black and gold stock bodied car. I painted it yellow though, of course 😊

Ahhh yes ... I forgot about the black and gold one. I never owned that one, but my cousin did. And wow, I painted many of my matchbox cars, too - with everything from nail polish to spray paint. :)

[UPDATE] New Article and Video
 

https://southrnfresh.com/2019/01/15/...-like-my-dads/


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...0caef75383.png

Great article. Your Dad should be proud. You need to bring this to an OGTA meet and let me know so I can come down for it. Its a special car for sure.

beautiful sa. bring it to dgrr this yr. it's an award winner for sure.

Thanks guys. I'm really happy with how the article and video turned out. The guys did a great job. And I definitely plan to bring it out. Looking forward to meeting you/seeing you again.

Great car with a great story. Congrats on owning something very special. To both you and your Dad.

Stu Aull
80GS
AZ

That's truly epic. Well done!

So sweet Phil! See you at DGRR May 1st!

I was looking over all the good stuff in this thread Paul, Stu is right, great story.

I was also struck by this period piece pic:

https://www.rx7club.com/attachments/...ps9t54dfxq.jpg

As it happens, I recently picked up a set of those WeldWheel chrome wire spokes like the ones in the pic with your mom:

Attachment 747587

I was looking forward to putting them on my LE for special occasions.

But the Rotary Gods would surely be pleased to see them on your yellow SA.

It would bring back that happy day 40 years ago with you and your mom and a pretty SA.

Except you guys are a little older now (but still just as pretty, of course).

Let me know if you want to try those Welds and BFG's on the yellow one, they're SA ready!

That's an amazing offer Ray!! Even if it were just for a short period of time and for some photographs, that would be awesome!!

That would be amazing, Ray. I'd love to. Thanks so much. We'll need to arrange something.

I'd been meaning to post an update here, but just haven't gotten around to it.

A while back, my wife mentioned doing a recreation of the photo with me and my mom, on the hood of my car....

What I never mentioned on here was that, in October or 2016, both of my parents were diagnosed with cancer. It's been an extremely emotional few years, to say the least. Beautiful in some ways, and painful in many others....
My dad has moved from Washington State, and built a house 5 minutes from me. He's doing great, and his cancer is now "undetectable". My mom, sadly passed away last May, after an heroic battle with stage 4 kidney cancer.

In the last few years though, we got to spend time, and do things as a family (holidays, grandkids's sports games, birthdays, etc) that I'd never imagine we would have.

I'm so grateful for those memories.

Phil, you had such a beautiful mother. The pictures that you posted on your Facebook account and the things that were written choked me up. I'm glad that you have such fond memories of your mother and the time spent with her that you mention is beautiful. Those are memories that you will cherish forever and the love and values that she shared with you can be passed on to your children. I'm happy to hear that your father lives so close and is doing well! Is he interested in RX-7's any longer? Would be awesome if he had one as well!

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...07f98b8f53.jpg
Thanks for that, Dave. Precious memories, indeed. And my dad is most definitely still interested in Rx7s, rotaries, and anything Mazda. He's owned nothing but Mazdas for the past 40 years. He and I actually have nearly identical 2015 Mazda 6's right now, and at 76 years old, he's still into customizing and personalizing his car. His is in front, mine is in back.

Both of your 6's look great!!! I'm glad to hear that your father is doing well and that he's into Mazda's still! Has he mentioned buying another RX-7?

It's so sad to hear about your mom Phil, I never met her but from just that one photo I know she was a true Rotor Head and wonderful mom.

And it's good to hear your dad is doing well, has moved to Georgia and is building a house.

It takes a lot of courage, gumption and imagination to take up roots and start over like that. But I guess you guys had something to do with it.

I did meet your dad a couple years ago, at an OGTA meet. Cool dude, love the bell bottom pants.

https://www.rx7club.com/attachments/...pszg9n5bhi.jpg

Thanks for sharing the update and memories. Memories are wonderful, they tell us who we are.

And when combined with imagination, gumption and courage those memories can come back to life, as you've done so nicely for your dad, for you and now for your kids.

So imagine for a moment Phil what your spark yellow SA would look like mounted on those chrome spoke WeldWheels.

We can arrange a pick up in Atlanta, just let me know where and when would be a good time.

Also, nice move sticking with the Mazda's!

despite the fact that i don't know you, i would like to extend my condolences about your mother.

Thank you.

This has got to be one of the top 10 threads in the 1st gen section.

yellow for the most part doesn’t look good on most cars. I liked it on my 74 Nova and my 74 super beetle.. not much else but on your Rx7 and the CYM FD’s ... excellante’. Sorry to hear about your mom. She looked good on that hood back in the day..super that your dad moved close to you. I think you ought to borrow those Spockers from Ray (magnificent gesture Ray!!!) mount them and take some retro pics of your dad in a pair of tie dyed bell bottoms with it. That’d really groove!!!