Richard Miller

I had stepped back from the rx7, and took a breath. This is what I had noticed.

Cars of the 60's and 70's are popular for today, just as cars from the 40's and 50's were popular from previous generations. The newly retired seems to set this trend. As this is thier chance to get that GTO they wanted in highschool. As they age and new retired fill in the ranks, new cars of intrest will be popular.

30 year mark.

My state will issue classic car plates to a car 30 years old. It seems that once 30 is hit (2009 for the 1979 sa) that it will be a indisputable classic. By the time the fbs come of age things may get interesting. The ones that are just existing will most likely become fodder for the wreckers. at this age there will be little to salvage. I had just swapped an engine from an 84 int an 81. for the record 2 rx7s have died to preserve the 81. I went to the wreckers on saturday and found nothing. This is in Spokane, WA. years back you could find FBs all over. Could not find one. In another 5 neglect will win and only well taken car of cars wil be around. Most stock 7's I have seen are poor shell of a car.

reality.

the Fb will find its place in future classic car shows, Especially when the 80's cars are considered nostalgic. Detroit had little to offer and few cars had the accolades that Mazda recieved for the RX-7. I do not see it becoming absurdly collectable. Some people are now demanding prices in the 4-5k range for outstanding examples. I had not seen prices like this since i was in highschool. I doubt that the value will surpass the original sticker price.

Modding, hot rodding, tuning...

Not much can beat a FB for build up value. 100hp feels like a go cart, 200 feels like a race car, 300hp feels like suicde. 7 years ago I had picked up an 83 with the hopes of a ported 13b. the I had a chance to ride shotgun in a turboed FB. Not many of the around in 98. I was bitten by the bug. And I obsessed about boost. Never got far with it. And now everyone is workng on a rotary rocket of sorts. I love to see a well executed build up, and it is nothing but exciting to hear a bridgie brap. What about the historical aspect.

Pickeled Wankel

I have decided to buck this trend of go fast goodies. I am going to build my car as near stock. the goal is to get it to as near stock as possible. I do believe that some creative licensing is permitted. i.e a clearcoat over red paint. mild porting, and using better engine parts. I ask everyone do we want the lions share of FB's to be custom cars, or do we need a few people to preserve Mazda's original veiw of the RX-7?

fishbulb95

Yea i was realizing that myself, One of the nice things about the FB, it's so sleek for the 80's lacking that boxy air resisting feeling.

Tsi_Xtreme

I've be noticing the price of 1st gens going up instead of down over the last two years. However I have noticed the price of 3rd gens dropping rapidly. I loved 3rd gens and hated 1st gens until I drove one. My first SE I owned i only bought to to race autocross. However I feel in love with the way the car felt and how it drove... my only complaint was power. Just wasn't enough for me. So when I bought my second SE I had to go turbo. Turboing FB's seems to be the new trend around Kentucky.

Two of my friends are both working on turbo FB's. One has already had a running FB with a TII putting down 300+hp... he has already decided that wasn't enough so has torn it apart and is now P.porting a TT-REW engine and putting a hugh thumper of a turbo on it. Target is 500+ at the wheels.

My other friend is getting ready for a 12A turbo combo

and myself my SE Block was turbo'd

So we've all had same goal but are looking to do it in different ways...

However it just seems to be trendy for a turbo'd FB. Hell yesterday at a local autocross there was a guy with a FB that had a older 300z turbo engine in his car. Crazy!

Lt. Dan

my current FB is too far gone from stock to go back. But I am keeping my eyes open for a nice stock one to keep.....

Dan

Modified85

My first gen is also way past stock with a 13b rew single turbo 350hp to the wheels being installed but I have saved every stock part and not made any irreversible mods just in case I decide to put it back to stock in 20 years if the price is right.

Richard Miller

For the rotorheads who have already enginered a supercar. Dont change a thing!!! I would have done that already if not for finances. This is a save the FB plea. the ones teetering on the edge of abuse and scrap.

aussiesmg

iTrader: (1)

I have one being given nice mild street mods, ie: RB exhaust, Mikuni, 2GCDFIS, also some wheels, updated suspension, stereo and interior upgrades, this is my DD and is a nice clean Summer car.

No.2 is a very different story, one I'll post at length later on, it will never be able to be returned to stock....

purple82

I totally agree with this. The Rx-7 will never be a hot investment the way Italian exotics were in the late 80s or the way muscle cars are today. They'll be respected classics, the way the 240Z is today, which is now over 35 by the way.

Richard Miller

gotta give a nod to the Z. anyone remeber the one in "Corvette Summer"

shepski

my SA hit classic status at 25 yrs over here in aus hehe.

AdamAnt

My se is totally stock. Just picked it up lsat week. 64000 k and all original right down to the paint. Not a drop of rust (even behind the bins). I plan on keeping her stock, except maybe the exhaust (will keep the stock stuff) and I might drop an imsa type front air dam on her.

I also plan on keeping the orginal paint, but I will need to get one of those dent huys out to fix a few minor dents.

I had an appraiser out on Saturday, I should find out in a few days how much she is appraised for. ????

blwfly

iTrader: (4)

ill have hotrod fb thanks

rotrmotr

This is the dilema I am faced with right now- I bought my SA with the intensions of doing alot of performance mods (turbo) & custom work (paint-stereo) but she is soo clean & original. One half of me says "leave it alone & enjoy" the other half wants a "hard core Corvette eating-Mustang snacking machine" H E L P!!!

blwfly

iTrader: (4)

just swap motors in and out and clean alot
stock motor then have a race motor install either

LokiRx7.1

iTrader: (1)

Lets face it, we have a dilemma.... We held on to cars that everyone told us would never be worth what we invested into them, and in the next 5-10 years they might be just that. I love my FB to death and would take it to the grave, I sold my project supra to hold onto it. Although MKI - III Supras are increasing in value even more so then the 7. I havent looked into the Z's lately but they are always doing well.

I want to get a 7 I can turn into a beautiful factory resto, just now isnt a good time for me. But in my opinion we should all be snatching up as many as we can. You cant have too much of a good thing

melicha8

iTrader: (1)

I doubt it will ever reach the hyped levels muscle cars are making today? You've some things going against it. It's mass produced and it is an import. I could be wrong. I think good leading economic indicator(leading by 15 years or so) for the value of an import under the best circumstances would be the Toyota 2000GT. Those only fetch about 30k for an imaculate example based off what I saw at barret jackson

LokiRx7.1

iTrader: (1)

Mass produced? And Mustangs and Camaros werent? Look at them along with T/As and the like fetching 10-50+K The collectors today grew up in a domestic dominated era, in the next few decades the people that grew up when these were introduced will start becoming collectors, I think you will see a large shift in demand, the muscle cars value will stabalize and imports will start to see a rise. You have to understand the detroit muscle era wouldnt touch any import with a ten foot pole, when the people who owned these cars new and grew up watching them gets 30K to throw at a thirty year old car, I think we will all be surprised at their value.

**In 1995 my mothers hurst edition (smokey and the bandit) 1977 Trans Am was worth less than 2K she sold it and got a more economical car, because she figured it wouldnt be worth anything, as did alot of their friends who still held on to there muscle car through the 90's Today a number matching all original Hurst Edition '77 Trans Am is worth 10K in shitty condition, and can go up to 40K although I am sure some have sold for more than that.... So DO NOT underestimate what could happen, although I wouldnt plan on selling it for more than maybe 10-20K in the next few years**

LokiRx7.1

iTrader: (1)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1981-...QQcmdZViewItem

1984 Rx-7

$5995 1984 Rx-7

$8900 Rx-7 GSL-SE

Go look for more if you need more proof, And I know someone out there will pay that much for them, in my opinion its a rip off but they are becoming pricey as we speak

Rotary Weasel

my SE is still stock....
and with a moderate investment, it would be prisitne
hmmmmmmmmm
hmmmmmmmmm

I would like something much faster eventually...however the SE could fill that role, and unlike most cars I've owned..I don't feel like getting rid of my 7 when I drive it everyday.....
after owning more than 20+ vehicles since I was 16
it says alot, that I like my 7

LokiRx7.1

iTrader: (1)

BTW before anyone jumps the gun and gets on my case, I am not saying it is a fact the 7 will gain in value, I am saying that the possibility is most definately there....

d0ntdreamit

80% of the 100,000 ferrari passenger cars manufactured are still rolling either singularly or as part of someone's collection. 30% new ferrari buyers already have another ferrari as part of a collection. (trader's magazine, may 2006).

I doubt ferrari owners work on their ferraris as we rx-7 owners work on our rx-7's. Therefore rx-7 owners are more familiar with their choice of transportation. Ferrari owners have more dollars than sense when it comes to cars.

If only we had a ferrari owner's sense that he has that enabled him to get those dollars!

Richard Miller

Remember kids, cars are an investment in yourself. The time spent with friends getting tring to geet an engine swap done while under the gun. time spent with the family washing it up before a car show. If my fb would go for 20K in another 10-15 years, I doubt I would sell it. To many memories to put a price on.

blwfly

iTrader: (4)

yep i agree evan now i have only spent ,minor dollars since i brought it but the time i have spent working on could not be paid for

vipernicus42

iTrader: (4)

When I started into my project 4 years ago my thinking was that I was building the car from the mentality and mindset of a Mazda Engineer.

If *I* was a Mazda engineer, designing this car without the limitations of the Mazda bean counters or the Japan/US/World gov'ts emission control regulations, with modern technology at my disposal, how would it look?

So the body and interior are staying stock except for a tasteful upgrade of the stereo (a cd deck, small amp and Infinity Kappa replacements for speakers, of the same size as stock). The engine is going to be built as the ultimate 12a engine rebuild, and all the tweaks and features that make stock better.

Nikki... rebuilt by Rx7Carl/Sterling
Gas shocks instead of hydraulic
Higher flow fuel pump with regulator

So what I consider "super" stock.

All small tasteful upgrades which enhance the original qualities of the car without drastically changing them.

Jon

Kentetsu

I thought about this for a bit when I first got mine. It was bone stock. However, I figure that I'm going to be keeping it forever, and I have three sons who are already fighting over who gets it when I croak.

My idea is that as long as it is an actual improvement, then I'll go ahead and do it. I am in the process of building a "better" car than it was when new. If I have to take a part off, it gets a full cleaning and a paint job to preserve it (where applicable).

When I was having issues with the headlights, I replaced all of the original small gauge wiring (using 10 gauge for power and ground wires) and added relays to the system, so I ended up with a very big improvement over the original system. That is the idea behind everything that I am doing with her.

On the other hand, I have also kept every part that I ever removed. It has all been cleaned and bagged, and is resting in my garage closet "just in case".