MarkPerez

Today,Just About 12:30 . I Was In The On Ramp Lane.The Stop-
Light Was Red And I Was 3rd In Line.Next To Me Was Honda CRX
With Everything(i guess)The Light Changed,The On Ramp Is 2 Lanes All The Way.I Allways Let The Cars In Front Go On Some.
The CRX Was Doing The Exact Same Thing,I Was In 2ed Gear Not
Even 4000 RPM Then The CRX (i could hear)Him Get On It HARD.
So I Just Wound 2ed Out To 6000 RPM And JUST WALKED On Him
Then I GRIPPED 3rd And Was Gone.I Ended Up In 5th Going 65
Like Allways In The 2ed Lane And This Guy Would Not Pass Me.
I Even Let Up And He Would Not Pass And Stayed There Untill I
Got Off The Freeway.Then I Could Hear Him Punch It As He Stayed
On The Freeway.Now What Is So BAD About Getting Smoked By
A Stock 12a ???

Jason Guthrie

Isn't a stock 13b (1985 GSLSE) faster than a stock 12a (1985 GS)? I mean, isn't there like a 30hp difference in the engine with only about a 200lb penalty for toys like PW, AC...?
I don't know how much hp a CRX has, but I guarantee it's not much.

My Stock Miata is faster than my 85 GSL SE. The 96Miata has technically 133hp(not rwhp) and weighs about 300lbs less. Miata engines come from the late 80s 323 turbo motor and were designed to rev high. It is common to take them 6-7k rpms but it feels a little different than the Rotary powerband.

The point, none, heh, just odd how sometimes both cars feels so fast and yet often, both are barely able to pass in traffic. (CRX included I'm sure)

This is all assuming the cars are stock hp wise. Intake/Exhaust/Engine... All stock.

I would race a CRX in either of my cars both straight or curves. Only advantage would be driver and of course, modifications which may outmatch the opposed vehicle (NOS...) CRX is very light, would be a good race for both stock through a curvy backroad. I think we would take the Hondas in a streetlight setting.

Forgot to mention
1. I really enjoy the "I raced so and so and won/lost" threads. Always gets the adrenaline pumping.
2. I posted this to see how people react to my opinion of the HP in our cars. The car is more nastalgia than fast for me. There is that burst of speed pleasure you get sometimes, but in my foolish years of stoplight racing/freeway showoffs(lol, like those are over), I have won and I have lost, and sometimes, I was surprised. I'll leave it at that.

rotonomo

CRX's are pretty damn gutless. The only ones that stand much of a chance against even a stock RX-7 are the late (90-91) Si's. Any of the other ones barely make 100HP, and zero torque anywhere on the power band. They are nice to swap hot motors into, because of the little car, big engine syndrome, but in stock form, they suck.

A 12A carbed RX-7 with no mods makes about 15 more HP than a CRX, and more torque (if you can believe a less torquey motor than a carbed 12A)

Felix Wankel

I had an 88 CRX DX as a work car awhile back. It had a header and **** on it when I bought it. That car was an underpowered POS if there ever was one.


Gotta agree with ya there. CRX may be fun to drive, but I can get out and run faster than it'd go....

MarkPerez

One BIG Thing I notice When Driving,,I Don't See But MAYBE 2 1st
Gens A Week,And Thats Pushing It.Way More 2ed Gens,And 1 3rd
Gen Tops A Week.When I See A 1st Gen(it reminds me of 2 white
people on the street"look'n'for each other)I Smile.Just About Every"race" Car Like That CRX,Acura's,hondas,couple toys.They All
Come At Me,And I'm Cool, And Let Them Make All The Noise,As I
Stick'em,Then Pull,And Pull Some More,And This Is With The Windows Up And AC On.It's Just Funny 12a ..And A Turbo Is Faster.It's Just A RX-7 ..Why Do They Want To Go Up Against It
So Bad,,Don't They Know /????/

Felix Wankel

Most of em just see an old *** car and think they can take it.

I kicked the **** out of a GS-R on the interstate one night, and he never got beside me again until I got off my exit.

Same with the fool in the (automatic, luckily) Maxima that said "You better hope you have nitrous on that ****". After I pulled past him in 2nd slipping my POS clutch the whole way, he pussed out and let off. Stayed behind me all the way down the street. Heh.

Acuspeed

I can see where you're coming from.

This is my take on it (and I am by no means trying to imply that what I'm about to say applies to you specifically, rather it's my take on most current day "enthusiasts").

These days, it seems many "enthusiasts" base how "good" a car is on what 1/4 mile times it will run or who they can beat. Nevermind the fact that when you take that fast 1/4 car onto the road (particularly a curvy one) it's more than a handful to drive. Sure, it may be fast, and depending on the car, it may hand decently and be able to cut some fast laps on the road course somewhere. However, if it is more work than fun to drive, where's the pleasure in it?

This is where a sports car (to me) comes into play. A sports car isn't the most powerful thing on the road and it isn't the fastest car in the 1/4 mile. It may not even cut the fastest laps on the road course, but it is pure fun to drive. Rather than being a complete and overwhelming handful, it is "flingable" and "flickable" and provides that feeling of being an extension of your body. A sports car isn't about beating the other guy in a straight line, or even beating the other guy on the road course -- it's about arousal and feeling alive and thrilled to be one with your machine -- almost as though you simply think it, and the car does it. It's not about outright speed, it's about passion. Passion doesn't usually exist when you're doing all you can to hang onto the car and keep it on the playing surface, regardless of how fast a time you are turning.

These days though, it seems most "enthusiasts" don't understand this and rather than being a true auto enthusiast, they are simply an enthusiast of what they own, based on their feelings of what they may be able to "beat" at each stoplight. It is really sad when you think about it, because if their bubble ever bursts, I wonder if they will suddenly stop liking what they have and look for something else, only to find (eventually) that there is always a bigger fish out there somewhere.

I guess it all boils down to your definition of "enthusiast", but to me, being an enthusiast is an internal state, not an external (i.e. what can I beat) state.

Of course, this is watered down as well, as there are other types of enthusiasts that enjoy other aspects of automobiles (such as looks, rarity, etc).

RXcetera

Totaly agree with you Acuspeed. Just like you said, it's like people dont "get it" anymore.

Not too long ago, I was discussing the Miata with some younger guys at a local car show... they were saying that the Miata is a great car, but it really should have more power/speed. You should have seen the look on their faces when I told them I thought more power would take some of the "fun" away from the Miata. The discussion then continued on to the wheels. One of the guys said "it handles great now, but imagine wider tires? Why cant Mazda do this?". I must of come off as the most un-cool guy in their world when I told them I thought the stock tire size was perfect and putting wider/stickier tires would probably HURT the cars handling.

My friend just bought a nice 90 Supra Turbo. I drove down to his place the other to try it out. Was it fast? Sure. Did it take corners at fast speeds? Certainly. Was it capable of out running my RX7? Probably. Did I have "fun"? Yeah... when I hopped back in my little, gutless, skinny tire-ed RX7.

Rotary-MG

iTrader: (1)

My Maxima (automatic, what was I thinking?) took over for my '85 GS as my daily. First time I pounded on the gas in traffic I almost launched myself into the car that "was" way ahead of me. Damm automatic is worse than turbo lag. You gotta plan you take-offs in advance...hit gas, watch RPM climb to 6K as nothing happens, auto then downshifts, then OH SHIIIAAATTTT!!!!!

On the Maxima owners Forum they think the car is God's gift. For me it is just the Family compromise vehicle. Leather, climate control and too much body roll has made me soft.

Acuspeed,
Ahmen dude!
I think most guys have the words "Enthusiast", "Purist" and "Self Centered" mixed up. I'm glad that there are a lot of Sports cars and "Sporty cars" to choose from. Not just for the variety to choose from, but also as prey!

MarkPerez

I Love My Car,For The Thrills ,,Yes I Do, The Car Before This Was
A 93 ECLIPSE GS Turbo, Front Wheel Drive,CD,Nice Car,Nothing
Even Close To The RX-7,The Other Day On The Freeway Again
It Was Traffic Time,,Going,Maybe 50 Or So,I Look Up,And I'm
Looking At The Tail Gate Of A Big Truck,I Put My Foot In It,Didn't
Lock Up,Or Slide,The Front End Just Dove,Or The Rear Came Up,,
But Could FEEL Those Winston Radials BITE In Hard,It Handled
That No Problem,I Almost Got Hammered From Behind Though.
Things Like That, Make It,,To Me,,Every Bit Worth ,My Car Needs
To Stay Running,Living,It's That Much Fun,What I Need Is Some
Desent Side Bolsters On My Seat,Or Maybe A 4 Point To Keep Me
In,,Without Fighting The Car,

YellowJacket

Heres my take on this.... Being from NYC the general attitude out here is;
1. My car cost more than yours ergo its better.
2. My car car can do the quarter in 11 secs erge its better.
3. My car has $2000 18" chrome rims ergo its better
4. My car is an acura (my personal fav) ergo its better.
I can go on and on and on about how the uneducated here in NYC go on about cars. Everytime I have jumped into a convo on cars and mention the almighty Rx7, it takes alot for whoever to hold back the laughter. But the few times that some doof has been dumb enough to challenge me in his Integra Vtech or whatever boinger they're driving, 80% of the time I have sucked their headlights out and the other 20% it goes either way.
Somewhere back in time the true meaning of DRIVING PASSION, PLEASURE, ENTHUSIASM. etc etc got lost in the ricey innards of rHondas, stupras, rustangs, and craximas. But what can we do but blow their doors off one by one until they realize that 1.2 litres of rotory powered machinery is nothing to shake a stick at?

Jason Guthrie

I cannot believe how many people rev on my miata. I always had idiots frontin on my rx7, but the miata takes the cake. The car simply threatens guys. I semi raced two camaros who were racing each other last night. One was a Z28. I saw them pull side by side goin ~30 in a 50mph and rev up. They played around talking ****(or something to each other) then the regular camaro took off, then the Z28 took off. I followed the Z28 behind him as it was a 2lane road and we pulled away from the regular camaro but the Z28 was unable(perhaps didnt try) to pull away from me until ~65mph when I realized it was a construction area and fines are doubled.

So again, it came down to sometimes it feels like youre haulin *** and other times, your dropping down to second gear to pass pathetically slow from 25-35mph then the power picks up. My Miata and RX7 are the same in this respect. My V6 accord is not like this. You need to floor it in order to get the car to downshift immediately, but it gives a kick in the pants like 3rd gear at 50mph in the rx7 atleast. The honda however tends to lean and dive when accelerating and breaking.

The RX7 to me always felt like my dads corevette (gasp, that trader!). Sleek and sporty, awe inspiring to drive. Like acuspeed says, it was never a matter of speed or racing to beat someone. It was something about the way it made you feel when you drove it. I've slid that car around street corners, lost the backend on several rainy days. I have never come close to crashing (that I recall). It's just an easy fun car to ENJOY. My 1st gen black rx7 is what made me buy the black miata. The basic difference. a couple of horsepower, a few hundred pounds, and ones topless.

I don't forsee ever selling the twins. I can't wait to have a son to help restore the Rx7.

Denny

Well, Wrench-hands....

It's called "Interpersonal Dynamics." In layman's terms that means personal interaction with something whether it be inert or living. People talk to their dogs, cats, horses, birds, plants, ball mitts, hockey sticks, guns, fishing rods, boats, and so on. We talk to cars, and because we shed blood, skin, muscle, money, and most of all time, on 'em they develop their own personalities, and believe it, or not, Souls. I've had cars that have no Soul. Not that I didn't work on 'em, they just didn't seem to respond...They stayed inert. Then there's others that somehow seem to develop a "direct wire" to your being. Driving, working on, polishing, or just being near 'em kind of puts you in a "zone." Usually this is a singular activity, but there are cases where a whole specific vehicle model seems to come from the factory already equiped with Soul. I like to think that it's because the guys at the factory "Know" what and why they're building the vehicle for, and that extra "Knowing feel" goes into every part. A number of older British sports cars have it (but then lost it), Porches, Corvettes, early Z/28's, early 'Stangs, and so on. You can tell which ones do, because they become "Collector's Items," or develop their own "faithful following," and people start giving them personal names, usually female names. So it is with the RX-7, especially our 1st gens who have somehow survived through previous owners, mechanics, abuse, and neglect, to end up in our tender possession. We lavish what we can on them, and they seem to respond in kind. Ever seen someone's reaction after they've driven their first Seven? It's really quite an enjoyable interaction, or dare I say "Love affair?" All in all, it's a beauty way to go!

As someone said, "You're born, and you die. In between you work on cars..." To which I say, "That's a wee bit of the 'All Right!"

Wavin' the 'ol Stetson,
Denny, from the abandoned corncrib....

Hi-Ho, Silver.....AWWWAaaaayyyyy.....

Jason Guthrie

Sweet post, brought a good memory to me. Mariah is that last car I named with heart and talked to everytime I got near her.

--1996--
I remember when I went to buy her. I had $2800 bucks and I drove all over California looking for an RX7. After about a week of searching I was seriously bummed. My girlfriend said I appeared to be greatly depressed. We were leaving Mountain View that last night after a week of searching the bay area. We stopped to get something to eat at burgerking about dusk. I was praying amongst myself and said something like, "God, please let me find an RX7, hopefully a GSL and hopefully black". Outside they had a paper machine and we grabbed one to see if there were any adds we missed as I threw away the paper earlier as we went through it. There was one rx7 listed as "85 black". I called the guy and he said he still had it and shortly after, we arrived at his house. He opened his garage(ya, 12 year old car, in the garage) and immediately I saw GSLSE. It had a few stickers on the rear side window noting SCCA clubs of the area and what not. I was in awe. I sat down inside and caught eye of the 4point roll bar and asked about it. He mentioned he raced it and it was not his daily driver. He continued to tell me about all the modifications on the car that I had intended to do eventually myself. The roll bar was just an aggressive looking plus that I probably would have never thought to do at that age. I told him, "I'll take it". He said, "You haven't even driven it yet". I jumped in that car and RACED around the area for about 10 minutes and came back with a big smile. I repeated again, "I'll take it". I asked how much and he said $3000. I looked at my girlfriend and asked her to front me a check for the additional $200 so we can just get this over with. He told me not to bother and that $2800 would be fine. He then loaded the hatch with about 10 mazda oil filters, fuel filters, and various tune up items along with 3 reference manuals to work on the car.

That car was the coolest thing ever to come my way.
The story here is much less dramatic than it really was for me and I was praying a whole lot more than I let on. The car was really an answered prayer and I will never believe differently. My grandkids are gonna make fun of me for it and I'm still takeing **** from my mom and mother in law about selling it as I have too many cars for an apartment and the miata is the same car in their eyes.

The miata's name is Angella (angie) though she doesn't talk to me like Mariah does.

Think I need counseling?


PS, the Accord is Heather, shes quiet too. =/

See the **** you post when board at work!

MarkPerez

AMEN ,Denny,Some Are Sterile.And Some You Can Tell,Even If Some One else Owns It,After MY 1st Test Drive .I Was Going To
Buy It.(that was a 88 gxl,,could not afford it )Then I Drove My 1st
Gen,As Soon As started The Engine,Put It in Gear,That Was It.
I Was Sold,My 69 Mustang Is Like That Too.You Just Want To
Hang Out With It,In The Garage And Just Look At It.People REV
On Both All The Time,The Mustang Gets A Whole Different Size
Of Cars Though Going At It.The Mustang Just Looks Fast,And It Is.

Felix Wankel

I agree with all that.

speckamp

If anyone has a link to David Lane's write up on "what is a sports car" please PLEASE post it here, if you have had the pleasure of reading it then all I should have to say is, even in her battered, previously neglected state, my baby girl still whispers to me every morning. "Come on hun, let's take the long way home...please?"

And as David so aptly put it.

"Yes, dear."

--matt

Pele

iTrader: (28)

You kept an Accord over the 7?!? Yes, you do need counseling.. badly. :p

Nice story though.

I still pat my 7 on the hood every time I go outside and pass her. Appoligize for hurting her and tell her she'll be on the road soon. I popped open a huge box from UPS yesterday and showed her the steering linkage, front sway bar, and fender I bought for her. It's brown, but she'll get a paint job soon, hopefully this winter. I'm so attached to this car for some reason.

Jason Guthrie

Nah, I have all three cars. RX7 is parked in the covered stall undergoing restoration.

Miata is daily driver.
Accord is Fiances car.

Acuspeed

Man, I'd like to have a Miata to compliment my 7. I drove a 96 Miata 5spd, and that car just had it...

Denny

I just can't resist Congrats to you on all three of your loves. I have twin younger brothers, and as the eldest in the family a lot of child-care came my way....They were just a ball to be with. Big hug to your lovely wife, and three cheers for you and your Rex. Keep on wrenchin', and bring those little folks up right.

A big tip of the Stetson,
Denny, from the 'ol corncrib...

jjlrx7

I too seem to have probs with guy getting pissed off when i smoke them at lights!! Its not my fault they bought a pos. Just laugh and leave, LAUGH AND LEAVE!!!

Aviator 902S

I get a kick out of guys who give their cars names. It's like, "whatever, Dude." But some of those names are pretty creative. The best one I've seen wasn't on a car, but on a high performance airplane that a guy spent years and many dollars building in his garage. What did he name it? "Miss Appropriation of Funds."

Rex4Life

And here I thought Mark was posting again--oh well--thread from the dead.