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I own a sunrise red 1980 Mazda RX7 which is a very early series 2 in Australia. Previously I owned 2 RX2 Coupes. The car is in very good original condition with no rust and I have owned it for near 20 years. Recently I purchased a sunrise red 1985 Mazda RX7 convertible. It is one of 7 (a prototype and six test cars) built by Mazda Australia. My car was sold new as a convertible by City Mazda Adelaide and came with the usual new car warranty. I have the original engineer's report on the car's structure when it was new and all purchase papers. There is an Australian Design Regulation compliance plate in the engine bay and the car is numbered 6. I have just had the suspension and steering completely rebuilt and a new soft top is next on the maintenance program. A poster on this forum suggests there is only one of the 7 cars remaining in Australia. Either way it is a piece of Mazda Australia motoring history. I will post photos later.
Last edited by gracer7-rx7; Feb 27, 2025 at 10:52 AM.
I am the owner's son and love the 7s especially the coupe. I own a Honda DC5 with Spoons sports engine etc but love the rotaries. Meet Breezy, a 1985 Mazda RX7 convertible built by Mazda Australia and sold by City Mazda Adelaide as a convertible with warranty. It is car number 6 of 6 built with the number appearing on a plaque in the engine bay together with compliance with ADRs. It is to receive a new exhaust system with Rotaflo muffler and silencer and a new softop will be fitted. The car sat stored for 10 years prior to purchase. It has a 12A turbo engine and gearbox and upgraded breaks. Mazda RX7 1980 model which is a very early Series 2. The car is in very original condition with no rust. It is undergoing engine rebuild using machined down 13B housings, lightened rotors, lightened flywheel, sports exhaust and renewed breaks. The car has Koni yellow shocks and Lovells springs and rides well.
Car is now sitting around 2 inches higher after suspension rebuild. RX7 convertible rear badge on 626 bootlid.
Plan for the worst but hope for the best. The car sat untouched for over 10 years in a garage which is good in one way but bad in another for a rotary.
The car is going for a health check next week on the mechanicals. I have been monitoring water level in radiator and overflow tank as well as oil level.
The car groaned on its first drive after purchase! It had sunk further due to age and the rear springs had been cut. The wheels on the car, which apparently came as part of the package when new, are Enkei Shurikens.
I purchased KYB Excel G front and rear AGX shocks and searched hard to locate Pedders standard height springs. Reportedly, these are the last retail set in Australia. I wanted OEM level for the car, not the harsher ride from performance shocks and lowered springs. I also raided the spares box for the remaining parts.
Suspension/Steering
KYB AGX shocks rear
KYB Excel G front
Pedders Springs - standard height
Idler Arm - Mazda
Pitman Arm - TRW
Inner and Outer Tie Rods - TRW
Adjusting Link Rods - Mazda
Sway Bar Bushings - Front TRW
Lower Control Arms and Ball Joints - Mazda
Genuine Watts link plus upper and lower arms - to be fitted
I replaced the following parts in the interior of the car which were worn or didn't work -
Steering wheel - near new item from my spares.
Gear shift ****.
New gear shift panel.
New switch console panel.
New window switches
On the exterior, the following parts were replaced -
Genuine front indicator lenses
Genuine side guard indicator lenses
Genuine Mazda door rubbers
Rear left taillight was replaced with very good secondhand item from spares
The rear bar was replaced with a very good item from spares
The front cowl panel was replaced with a new item due to a dent.
The lower rear panel near exhaust aperture repaired due to dents (I have a new panel but the repairer believed it easier to repair the existing panel). Interior with replacement steering wheel, new gearshift panel, replacement gear ****, new switch panel and new window switches. The previous owner preferred the Series 2 steering wheel over the Series 3. Rear highlighting 626 bootlid and worn soft top which will need to be replaced. Next to the Honda DC5 or known in the US as the Acura RSX. The car was photographed by its second owner looking new and highlighting its clean lines and the Enkei Shuriken wheels. Part clean, part dusty. The Coupe looking good. For its 45th birthday, the car has Watanabe RS8 14 x 6 wheels to be fitted from Nengun Peformance. The Shurikens on the vert are the same size. The Coupe looking dusty. The Coupe on the hoist - engine rebuild time. Koni yellow shocks can be seen. Convertible Car No 6 built by Mazda Australia and sold by City Mazda in Hindmarsh, Adelaide, South Australia. This photo was included with the sale and compliance with Australian Design Standards is confirmed on plaque. The quality of the photo could be better. The burgundy interior of the coupe is in excellent condition. The Series 2 interiors were always very good. The seats under the covers are in excellent condition.
I thought I should post the following photographs. They form part of the history of the Mazda RX7 convertible car story in Australia. I believe less than 20 convertibles were built, the majority being aftermarket or private conversions plus the Mazda Australia contribution. This is a page from a publication of sorts and depicts the conversion workshop of Convertible Cars Australia. The article states 6 cars could be converted at one time. The cars appear to be a mix of Series 2 each with different wheels. Some may be Japanese imports? This appears to be a Series 3 conversion. Taken from an article - this is a Series 3 Australian conversion. I am unsure as to whether it is a Convertible Cars Australia model?
Fast Fours and Rotaries Magazine was a very good and informative publication in Australia. In August 1994, they featured this privately converted RX7 with body kit and 13b turbo engine.
There was at least one built in Australa by Penfold Mazda in Melbourne with registration no RX777. It is a very good looking car with a Series one front air dam and rear wing. I would like to own that car now.
The prototype Mazda RX7 Mirage built by Penfold Mazda in Melbourne. I understand Mazda used the bodykit from the prototype for the 25 Mazda RX7 Mirages which formed the genesis of the Moffat RX7 race team. The aggressive front air dam is the best of the after market kits I have seen. I know it fits on the Series 2 as Mazda Australia had two Series 2 cars fitted out like the Moffat Race Team as publicity vehicles and one (if not both) had this air dam.
45th Birthday present for the Coupe - Watanabe RS8s with polished lip - 14 x 6 PCD 110 from Nengun Performance, Japan. Nengun Performance provide an outstanding service and communication is excellent. I have the Watanabe centre caps to go with the wheels (x5).
I should add that I appreciate the excellent service from Techno Toy Tuning in California. I purchased two RHD idler arms from the website and the acknowledgement of order and dispatch of items was excellent.
45th Birthday present for the Coupe - Watanabe RS8s with polished lip - 14 x 6 PCD 110 from Nengun Performance, Japan. Nengun Performance provide an outstanding service and communication is excellent. I have the Watanabe centre caps to go with the wheels (x5).
I should add that I appreciate the excellent service from Techno Toy Tuning in California. I purchased two RHD idler arms from the website and the acknowledgement of order and dispatch of items was excellent.
Techno Toy Tuning Idler arms arrived a few minutes ago from California. It took a week from ordering to receive them. Great work from the company and the idler arms are impressive.
A photo my son took of the car heading to the workshop.
It will be gone for a few days but items have already been addressed including the fitment of a new fuel sender which arrived from Japan. The fuel gauge now works😁! The oil pressure gauge was also not working and intermittently the oil pressure light would come on under acceleration. A new Mazda oil sensor should arrive and the car is undergoing oil pressure testing just to be safe. It looked to me as if the original oil from when the car was stored was still in the engine. Also all the oil lines will be replaced.
The radiator in the car is being rebuilt rather than replaced. The workshop owner advised the rebuilt item will keep the engine cooler than when new and the OEM look maintained. I am not one for bling in the engine bay. This is a genuine Mazda radiator installed circa 2004 with a new oil cooler when the previous owner undertook the engine change from 12A to 12AT. Working from the little information I have, the original 12A travelled 125,000 kms before being replaced. The 12AT has travelled just over 3900 kms since it was installed. The car has travelled just over 128,900 kms since new or just over 79,000 miles.
The rear muffler is being replaced so dual chrome tips like the OEM look can be achieved. I am ordering the Rotaflo muffler and silencer from Mildrens Racing in Adelaide. According to the previous owner, Mildrens serviced the car for the first 15 years of its life.
On a lighter side, my eldest son wants to take his girlfriend for a drive in Breezy when we get it back. With a fatherly look, I said to him Breezy is not the type of car you take your girlfriend for a drive. I told him it is a car you take out to meet girls😁
Good news about the compression testing for engine. These are the numbers for the RX7 front and rear - cold then hot consecutively as recorded below. Very good and very happy motor.😁
This was found in a warehouse in Boulder, Colorado nearly 20 years ago. It is one of my favourite Mazda items. The Allan Moffat Series 1 specials had a larger filler panel. This is for a Series 2 which fits my 1980 RX7.
Those are great compression numbers!! Did you perform the test with the engine at normal operating temperature?
Good Morning
Yes the engine was tested while cold and then at normal operating temperature. It is a very strong engine. I was told by another rotary enthusiast the engine was built and installed by a firm in Canberra, ACT, called Mazprep. Mazprep had an outstanding reputation for quality work. I believe the owner rebuilt my 12A twin dizzy engine in my first RX2 Coupe and that was a strong engine. The radiator being re-cored, it had four separate leaks. The oil cooler has been flushed, the oil was filthy. New oil cooler lines are being fitted, new oil filter and pressure sensor. There are two firms in Sydney who make custom soft tops for convertibles and having one made and fitted is the next task. The soft top I think was similar to the Mercedes 350 or 450SL?
This is what a 129,000 km odd idler arm looks like after being removed from the convertible. A local firm specialises in restoring steering components and I have the new Mazda bushing to fit. These are hard to find so it might be worthwhile to restore it rather than throwing it out. The rear shocks on the car, are KYB Excel G, in new condition which I changed out for KYB AGX.
The old rear shocks, which are near new!
The postman must sigh when he receives another package to deliver to my address
The oil sensor arrived from Riggs in Canada. There is something reassuring about the Mazda packaging
These TRW inner tie rods arrived from Texas! Great service from Sparks surplus
Keen observers would have noticed when the replacement rear bar was installed, the pinstriping had not been done.
555 Brand outer tie rod ends from Malaysia. International shopping is required to keep the old cars on the road.
I picked this up off a bloke who was reorganising his parts and just wanted to clear his garage . They have sentimental value as Racing Beat no longer has them in their US catalogue. It is a pity they are not made now.
I have a set of those on my car right now. Its a nice piece of kit. If you use them make sure you check the tightness of the adjuster bolts on the regular and also make some witness marks so you know if its moved. I was at DGRR one time and my right one slipped a bit and caused me all kinds of mayhem in the mountains driving that year.
