When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
The car now has new Mazda lower control arms and ball joints, a new 555 pitman arm, TRW inner and outer tie rods and Mazda adjustable link rods. It steers and handles well for its age. As the car was warming up, a gentleman and his wife who were walking past had a good inspection and offered to buy it!
Tie rods, pitman arms and bushings After having the lower control arms and ball joints, inner and outer tie rod ends plus pitman arm and adj link rods fitted.
A few photos of the car before and after its 1,000km service after the engine rebuild. The timing was too advanced, so the performance is improved. I have just arranged for it to go back next Tuesday to have the carburetor secondaries modified. Not many workshops do this work now. 1000km service completed after engine rebuild.
I had an interesting discussion this morning with a restorer who is a rotary enthusiast who saw a red Gen 1 RX7 convertible at a detailing workshop just around the corner from his own workshop. He believes it has Series 2 or SA wheels which could mean it may be one of the cars converted in the photo I posted of the Convertible Cars Australia workshop in Melbourne. He is going to track down more information from the detailer. It sounds like I may meet the owner at one of the local car shows. It is good to know there are more convertibles still in existence. This is a photo of the Convertible Cars Australia workshop with Series 2 or SA cars under conversion. The car at the rear is almost certainly a Japanese import vehicle.
Here's a photo of a neat Series 3 or FB convertible. With mudflaps fitted it was probably converted when the car was secondhand. Cars converted secondhand or, not sold new as a convertible from a Mazda dealer, require an engineer's report for registration. Reports are just over $2100 USD. This is a Series 2 convertible modified with a 13bt engine which was for sale in Perth WA many years ago. It is an aftermarket conversion.
I took the convertible out for a drive this morning around 8am to miss the heat. The car sat nicely on the speed limit of 90km and the ride was very smooth. I stopped on the way home to take a few photos.
The coupe is much livelier now with the secondaries on the carburetor modified. It was worth the money to have the work done. I stopped on the way home to take photos of the convertible. Engine is excellent the ride from the suspension is also excellent. Took this photo from the other side of the road with the engine idling. Looking west towards the escarpment. The lines of the convertible are pleasing. I stopped for a coffee and there was interest in the car. The opinion was it is a very cool car. It is a dream to drive, and I can understand why so many were sold in the US.
The 12AT is an outstanding engine. There is a lot of torque and the acceleration is excellent. The car is a pleasure to drive and is very reliable. For the purist, it is great maintaining a rarer engine.
I beat the sun and humidity this morning by taking breezy out at around 6.30am. I drove out to the Northern Beaches and on the way back stopped for a coffee. This photo was taken at Thirroul outside of the cafe. The car attracts a lot of interest from the public. I saw a Gen 1 RX7 on the back of a tilt tray truck last week pulling into a repair shop so we may see another one on the road locally.. The lines on the old car are remarkable for its 41 years.
I ordered a OEM oil cooler for the Coupe from Mazdatrix. It arrived very quickly from the US and our postal service attempted to deliver it without first notifying me in November 25. After two attempts, our postal service sent it back to the US!. Thankfully, Mazdatrix have been excellent and the oil cooler is now on its way back to Australia. Thank you Mazdatrix.!
I ordered a OEM oil cooler for the Coupe from Mazdatrix. It arrived very quickly from the US and our postal service attempted to deliver it without first notifying me in November 25. After two attempts, our postal service sent it back to the US!. Thankfully, Mazdatrix have been excellent and the oil cooler is now on its way back to Australia. Thank you Mazdatrix.!
Wow! Thats stoopid. Here in the states the worst that could happen is they would hold it for pickup for I think 30 days.
Success, the genuine Mazda oil cooler arrived for the RX7. Thanks Mazdatrix! I also included snaps of my "new" Mazda. It is my third SP25 with the 2.5l engine and only 22,500klm on the odometer. The car came from a Mazda dealer in the west of the State.
On arrival from Mazdatrix. Genuine Mazda oil cooler to keep the old RX7 cool. 2018 Mazda SP25 with near 22,500klm on the odometer. This is my third SP25 with the 2.5l engine. Nice looking model. The car has been ceramic coated, providing 10 year protection. by one of my son's mates from his car club.
I drove the RX7 up the coast this morning to Coledale . These photos were taken on the return journey heading south on the top of Kennedy's Hill, Austinmer. Our childhood home is fifty metres to the south, a brilliant home and one of the best locations in our state. The photos certainly don't do the beauty of the coast justice. The top of Kennedy's Hill, Austinmer looking north east. Looking south near crest.
The photos are of the Coupe at the suspension specialist to investigate bumping sound at left rear. The linkages need to be replaced which will be done next week. The car is in really good condition underneath. Two of the mechanics said you don't see RX7s in this condition and stock anymore. The new oil cooler has been fitted together with a new oil metering pump. The original metering pump had a small leak. The car runs slightly cooler after replacing the aftermarket oil cooler with the genuine Mazda item. About to be lifted on the hoist.
On the underside you can see the Koni Yellow adjustable shocks and the Lovell's springs. The owner of the workshop said a company in New Zealand is making standard height and lowered springs for the first gen RX7s.
Thanks for the reply. The suspension specialist is brilliant with old cars. He did advise one of the suspension specialists in Sydney is manufacturing standard height and lowered springs to fit first gens. The sway bar link on the passenger side requires replacement. The aftermarket sway bars come with bushes to stop the sway bar moving which has happened in this case to the original unit. I will wait to see if they will replace the entire unit.
One of the mechanics at the suspension workshop knows of a Series 2, 1981 to 1983, RX7 Allan Moffat special. These were a dealer special with the Group C flare kit and special cloth interior I believe featuring orange and green? This car sat in a museum for years so I am trying to find out more information about it.
I took the convertible out this morning for a drive. It is a typical autumn day so the drive was great. Unfortunately, there is squealing from the clutch which means a trip to our local clutch and brake specialist. I imagine he has never worked on one of these before! I took a couple of quick snaps of the car at the Shell garage. The car was half empty. While I photographed the car a couple came up and had a chat about it. The RX7 warming up before being checked out at the workshop.
These were sent to us by a Mazda enthusiast from Adelaide. A survivor, this is a Series 2 aftermarket conversion. A nice looking car. The lack of a side indicator on the front guard is a one difference between the Series 2 and Series 3 RX7s.
It's 19 degrees and Autumn so both the RX7s were driven this morning. The coupe returned from the suspension specialist, and the issue was the left rear Koni shock has failed. Both rear Koni shocks have now been replaced with the near new KYB units. I will fit KYBs to the front when I can get around to it for a consistent ride. The car sat for years so this had to be expected. Other than that, I had it up to 100km on the freeway and it performed well. As I was warming it up, a guy made an offer on the car!
The convertible went really well this morning and there were a lot of looks from other drivers and pedestrians at the old Mazda. I took a few snaps of the car warming up.
I had the new genuine Mazda oil cooler fitted to the coupe and together with the re-cored Mazda radiator, the car operates at a cooler temperature than with the aftermarket components I had fitted. That is just my experience but for those considering their options, both the convertible and coupe have had original Mazda radiators re-cored and the results have been excellent. The genuine oil cooler has also been excellent.
My youngest son borrowed the RX7 to take his girlfriend to the car meet tonight. He sent me this photo on arrival at her parent's home. She is impressed!
See, the old school formula still works. Buy cool car (or borrow in his case) and impress the girls. I would bet most of us have done this at some point.
He was very pleased when he returned home. Earlier in the day, he was driving the coupe and I was in the passenger seat. A very attractive young lady driving a red MX5 came up beside us at the lights and said "love the car".
I have just purchased KYB AGX Adjustable shock absorbers for the rear and KYB for the front of the RX7. At present the car has Konis on the front and normal KYB at rear which are near new. The ride could be improved but there is little to no hope of acquiring another Koni for the rear. The new items mean both RX7s will have the same shock absorbers. As soon as the rears arrive, I will have them fitted.
The issue with the convertible was a poorly adjusted alternator and loose belt. Both are fixed and car is performing well.
There is a RX7 show in Canberra on 12 July 2026. The RX7 coupe will definitely be there, but it is unlikely the convertible will appear. I intend to have a new soft top fitted in August. I am looking at a covered carrier as there is a lot of interest in the car locally as it spent 25 years in Canberra. It would be good to have a piece of Mazda Australia history at the show.
KYB AGX Adjustable shock absorbers for rear KYB shock absorber for front.
Nice. I have those KYBs on my rear and the Konis up front on my SA (Series 1). I went with the KYBs so it I could easily adjust them when needed. I think you will like them a lot.
