AZrx7

What’s the deal? I love the way 1st Gen RX7’s look. I love the way all RX7’s look. My favorite of course is the 3rd Gen, but the first Gen is a beautiful car. Rotary engines are fascinating! Here is my gripe. Most of my friends are motor heads just like me, they are more into European cars nowadays (which I also love) but when it comes to my RX7 they give it no respect. There not blatantly rude or anything, it’s just when I talk about the RX7 and tell them my plans they seem very uninterested. When I tell them that I think this car will be a collector’s car some day they just laugh. I don’t know if because of all the beater RX7’s that are running around give it a bad name or is it a ugly car and we just think it’s a good looking car like how a parent thinks of it’s child. Maybe my friends are just stupid and if they were true auto enthusiast they would appreciate it. I really don’t care, I like it, and I was just wondering if anyone else has run into people like this. :-)

my car http://www.tucsonthisweekend.com/rx7)

Mschafe

Bah! Around here, 1st gens are so rare, I always get the "is that a porsche?", and "that is a sweet looking car!". Even other RX7 owners with nicer cars (FC, FD), always want my car.

Wattz

Hm... Around here people don't care.

Chicks are like, "That's cute" and guys are like, "Is it really fast?"

That's about the extent of it.

Kill No Cone

iTrader: (6)

If you are a "gear head," your head goes up and down (pistons) or it just goes round and round (rotaries). Most the up and down guys just do not get it, and likely will never get it - unless you pound them mercilessly into the group with your 70 cu in rotary engine and then ask them why they don't get a big block.

Some time a big stick works better than a whole lot of words – just beat them.

Kill No Cone

iTrader: (6)

Hey AZ,
I just realized that you are in Paul Yaw country. He is one of the top Mazda builders in the Nation. Talk to him about making your car go fast. Here is his web site - http://personal.riverusers.com/~yawpower/

Manntis

I've owned Audis and Nissans and love the compact, no line wasted styling of the 1st gen ReX. And for a sunbaked car like yours it looks great. As to their European snobbery, cars like the RX7 and 240z were designed to look and perform like English sports cars, not American (small, nimble, lightweight) but without stuff breaking all the time as Lotus etc. were famous for even when new.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and what makes a great car varies from person to person. your local crowd may not agree with you, but there are thousands of RX7 enthusiasts who do, as well as envious onlookers.

Most girls like my little car moreso than obnoxious Mustangs, etc. Now that I have shiny new 16" rims on the car most guys are afraid to race me with their camaros, etc (interesting psychology, that). Most interesting to me is since I got the interior console painted body color a few people have asked if it's a 2003 somethingorother.

While all of that is great, I bought the car because I wanted it. Every now and then I take it for a drive through the mountains, or even just on child-free streets with little police supervision, and remind myself why I bought her.

Enjoy it, do what you want with it, and ignore your friends.

moremazda

iTrader: (4)

Hey AZ,

Just give it time my friend. Use the old term "walk softly, but carry a big (stick, carb, turbo, bottle) choose one or more. They don't give it any respect right now because you are probably getting spanked by all of them, right?

My brother is in Tucson, ItalianFedRotory. His name is Justin. You guys should hook up, he'll be able to help out in the go fast department.

Also get a hold of Paul Yaw for one of his Yaw Power carbs. THE BEST $300 you will ever spend on your car! And you won't have to wait for 4+ weeks to get it back.

Good luck!

Ryan (formally of Tucson, AZ)

Rotortuner

Ya I used to get that kind of stuff around here. But then my car got faster and I hade 3 of my friends get 7's. 2 T2's and a GSL se. So my friend with his t2 would always go out racing and beat almost every one with it and word kinda got out and now every one is much more aware. Now people will say things like "ya i was on the highway and that rx-7 just tore me up, i just dont get it. HHEEEHE thats right THEY JUST DONT GET IT. Do what moremazda said, get a good carb and mabe a bottle and earn your respect.

CJG

REVHED

The best part is showing them what's under the bonnet after you beat them in a race... the look on their face when they see the "four gallon drum." Even better when there's not a turbo or EFI in sight. You gotta love ported rotaries.

Directfreak

iTrader: (2)

Around here I call it a "BEER KEG" Engine.
Shows my mentality, huh?

REVHED

"Beer keg." I like the sound of that!

Hmm, that's not a bad idea for some stickers. "Beer Keg Racing." LOL

Directfreak

iTrader: (2)

Similar? I think so!

JALVORD_2003_68

hey REVHED, where do you get that shield that fits under your intake manifold? I want to get me one like that.

REVHED

Made it myself dude. It's just a bit of aluminium angle and stainless steel plate.

Suprisingly it makes a big difference. Carb stays a lot cooler then it used to.

Stepdaddy

i used my fc to deliver pizza, i got more compliments driving that than a 95 rustang.....i got "is that a porch" all the time...i was just lie.nope rx-7

82transam

iTrader: (18)

I get the porsche comment all the time. All my friends think my rex is piece of garbage too. Even though its in great shape. Oh well, **** them.

crafoo

I've got a 98 mustang gt and an 83 rx7 gsl. (see sig). I've only gotten 1 stoplight comment on the mustang, but ppl comment on the rx almost every time i drive it out. Maybe it's because i see 10-15 mustangs on the way to work, and maybe 1-2 1st gens in a month here in Indy. love my 1st gen.

BTW, the rx got the first alarm, and it gets to live in the garage. stang gets parked on the curb

Jason Guthrie

Ya, it's pretty much like that with most imports that are older. What are some of the cool older imports?

There is a certain audience for older euro models, but none from the Japanese market that I can remember with the small exception of Z's and 7's. Sure, many cars have their small groups, but say the words "57 Chevy" and half the older men in your building get a woody. There is just something hard headed about car admirers, and imports have a hard time breaking into american heads.

Imports get no respect. Just look at the term RICER. Don't tell me you have never seen a shitty old dodge fixed up RICEY.
Hood removed for no damn reason.
20 stickers of mopar upgrade parts on the windows that reads more like a wish list than what is actually installed.
35lb Cragar wheels from sears @ $29 each
DoorLocks that resemble camel cigarettes, or better yet, just one, never got the passenger side one.
The origianal cars to come in fk ugly colors like Orange or Yellow.

Now how is that gonna get more following than a beautiful RX7?
Next time your mechanic asks you "An RXwhat?!" you'll see.

Manntis

hey, yellow can look good on the right car.

The Datsun 240Z still owned by Nissan has a gorgeous yellow paintjob and the G-nose kit that makes the front-end look like a cross between a Jaguar E-type and a Ferrari Daytona.

Certain colors look good on certain shapes, and IMHO yellow should be reserved for small cars like the 240Z, Series 1-3 RX-7, British sports cars (Lotus, Triumph, etc)... even the Mini looks pretty good in yellow.

SLab sided 60's and 70's Detroit iron, however, usually does not benefit as much from that color.

Of course, this is all just opinion.

Hey, I just noticed that my list of cars recommended as yellow-friendly also look great in BRG... coincidence?