As you can see, I'm new to the FD community and thought I'd open a discussion about the FD's future, I'll explain what I mean. I've purchased my FD last April and it needs some TLC, which equals buying parts. I was quick to realize how hard these parts are hard to acquire. It ranges from interior pieces to dash wiring harnesses. My questions is what will happen 20 years from now when you can't buy or find something, like a CPU #2 for your turn signals/emergency flashers etc. or the housings are no longer available. I'm truly passionate about the FD and precisely joined the armed forces to buy one. It haunts me thinking "What will I do if this part breaks in the future and I can't replace it?" (Something complex of course that you can't make yourself.)

In addition, most of the FD's owners are in there 30’ to 40s. (https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-gen-gene...r-age-1109336/) I'm in my early 20's and most people my age don't know jack sh*t about cars, which means less people my age own my car. All they do is play video games all day or they’re fu*k boys like TJ Hunt, car enthusiast are a dying breed. My point is, I don't want to be 45 dead in the water because parts are impossible to find and the majority of the forum members and fabricators that helped the community are too old and not interested in the FD because they would be in there 50's to 60's. My only solutions would be stock up on important parts like wiring harnesses, housings, etc. and hope the important threads are still up in 20+ years.

What are your thoughts on the FD's future in 20+ years? I hope I’m not screwed in the future.

 

The electronics part, ex: cpu 2, is something that can be overcome with basic electronic circuit design. For interior parts, they might be hard to find, can also be custom made or old ones rehabbed. For the engine parts, there are always LS type swaps. Sure you loose the rotary heart, but still retain a nice looking car.

 

Well that's good to know about the CPU #2, hopefully most the electronics are a basic circuit design.

Yes, I agree with the interior but I have yet to find a vendor that is making quality pieces like the gauge cluster hood, it is too big for the average 3D printer and hard to get the thickness right from what people are saying that attempted the idea.

The rotary on the other hand, I do not want to go down that path of a LS swap. I hope the future doesn't become of that.

 

I don't think there is much point in worrying about it. Despite this car already being 22-24 years old, the scenario you describe would be the case with any car, eventually. I think you'll have a harder time if you're the type of person that wants to keep the car as close to stock as possible. But if you desire or are willing to modify the car in order to keep it in a state where you can drive it (enjoying it), then there will be options for you. If that concept is unsettling or stressful, you may ultimately be better off cycling through different/newer sports cars every x(number) of years.

For me, if it reaches the point when I can't get (or make) what I need for the car in order to enjoy it, I think I'll get rid of it and hope I can just be happy I got to enjoy it for the time that I did.

 

I race with regular guys (not rich) that are still racing old '60s Lotus or TVR cars and I will tell you what will happen to the FD as parts dry up.

You either have cars that never get driven and are close to stock or you have cars that are driven that get further and further from stock and owned by enthusiasts that actually know how to fabricate and work on cars.

Its not necessarily a bad thing.

CPU #2 goes out? Even today you can follow Mazda's lead and rip out most the chassis harness and put in a Power Distribution Module system. In 20 years (if its still legal to drive an infernal combustion engine) you will probably have the choice between an old wired and newer wireless PDM system.

Unless our society collapses, but then you don't want to drive your nice FD with road warriors trying to steal all your gas, so it will be garage kept and not driven.

 

There will come a time when it is going to be next to impossible to find certain parts, for sure. With only about 15,000 cars imported to the U.S. over the three years they were available, there just aren't a lot of them around anymore...even for 'donor' cars. It DOES help that the Japan home market (and exported to a few lucky countries) cars were made up until 2000, so that gives a bit of another avenue...but that too will dry up with time. And unlike U.S. cars from the teens through '60s, there isn't the same following. You'll be able to completely rebuild a '32 Ford easier than you could a FD in twenty years. Blue TII makes a good point, and I too have a couple of friends with TVRs that can tell you how hard it is to find parts. Another friend (in the U.K.) has an old Matra-Simca Bagheera...try finding parts for THAT! But so too will be the fate of the FD, and frankly all the rotary cars from Mazda in the not-too-distant future. As Cloud9 notes, you can't fret it...just go have fun while you can.

 

Maybe swap the FD body onto a 2029 Mazda RX-10?

 

True, but I can't stand newer cars, they all look the same to me and lack style. I love classic cars.

 

lol, welcome to owning an old car. Parts getting harder to find and more expensive is natural. I daily a 43 year old repu. (15,000 ever made) Yes parts are hard to find but not impossible. It makes the feeling of accomplishment that much better when you get it done.

 

Never thought of that, that's very possible and most likely will be true.
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And I guess I have to learn how to fabricate.. but I can't learn everything. For example, a windshield. Frustrating.

 

So basically all the FD's in the US are like a pet. You will have memories with it and have fun times but eventually, it will die.. unless you bring it back to life like Frankenstein but it won't be the same. I'll try and stay positive and hope there will still be a strong community on the forums to help out.

 

Yeah, I grew up with classic cars and remember going to swap meets as a kid. But I feel as if cars from the late 60's are easier to find parts for because there wasn't anything "advanced" in them like the FD's. Wasn't much plastic back then or electronics.

Anyways, I like the feedback so far. Some good points are being made that I couldn't find in the forums.

 

Mazda was basically the only supplier from day one for these things, compared to an American car, parts have never been "easy" for the FD

Mazda does stand behind these cars though, they tooled up some little bits so they could make another run of engines.

 

For interior parts, do not throw any of them away just because they have a broken tab. Tabs/clips, whatever can not be easily replicated on a 3d printer and epoxied on. 3d printers are still cutting edge, soon enough well be able to scan/print the larger items. Seems most hobby and entry level production printers are only on their third generations.

Wiring is just wiring. Besides engine harnesses, there is not much demand for any of the other ones unless someone wants to use it as a guide. If you can get a hold of a donor harness, even if its missing connectors, a new one can be laid out and new connectors purchased.

The engine will never die. There are people making aluminum side plates and soon to be complete engines will xy improvements.

It's not a bad idea to stock up on some of the rare USDM/LHD specific parts such as a steering rack or heater core.

 

did you tell your parents that?

and on to your topic, i think that is part of what will make the RX-7 even more collectible and valuable in the future. supply and demand. i wouldn't want it any other way. yes it sucks if you buy a shell. but once you get everything in working order its so much more rewarding.

 

Hey, don't knock videogames. I'm 42, work on my cars and manage to play two hours of Overwatch a night. LOL

One thing to add to what others have said--Mazda is still around. They just started putting out parts for the 1st gen Miata again. There's always a chance that they'll start re-releasing old parts, like Nissan just started doing with the R32.

 

As j9fd3s says, Mazda is continuously doing what Nissan just made a big deal about with the R32 heritage parts program.

You race and you can get a brand new '99+ spec 13B-REW from Mazda for under $3,500 with no core. Compare that to the bare RB26 engine block you get from Nissan for about the same price.

Mazda recently redesigned and improved their ancient PBM dogbox for racers since parts were running out...

 

Didn't know they were different for LHD, good to know. I'll try searching the forums for a list of what's different.

 

I was on my own at the age of 18 so my parents opinion didn't matter. And maybe I over exaggerated, it was one of my top 3 for joining.

On the other hand, that's the positive side of the situation.

 

2 hours is nothing compared to the people I know, I'm talking 6-9 hours, EVERYDAY.

And didn't know that about Mazda or Nissan, no matter how much reserach I read in books and on the internet, always something I missed, thanks for that.

 

I've thought about this a good amount. Many parts we are having to cannibalize from wrecked/parted out cars, and those cars will dry up as time goes along.

There were 13,500 FD's brought into the US. I think there were about 45,000 or so made in Japan, and a large handful made for other markets (Europe, Australia, etc.).

I think there could be a business case made for a company that specializes in parts for classic Japanese cars, kind of like Original Parts Group for US cars. Hell, at this point, if you wanted a classic Mustang or Camaro, you could buy all the replica body panels, weld them together, then buy all the interior, wiring, engine, trim, you name it and functionally make a brand-new classic car.

I don't see that level of support for classic Japanese cars (I'm including the Supra, NSX, MR-2, and Miata among others) but I think a business could supply certain hard-to-find parts like interior plastics and common failure parts. Even with a substantial markup you'd have a pretty solid business. I'd pay $300 for a new meter hood no sweat.

By the same token I feel bad for the cars that aren't on the "supercar" level like the FD. 240sx's in the US are disappearing so fast due to them being turned into drift missles and being hacked up. That market is going to have only a VERY small percentage of people willing to pay a fair price for parts, most are kids who are cheap and not willing to restore a car or pay more than $20 for anything. I've seen this happening with FC's as well.

Dale

 

The FDs future is so bright you gotta wear shades

 

I did not know that about the cores, that's amazing Mazda does that.

Also I'm a semi noob, dogbox is the tranny? So what's a "PBM"? Tried googling it with no result, unless I'm blind.

 

Not if Fritz keeps magically getting parted out FD's in his FD creator machine! But seriously, I dread when this time will come.

Exactly! My original car that I wanted to buy was a 68 charger R/T! But quickly changed my mind when I found out how cheap the FD was compared to the charger. Anyways that's one of the major positives I had in mind was the huge market of the body panels that were still available.

Unfortunately, I don't either but I do see an opportunity for fabricators to make classic Japanese interior plastics and make a load of money from it, it's just a matter of time when 3D printing is capable of creating a quality product for bigger pieces. Right now, only smaller pieces are no problem from my research but what do I know? lol

Yes! I agree we should be thankful that was have a "supercar" my friend from japan that recently starting living in the US discovered that it's almost impossible to find a stock 240. He sold his 180 in japan and is looking for a new one. Let's just say he's disappointed in how kids treat these cars.

 

This made me lol

With your parted out FD's that you continue to have, then yes. Thank you. lol