Fritz Flynn

iTrader: (263)

Please give us a brief history of your ownership. How long, how many you've owned, what you do with it etc...

I bought my 1st FD back in 1999. Prior to that I was into Z cars (280/300)

The FD was a big performance jump from even the TT 300z IMO. I enjoyed driving it so much and the car had so much potential I quickly realized I needed a safe outlet which led me to autox and track events.

I've been daily driving them since 1999. I took a brief break back in 2002 when I bought a 2000 S2K and drove that for about 3 months before thinking the S2K just doesn't hold a candle to the FD and got right back into FDs. I've always had multiple FDs At one point I had 11 running along with a couple of parts cars.

The FD has been a huge part of my life for 18 years. I'm extremely grateful for discovering this wonderful little sports car.

I've been instructing on track since 2004 and have ridden in most every type of car and I still don't think there is a car out there that has quite as much overall mojo or magic. The only car that comes close on track in my opinion is a GT3.

ZoomZoom

iTrader: (2)

I've been in and out of FD's since 1999. When I got my first it was what I felt was the best performance and curb appeal for the $$ on the used market. Now even though I could buy most anything I am both nostalgic about the car and feel it's performance is still on par with what's being sold today. The cars looks and lines seem timeless. It's pure sports car. It's one of the last cars that require skill behind the wheel to perform. Today's cars do most of the driving at the limit while you steer and brake.

I have a nice one I will probably hold on to until I die even if it gets parked under a cover and rarely comes out when I move to another platform. For now I will finish up the build and enjoy it. But parts are getting more difficult to come by. Prices are also starting to bounce back which is good. The nice ones may remain nice with that happening.

Molotovman

iTrader: (49)

An appropriate poll to go along with this one would be "How long did you want and FD before you purchased your first one?"

I had FC's from 2002-2015 and desired an FD the whole time. I had the opportunity to buy one in 2006 but bought a brand new VW GTI instead. Looking back it was an absolutely stupid move because I ended up selling the GTI for HALF of what I bought it for a few years later with 67k on it because I wanted to cash out of it after obtaining a GTUs and a '91 Turbo FC. I doubt I would have purchased those FC's if I would have had an FD and it would have lost no value unless I did stupid mods to it.

I bought my first FD in 2015 after my daughter was born and ended up selling it after a year of ownership because it was more of a project than I anticipated. I got my second one a couple months before selling the first because it was an entirely stock '94 which I got for a decent price. On the IRP breakin now looking forward to the EFR 8374 power after tuning this spring.

My FD still needs a lot of resto but it puts a smile on my face EVERY time I drive it and it's just such an awesome car!

DaveW

Bought the 1st one in Akron, OH in March 1992. Still have it. I started drooling over the FD after I read about it in R&T in November 1991.

Montego

iTrader: (1)

I loved FD's ever since I set my eyes on one back in 92. I remember checking them out at our local new car autoshow... But man with a mid 30's price tag in the early 90's sure was steep.

How I came about: In 98 I was still driving my beat up college truck (a year after graduating) when I decided to step up and get a newer car. So I bought a couple Autotrader magazines the euro and the asian car versions to be exact, to see what was out there. I wasn't even thinking about FDs, I just wanted something newer than my truck and that's when I came across an the Mazda rx-7 sections. I remember thinking 'oh yeah... I forgot about these' so I marked one that I liked and put it on the list to go check out.

IIRC I test drove a couple beemers (sedans) a z3, and even a truck (I wasn't looking for a sports car) prior to driving the FD. Man it wasn't even a hundred feet into the drive that when I decided this was the car for me. Purchased it on the spot.

Sadly that car cought on fire a couple of months later, got my insurance payout and decided to chill. About 5 months went by and I started getting the itch again. But this time I wanted something fast (since the RX sparked the passion). So I test drove a Camaro, m3, 300zx, and a twin turbo supra. None of those compared to the overall feeling the FD gave, IMO the FD was the total package. Gorgeous, light, nimble, and fast. So I started searching for FDs again and that's when I found my current FD, in a Mazda dealership lot, it even came with a service warranty that was 19 years ago.

Fritz Flynn

iTrader: (263)

Yep

I saw my 1st FD in 93 in the Ritz Carlton parking lot in Tyson Corner (NV/DC area). It was a black touring. I said to some friends that were with me that I would definitely get that car down the road. I've always had a thing for cars so after seeing it win car of the year etc... that wet my appetite but seeing it in person was UNBELIEVABLE. To this day I'll never forget that moment. I can still remember approx where is was parked in the garage etc..... No car has ever spoken to me like that before. Love at 1st sight for sure.

7-XR

iTrader: (7)

Cool thread idea..

Like most of you, I also found the FD back in the '93 and wanted one. My boss's brother had one in Green. I was envious...

I graduated High school in 1997 and had many gutless POS between then and my RX7.

Flash forward to 2006, I was just back from working in Hawaii when my brother started an import company and brought in a total of 15 cars from Japan.
My first from him was a 1989 Nissan Skyline GTST Type M. I really liked that car, my first turbo'd car and it had the HICAS rear wheel steering lol! kinda cool.

Then, in 2007 he imported the RX7: 1992 CYM Base model in Automatic. I wanted it badly even though it was autotragic. I sold my Nissan and have been depositing all my free money into the RX7 since.

The car is now a 5 speed and is running and looking lot better than day one.

Thanks to rx7club and all its members for sharing the wealth of info online for guys like me to use in our own pursuit of perfecting our cars.

gr8scott

iTrader: (4)

I bought a new RX8 in 2005 and got the rotary itch. I still daily it today. I always regretted not getting 7 instead. notice I've been lurking here for nearly a decade now.

Bought my FD last March, found it here on the forum. A 99% stock touring with about 59k miles on it today. I love this thing more than I could have ever imagined. I have always loved the style of the car (that's why I bought one) but the whole package is something else. The sequential twins, suspension, chassis all come together to give a real unique driving experience. More so than the 8 which I wasn't expecting

I bought a mostly stock car (only mods were a down pipe, silicone vacuum hose, FC fans switch, & R1 aero) with the intent of keeping it that way. it’s been tough not to tinker with it. Trying to tell myself the new mods are for reliability, or maybe thats just what I keep telling my wife...

t-von

iTrader: (8)

Been into Rx7's since 1991. Dad bought 81 GSL for high school. Over heated engine summer 95 while in college. Attempted rebuild but was unsuccessful (didn't know what the hell I was doing lol). Bought 84 GSL Nov 95. Bought 91 vert in 99. Let little sis use 84 in college, carbon locks engine 2001 . Bought used Red 94 Touring Jan 2003 with 65k for $13,500 off ebay. Bought 20b engine 4 months later. Let same little sis use 91 for a few months. she blows that engine. Order the Bruce Turritine rebuild video and finally learn how to rebuild these engine. 2005 rebuilt vert engine. Blew original fd engine at 108k towards end of 2006. Started NA 20b swap Mar 2007. 1st fire up fall 2009. 2010 Wide body body kit and tons of body work. Loose job! 😟 2011 more engine mods starts having electrical gremlins. Shelved project to start building a house 2012. 2013 take break from house tries to get car ready for seven stock. Remove, disassemble, paint engine and paint car. Couldn't get car put together fast enough. Start back on house fall 2013. July 2014 finish house start back on car. Drives car 2,400 miles round trip to Sevenstock. Break down 110 miles from home due to bad fuel pump connector. Install new AEM coils cars not running correctly and still has electrical problems. 2015 Pull engine to fix electrical problems accidentally wires crank trigger incorrectly blow center rotor. Rebuild engine with new RA seals. Sort alternator and fuel pressure problem. Gets laid off oil field job 2016 car sits up. Spends 2016 traveling the world. 2017 fix coil wiring problem now speedometer mileage and cruise control stops working. Finally gets car to switch from side ports to PP while driving. 😀Thinking of starting all over with new ecu and completely rebuilding my custom intake. May purchase Rx8 to experiment on and redo fd next year.

Fritz Flynn

iTrader: (263)

Dang, interesting life you lead

Good luck with the next phase

Topolino

iTrader: (2)

First RX-7 was a used '80 model bought in 1984 during my sophomore year in college. And so my love affair with the Rotary Rocket began.

Purchased a '90 model in 1991 after getting a good deal at the dealership on a demo unit with about 3k miles. And two years later, I traded that one in for the 3rd generation version bought in August of 1993.

235k fun-filled miles later, and despite my admittedly oblivious nature to most of the engine/under-the-hood components overall, my love affair with the FD remains strong.

7_rocket

iTrader: (6)

TLR

As for me. Owned my first FD in 2001 until about 2008/09

Bought another one in 2015

DaleClark

iTrader: (55)

Got into RX-7's about 95, bought an '87 turbo in '96. I was on the old mailing list, still remember when people were posting up unsold '95s that were still on dealer lots. Wanted an FD SO BAD.

Owned a number of FC's (mainly my 88 10th Anniversary) and finally, after getting married, buying a house, and getting some financial security, bought my FD in October 2004. Been a love affair ever since. Never thought I would own a car for 12+ years!

Dale

ZE Power MX6

iTrader: (157)

Will be exactly 6 years this Saturday, I'll vote 2012-2017 since there isn't a 2011-2017 option

jetlude

iTrader: (9)

Got my FD back in 2008 after building and customizing hondas for many years. I needed to learn something different, so I bought my FD out of Japan with the intent to learn about the car and to build the rotary engine. Well here we are 10 years later, my FD is now super modified with about 525hp to the wheels and I now build my own rotary engines. I am also a pretty good rotary tuner.

adam c

iTrader: (2)

Bought a new GSL in January of 82. The only new car I have ever owned. Kept it for 20 years. In 86, I bought a 79 base model RX7 with a blown motor. It became a dedicated autocross car. I raced it up and down the Calif coast from SF to San Diego. Did pretty well, but couldnt beat the cheating CRX bastards in CSP class.

Bought the FD in 2002. Looked for about 6 months before finding the car I wanted. I wanted a 94 or 95, and it had to be white or silver. The car belonged to a guy that needed a bigger car, and was buying an M5. The dealer was offering him $15K for trade in. I picked it up for $16.2. I had 42k miles on it and was pristine. Completely stock except for the $3K alpine stereo and alarm. Ran great. After a few years, I had done all the current mods, and I now have the perfect car for me. about 320 HP, passes smog, slightly stiffer suspension. Beautiful. Currently has about 74k on the meter. This is an old pic. The car is lower now, and has an R1 front lip

DaveW

Since you guys are giving previous history on RX7's owned, here goes:
I bought a new yellow '79 FB (1st gen) in August of 1979 after ordering it in May. I installed my own sunroof (bought from the Firestone store, believe it or not). In about 1985 I changed to a Holley carburetor. Spent a year getting it to work right with racing float bowls, etc. Added dual 3-into-1 headers and dual exhaust all the way back which made it scream like a Ferrari. Added Jongbloed wheels with wider tires. Fabulous car to drive - 4-wheel drifts on any medium-speed corner were easy.

I kept it until 1993 when I finally decided I didn't have the time to enjoy 2 RX7's and barely had time to enjoy the FD due to work and racing my SCCA Formula Continental. So I sold the FB to a friend who had been admiring it for years.

Jez

A little over a year for me now, bought my first FD back in Dec. 2015, been enjoying it ever since!

wstrohm

See my sig. Presently in garage, awaiting Yoshiya's availability to overhaul the squirrel cage.

FourtyOunce

iTrader: (15)

Bought my first one in 1999 with 54k miles and still have that car. It's been through its fair share of basic bolt ones to single turbo. It now has 85k miles. Last year I picked up my second FD and this year picked up a third; both are stock/or have some basic reliability mods. The single turbo car is fun, but its loud, smelly and probably doesn't suit my age. On the otherhand, I've grown quite fond of a stock FD with bolt ons (and still has AC and PS). It's also a huge plus that my significant other like riding in the stock cars.

Fritz Flynn

iTrader: (263)

YEP

Very few cars can beat the overall vibe of a stock FD with bolt ons

1FooknTiteFD

I've owned mine since 1999

spintriangles

iTrader: (3)

Bought a 83 gal in 92. Skipped the second gen and bought my FD in Febrauary of 1998. Still have it and it has been built and rebuilt three times.

Project88Turbo

iTrader: (22)

I picked my car up in 2011. You can check out my build thread with a link to how I got it.

It was a literal basket case, Nearly everything in the engine bay was apart and in boxes.

I've completely disassembled most of the car minus the stuff behind the dash.

It took over a year to get it running, only to find out the transmission was no good. Fritz himself hooked me up with a good one and the solution to my no boost problem. I have got almost as many parts from him as Ray Crowe.

Then I drove it a few hundred miles, including the "Holiday Charity Laps" at VIR. Then, the opportunity came up to get the body/paint sorted out. So another year and a half later, I've got the 99 spec bumper, lip, and wing.

Drive a few hundred more miles and another charity laps event at VIR. THEN, we moved back to MD and is been of the road again for a few months.

I need to replace the clutch and pull the dash to investigate the blend door since I have no heat and sometimes the battery goes dead.

Overall, I love the car, looking at it, and driving it.

I need to get back to driving it!

Vince

DaveW

I must have been half asleep when I typed that - the headers were on my 240Z Datsun...

I don't remember what exhaust wound up on my FB.

Geez...