After 7 long years, I'm happy to say I'm rejoining the rotary community! It's been long enough that I figured a re-intro post was fitting and some fun videos from over the years would fit well.

I've always loved the FD. Despite the good fortune of having owned/driven many great cars during my rotary downtime the RX-7 has always had a special place in my heart. I bought my first in college, a mostly stock '94 touring, and was really taken by the car. Ensuing years would see me own a single turbo '93 touring (the old dynamic turbo drag car for those of you that may remember) and then a very nice single turbo '95 touring I purchased from Moehler back in 2006. To be honest, though, it was always the sequential turbo car (with maybe 300hp) that I had the most fun with.

I had been really active with the community, attending MADS in '99 with my longtime friend Holly Woodward, and a couple of the Deals Gap Rotary Rallies - the last one driving up in Bumblebee, a '75 911 Targa powered by a Turbo II motor

I stayed on the periphery for awhile, coming to various races or invites extended for special rotary events like the RX-792P coming to Downing Atlanta for some service in 2010 ( ) and various races at Road Atlanta that saw the rotary supercars running ( ) - but figured the fun I had with the RX-7s was likely in my past. Then an old friend sent me a link to a really nice, nearly stock 93 R1 that had come up for sale. I couldn't believe it - a car quite similar to the first one I owned back in the late 90's that kicked off the fascination. And here we are!

I've remained in touch with many old rotorheads - ran out to COTA to see Brent Dalton run his new car just a few weeks ago, in fact. But once I get the car back to Austin, I'm hoping to be more active with the group... please wish me luck on managing to keep this car mostly stock!

Best,
John

 

Welcome back! I tried to kick the habit a number of years back, it's hard to keep away!

Hope you can make it to Deal's Gap again sometime, I go every year. It's grown a lot over the years and it's a fantastic event.

Dale

 

Welcome back John,

I feel the same as you about these cars. I'm glad to see you add one back into your collection. It's fitting that Chris Carlisi's closest friends are all back in 3rd Gens. I think the twin turbo car is a real fun car to drive on the street. As much power as the single turbo conversions make; it's the peppy low end from the sequential twins that made the car more enjoyable to dart around town.

I look forward to you getting yourself back behind the wheel. The car to me is like that old favorite shirt. You feel emotional satisfaction just wearing it on the weekend while going about your business. It may not be the the fastest or most valuable car in the stable but it takes you back to a place we are all fond of... Our youth

 

The trip out to pick up the new RX-7 was a success overall! It handled the trip really well - definitely as great of a car as I remember from 15 years ago. Might actually be the most fun car I've ever had up there!

A couple of videos from the trip:

Street level view from S2000 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BvkoE8ZQ04
Passenger view from the FD - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJA1FT17j7I
Craziness on the way back - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIFi_08sWSs

Best,
John

 

Some pics, too

 

Pics like that sometimes make me want to put my old 93 bumper and wheels back on. That is, after all, the way the car looked when I first fell in love with it.

 

The 99 bumpers look nice, if you shave the license plate holder - but they do change the look of the car. I've always preferred the stock look.

Speaking of Classics, here's what the car was loaded in Atlanta