Bentheretoo

Hey all, long-time lurker here with a question or two about the FD specifically. I don't have a car of my own at the moment due to lack of funds (yay broke college students ^_^), but I plan on finding a nice FD once I have a steady job and a DD of some sort.

Anyway, I was wondering how hard you all think it would be to install the back seat of the Spirit R into any other model of FD. I live in the US, so I'd rather not have a Spirit R, but I would like to be able to keep the car around after kids start coming along in five or six years, so if there's any chance of being able to safely put a kid back there, it'd make life a little more...interesting...

If installing the rear seat isn't really an option, just how expensive would it be to convert a Spirit R over to Left Hand Drive? It seems like dropping the seats in a car over here would be cheaper, if at all possible, but then again it might not even be possible >.<

Thanks in advance for any help or advice you can give me! ^_^

--Ben

Chris_72

Just so you know, a baby cant fit in the rear seat. A GI Joe has a hard time...

Bentheretoo

Haha, I know it's cramped back there, just trying to keep myself from considering something drastic like getting anything but an RX-7...I finished high school in Okinawa, Japan, and got to ride in a friend's Spirit R a few times when a bunch of us kids were trying to get somewhere...not too amazing, but better than riding in the back of my Uncle's truck cab. We managed to pile six of us in there once for a 20 minute ride. Worst. Ride. Ever. But it got the job done. My FC 'vert would have never been able to do it, that's for sure!

cptpain

iTrader: (1)

the only good thing the FD rear seat is good for is for holding groceries, a cat, or a small dog... no child seat could fit in there, hell my friends' MKIV supra can barely fit a baby seat without stretching the leather to the point where it wont stretch back.

dont do it, not worth it.

as for converting a Spirit R to LHD.... you'll have better luck just finding one than having someone touch one of the last 1,500 FD's produced. (or was it 15,000?)

Hitokiri_Gensai

iTrader: (2)

1500 were Spirit R's

500 Spirit R Type A - 5 speed manual, 2 seater
500 Spirit R Type B - 5 speed manual, 4 seater
500 Spirit R Type C - 4 Speed Automatic, 4 seater

they never came to america and registering them is pretty much out of the question as its illegal and legalizing them has never been done so unless you have a 100k sitting around, dont try.

99% of all JDM FD's are four seaters, not just the Spirit R's.

Bentheretoo

Ah, really? Didn't realize that would be that espensive. I guess I'll keep looking into it, but not too seriously. Thanks for the advice ^_^

..and if that many had four seats, I'll be sure to stay away from any Spirit R's, if I do end up trying this out somewhere down the line...

Hitokiri_Gensai

iTrader: (2)

well basicly the JDM FD was never tested here, obviously, so it needs to be before the DOT and EPA will give it a "pass" allowing it to be registered here in the US.

So youd need to have one imported and crash tested as proof that the car meets FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards), and because Mazda Japan never released the testing data, you would have to have one test here in the US as proof.

Skylines are actually EASIER to be imported because they HAVE been tested from several companies, namely MotorEx which is out of business due to some "fudging" they did back in the day. But BECAUSE the testing already exists in the US, the government will allow Registed Importers to bring them in and have them set up for the US, assuming that they HAVE been worked on by a registered shop and proof is made that the car is all set to go for US FMVSS, which is a proven by a release letter from the DOT and EPA stating that the car meets all federal standards for both safety and emissions.

more than anything tho, the Spirt R FD3S is just plain rare, and was considered to be the pinicle of RX-7's and there for still command HUGE prices in Japan even on the used market. almost ALL JDM FD's were 4 seaters to begin with so.

maarviin

iTrader: (1)

I wish I graduated in Japan. How was high school? You get laid?

koolmoe

iTrader: (1)

hahahahahaha

Bentheretoo

Military Brat FTW ^_^ High school rocked! Well, senior year did, but due to pretty much everything except high school. Cheap cars rocked, though. Got an FC 'vert for $1000 and had a blast rocketing around the island in that thing ^_^ Managed to graduate as a virgin, though...>.>...but had everything else I could want ^_~

Sorry I'm an FD newb...all my experience has to do with that FC, which was fun, but totally unlike my friend's FD. I guess I'll keep learning, even after I finally get one! Thanks for your input, all ^_^