I fist discovered RX-7's when I went car shopping for the first time during my senior year of High School. My dad had seen the new Mazda MX-3 and thought it looked like a cooler version of a Civic and was in my price range for my first car. So we headed off to the dealership in August of 92. Sitting in the showroom was a gen 3 Competition Yellow Rx-7 R1. My jaw hit the floor, it was love at first site.

I told myself, that some day, somehow, I would own one.

I got my first when I was 25. It took me a year to track down a yellow one. That was when I learned how rare they are. I found one that had been owned originally by some rich guys girlfriend who hardly drove it, and then sold it because it was a stick. It then found its way to a nice fellow a few towns away from me. I picked it up and started my journey into the world of tuning.

Now, I'm not a car guy, I'm an artist and a computer guy, but fortunately my father and younger brother are both engineers and are super car guys. So thankfully I have them around to keep me from messing up. I added an HKS air intake, exhaust, blow off valve and turbo timer.

Loved my car, had big plans...

Got married, and was on top of the world. I had my car, my hot blond wife and all was good... Then I lost my job.

I tried to hang onto my car but after 6 months it just wasn't working out. With a lot of regret I let her go. In the back of my mind I said, its ok, someday, somehow, I'll get another one and when I do, it will be my "extra" car so I can keep it forever.

Well, 11 years latter and several not so eventful cars, its time to buy a new car. I started looking at more practical choices, Prius, Leaf, etc. My wife, said all those were boring, she wanted a Porsche this, or an Audio that, or a Lexus. I said, well babe, you manage the finances so whatever you say we can afford. Of course she pouted. So jokingly I said, well how about an Rx-7. She said, sure, see what they cost. So I looked. Surprisingly, there was a Yellow one on Ebay.

The bigger problem was that it was in Louisiana and I was in California. But the price was amazing and there were no other yellow's to find. I knew it was likely this one or nothing for a long time. So as crazy as it sounded, we made the deal.

My wife and my brother flew out, made the deal and put the 7 on a truck. It arrived in Cali today. My wife is picking up, taking it to my brother, where he and his friend are going to fully detail the car before they give it to me.

I'm so thrilled. It will be my daily driver for about 7 months (with my Jeep Cherokee that has 230,000 miles on it). When my grandmothers house sells my wife will get her new car, I'll get her old car and the 7 wil be retired to the garage and driven on nice days for fun.

It currently has a long list of upgrades, Pettit blueprinted motor and turbos, intake, exhaust, struts, rims, etc. Just about everything. Its been built for racing. While I'm sure plenty members will cringe when I say this, my plan is to clean it up and make it more show car while still keeping all the performance upgrades.

 

Welcome.
That certainly one heck of a story! A lot of ups and downs, but such is life.
It is amazing how these cars just leave such an impression that after so many years, you still want one just as much as the first day you'd seen one.
Congratulations on the find and purchase! I'm sure on those "fun" or Show Days, the excitement will be relived over and over.

 

Nice story any pictures?

 

Welcome, that was a good story. Wish mine was that cool. But you should post pictures when you get it.

 

That's quite a story man. Thankfully I was fortunate to get one when I was still in high school (don't hate me for it though). I worked hard and saved a bunch of money, sold my little 250 street bike and my ATV, got some help from my wonderful parents, and financed a few thousand and I finally had my dream car. I don't think I'll ever let it go either. I've had some tough times since then when selling the car was way too close to necessary, but i managed to hold on to her. People sure do have some awesome stories about how they got the best car ever made! Keep this one forever dude!