1987 RX-7 track car - farewell!
 

Well it's been a fun run!

I got this 1987 RX-7 in the summer of 2002. It was a base model - 4 lug, no A/C, no P/S, no Sunroof, small brakes. Got it for free cause it needed a bunch of brake work (master cylinder leaking, brakes shot) and the engine overheated so someone told the owner it needed an engine too.

I found the thermostat was stuck and decided to make it a track/race car. Swapped in the 5 lug hubs and brakes, ordered and installed the Mazdamotorsports/AWR Racing suspension kit and did my first Buttonwillow event in November 2002.

I built it originally for ITS but due to budget, work, kids, getting divorced, etc. I never went racing - so I just did trackdays whenever I could afford one or get time off. Averaged about 4-5 a year.

Last season I started doing Time Trials with NCRC racing - a small Northern California group. I won my class - "GT3" - there weren't many competitors. I didn't always place first - the car was seriously outgunned - but I made the events consistently and won by showing up the most.

This year there was even less competitors, and last Sunday at Thunderhill is pretty much the last day for this car. It's been 11 years - and approximately 55 track days or so.

Our highlights:

- When I ran a set of Hoosier R6s last year and ran a 2:03.9 Thunderhill Bypass config lap time.
- Won 2012 NCRC GT3 Time Trial Class
- Won 2013 NCRC GT3 Time Trial Class (pending - but I'm pretty sure it's clinched - there was only like one other guy running with me most times)

Lows:

- I ran it into a hill at Sonoma Raceway earlier this year and broke my fairly new Corksport replica Mazdaspeed lip.
- Sometime like two years ago I had major brain fade on track. I was so used to driving my RX-8 with a 6 speed transmission everyday and I hadn't been to the track in the RX-7 in like over half a year so twice during cool down laps I stuffed the 5 speed transmission into reverse thinking it was 6 gear! DOH! So the 5th gear synchro is toasted - but I never used 5th gear except when putting around the cool down lap - now I can't use it at all LOL.


I've attached a couple pics - if I ever upload videos I'll update this thread with a link. In about a month or two I will be selling the car or parting it out - I'm going to the other Mazda side - Miata. Some of the goodies include Haltech Sprint RE, stainless steel header, and a 4.88 diff with Miata Torsen. Most of the safety stuff will be transferred to the Miata.

This was my last RX-7 so may not be around this forum as much. :( I remember logging on during the AOL days with dial up....and the "big crash"

But I do have my 2009 RX-8 so haven't completely left the rotaries -

Here are couple things I did come up with during my time here:

https://www.rx7club.com/race-car-tec...istion-827579/

https://www.rx7club.com/race-car-tec...-valve-931953/

i will miss that car, its cool.