Mazda goes "Hmmmmm..."

[beaky]

Met up with my pal Stevie Z. on Saturday in New Orleans, and finally got to see his rotary-powered RX-7.
Didn't drive it; maybe next time... I drove a piston-powered 7 once years ago and thought it was pretty cool.
I can't remember how he ended up with this one; a friend may have given it to him. He travels in it quite a bit all over the area.

Thought some of the car buffs at the V might enjoy this curiosity...

Not exactly a creampuff, but it's pretty straight and the engine runs well, if inefficiently.

     



The AC is inop, and I guess the fans are inadequate, so he uses this 12V blower to stay alive when stuck in traffic in the Louisiana heat... I think he got this from work (he's a rigger and grip for movie shoots).

Must still be very hot, but the moonroof is removable, which helps... and God knows it can't be as bad as his old Volvo P1800ES, which had the vent intakes caulked shut because they let water in- I drove that in New Orleans once and it was like an oven.

     


The Wankel: a pretty bold idea at the time Mazda introduced these, and a very good idea, except for the horrendous fuel consumption of these early ones. He's started doing a little work on the car- that new brake line is his latest creation, and pretty good for a first attempt.

[Craig.]

ah the rx7, a classic yet also a heap of junk. But we can at least say it spawned the amazing RX8.

[ozzy72]

Speaking as an ex-Mazda owner I have to say those Wankel engines are superb 8-)

[expat]

Speaking as an ex-Mazda owner I have to say those Wankel engines are superb 8-)

Smoother than a Kashmir codpiece.

Matt

[ATI_7500]

I'd buy one if it wan't for the fuel consumption.

Sexy thing and its successor is not bad either.

[ozzy72]

I have to say the best car I ever had for handbrake turns was a 323F. That thing was awesome for a 17 year old petrol head

[Mushroom_Farmer]

The Mazda rotary was so bad it only won it's class in the 24 Hours of Daytons 10 years in a row, starting in 1982, and won the IMSA GTU championship each year from 1980 through 1987. It also went on to win more IMSA races in its class than any other model of automobile, with its one hundredth victory on September 2, 1990.
Yep, (sips beverage) sounds like a real P.O.S. to me.

[C]

Won Le Mans in 1991 too. The last fancy engine to do so before the TDi's appeared. What a noise too.

[Roughrider]

You guys sound like you might like this, this is what I keep in the garage for Sunday drives, Its a 2004 and has 4,105 miles on it. Its never been wet. It will reach 60mph in 2nd gear, and it is a 6 speed.

[Craig.]

You keep that in the garage? I hope your weekday car is a ferrari otherwise shame on you
Tis a lovely car.

[beaky]

Finally got to drive SZ's RX-7 two weeks later... needs a little work on the front end, but it is indeed a blast to drive. I though for sure I'd be grindin' 'em up because I haven't driven a stick in ages, but it was very forgiving. It was nice to be buzzing along low to the road again... made me miss my old Fiat 124 Spider.  :'(

[BuggsK100RS]

I work as a contract Driver at a roll on roll of ferry port the Humber Sea Termanal (ok i cart spell it) its a bit boring doing nothing but drive Brand spanking new cars off ferrys all day but ever now and then there is a bit of a hi light the RX8's are defo one of them Hi's.  Tho the Mazda Speed ones rearly are NUTS.  The better of the two RX8 models (the 6 speed gear box one) is nothing in conparason with a Mazda speed Twin Turbo 6 speed model defonatly mutch rarer and OMFG!!!!!!  are thay fast.  On the port we are only serposed to do 20MPH max But  ::) well it got to 20 very fast and no that wasant me doing 80 down the jetty  ;)

[beaky]

Update: SZ ditched the Mazda and got a Mustang LX...     :-?  :D

[Mushroom_Farmer]

[quote]Update: SZ ditched the Mazda and got a Mustang LX...