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Modified 1985 Mazda Rx7 on 2040-cars

US $7,500.00
Year:1985 Mileage:122600
Location:

Winter Park, Florida, United States

Winter Park, Florida, United States
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  The reason a first generation Rx7 was chosen for resto-modification was simply because it's one of the last Japanese rear wheel drive sports cars still available today that can match or better the performance of the many newer cars being offered. For example, there's the Scion FR-S and Subaru's BRZ, the Older Rx-7 performance numbers weren't really competitive when compared to these examples right out of the box, but with minor modifications it became capable of outperforming or matching them and at a fraction of the cost. With huge aftermarket support from available from companies like Racing Beat and Mazdatrix increasing the performance levels wasn't that hard of a task. These companies have specialized in increasing performance out of rotaries for  decades. I was lucky enough to find an unmolested,one-owner car with low miles out of California that showed no signs of rust or abuse. It even had the original bill of sale and the owners manual in the glove box. Another big plus was that it was a GS model, which meant it was equipped with the more reliable 12A rotary and weighed less than the more powerful GSL-SE model by at least 200lbs!  It was the perfect starting point. To become competitive in the modern sport cars market the braking and handling was to be improved.  This was accomplished by installing the bigger more powerful braking system out of the high Performance model(GSL-SE) which added rear ventilated disc Brakes and LSD (limited slip)along with thicker sway bars and a more useable wheel bolt pattern. Another Notable upgrade was the installation of stiffer springs and shocks and  the replacement of all worn out rubbers and endlinks, including motor mounts. Once all component were installed a better wheel and tire setup was chosen,  authentic Volk Racing TE37's and BF Goodrich Comp2 tires.  This combo really increased traction and gave it a more aggressive stance. It now seemed like the car begged to be driven harder from the second you get behind the wheel and turn the key. With the handling and braking improved, it was time to focus on power and reliability. Starting with a complete tune-up and changing the hoses, belts, and fluids. Servicing the A/C and replacing the oil pan gasket. Then I installed a Racing Beats Header and exhaust system combo and  dropped in a K&N air Filter over the factory Carburetor.  I didn't de-smog the engine because the car came from California and  I didn't want the new  owner having any issues with emissions. Once completed the difference in performance and sound was huge.Giving it similar performance of the larger fuel injected Motor(13b) provides and while shedding additional weight. (About 35 ILBS). With the car running strong I then moved on to improving comfort and curb appeal and removed and replaced all rubber seals and trim pieces to have the car Painted Matte Red. As for comfort the seats were replaced with new leather seats and the original radio and speakers replaced with newer and better sounding components that provided modern touches like Bluetooth Connectivity without bogging the vehicle down with unwanted weight. I drove the car for two months daily searching for weak points needing improving. I came across a minor issue with night time visibility and addressed that problem by upgrading the headlights with modern Led Projector units. This car is lots of fun and its seems like I'm always looking for a reason to get behind the wheel and drive. I hope the car finds a new owner deserving of the work and effort I've invested into making this classic fun again.

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Auto blog

Mazda could electrify the next Miata, is trying to figure out how

Mon, Dec 2 2019

The next Mazda Miata is at the embryonic stage of development. The men and women in charge of the project are debating whether to electrify the roadster, or if it's better to keep it true to its roots. The Miata is not a high-volume model in any market, so it doesn't need a plug to help Mazda comply with looming emissions regulations. The company explained it's not a matter of compliance; it's about how the definition of a sports car and the expectations of motorists could change in the 2020s. "The preferences of people who enjoy driving sports cars might be changing, so we need to think about what direction society is going in. We want to look at the best powertrain to keep the vehicle lightweight, but because of the diversifying requirements and preferences, we need to explore various options," Ikuo Maeda, Mazda's global design director, in an interview with Autocar. Adding any degree of electrification to the Miata beyond a relatively basic mild-hybrid system is easier said than done. An unusually low weight and a compact footprint defined the original model introduced in 1989, and these attributes continue to characterize the fourth-generation car (pictured) sold in 2019. Electrification requires batteries, batteries add weight and require space, and Mazda doesn't want to end up with a 3,000-pound Miata, or one that's the size of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class Convertible. Keeping its chassis balanced is a delicate task, too. Overcoming this challenge is not impossible, however, and batteries are expected to become lighter and smaller during the 2020s. The next-generation Miata isn't expected out until the middle of the 2020s, so Mazda has time to figure out whether it should go hybrid, arrive as an electric car, or carry on with a rev-happy, naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine. Maeda stressed a final decision on the matter hasn't been made yet. "I don't have the answer right now, but we need to make a vehicle that people can own without worrying that they are not being eco-friendly," he concluded.

Why Mazda’s Skyactiv-X compression-ignition engine is a smart hedge bet

Tue, Aug 8 2017

Mazda has cracked the code on a compression-ignition engine, called Skyactiv-X (which utilizes SCCI, or Spark Controlled Compression Ignition). That's a neat engineering accomplishment, sure, but why is the tiny company investing big dollars in fancy tech that's frustrated the much larger companies who've investigated it? In this case, Mazda is peering into a crystal ball to consider how best to flow with a few troubling tides. One is the premature handwringing about the death of the internal combustion engine, another is Europe's swing away from diesel engines. Skyactiv-X seems, at this juncture, a hedge bet against both aspects. EV infrastructure lags massively behind our petroleum infrastructure — no shock there. Mazda claims the tech will net 20-30 percent gains in fuel efficiency over its current gasoline engines and about matching its diesel engine. And that's without any onboard hybrid tech, so that staves off the inevitable necessity to fully adopt electrification for a while — this is assuming that, at some point, it won't be practical to sell a non-hybrid or non-EV. At what date that happens is open to debate, but as I said above, technology like this kicks that decision point down the road a bit. Mazda is here translating research dollars into time, allowing its engine factories a few more years of probably profitable production of internal-combustion engines before retooling, and before somebody needs to pour a massive amount of money into a broad EV charging infrastructure to replace gas stations. None of this is happening fast enough for a wholesale transition to EVs anytime soon. So, that's one bet hedged. The next is Europe's declining interest in diesel engines for mainly health reasons. Just about a week ago, The New York Times posted an excellent primer on this issue, which is somewhat controversial in Europe. Germany's auto industry, a huge portion of its economy, is heavily invested in diesel tech and seriously opposed to proposals in Britain and France to eliminate the technology, which creates unhealthy diesel particulate emissions. The German industry is hoping Band-Aids like pollution-reducing measures will help them, but after a massive and widespread emission cheating scandal, its credibility is at a nadir. It seems like consumers have sensed which way the wind is blowing, and it has hurt sales. The NYT reports that diesel sales in Germany alone — remember, bastion and originator of diesel technology — are down 13 percent.

Mazda refurbishing this NFL running back's 22-year-old daily driver

Thu, 10 Oct 2013

I don't actually care for the Washington Redskins (which is a good thing, considering the start to their season this year), but I love their running back, Alfred Morris. Why? Well, to start with, Morris helped deliver a dominating 10-3 season for my fantasy football team last year after a flash of prescience saw me pick him up off the waiver wire in Week 1 (hit me up on Twitter if you need fantasy sports insight, guys, I'm sort of like the Ruxin of Autoblog).
Morris is also pretty endearing because of his loyalty to his car, Bentley. Hold up - that's not to say the running back has splashed out on a Continental GT or a Flying Spur. No, Morris gave his much-loved 1991 Mazda 626 the tongue-in-cheek name "Bentley" while he was still a student at Florida Atlantic. One 1,613-rushing-yard rookie season and a $2.2-million contract later, and Morris is still using his Mazda as his daily driver. It might be easy to assume that the young player is simply being really prudent with all of his newfound wealth, but the guy really just has a thing for his five-speed-manual 626.
And Mazda, of course, loves the story of Morris' affection. In an effort to keep his 626 running strong and looking good, the company's Washington D.C.-area dealers have agreed to refurbish Bentley back to its original showroom freshness. Rather than spoil the classic (?) lines of the 626, the Mazda folks are essentially restoring the car for Morris. The cracked dash will be swapped out for a factory replacement, the engine and transmission given a thorough going-over and the whole vehicle generally made as fresh as Will Smith circa 1991. Bentley is expected to be completed and rolling through the capitol city by October 15, and in the meantime, Morris has been driving around in a new 2014 Mazda6 loaner car.