Cam's 1988 Mazda RX7

Camshaft · **Posted:** Thu Dec 09, 2010 1:03 pm

OMG long overdue update time

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STORYTIME EPISODE I
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Okay, so I got the car back together not too long after my last post, and it caught fire during the test run due to an unrelated hose bursting. Figures the one hose I didn't see (and subsequently replace) would fail. Thankfully it caught fire as I was pulling into my driveway, so I just ran into the house Kenny Lofton-style and got my fire extinguisher. Two months later I had the car back from my insurance after getting repaired at a local dealership. It came within a couple hundred dollars of being totaled. :shock:

The entire fuel system was replaced with NOS parts by a local Mazda tech who worked on these cars when new. After that, I noticed a lot more RX-7s at the dealership getting serviced. :tu:

The hood was expertly repainted; they even masked off the factory stickers! The only used part was a wiring harness that was located in Washington; apparently the dealership had quite a bit of trouble locating this part even after calling several specialists. After going back and forth for so long, having the car back in my possession made me fall in love all over again and I decided to keep it after all.

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STORYTIME EPISODE II
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I got a new job working for an insurance company, and I was driving the car back and forth to training. Lots of road construction equals lots of bumps, and the speedo cable popped out a few miles from home one day.
A few minutes underneath the car remedied the situation.

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STORYTIME EPISODE III
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I took the car out for a late-evening drive one day to pick up some of the new Tomicas, grab some Chipotle, and listen to the new LCD Soundsystem record. When I pulled into Chipotle, the turn signal switch came off in my hand. I ordered a very tidy example from eBay, made up a list, and started systematically hunting down other interior components that need replacing.

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STORYTIME EPISODE IV
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About a week after I got the car back, the alternator belt snapped, and I had it replaced. The belts were the only rubber parts NOT replaced after the fire. I took it back in a couple months later to have the drive belt replaced as well. In the process of washing the car for me, the antenna was torn out by a stupid automatic car wash (which I NEVER use and had I known would have told them to forget it) and the console was smashed into about 20 pieces. The metalwork around the antenna was repaired but we're still looking for a console. I found one but it arrived broken; I did, however, manage to salvage the lid.

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STORYTIME EPISODE V
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Snow had been threatening to fall here in Cleveland and I had planned on putting the car into winter storage so I could freshen the brakes, which were making an awful noise (no pads left on the rear). Two days before I planned on storing it, some baka in a Nissan Titan slammed both of his doors into mty car. It's currently getting the dings repaired; I'm on the hook for the deductible until we track down his insurance. Might I remind you this happened in the employee parking garage of a car insurance company.

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STORYTIME EPISODE VI
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When I went to drive the car over to the body shop two weeks later, it wouldn't go into gear. The clutch slave needs servicing. When I get the car back, I'll have to take care of this.

So this winter, I'll have 3 projects:

1) Clutch hydraulics
2) Brake pads & rotors
3) Interior overhaul

Pictures of all of this coming soon; still getting settled at the new place and I've been playing way too much damn GT5. So expect an update soon, or maybe in 25 years I'll let my son do Episodes VII - IX.

valdez · **Posted:** Tue Dec 28, 2010 8:50 pm

Nice find. Damn that's clean, looks like it was babied all its life. I'm a 2nd gen nut myself.

kev84 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 29, 2010 3:52 am

woah, haha, first time checking our ur project, when do u intend to get something more challenging, hehe perhaps a mazda cosmo

ur cars pretty clean and im sure its a great drive in this rotary engined car. similarly an FC goes to about 10,000 to 15,000 USDs in malaysia. lol, yeah well they are worth a lot here and rotary cars here fetch good value except the rx8, hehe

kpgc10 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 29, 2010 4:41 am

Nice RX7 Cam!
Thats a good car.

oldisgold · **Posted:** Sun Jan 02, 2011 1:31 pm

The grip tape was a good idea, when it wears down all it takes is a hair dryer and another 5 dollar sheet to replace it. Also, I can't think of a much better artist to jam in an FC than LCD Soundsystem..

Camshaft · **Posted:** Sun Jan 02, 2011 1:53 pm

oldisgold wrote:

The grip tape was a good idea, when it wears down all it takes is a hair dryer and another 5 dollar sheet to replace it. Also, I can't think of a much better artist to jam in an FC than LCD Soundsystem..

It's still holding up farly well, too. I'll probably replace it in the spring just because, but it won't be necessary per se.

I do like the new LCD Soundsystem. A lot of newer electronica ends up being hipster garbage but most of the stuff on "This Is Happening" is genuinely good.

Thanks for all of the positive comments, guys! Keeps me motivated when stuff falls off & breaks. :lol:

kev84 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 04, 2011 4:26 am

im hoping u could get an older cosmo, haha like the real real old one

Camshaft · **Posted:** Tue Jan 04, 2011 9:06 am

kev84 wrote:

im hoping u could get an older cosmo, haha like the real real old one

I want an HB Cosmo like you wouldn't believe, hah. Incidentally, I sat in the Cosmo that Mazda now has in its collection a few years back, just after they'd acquired it, while it was here in Cleveland.

valdez · **Posted:** Wed Jan 05, 2011 12:29 pm

kev84 wrote:

ur cars pretty clean and im sure its a great drive in this rotary engined car. similarly an FC goes to about 10,000 to 15,000 USDs in malaysia. lol, yeah well they are worth a lot here and rotary cars here fetch good value except the rx8, hehe

Are you serious? Anybody over there want my FC?

SevenHeaven · **Posted:** Wed Feb 09, 2011 2:27 pm

Gorgeous FC Cam!

Did you end up storing it for the winter? My FB is all tucked away in my garage just waiting for the first signs of spring!

Camshaft · **Posted:** Thu Feb 10, 2011 10:29 am

SevenHeaven wrote:

Gorgeous FC Cam!

Did you end up storing it for the winter? My FB is all tucked away in my garage just waiting for the first signs of spring!

Thanks!

Yes, I'm actually out of space in my garage so it's at a friend's shop, nestled between a VR-4 and my Cutlass. Last year that spot was occupied by a Countach. :shock:

I have crappy phone pictures, I'll have to upload them at some point.

I've sourced a new console and floor mats from one of our members, and restored a Series 5 padded armrest. As soon as I get my new fancy-pants camera, I'll upload some pictures.

Camshaft · **Posted:** Mon Jun 20, 2011 10:27 pm

Long time no update! So last Wednesday I traded an R/C car for an '86 GXL parts car.

Now I have four piston brakes and LSD! This car even came with a spoiler. Saturday I had a chance to dig into it proper. Contents of the rear hatch include:

1) Extra headlight assembly
2) 15" Borbet alloy wheel
3) JVC CD player
4) An aftermarket windscreen for an unknown sportbike
5) A complete 3/8" drive socket set, a screwdriver, and a box cutter
6) Cigarette lighter! (Mine was missing.)

The only thing I ended up bringing back to Cleveland with me was the gauge cluster surround, which I'm in the process of cleaning up to install on white car to replace the cracked one.

So...anyone need any FC parts?

Camshaft · **Posted:** Fri May 03, 2013 11:55 am

I'm back, and better than ever! Time to give the RX-7 some much-needed and well-deserved attention.

Sadly, I had to get rid of my parts car when I got sick, but I'm still planning on a five lug swap. Here's the plan as it sits now:

-Paint has started to chalk so it needs a full detail
-Install series 5 taillights, wing, and a power antenna
-Obtain a new rear hatch & get the windows re-tinted
-Restore the sunroof panel, where rust has started bubbling, and clean the mechanism
-Upgrade to four-piston brakes
-Five-lug swap utilizing the BBS RS wheels I've had in my bedroom for over two years now
-Coilovers
-Polyurethane bushings while everything's apart; install new wheel bearings
-Factory LSD
-New clutch hydraulics
-Oil change
-New battery
-Fog lights
-Re-dye front carpet
-Install my new center console & replace the plastic dash vents & trim
-Install my Pioneer double-din stereo
-Find vintage Bride Ergo seats
-Locate cool retro accessories for car shows

I've already collected some of the necessary parts and as you can see above I've already started some of the work. It feels great to be working on one of my cars in a clean garage again.

ioTus · **Posted:** Fri May 03, 2013 3:59 pm

Wow, thats one of the sharpest S4's i've seen!

Love the N/A!

jdmrx2 · **Posted:** Fri May 03, 2013 4:57 pm

Welcome back Cam! Good to see you getting back into the RX7

Camshaft · **Posted:** Thu May 09, 2013 3:46 pm

So, last week I got a nice visit from oldisgold, who wanted to buy my scooter. He ended up trading me a ton of stuff I need for the project!

You're looking at a set of Powered By Max coilovers with camber plates, drilled & slotted rotors, four piston front calipers, and a full set of EBC Redstuff pads. Not a bad way to start the project!

Camshaft · **Posted:** Sun May 12, 2013 6:02 am

Until I actually obtain five-lug hubs there's not a lot I can do so I'm screwing around with other stuff to pass the time. Last time I worked on it, I removed the taillights to make way for Series 5 units.

Bye-bye, Series 4 taillights. I hardly liked thee.

I'm also going to take the opportunity to fix some small dents behind the hatch and address some (very minor) surface rust at the bottom of the spare tire well.

Cam's 1988 Mazda RX7

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