Much, much of my life is surrounded by automobiles, which is ironic considering my wrenching abilities are… weak to say the least. That has not stopped me from learning a little bit about the combustion engine and what it is capable of. All of this information culminated into a realization… I really missed out on the RX-7.

I was born an 80s baby, an elder millenial, if you will. My teen years were in the 90s, which was unfortunately the swan song of the RX-7. It was on its way out the door by the late 90s, leaving the RX-8 behind, which definitely lacked the RX-7s ‘cool factor.’

Now that I am at the age where I have midlife crisis breathing down my neck, I have some options at hand, and one of those options is buying an “obviously used” RX-7 and living a childhood dream. RX-8 is on the table, but near the edge of it and about to fall off–I’m about that ‘cool factor’ after all. Let’s talk a little bit about the options. Forgive me as much of this may read like an essay or a wikipedia page…

SA22C, aka FB

The first RX7 models were released when I was but a twinkle in my mother’s eye–1978 through 1985, but they definitely did NOT lack in sex appeal. The FB is a tiny, lightweight 1.1-1.3 L rotary sports car. Not to get too deep into it, the rotary engine is an alternative combustion motor to the common reciprocating piston engine. It has poor gas mileage and is prone to failure by worn ‘apex seals’, but is known for its small form-factor, torque, and high rev limit. When you take a small car with a high rev limit and torque, you get FUN! Today, I can find project cars for anywhere in the 5k to 15k range, but the interior is dated (to say the least) given the 40 year gap from then and now!

FC

The FC followed the FB from 1985 through 1992. I wasn’t even 9 years old by then, and I did not grow up tuned-in with cars. My Dad was in the NAVY and my brothers were in school in my early years so all I really knew was my Mom, Nickelodeon, and keeping up the home for some time. It really wasn’t until my early teen years that I became interested in cars. Back to the topic at hand… the FC was a bit larger than the FB, and followed design qualities of the Porsche 944–it definitely resembles a sports car, all the while retaining what is expected resulting from Japanese engineering. This model has different variants of the popular 13B rotary engine. Strangely enough, I see projects with FCs within a similar 5-20k range.

The famed FD

The third generation FD (as in featured image) is the wet dream. This car has an absolutely CLASSIC design that has genuinely stood the test of time. Produced from 1992 to 2002, this car has not only maintained its value today, but even appreciated as you will find cars ranging from 20k up towards 100k depending on its state of wear. This car, similar to the MKIV Toyota Supra, was popularized by the 2001 cult classic The Fast and the Furious. With all the glowing praise I just expressed, I would likely not look at this as a project car. The engine in this car is a somewhat complicated twin-turbocharged 13B rotary with a small turbo for low end power and a larger turbo for top-end thrills. Given the time frame between then and now, I expect a lot of older factory turbos in bad shape in addition to the aforementioned well-known issues with apex seals. I suppose I could still look at it if I considered engine swaps (rotary or not) but you then open yourself up to even more complications. Now, if I can find one with relatively low mileage in decent shape the 30-40k range (or even lower), I could look at just buying one used, but I honestly would save that money on a used FB or FC project with some breathing room in case I need to swap in a junker U Pick A Part U Pull It motor. The FD RX-7 is sexy, but it just seems like a trap to me, particularly considering how it has held its value so well.

Notice, by 2002 the era of the Rotary had moved on to the RX-8, which to me, was a bit of a let-down. Compared to the tiny, svelte RX-7 line up, the RX-8 was a noticeably larger 4-door vehicle and lacked any and all forced induction–likely an effort to reduce emissions and improve fuel economy. That being said, if I can find a deal or a project RX-8, I am open to it. It just definitely lacks the aesthetic appeal.

My current stable includes a 2020 MX-5 Miata and a 2019 Honda Civic Type R. I always say that I don’t know if I could ever do without a convertible, but I am not hard and fast on that notion. I also know that I will not be doing anything until I have paid off one of these existing vehicles. I will likely sell the Honda first, which I still owe MSRP value on due to some… questionable decisions I made last year.

As of today, I see myself trading the Honda in for a pickup truck (likely a Toyota Tacoma) and then perhaps selling the Miata for an RX-7. However, I’m in no hurry, so I really want to find a deal on an FB or FC with high mileage in good physical shape. What’s even better is… all of this is subject to change as the fun part is the chase! The RX-7 remains one of my bucket list items if I can manage to achieve it.