Hi, my name is Jamin and i have an addiction to rotarys.
It all started back in college when i started getting into cars. I wanted something cheap, fast, unique. I eventually stumbled across the RX-7 and found out how a rotary engine works and was hooked.
I found this a few years later, 1990 GXL:
bought it for $3k from some guy in raleigh, NC. it had 180k miles, but was in mint condition. I bought a few upgrades for it, RB exhaust, S5 TII wheels, steering wheel, strut bar, etc. I liked it a lot.
then this happened:
it was pretty messed up and the frame was bent, so I ended up stripping it for parts and sending it off to the scrap yard.
Then i found this 1988 SE for sale on a local car forum:
the guy had blown the alternator belt, it overheated and he just wanted to get rid of it. I paid $300 for it, put a new belt on it, and it ran fine. it was in really rough condition, but it drove fine, i DD'd it for about a year. I eventually sold this car for $700 to a local guy who wanted the drivetrain for a project.
Meanwhile i wanted to get a turbo, so i started looking for a TII. I eventually found this 1988 Turbo II up in Mooresville, NC for $3k:
thats what it looked like when i bought it, except for it had stock S4 TII wheels. It came with RB turbo back, rtek 1.7, safc, 720cc injectors, walbro 255, and some other stuff. It had 50k on a b. turrentine rebuild with RA seals, mbc running 14psi. Fairly rough condition, and from what i hear, it took a lot of abuse by previous owners.. im surprised the motor has lasted a long as it has. the tune was so shitty, it was pinging on me the first week after i bought it. I put the boost back to stock, swapped over a lot of the S5 parts from teh GXL, body trim, bumpers, interior parts, etc. also upgraded the radiator, turbo, injectors, ecu, fmic, suspension, and some other stuff. I probably have about $10k into it. this is what it looks liek today:
a while later, a friend in the navy was called overseas on duty, and couldnt find a buyer for his FC. so he was going to give it to me, but i offered him $700 for it, a 1991 coupe:
I only had this car for a couple weeks, when another friend offered to trade for his 1987 GXL with a turbo II swap. so i did it:
It had stock turbo, but haltech e6x, 850cc injectors, straight exhaust, and in really rough condition. But, a coolant seal apparently let go on the way over to my house. I ended up selling it to someone else for $1500 as is.
and thats where my story ends as it is today, my only rotary is my 1988 TII, but it is almost complete. It just needs paint and bodywork to be done. Its making a nice, reliable 300whp, all supporting mods. I think it is my last RX-7, unless it gets wrecked or something. in that case, ill definately be looking for another TII or an FD.
thanks for reading
the story of my rotary addiction..
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