So I did a thing. I followed another childhood dream and found a hidden treasure. I wasn't sure if I was going to post anything about this unplanned project, but I was so compelled after watching a short video of some kids who were interested in an RX-7 FD barn find. In my head, I was just mesmerized by how similar these kids were to me. It was like watching your childhood on YouTube, but it was you and your homie doing some risky business. I stumbled across this video as I was scouring the web for FD parts and recommendations. At first glance, I was like OMG this car looks soooo familiar, but I couldn't wrap my finger around it. So I clicked and it realized it is mine!
A few weeks ago, I was browsing through Facebook market place where I came across a 1993 Mazda RX7 FD. This has always been one of my dream cars prior to the whole Fast and Furious franchise and media marketing. This FD caught my eye because of the "Low miles" and "Runs Great" description accompanied by decent pictures. As most FB ads don't provide all the details or wrong information, I didn't really put my hope in this nor did I really think I would be going home with an FD.
For starters, the price was crazy high based on the condition it was in and all the unknown factors. The video the kids made was pretty accurate on most of the information, but there is always more to the story. So, I thought I would share the rest of the story before I got too entrenched into the build.
This FD was a single owner of 26 long years with 56,000 low miles and was last driven around 2009. From 2007 to 2009 about 500 miles were added and its registration was never renewed after 2009. From there it just disappeared into a garage and sat under a car cover for a decade.
The previous owner (PO) was a veteran who fought in the Vietnam War and then later spent the rest of his life working for a municipality in the bay area. He loved driving and his FD was his dream car. The PO had a very difficult time letting his FD go and his brother flew in from Atlanta to help him take care of some family affairs. The PO was 73 years old and no longer able to drive stick, but he was drill driving around his daily Infinity. I talked to the brothers for hours just getting to know them and the history behind the car. The PO wanted to find a new home for the FD where it wouldn't be cut up but restored and back on the roads. They told me a lot of good stories about the car and how fast it was. He also had the mod bug and added the spoiler and cat-back exhaust. The PO also had an older son and I asked why he didn't want to keep the FD, but he was just not that interested in taking on this project. He had a really luxurious BMW, which is completely different from jamming into an FD, so I get it.
From messaging back and forth with the brother posting the ad, I told myself to just go out to the bay to take a quick look. Pictures are always deceiving. The FD drove like a really really old car that needed a suspension overhaul and the clutch had issues. Luckily, the engine fired right up with a jump. There was a lot of cosmetic issues such as a poor paint job, however, there were no signs of any accidents. The front bumper had been bapped so many times from just being a low car. There are many flaws that need to be sorted still, but in the end, the engine was strong and there is a lot of potential.
This FD had a great story behind it, which compelled me to buy it even more. Once again there were HUGE risks in buying this car and many comments were made in the YouTube video stating that. Its a crazy possibility, but somehow it was running on oil that could have been 10 years old. It probably wasn't that old, but I'm sure there is a lot of stuff that needs to be changed out now.
But back to the kid's video for another second. These kids that made the video were awesome, entertaining, and funny. That was the exact same reaction and thought process I had but like in an 18-year-old body if that was me. The passion and excitement was off the "ten fucking racks" chart. Back in the day, I would have thought $10,000 was impossible for me to save up, but clearly these kids are doing something right hustling and growing their futures. I started out the exact same way working on my own cars and getting my hands dirty. I love how these guys are doing big things and I hope he keeps hustling every day.
Also just as a side note, this car was not ten racks, but I think it sounds cool. Maybe I'll make the license plate "10RACKS" of "TENRAKS", your thoughts?
Lastly, to all those who have served our country, Thank you for your service.
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