1985 Mazda RX-7: Getting reacquainted with an old friend

Enthusiast's Corner

Written by James Dolan

There are people and things that come and go in our lives and there are others that just kind of stay with you. Sometimes we may lose touch, but it's always nice to catch up with an old friend. For many reasons I’ve lost touch with my old RX-7. Sure it has been sitting just a few feet away tucked into the back of the garage but life's circumstances over the years has stole my attention to more pressing matters in my life. The twists and turns that have been thrown into my way have shoved the RX-7 down the priority list and other than a couple of drives here and there over the past decade the car has most sit idle in the garage.

Twenty-four years is a long time to own a car. It was on May 7th, 1996 that I brought the car home and it has been with me and seen so many things in my life, both good and bad during those years. It has seen me through college, a few different careers, a girlfriend or two or three or four, a wife and ex wife, and losses of family and friends. This car has also bestowed seemingly endless miles of smiles and joy, late night rides with friends, car shows, weekend trips and short sprints into the countryside just to get away from life for a few hours. And throughout these years it has never let me down.

Sometimes it is easy to set the familiar aside. And sometimes life just steers you away. It was easy just to let the car sit in it spot in the garage waiting to be driven again. Admittedly there had been thoughts of selling the car and let someone else take stewardship and enjoy all of its wonders. But every time I get serious about moving on and bring the car out of its slumber, the joys this car brings me all come flooding back.

This past spring was no different. The decision was made, it was time. The RX-7 needed to go. I was determined; I had not been using the car. Roughly one thousand kilometers had been put on the car in the past decade I had calculated. So since spring had come early to my part of the world, the car was rolled out and I was prepping it to sell. But as I was doing all the preparations for it to be passed on, I remembered why I loved this car so much and as I became reacquainted with my old friend the decision to sell became harder and the idea of making a conscious effort to rekindle my relationship with my little rotary rocket became the only real choice.

Out on the road all the joys of this car came flooding back. It's as if the car knew that it needed to give its best performance if it wanted to hand out for a few more years. Instantly I was 20 years younger and thinner. Once again there was a smile on my face; I remembered why I loved cars so much and why I got into the business. The sound of the carbureted twin rotor engine is completely intoxicating and is one of those unique automotive experiences that every gear head needs to experience at least once in their lifetime. The drive was complete bliss, well that was until the first high-speed sweeping bend came along, that is exactly when fear and near sheer terror hit like a deck board to the head. Apparently time had robbed the RX-7 of the tight steering and precise handling the car once had. Mushy does not begin to describe the handling with the car bobbing and wallowing its way through a corner. Add the steering box that has too much play and requires adjustment and you have a recipe for a butt clenching ride through a corner.

This should not have been a surprise to me as midway through the terror I realized that all the suspension bushings are original to the car and even the struts and shocks are at least twenty years old. Although there was any loose steering or suspension components during my check over of the car, rubber does not last forever. Dry rot is the enemy of any rubber component on an older car and as I have found out thirty-five year old rubber might look "passable" on inspection but certainly doesn't perform nearly as well as it once did. Combined with twenty year old shocks and you have a car that jiggles like your grandmothers jello at Christmas and hits hard going over dips and bumps in the road. It's time for a suspension rebuild I'd say.

Other than the "entertaining" handling the car performed admirably. The more the car was driven, the better it ran, humming along happily on a warm spring day. Once again we were together clipping along our favorite route, one that we have spent countless miles on since we have been together. Halfway through the drive I stopped to do some checks and to take some pictures. As the engine ticked away as it cooled, I snapped some pictures and admired the lines of the car. For as long as I can remember I have always loved the looks of the first generation RX-7. The wedge shape is handsome and garners far more attention than my much rarer and light years faster Cobra. In my opinion it truly is an unappreciated design from the era. Hopefully more people will come around and love it as much as I do.

Once back on the road heading back home with the rotary humming smoothly along I came to the conclusion that I must keep the old girl and pay some much needed attention to her. So far this season I've put at least fifteen hundred clicks on the clock taking day trips with it and short blasts along my favorite country roads. I've spent some much need time in the garage with the car as well, servicing brakes, fixing a leak here and there and there are plans in the works to rebuild the suspension with new struts, shocks and bushings at all four corners. It feels nice spending time with my old friend. I can honestly say it has been fun getting to know this old car once again and I must admit that it has been good for my soul. Hopefully this RX-7 will be with me for many more years and kilometers.