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1981 Mazda Rx-7 Gs, 53,000 Miles on 2040-cars

Year:1981 Mileage:53515
Location:

Portland, Oregon, United States

Portland, Oregon, United States
Advertising:

I'm the second owner of this RX-7, I bought it from the original owner in September of 2012. She lived close by, and was the neighbor of a good friend of mine. She bought it new from John Link Mazda in Oregon City, Oregon in 1981. She had a debilitating illness and wasn't able to drive it any longer, but she still very much hated to see it go. She was only able to drive it 274 miles in the five years prior to selling it to me. It didn't run very well at all when I picked it up, but I loved it's original pampered condition and could tell it just needed mechanical work to be brought back to great driving condition. Since I've had it back on the road, it attracts lots of attention because of it's wonderful condition and originality. I've put tons of my time and lots of money into fixing this up, but RX-7s are quality cars that are easy and enjoyable to work on. I've loved every minute spent under (and above) the car, as well as time spent driving it. 

I rebuilt the fuel system - flushed the old fuel, cleaned the carburetor, replaced the fuel pump & filter. Rebuilt the ignition system with new plugs, wires, cap, and rotor. New Odyssey battery. It now runs and starts perfectly, and is pretty damn quick as well. RX-7s are light, so don't need a ton of power to feel fast. A/C blows ice cold. New radiator, all hoses, and belts. I did a full brake rebuild with new master, rear wheel cylinders, Porterfield R4S pads in front and R4S shoes in the rear, front cryo treated and slotted discs, new caliper pistons and seal kits, and stainless lines. Don't believe supposed experts who tell you that GSLs with rear discs are the only way to go, rear drums on a car this light are just great. The brakes on this now stop very quickly, exhibit no fade even on a long descent, and have great pedal feel. You just have to know how to set them up correctly. I rebuilt the suspension with Tokico HP blue shocks and Racing Beat springs, this set up lowers the car about an inch and gives a great ride and super handling. In font I replaced all four tie rod ends, ball joints, idler box, and main steering box. This last item is the source of many complaints about lack of steering feel and "play" in the wheel, but nobody replaces them because they cost $650.00 and are lots of work and hours to install. First gen. RX-7s have excellent steering with no slop, but most folks have never driven one with a good steering box and so think all first gens. are sloppy. This one steers like a good sports car should. 15 X 7 Konig Rewind wheels and BFG G Force Sport Comp 2 tires round out the suspension. 

As you can see from the photos, this is very clean car with original OEM paint and interior. The only paint work I see is that it appears the bumpers may have been painted, but it's such a good job it's hard to tell. I counted six small pencil eraser sized dings on the outside, and seven small scratched areas, but you have to look carefully to pick these out. I tried to photo these, but they are too small and light to show up on screen. It's 33 years old, so it won't be perfect, but it looks very, very good even up close. People are really blown away when I mention that it still has it's original paint. No areas of peeling, fading, or micro cracking. The pinstripes are vinyl and are under the factory clear coat, so can't be removed, and are starting to peel off in areas. The burgundy interior in this car has the typical fade problem that you can see in the photos, and 2 small burn marks. Overall it looked too good to me to want to change the originality by replacing it, but for perfection you might want to change the carpets, seat covers, and dye the plastic to all match. One of the storage bins in the rear has a broken hinge. The analog clock worked when I bought the car and now "ticks" but the hands don't move. One of the contacts for the rear window defroster has come off and will need to be soldered back on with the rear window removed and laid flat. I think I've covered most of the flaws present on the vehicle, but I may have missed a few. As I said, I've enjoyed rehabilitating this RX-7, but I'm a "project" guy who enjoys the work as much as the drive and it's on to a new one for me. Don't bother with shipping - I would not hesitate one moment in advising you to fly into Portland, Oregon and driving home anywhere in the US, you'll have a lot of fun and won't have to worry about reliability.  Please feel free to call my cell if any questions - 503.351.2684. I take PayPal, $500 deposit due within 24 hours of auction close.

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Junkyard Gem: 1990 Mazda 929 S

Wed, Aug 24 2016

In the late 1980s, Toyota, Nissan, and Honda were cleaning up in the American market with the Cressida, Maxima, and Legend, respectively. Mazda wanted some of those dollars, so the HC-series Mazda Luce was modified for the US market and sold here as the 929. It had rear-wheel drive, a powerful V6 engine, and lots of luxury features, but not many were sold. Here's a rare '90 that I spotted in a San Francisco Bay Area self-service yard. In 1990, the sporty 929S version got 190 horsepower from its DOHC 3.0-liter V6. Unfortunately for Mazda, American buyers associated the marque with sensible econoboxes and screaming rotary engines, not luxury machinery, at the time. For the 1990 model year, American-market cars were required to have either a driver's-side airbag or automatic seat belts. The 929 had the automatic belts, the less said about the better. The Luce-based 929 became the Sentia-based 929 for the 1992 model year. Meanwhile, the new luxury brands from Honda, Nissan, and Toyota were kicking the crap out of 929 sales; Mazda had planned to launch the Amati brand in the United States, but didn't have the resources to follow through. The last 929s were sold in the United States for the 1995 model year. Related Video: Featured Gallery Junked 1990 Mazda 929 S View 16 Photos Auto News Mazda

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club Edition sharpens, styles the new roadster

Thu, Apr 2 2015

One could argue that any iteration of the last-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata was worth having. But were it our money on the line, we'd have likely driven home with the Club, a simple trim that, for a reasonable $28,665 (for the retractable hardtop model), added a number of performance and aesthetic features. The 2016 MX-5 Miata Club Edition should prove to be a successful followup. Like last year's model, it adds a limited-slip differential, a retuned suspension with Bilstein shocks and a tower brace under the hood. On the aesthetic side of the game, 17-inch gunmetal wheels are included, along with a new rear spoiler and a front splitter. For those that demand an even sharper Club Edition, though, Mazda will also offer even lighter wheels, courtesy of BBS, along with Brembo brakes and the aero kit from the MX-5 Global Cup racer. Check out our full original post on the MX-5 Miata Club Edition, as well as a complete gallery of live images from the 2015 New York International Auto Show. Related Video: 2016 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA CLUB MAKES WORLD DEBUT AT NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW - Performance-focused MX-5 Club has trim level-exclusive Bilstein suspension, limited-slip differential - NEW YORK (April 1, 2015) – Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today introduced the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club at the New York International Auto Show, marking the world debut of the North American-focused Club model. Lighter, smaller, quicker and more nimble than its predecessor, MX-5 has adopted Mazda's full suite of SKYACTIV Technology and KODO-Soul of Motion design. In the process, MX-5 has shed approximately 150 pounds from its predecessor, with a curb weight of 2,332 lbs. when equipped with SKYACTIV-MT six-speed manual transmission (2,381 lbs. with the six-speed automatic transmission). The MX-5 Club heightens performance with trim-level exclusive: - 17-inch gunmetal alloy wheels wrapped in 205/45R17 tires - Limited-slip differential when equipped with SKYACTIV-MT - Bilstein shocks when equipped with SKYACTIV-MT - Shock tower brace when equipped with SKYACTIV-MT - Front air dam and rear lip spoilers Standard equipment on MX-5 Club models includes MAZDA CONNECTTM infotainment system with a seven-inch color touchscreen display and multi-function commander control, HD and SiriusXM Satellite Radio, two USB ports, piano black side mirrors and seatback bars and a nine-speaker Bose audio system with headrest speakers.

Takashi Yamanouchi to retire as Mazda chairman

Mon, 12 May 2014

Takashi Yamanouchi has been with Mazda for a long time. He signed on with the Japanese automaker in April 1967 - one month after graduating from Keio University - and rose through the ranks over the years. By 1996 he was named to the company's board of directors. In 2008 he was named president and CEO, an office he held until 2013, after which he handed over the day-to-day reins to Masamichi Kogai and took up the seat at the head of the board room to serve as the company's chairman. But now, after 47 years working for Mazda, Yamanouchi-san is retiring at the age of 69.
During his tenure as CEO and then as chairman, Yamanouchi was credited with growing Mazda's business despite unfavorable fluctuations in exchange rates, opening the company's first plant in Mexico, and spearheading the development of Mazda's Skyactiv technologies and Kodo design language.
In his place, current vice chairman Seita Kanai will take over as chairman. The changing of the guard will take place after the annual shareholders' meeting on June 24.