The second generation Mazda RX7 continued the company’s habit of sticking low displacement rotary engines in its halo sports car, and this 1986 model is a first-year run of the refreshed design. Sold by an owner who provides a fairly vivid description of a wide range of maintenance and cosmetic needs, the price is slightly ambitious for a naturally-aspirated model. Still, in its current state, it’s begging to be saved. Find it here on eBay with a $1,400 opening bid.
The seller claims he used this in a “rally” capacity when he lived in California, but we’re not sure if that means the occasional fun run or actually rally-x events. Either way, it sounds like it was used in its intended capacity, especially since Mazda rolled out a host of suspension technology in this generation that provided some fairly trick handling improvements. The paint, as you can see, is covered in what the seller calls “…black smut from pecan trees” that will come off with some elbow grease, according to him.
Although this isn’t the desirable turbocharged rotary found in the RX7’s most powerful configuration, the fuel injected 13B still made a decent 146 b.h.p. However, the second generation model also put on some weight compared to its more svelte older sibling, so these NA cars don’t tend to be as popular. The seller says it’s not currently running in top form and will likely need a full tune-up in order to do so. He claims an injury and finances prohibit him from doing the work prior to sale.
The car has primarily lived in California and Texas these last few years, so at least these are fair weather states. Despite the natural disaster that befell Texas earlier this year, the seller promises this RX7 is not a flood victim. Prior to being parked, he did replace the axles and bearings as well as install a new alternator, distributor and fuel control valve. If the paint were cleaned up, I bet there would be less resistance to someone throwing an opening bid at this tired RX7.
I dunno. The stuff on the paint looks more like mold or black moss to me. Not one shot of the interior? Hmmm.
Based on the numbers supplied, it has not run for 14 years. That is a lonnnnngg time for a car to sit out in the elements not running. And the wheels… Factory mags would be a big improvement.
Somehow I can’t be enthusiastic about this one.
Really? This is RX-7 you chose for barn finds?? I submitted a really neat rare car from my local craigslist a few weeks ago that I see never made it on The site, but then this miserable example of an RX-7 shows up? Come on BF, this is a joke right?
My ’95 was in similar shape when I took her home from a trusted repair shop. What a crazy little motor. I’ll bet this one would run if all normal things were checked out and some good gas was added. Worth a try if the price is right…
My 81 RX7, if it sat for a while…a spoonful of tranny fluid, down the carb, always helped to get it running again. Rotarys are kinda funny that way…
Who puts Cragar ProTechs on an RX???
Missing a center cap, no less. Wonder what lurks under the cardboard he put on the roof to prevent more pecan smut? This is a ho-hum used car, about $400 more than I want to spend for a car that has been neglected like this. Wonder how his native American leather business is going?
A real RX-7…..
My old RX7 1984 with 13b turbo and series 5 trans
what a Pocket Rocket it was
LOL I have had two RX7’s a 79 while in germany. OMG that car was fun. Then an 86 I bought in 88 with 30K miles on it. One day I made the mistake of buying Marathon gas which contained ethonal I sat at the pump for ten minutes trying to get it to start. I had to drive around most of the day to burn that gas out. I then went and bought some 100 octane gas and ran that in it. OMG it would fly after that. Then one day as I was flying through a light before it went red, I came up on a car turning left so I juked right real hard. The car came up on two wheels. The car in the right lane in front of me was turning right. So I set it back down and then juked left to avoid hitting him. Again it went up on two wheels this time on the other side. My adrenaline maxed out after all that Uni Roy and Al driving. I was running Pirelli tires P6’s I believe at the time. I think my air pressure was pretty low that day allowing it to do all that. The trailing rear end though was really hard to get used to when I first bought that car. Those P6’s really sucked to drive on in the rain. My only mechanical problems were the fuel filter, one set of plugs and brake pads and one new clutch. I actually drove that car through one side of Hurricane Hugo into the eye and back out the other side. I saw all manner of stuff flying across the road as I was poking along at 25MPH but I made it home without going into orbit. So I can tell you it is a Hurricane proof car in case you want to buy one. LOL I would look for a GTU version though. It had a better looking rear spoiler and trim package. The convertibles were pretty nice looking as well. But you actually lost some leg room in a vert. The verts came with speakers in the headrest which I thought was pretty cool. Dunno how durable they were though.