1997 Mazda RX-7 FD

This 1997 Mazda RX-7 is a tube frame race car that was originally bodied as an MX-6 and built to run for the 1990 IMSA GTU championship. After several competitive years, the car was re-bodied as a 3rd generation RX-7 in 1997 and raced at the 12 Hours of Sebring, 24 Hours of Daytona, and several races on the East coast. It was driven by David Loring, as well as Brian Johnson of AC/DC, and after a few races in 1998 it was retired from professional racing. The seller acquired the car five years ago in a dismantled state after the previous owner had crashed it in an on-track incident. A restoration was completed in July of this year, and the car has since been run in an ICSSC event at Mission Raceway where it started on pole and finished second. The peripheral-port 13B rotary sends 330 horsepower though a carbon fiber driveshaft to a rear-mounted Hewland DGB 5-speed transaxle. The sale includes a comprehensive spares package as detailed below, $60k in restoration receipts, an HSR logbook, and set up sheets from AJR Racing. The Mazda Competition 3rd generation RX-7 bodywork was installed to run in the 1997 Professional Sports Car Series in the GTS-3 class. The fiberglass body features a one-piece tail section augmented by a carbon fiber right door, louvres, diffuser, Kevlar splitter, and an aluminum rear wing. The paint was applied earlier this year. Three-piece BBS wheels were widened during the restoration and now measure 18×12″ in the front and 18×13.5″ in the rear. Hoosier A7 tires are mounted at all four corners. The front suspension features 550-lb springs, while the independent rear has double A-arms and 600-lb springs. Bilstein race shocks are used all-around. An electric power, quick-ratio steering rack has been installed, and the suspension uprights are cast out of magnesium with hubs custom-machined from high grade aluminum. The front brakes are 13×1.25″ rotors with 4-piston, AP Racing calipers. The rear brakes are 11 7/8 x.850″ rotors with Alcon 4-piston calipers. The aircraft-grade aluminum floor is new, as is the windshield, the fire-suppresion system, both A/F and oil temperature guages, and the seatbelts. The fuel cell has been refurbished. The chassis was built by Bob Cuneo of Chassis Dynamics for the IMSA GTU 1990 season. A mid-1980s IMSA rule-change allowed for a non-original drivetrain layout to be utilized, and a Hewland DGB 5-speed transaxle was installed out back with aerospace-grade CV axles and Porsche 930 CV joints. New radiator and hoses were part of the restoration, as well as a new exhaust system, brake a clutch master cylinders, air jack lines, brake lines, battery, and the throttle cable. The peripheral-port 13B rotary has slide-valve throttle bodies, a competition water pump, a 321 stainless steel header, and a race clutch assembly. The 330 horsepower engine has a 10k rpm redline. The car ran its first event at Mission Raceway in September of this year, and the drivetrain has only the one weekend on it. The extensive spares package includes 10 BBS wheels, 18 good rotors, rotor hats, 16 sets of brake pads, 6 uprights, control arms, steering rods, a carbon fiber driveshaft, rotor housings and rotors, a ring and pinion set, seals, bearings, wheel nuts, U-joints, nose boxes, master cylinders, right side body, wing, windshield, diffuser, fuel pumps, HD radiator, ultra light exhaust, taillights, clutch, swaybars, springs, cv boots, distributor, and more. A video of the car running at Mission Raceway has been provided by the seller. Filed under: fd, rx 7, rx7