we had an RX-7 GSL SE sitting in our yard the whole time I was growing up almost and then right before I got my license my dad sold it. crushed dreams anybody
@@monsieurdubitatif8567 How was that?, maybe this young man had the mechanical skills to repair and bring some life back to this car, he seemed very anxious to get the car up on its feet, but probably just didn't have the funds at that time, but im sure he had planned to get a job and start saving for parts or maybe even getting another engine to put in it, i know that feeling as i had a similar experience when i was a young teenager also back in the earlier 90's i had a uncle who had an 1978 Pontiac Grand prix SJ came with the 301 4 brrl, then he switched it out and put in an light heavy cammed 350 4 brrl. the car had came with the half vinyl top blk/on/blk leather interior, bucket seats in the front, and all fully automatic accessories,with dual exhaust and that car was smooth as shit with tinted windows, and back then they used tint their headlights, body was in excellent shape so was the paint job and interior, as the car sat in his brother's garage for the remainder of the time until 1992, only thing was he cracked the engine block back in the winter of 1986, and i became of age and was able to work and was in High school at the time in 92, and had taken automotive technology got another cammed 350 4 brrl. engine/transmission, and we did pulled the old engine and tranny out and right before we put the engine in it, my Grandfather sold it along with his 1972 Ford ltd w/402! and it was a good running car!, it hurted me and my brother to the core, and when i asked my Grandmother why he'd sold them she said something about having to do with paying back taxes, my Grandfather said it was wasn't worth the time and trouble, but i saw a whole lot of potential in that car, and still to this day i constantly think about that car.
Had a 83 RX-7. Bought it at around 100,000 miles and drove it another 100,000 miles. One of the best cars I ever owned. It was so deceptive that car. You would never think it, but it had a Mercedes Benz bank vault sturdiness to it. It felt like it was chiseled out of a single piece of iron. Different things I loved about that car, the dash layout, the orange ambient dash lighting at nite and the defroster icon when on, the air conditioning's blue hue would light up when pressed. The little things on that car were memorable. Points of attention ,the details, a lot of thought went into designing that car. Very nice ! Beautiful well designed timeless car.
@@goneflying140 Yeah, any RX7 is hard to find anywhere. Last time I saw a first gen was at a repair shop in Chicago, and it looked like it had been there for years.
@@goneflying140 Yeah IKR but i own one of these dream cars now! 1987 Mitsubitshi Starion, which is the Rx-7's brother and i say this to say i also love the Rx-7, which i had a chance to buy a 1991 Purple Mazda Rx-7 GTU turbo convertible/blk top 5 spd, back in 1997, but brought an blk. 1991.5 Honda Accord Ex sedan instead that same day.
I owned both of these- the Rx-7 always felt faster because it was a lot noisier and a bit more harsh, but I always found the 944 was way more comfortable, and definitely handled better. I loved them both!
I also compared my mustang 5.0 to my porch 944 S . the book said the mustang was .01 second faster. The mustang felt much faster because of the surging short power band and gears. The porches was so smooth it felt much less impressive. Also handled like on rails of coarse. Very hard to break free.
Bought my RX7 directly off the showroom floor in '79. I've owned a lot of cars over the decades, but for sheer fun factor, the RX7 is still my favorite. It always put a smile on my face.
@@ghost.of.aleksz.salad. RX7 looks even worse. That sloped back looks like an overbred german shepherd. If you’re gonna copy atleast make it look nice.
Zoom-Zoom!! :-D My dad had an old RX7 like that. Fun car! I liked it so much that ~11 years later I bought the RX7 on the left. I've gotta say though, those 944s are sexy. Its design still impresses me 33 years later.
@@TornadoOfSouls777 Orient - Wikipedia tells me that “Oriental” took on a negative meaning (in the U.S.) during the Vietnam war when it was perceived to mean “opposite” or “other” in a pejorative sense-as in those “Orientals” are so different from us that they’ll never fit in, understand us, etc. It’s not that the literal meaning of the word is/was bad, but that some people started to use the term to disparage people from Asia. So now, the word is discouraged from use, because of its historical use as a derogatory term for Asians. Many people are too young to remember this association, or to have used or heard the word in this negative sense, so for them the word is simply antiquated.
I worked with a guy who was Thai/Chinese mix and he actually preferred being called Oriental rather than Asian because he said it differentiated him from other Asians such as Indians who really bear no resemblance to Asians such as Chinese. I've also spoke with a woman from Iraq who didn't mind if someone used to term Persian. She said if someone didn't know exactly where she was from she wouldn't care if they asked something like "Are you Persian?" because she could then say "Yes, I'm from Iraq." She said it's not very likely someone is going to know exactly where she's from but asking if she's Persian at least narrows the guess.
Gabriel Coffelt Mine has 144000 on the odometer but that stopped working years ago and haven't fixed it yet and I just now having my first major repair the radiator just gave out. Not to bad for a car that is nearly 30 years old.
+roadkillmatt I have a '86 944 Turbo with around 180 000km, only major repair I had to do is the clutch (thanks to the last owner), but honestly apart from the parts that are expensive, these cars won't give up on you as long as you give them the love they deserve :)
@@ojostumbados8544 na parts are ok just make sure buy the clean 1987 944S version with more horse power and try buying in good condition one. dont ever buy a junk porsche or u will spend tons of money and yet it will still look bad. always buy the best sample of it. good luck
On styling alone, the RX-7 would have been my choice. While the LRA and fade-prone brakes made it slower on the track, in everyday use, it wouldn’t matter much.
I worked briefly for Mazda and believe me; in everyday use the Porsche would of still been better. I remember all the Asian dudes shouting everytime a RX would come in 😂
The one thing that made me fear the RX7 handling was rain on Southern California roads. You had to slow down and treat corners with respect, or you would find the almost weightless rear end flying out from under you.
I used to own a mazda rx7, the same model like that one, mine was a 1985 gsl-se too! I used to love that car! If i knew then how valuable they where gonna be today! I would have kept it! Mine was charcoal black with red leather interior, full powered with power Windows, am fm clarion with equalizer radio and sunroof. And disc brakes all around.
and here it is 30 some odd years later and a decent condition 944 can be had for 3-5k. an rx7 in the same condition is a little more. about equal over all. but parts for the 944 are more readily available. both really cool cars
I loved my 944, was a cool car that felt faster than it was, bit tons of fun though these Appalachian mountains where I live. Mine was speed identically
Pan tera - Do you realize how many Japanese cars bodies are designed in Italy or the US?? Look it up, kid. I love cars from Japan (own 3 atm), US (One, right now), and Germany, as well as England, even some Swedish cars, but many, many Japanese cars are boring and uninspiring, unfortunately, and many of the better looking ones are knock offs, visually, of European (Sports) or American (SUV's) Cars, that's no secret.
I had an 84 GSL but had to sell it when NJ changed emissions testing to the Dyno. It couldn’t pass even after being leaned way out. Thanks a lot Whitman!!
+Julie Sczesny My Grandfather started our tradition with Celicas - he had the first three gens (which I inherited the 2nd and 3rd gens) and I bought the last 3 gens (that 7th one doesn't count - that's not a Celica). Each one was either GT, Supra or Turbo as offered - always the best model with us. My '94 Turbo is sik AF
+4gasem It is a cool story.My dad had a 68Charger and a 76L82 Stingray.Those memories growing up are priceless.He also had Henry J drag car with a 69DZ302 Z28Engine.It was a little scary.
I had an 84 RX-7 and really liked it. It was a fun 2 seater. Nice leather seats, great stock stereo and had a glass moon roof. Mine was pretty reliable too but i've heard others had their share of issues.
I had a 1984 RX-7 GSL-SE identical to the one in this video... black with maroon interior. It was a blast to drive. I later traded it in for the all new 1988 RX-7 convertible. Loved them both.
So funny my mom and dad both owned 944s. My dad had several over his lifetime and the one my mom had she sold to my dad. I've been driving a 85 rx7 for 6 months now. Just love it. Love both these cars. Grab one before people start collecting them
You really take for granted the straight-line speed cars have today, then you see 2 spec’d out 80s sports cars drag race. In the corners would’ve been another story, they’ll always have maneuverability on their side
I will never forget my first two 944's. The FB(not the correct body code I think) was my favorite as well. These two were my dynamic duo competing each other until the very end.
My brother actually owned both cars (at different times) - except his 944 was the turbo. I drove them both and I thought the RX-7 (with the 13B rotary like the one tested here as opposed to the 12A ) was more fun but the Porsche was SOOOOO smooth.
The 944 is a timeless beautiful design. I've always loved it! That said, my Dad had a '79 and '84 GSL-SE and those were really fun back then. My HS buddy and and soon-to-be college roommate owned every model 80s RX-7 over the years. He owned at least 5 over the years and 1 of them might have been a duplicate because he changed cars like underwear. Of those 80s cars he also had the '86 NA and '87 turbo model and convertible (his wife's car). I later followed their path with my '94 FD that I bought brand new with 9 miles on it and still own it today. Anyway, Mazdas always gave the Porsche 944 a good run for the money and the turbo models of both brands might have been even closer. I remember my buddy racing his '87 Turbo Rx-7 against his friend's 944 Turbo and it was SO close but the Porsche barely won in a straight line. I'd say they were almost equal. Yeah, those were fun years for Mazda! It's sad the FD didn't last longer in the USA. I bought my '94 brand new in April of '95, so that might tell you something about their falling sales figures. What a pity!
Thanks for the great throwback uploads. I am enjoying them a lot. New cars just don't interest me... Maybe do a 1997 or so Pontiac Sunfire or Chevy Cavalier one, if possible(suggestion lol)... Cheers :)
@@sunray2818 compair na to na, the rx7 makes more power. The turbo 2 makes more. A turbo 2 VS turbo 944 is more fair, I think the 944 makes a little more than the turbo 2 hp, but the rx7 turbo 2 is lighter.
I bought an '83 Rx7 gsl in 1988 in ND in a county of 60,000 ppl. and pretty sure it was the only one. Easy to get under 2000 lbs. and a redline @7000 rpm. Handled great and what a main street drag car sleeper at the time. Honda CRXs, 1st gen MR2s, Nissan Pulsars, Sciroccos, really ANY 4 cyl offering at the same price-point, were easy wins. The thing would chirp the tires going into 3rd if you were revving it out.
I race in 24 Hrs. of Lemons a 1983 RX7 with 84-85 front spindles and limited slip rear end and it does well against 944s when they can keep running. We all have plenty of fun.
My father had 1983 Porsche 944 with the extended taillight. Don't know if it was factory or aftermarket but it looked good. The car was magnificent, I used to admire it a lot as a kid. I'm sure, a basic BMW 320i can destroy on a drag race now but this car is something really special. I wasn't even focusing on that Mazda whatever it is !
There has always been drifting.Technically if the rear tires lose traction in a turn its oversteer.I've heard it called power sliding in the 70s,if you induced it with the throttle.Watch a dirt track race from the late 40s and 50s.Yes it's a new sport,and it is fun to watch.My 82TA drifted in the rain whether you wanted to or not!
I never had the 13B RX-7, only owned three older 12As ... I also owned a 944 and a 924. The review is spot on though. Ironically, the best handling of the five was my '79 924. The previous owner put on some low profile tires and larger wheels. The things that car could do in the foothills west of Denver, I was never able to duplicate (except maybe with my '91 Honda CRX Si). The 944 I owned felt heavy, and the tall stock tires made it feel disconnected on tight mountain roads (compared to the 924). I loved my '79 and '80 RX-7s (the 82 I had always felt a little sluggish for some reason - it ran well, but I think they added extra sound insolation and catalytic converter, and it just didn't have the sound of the early RX-7s with the "thermal reactors" (sounded cooler than the muffled catalytic converters, added a lot of character and exhaust pops). The RX-7's could definitely be scary in high-speed turns with the back end feeling like it was going to float right off into the ditch, but it never did. If I had my choice today of a project car, I would probably go with the '83-85 RX-7 GSL-SE with the 13B (But really ... if I really wanted a car with a lot of potential (and actual headroom for a 6'3" frame) I would go with a 1986 944 Turbo. As much as I like the Second Gen RX-7 Turbo II, I just dont fit inside of one. I have to tilt my head, esp with the sunroof closed.
Victor Pitts The 944 is pretty nice, typical german car in that it's very tight and a bit noisy inside. Oddly the early model 944's are pretty cheap parts wise and easy enough to work on Yourself. Most of the car is made up of Audi car parts which are still well supported,too. I love the RX7, but the first gen ones had a scary loose rear end if You weren't careful, but I love the rotary engine though. Porsche changed quite a lot on the 944 in the 06 model year, and almost all parts went up very high in price. They're not a money pit if You find a good one and can care for it yourself.
Oldbmwr100rs True. I have researched both cars very well. The RX-7 I bought actually has about everything done to it suspension wise and there is actually push now once into corners. She sticks. I would've loved a 944 85.5 so much more, but the cost would have been substantially more because I hear if you are going to get a 944 for a V8 swap, you might as well save up the 7-10k for the 951 due to all of the components that are upgraded. If I got a 944, I would've had to spend tons of money to get her going (around 10-12k for the swap and 951 parts) whereas the RX7 I got has everything done to her and she's begging for a V8. I am actually having a crisis and still debating selling the RX7 for another Miata, 240sx (I've owned 3), or an e30.
Victor Pitts Don't sell that RX, You'll be kicking yourself forever after! As for the 944, yeah You can stuff a V-8 in, or look for a turbo model, but why dig a money pit when You can get a decent enough one and just thrash it, enjoying the car as it was made? I know all about the "But I want more!" thing, but there are dead losses out there and with all You want to do it'll take forever and cost a fortune. Keep the RX, buy an old early Miata and have fun with that. I used to never be satisfied with what I had and went through a ton of motorcycles, finally realizing that a few mods and upgrades were all I needed to get the most out of a pretty stock bike really. Really, just wasting money trying to make a car something it wasn't meant to be is a waste. For that I say buy a fox body mustang and go nuts on chassis,and engine mods, at least it'll be Ford money instead of porsche money, and there'll always be someone who wants a project car. But then You've got an RX-7 where You can get a reman bridgeported engine, have a decent exhaust made, give it a more open intake and have a blast with it. I love rotary engines, they're just amazing to play with and tune! God the flames and fireballs My friends heavily ported RX-2 would make, especially when he turned on the N02 injection..And the noise, god it left Your ears ringing,but god was it fast!
Oldbmwr100rs Yeah man, I am on the fence about it completely. Every time I drive the RX, I fall in love more because I'll be approaching a turn and it will be 'So, I hear yah like taking turns fast?' Then the bitch just flys through without fuss at the top of 7k+ RPMs, planted. It's a gorgeous car, but the main reason why I may trade her for a 240sx or something is because I would feel strange beating the RX with a V8. I already own a first gen Miata and love that car to death. I really don't know what I am doing with my life right now... The RX is great, but horrid on gas mileage because I flog it everywhere. It won't be a while until I prep the thing for a V8 and I am burning money pretty fast everytime I drive it until then. I posted the RX on CL just to see who bites. So far I have been offered a GSX-R with 1000 mods and it's only been 12 hours along with other inquires. I will put this one in the hands of the Car Gods.
That rotary engine is a different thing all together. The cylinder heads on a Porches 944 are magical. Four unicorns, pulling a magical pumpkin carriage. And midnight are the like the midnight of Venus, 243 days . The magical dance ball party ending time is far off.
The GSL-SE was clearly the better bang for the buck and this must have infuriated Porsche. The 944 Turbo was a step ahead of the RX-7 Turbo II in the late 80's. I was there, I lived it! I even have a pic of my old Turbo II on my profile page.
You were literally sitting on the ground in the RX-7. Fun little car but on the highway you couldn't see around anybody. I did like those pop up lights though. The sun roof as well. Mine was also black.
I drove the earlier RX7 and own a 924S (both euro spec). As an overall driver the Porker definitely has the edge. The Rotary engine of the Mazda was wonderful but needed to be revved but the worst thing about it was the steering - too much play. Still, a nice little sports car overall. As for looks, the RX7 was purer looking than that later one. Very good looking car. As is the Porsche - narrower body than the 944. Can't split them.
Jan-Michael Franklin The live rear wasn't the problem, it was the way the Watts pivot point was mounted and the fact that it had unequal-length links as a result that caused it to bind, reducing rear traction and causing snap oversteer. A live rear axle can easily be made to handle beautifully. If that weren't true you wouldn't have so many corner-carving Mustangs and Camaros. All truth be told, a Watts link is actually superior to a panhard bar as far as centering the axle under squat, it's just that the SA-chassis RX-7 is a special case. Mazda made too many compromises with limited space and they ended screwing up the geometry horribly. Rather than mount the pivot point at the axle center like they should have done (preferably the diff cover), it's mounted to the side of the diff area toward the left side of the car and has unequal-lenth link tubes, causing it to bind. Typical Watts link: www.kamispeed.com/v/vspfiles/photos/WTL.W81274-3.jpg Mazda RX-7: v8mongrel.com/_i/060424_work/09_060424_rnd.jpg
WKZworks Huh? I never knew that was a problem. The best part is I know the difference between a Watt's link and a Panhard bar setup. I guarantee that most reading this don't. Good handling is a fine art that is not readily understood by even most car enthusiasts. It's some combination of good equipment AND good execution that makes the critical difference. A simple suspension done well can outperform a complicated one done poorly.
This is true, but in standard production trim solid rear axles don't offer the same levels control as IR's. This is why every rear drive car has gotten away from solid rear ends.
I grew up on MotorWeek. As I got a bit older I couldnt help but notice that their test drivers do not know how to get the most out of any care pretty much. These old MW clips are still fun though
I had an 84 RX-7 ...Fully loaded . Fun little car. I think the model was GSL-SE . Idk ..But it had 2 leather seats . Power windows . Pretty decent stock stereo. Dont think the seats were power.
Had a gray '83 and had to sell it to pay for a roof. 🙁 Had a blue '85 with the 13-B but that got wrecked by a guy going ~50 mph and didn't notice that the line of traffic had stopped. Undoubtedly late for the Einstein family reunion. 🙄 Gentlemen, you haven't lived until you get rear-ended so hard that the nose of your RX-7 is forced underneath the bumper of the SUV in front of you, which in turn causes the SUV to back up on your hood and across your windshield, coming to rest after rotating 90° on the top of your roof then dropping its nose down to touch the pavement... Two years ago I lucked into another gray one (my favorite color) -- an almost dead-mint but worked 1984 -- it's essentially a track car because with an '84 there's no DMV inspection -- with only 89,000 miles on it. From 10 - 15 feet away it looks like I'm back at a Mazda dealership in 1984, ready to buy a new car. Yessss...
PS: yeah, that SUV on my roof caper made the local TV news. All three stations. I took screenshots of the view from the helicopters which had filmed it. Got to watch myself on TV, too.
Both cars are pretty sweet, but I would probably lean towards the 944 just due to a longer lasting engine and better fuel mileage. I've seen first gen RX-7's last waaaay longer than their supposed shelf lives, however.
When the RX-7 was first introduced, I put my name on the waiting list to buy it. Over a month later, I got the call to come down to the dealership. I loved the car but it was a no sale. The reason, it only came with checkerboard patterned upholstery. This car's was black and white. No way was I going to fork out money, to buy my first new car and have it come with an idiotic looking interior. In hindsight, I'm now really glad I didn't, due to the rotary engines problems.
The only problem as with most mechanical issues with cars are lack of maintenance. Change oil every 3k miles in a rotary use quality fuel and change your plugs each year and you will have a long trouble free life.
I paid a lady $50 for the privilege of removing an 87 GXL from her property. A new heater core inlet hose and an oil change later it was back on the road.
Watch it break and cost you 4 times the amount of the cars value lmao. Thats how these cars work... 928's and 944's. I once talked to a porsche specialist mechanic and he told me "friends don't let friends buy 928's and 944's" because they are cheap and tempting to buy but absolute money pits that aren't even that good looking or fast.
Robert C I work as an apprentice Porsche cup car tech. As long as you know how to properly maintain the car itll be fine. Ive spent roughly $800 in parts. These are solid cars and dont just break down like some piece of shit truck. The only issue with these cars is because its an interference engine, if the timing belt goes the damage will be catastrophic. Drive it often and enough common sense to give the car proper maintenance, the car will be fine, and yes parts can be quite pricey, same with just about any car.
ProVision3187 Ok then you should be good, but I mean don't kid yourself, prices are still porsche parts. Japanese and American parts are far cheaper. And what do you mean piece of shit truck lol, if you maintain a 944 perfectly and a 90's toyota pickup perfectly the truck will of course be more reliable.
Robert C toyota makes great reliable trucks. just im my experience, specifically fords, all types of engine codes and issues.. and lots of headaches. Theyre just not built to last.
Mazda chased Porsche in handling until the 3rd gen, along with the NSX put the world on notice that the bar had to been raised way up. Stranger still today we live in a world where a Camaro can shame most BMW M cars in handling.
The first gen RX-7's had really bad problems with their watts link binding. It's a geometry problem that caused them to become inconveniently tail happy off-throttle.
If that's the only problem you had then your car was awesome! Try replacing an engine every 2 years! I was told it was because I didn't redline it when It needed it so I just took it as it was my fault for buying a sports car for driving regularly...
MitsuUltra Likely you/your dealer/mechanic/your car were doing something wrong. Carbureted RX-7 engines (12A =1146cc) were easily good for 120,000+ miles if properly maintained. Fuel injected 13B engines (1308cc) were good for at least 100,000 miles. All Mazda rotaries were designed to put a slight amount of engine oil into the gas to lube the apex seals inside of the engine. If THAT failed to work properly, I could EASILY see an engine going early. Also, you DON'T overheat a rotary without expensive results.
snowrocket Year ago, had a roomie with a black RX7 in the shop for engine work, who desperately needed something from Home Depot. Loaned him my black '83 944, told him to take side streets. Jerk just HAD to blow my clutch, seeing how fast she'd go down the freeway! Guess he had a great time doing it! Kept saying, "She really goes 143!" I said, "NEVER AGAIN!" He's lucky I was going to replace the clutch the next month. It was actually quite an interesting thing, when we had BOTH cars in the same household. True "Love/Hate" relationships with his car! Mine seemed to run, to spite his, side by side in the garage. Mine runs like a champ most of the time, just replaced the clutch master & slave cylinder. I put aside on average $500 yr for repairs a year, which I think is fine. C/V joints, next. Not expensive, if you just plan ahead, with preventative care from a competent mechanic.
Got a hold of 86 rx-7 sound body took out rotary cleaned all parts the rebuild kit atkins 1300.00 can't wait to get spare change to fix up this rare hard to find car been fun so far and no hurry
