Fresh Rebuild, Extensive Maintenance, Super Clean FD3S RX7
1993 Mazda RX-7 Touring Description:
Summary: 1993 Mazda RX7 Touring, 117,511 miles, 5-speed manual, VIN JM1FD3316P0201657, approximately 10k on new motor, extensive mechanical and cosmetic reconditioning recently completed.In the following paragraphs I will attempt to describe in full detail my FD3S RX-7. This car has been a labor of love since 2015, and I’m only selling (along with my 911) to pay off my house and be debt free. I purchased this car from a close friend in Maryland, his father purchased the RX-7 new and used it as a daily driver in Southern California. When his father died in 2014, my friend had the car shipped to Maryland with the intention of keeping it. Unfortunately, my friend is about 6’4” and simply too tall to fit. Because we have a long history with cars, he sold it to me knowing that I would restore it to like new condition.
Exterior: Extensively reconditioned in 2016 including a full professional repaint in the original Silverstone Silver Metallic, refinished OEM wheels in black, removal of the rear wiper (still works and included), professional tinting of the rear reflector/backup combo light to match the rear lights, Depo clear front turn signals (originals included), repainting of the cowl and wiper arms, new badges, shaved front emblem (easily reinstalled), and an R1 front lip. As you would expect the condition today is essentially perfect, there are no scratches, chips, dents, or other damage. Paint quality is top notch with no flaws, a deep shine, and no swirls or other signs of wear. The wheels are in like new condition. The only exterior flaws of note are a slight dent in one of the original exhaust tips and a few light scratches on the tail light lenses. No accident history. Southern California car since new so there is zero rust and it is totally dry underneath, which makes it very easy to work on. It is an exceptionally nice car that will have people following you into gas stations to ask about it, which has happened to me multiple times.
Interior: Also extensively refinished and upgraded. Every feature works including ice cold A/C, power windows and mirrors, cruise control, lights, etc. All of the soft touch plastics that chip and scratch on every RX7 were removed, stripped, and refinished in a nice contrasting silver that does a very nice job of brightening up the drab FD interior. When the dash was apart I also tested every cluster bulb. The OEM “bus wheel” was replaced with a Mazda Nardi wheel of smaller diameter with cruise control, all buttons are fully operable (original wheel included). The shift boot and e-brake boot were replaced with Nappa leather replacement parts. A JDM armrest and coin pocket was added to the console (original included). The audio system was totally rebuilt, with the factory Bose door speaker units and the rear Acoustic Wave subwoofer being sent to a specialist for the rebuild of the amps and inspection of the speaker cones. The factory speakers are now being fed by a Pioneer DEH80PRS head unit, an audiophile quality unit that automatically configures the internal equalizer via a microphone that measures the acoustic environment of the interior. The factory Bose amps are fed via the 5V RCA preouts from the head unit, the overall result is very good. There is also Bluetooth hands-free and phone with an external mic, and an aux and USB input. Note that the head unit is a recent upgrade not shown in pictures, I wasn’t happy with the sound quality of the previous aftermarket head unit. The shift knob is an RX8 shift knob with the proper 5-speed pattern on the cap (original included). The pointless rear cubbys have been replaced with a JDM rear seat complete with seat belts, which I installed so my kids could come along for rides. The rear seatback folds for more cargo capability. Carpets are original and very clean, with Lloyd Rubbertite mats in the front and cargo area and JDM mats in back. Leather is still soft and supple in front, with frequent Leatherique treatments. The interior is overall in excellent condition, the only flaws are a few small scuffs on lower interior plastics, a small split in the vinyl on the left rear seat (see pictures), light bolster wear on the passenger seat, and moderate bolster wear on the driver’s seat.
Mechanical: My focus was to have a great looking FD that was reliable and a blast to drive, so substantial focus has been on maintenance. At 105,549 the engine was replaced with a Mazda remanufactured unit, and at the same time the clutch, radiator, air separator tank, belts, hoses, and a number of other items were replaced, all with Mazda OEM parts. I have done a number of maintenance and reliability upgrades since 2016 including fuel filter, fuel filter sock, spark plugs, spark plug wires, shifter bushings, air filter, multiple oil changes, oxygen sensor, transmission fluid, differential fluid, brake fluid, cleaned grounds, Bridgestone Potenza RE970AS tires, coolant, throttle cable, and coolant caps. In the fall of 2017 I undertook a substantial refresh of the upper engine and removed the intake and most equipment to replace/refresh everything. Ultimately I ended up replacing every coolant hose on the entire engine, replaced every vacuum hose with black silicone, replaced every vacuum fitting, replaced the check valves with Viton valves, totally rebuilt the vacuum “rat’s nest” with all new solenoids and silicone hose, tested all three coils, cleaned the intercooler, replaced the fuel pulsation damper, fuel pressure regulator, cleaned the fuel rail, replaced every fuel line in the engine bay, had the fuel injectors professionally cleaned and flow tested, replaced the fuel temp sensor, coolant temp sensor, ECU temp sensor, added a fast-acting IAT sensor, FC fan switch, tested every other solenoid/sensor/valve, replaced belts, replaced the hood liner, replaced the front crossmember, replaced the throttle dashpot, cleaned and readjusted the throttle body, replaced PCV valve, replaced battery tray, replaced hood bumpers, and probably a few other things I’ve forgotten. No stone was left unturned, and the end result has been consistent and reliable performance without any worries about what else might go wrong. Reliability upgrades installed during my ownership include a stainless high-flow downpipe with JetHot coating (original included), stainless high flow catted midpipe (original included), aluminum AST (original included), Hallman Pro RX manual boost controller (to prevent boost creep, not increase it), modified lower intake box and heat shield, adding grounds per Mazda guidance, fast acting IAT, FC thermoswitch, and premix with every gas tank. Needless to say I have been incredibly OCD about this car, and the end result is an FD that I would (and do) drive anywhere. It starts, runs, and drives fantastic, and does not have any leaks or issues. Smooth and consistent strong performance from the engine, tight shifting, tight steering that tracks straight without vibration, and strong brakes with a firm pedal and no pulsation. The only remaining project would be refreshing the suspension, while it does drive very nicely the rear pillow-ball bushings are getting a little clunky and could stand to be replaced. Otherwise this is as turn-key mechanically as the FD RX-7 gets.
Summary: This car has been a labor of love, and I will miss it dearly. I am an anal-retentive engineer and about the biggest car guy you’ll find, and have done my absolute best to describe the pros and cons in total honesty. I have really enjoyed owning one of the dream cars of my youth and suspect that in a few years I will regret this sale, as the FD3S is on just about “future classic” list from industry experts. Clean and clear KS title in my name, ready to sell. I have well over 100 photos and an Excel maintenance file available by email upon request, and please let me know if you have any questions.
Title
Mileage
Location
Engine
T/M
Year
14,624
Granbury, Texas, United States
13b
Automatic
1980
82,277
Local pick-up only
1.3L 13B RE-EGI
Manual
1988
44200
Granbury, Texas, United States
13B
Manual
1993
98000
Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
13B
Manual
1993
130,000
Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
13B
Manual
1994
36,200
Willowbrook, Illinois, United States
1.3L R2
Manual
1987
