How the Mazda RX-7 Became a Legend - The Ultimate Rotary Sports Car!

Рет қаралды 27,195

Күн бұрын

The RX-7 can be considered to be one of the most iconic JDM sports cars of its time. The Mazda RX-7 was in production for three gens, all of which made use of the compact, lightweight Wankel Rotary Engine. All the fans can easily recognize this car from the Fast and Furious Franchise where it was driven by Dominic Toretto in the very first movie of the series. The franchise brought it back for the Tokyo Drift where Han's Mazda RX-7 was easily the most beautiful car in that movie.
Mazda RX-7 was not the first rotary-engined car that was launched by the company, that would be the Cosmo Sport which had come out almost a decade earlier. Mazda got into using these engines as they had a number of advantages. The Wankel Rotary Engine has a power to weight ratio of 3:1 over a standard engine, it also revs at higher rpm, due to lesser moving parts, it was much cheaper to produce than the standard piston engine.
This is the story or the Mazda RX-7

Пікірлер: 102

@ThisOldCarChannel Жыл бұрын

Hello everyone! Can you PLEASE HELP US? Subscribe to our channel and support us. It's FREE and we promise we won't bother you. We want to thank ALL who have supported our channel. It's because of YOU that we keep growing. As always, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING OUR VIDEOS! - (Danny and Michael) The Boca Brothers.

@zeppelinkiddy Жыл бұрын

When my wife graduated from nursing school and became an RN, we bought a new red 1984 RX-7 GS to replace her POS '75 Ford Pinto. She had never driven a stick but she learned quick. Being her first sports car car she drove it hard and fast. Running through the gears down our Pasadena neighborhood steet each morning to work, one of our Caltech neighbors nicknamed her "Red Shift" after what happens when you approach the speed of light. She loved that car, so much to that after we hard our first child we installed a folding rear seat kit for the baby seat. But after 120K miles & 11-years, a second child and growing 5-year old first child, the time had come to sadly say goodby. The red RX-7 was replaced with a new Ford Explorer. But we still have the great memories of that car and that time.

@ThisOldCarChannel Жыл бұрын

Awesome read! Thanks for sharing. It's comments like this that brings joy in producing these videos! Thank you.

@Chris-rt5qu Жыл бұрын

Rad story, thanks for sharing

@Spartan265 Жыл бұрын

Any reason you didn’t keep it and get the explorer as well? Assuming you could afford to do so of course. I know children are expensive.

@ojbarberena7090 Жыл бұрын

In highschool my teacher had a first gen silver RX-7. Loved that car. Another teacher had a 1979 black Z28

@ThisOldCarChannel Жыл бұрын

Yup remember those days! Graduated in 82. Loved those cars.

@KenanTurkiye Жыл бұрын

There's nothing like a good braap braap braap !!! Love rotaries!

@boyfrmnewyork Жыл бұрын

Currently have 6 first gen RX7s, one is a race car. The engines are bullet proof, Change the oil and red line it once a day to exercise the apex seals and you're good to go!

@RipTWD 9 ай бұрын

They pull straight to the red line. There's a buzzer for a reason!

@boyfrmnewyork 9 ай бұрын

@@RipTWD You bet ya!;)

@ojbarberena7090 Жыл бұрын

In 1979 I had a 74 Mazda rotary pick up.

@markallen2984 Жыл бұрын

It's funny how few people remember the rotary pickup. I remember having an argument with a salesman at a Mazda dealer who said that Mazda never built a rotary pickup. And that disagreement occurred more than 25 years ago

@ThisOldCarChannel Жыл бұрын

wow!!!

@terrybeavan4264 Жыл бұрын

@@markallen2984 LOL sounds about right! I've had too many conversations with car dealers like this, and believe me motorcycle dealers are far worse--it's like motorcycle years are in dog or worse yet hamster years or something like that. If it's last years model it not only no longer exists it never did LOL! Imagine having that conversation about a motorcycle at the parts counter--only you rode up to the dealer on the very model they claim never existed and it's only 5 years old!

@Idoubbleyou 3 ай бұрын

@@markallen2984 I used to own a 77 Mazda rotary pickup. But it was more of a project than I could handle at the time.

@markallen2984 Жыл бұрын

I remember when the RX7 first came out, I instantly loved it. The second generation was also cool, but I think it lost some of its uniqueness imitating the styling of the Porsche 944. When the third generation RX7 came out, I thought it was almost as beautiful as a Jaguar E-Type and I test drove one.... Unfortunately its' cabin was just too cramped for me. I was 6 ft 2 and maybe 180 lb about the time so I wasn't a huge guy but I just couldn't get comfortable in that beautiful chariot. I finally bought an RX8 in the first year of production. It was yellow. I had two young kids at the time and they loved sitting in the back with their little "suicide" doors. That car was so much fun to drive, it handled beautifully and it had unique (and I thought very cool) styling. I still kind of daydream about getting a first generation RX7

@ThisOldCarChannel Жыл бұрын

Awesome rides at the time. I wished I could afford one but fresh out of high school in 1982, wasn't gonna happen. I at least has my 77 Formula Firebird. lol

@Primus54 Жыл бұрын

Always loved the RX7, but never drove one (I was a Z car owner!). Sadly, the RX8 successor has been gone over a decade. I guess Mazda just couldn’t afford to market two different sports cars at the same time anymore. The Miata has certainly proven its worth.

@ThisOldCarChannel Жыл бұрын

Drove one in 83. A year out of high school and they let me take it for a spin! Awesome!

@seinsmeld13 Жыл бұрын

Great car. I almost bought one in 1979 however I bought a Mustang Turbo instead as I got it at cost as my father was employed by Ford. I wish I would have bought the RX7 instead.

@ThisOldCarChannel Жыл бұрын

SVO?

@seinsmeld13 Жыл бұрын

@@ThisOldCarChannel No it wasn't an SVO.

@justinborysenko3885 Жыл бұрын

I owned both the 79 Turbo Mustang and a 1979 LS RX7. The RX7 was the better car but the mustang had 4 seats

@seinsmeld13 Жыл бұрын

@@justinborysenko3885 Yes it did have 4 seats which I needed with the job I was doing at the time. Cheers.

@williamwilkes2856 Жыл бұрын

Loved those cars. I had two of them....an 83 and an 84. Won many races with both.

@youtubecarspottersguide1 Жыл бұрын

I wanted one still have the poster that I had on my bedroom wall. would been a cool car for my 16th birthday

@OLDS98 Жыл бұрын

New graphics and images and a new look to the videos. Well put together video.

@ThisOldCarChannel Жыл бұрын

Thanks OLDS98. Don't think our viewers like foreign cars but maybe they will surprise us. I threw it out there anyway!

@OLDS98 Жыл бұрын

@@ThisOldCarChannel All you can do is try. See what happens. To quote that old Ford LTD II commercial from the late 70's "You'll never know until you try. I am not a fan of some cars, but I watch to learn for the content. Variety is indeed the spice of life.

@ThisOldCarChannel Жыл бұрын

@@OLDS98 Yes sir! Thank you!

@terrybeavan4264 Жыл бұрын

@@ThisOldCarChannel I've not been subscribed for too long but I'm going to say this is the best video I've seen from you, and certainly one I can relate to! Never owned an RX7 but in early 1988 after getting my first real job I test drove an '83 (loved the car, couldn't handle the price at the time) and rode in quite a few others. But I've owned a couple Mazdas and my daily driver for over 13 years was a very much loved '97 Miata M Edition, the car I regret parting with the most by far and that includes among other cars a '96 Corvette Collector Edition and 2004 Nissan 350Z. Loved those commercial clips with James Garner, one of my favorite actors, I'd forgotten he'd done these!

@ThisOldCarChannel Жыл бұрын

@@terrybeavan4264 Thank you Terry! Appreciate ya!

@ericjorgensen4826 6 ай бұрын

I had a 1983 and 1985, both bought new. I do not remember the trim on the '83, but the '85 was the GSL-SE. The bigger engine, leather, air conditioning. Both cars were silver. Beautiful cars. Only sold it (in 1990) because I was moving for new work and needed a sedan. I never had any problems with either car. If I remember correctly, I paid $15,000 for the '85 GSL-SE. I think the refresh of the first generation body shape (the one with the wrap-around tail lights), of which both the '83 and '85 were, are the best looking RX-7s. Got a Mazda 929 after I moved. Now drive a Tessie. The Model X Plaid which I think is kind of "funny looking". I think the Model 3 is the best looking Tessie. Daughter and step-son both have Model 3 Tessies.

@GeeEm1313 Жыл бұрын

I used to see Series 4s and 5s all over Maryland. I loved those cars. Very 944/928esque.

@vinniejudilla3921 Жыл бұрын

I had a 91 that I put together from pieces, blew it up and then became a dad. Got rid of it in 96 and miss it every day since

@christopherkraft1327 Жыл бұрын

The Mazda RX7 is a great car!!! My favorite is the 1st generation!!! 👍👍🎄

@unamused3420 4 ай бұрын

My 1st car in high school was an 82 RX7 GS. So many fun memories in that car.

@jimbobshambles 3 ай бұрын

My sister got a brand new red Mazda RX-7 in 1983 and I loved that car!🤘

@villyrivera6856 Жыл бұрын

In 1984 I had a 1979 red RX7 with the 12 A engine, don't let the horsepower fool you! That rotary engine was strong and powerful with the 4-barrel factory holey carburetor. Great cars good luck trying to find a mechanic who knows how to work on the rotary engine.

@drobson8004 Ай бұрын

4 barrel Holley?

@commandertopgun 5 ай бұрын

Wow on my bucket list for 2024, always love these 1st gen Mazda Rx7, fantastic video history.

@junuc10 7 ай бұрын

My first car 78 and probably the best car I have ever owned !

@gregmakulec3092 5 ай бұрын

My first new car was a silver over red '84 Rx-7 GSL-SE. Fabulous car. Wish I still had it!

@cyberfux Жыл бұрын

The title says it all: "The Only Car with a Rotary engine!" Except the 1960 NSU Prinz III. And the 1963 NSU Wankel Spider. And the 167 NSU Ro 80. Don't forget the first non-german one, the 1967 Mazda Cosmo Sport. Or the 1969 Citroen M35. Or the 1970 Mercedes-Benz C111. Or the 1974 Citroen GS Birotor.

@Fvck-diversity Жыл бұрын

We all knew someone that had one!!

@ThisOldCarChannel Жыл бұрын

yup!

@Gdogg2448 Жыл бұрын

Great documentory. Had an 84 GSL black and red in the 90s. Once Florida did away with emmissions testing in the mid 90s I slapped a Webber downdraft and a Racing Beat exhaust on it. Fun litte car.

@catoway312 Ай бұрын

The most fun I had driving the backroads in was my 81 ❤

@roadhammermike757 27 күн бұрын

Yes I have a 1988 10th anniversary I've had it for about 15 years now great car for what it is.

@RipTWD 9 ай бұрын

My first two cars were a '79 RX-7 & an '87 Turbo. Damn, I miss them!

@mkshffr4936 Жыл бұрын

Far from the only rotary. A highschool friend had both an RX-3 wagon and an RX-4 sport coupe. The 4 was especially cool. And then there was the NSU Wankel Spider, Citroen GS Birotor, and NSU RO 80. And apparently AMC offered a Pacer with a rotary for a short time.

@renzorebuli6088 2 ай бұрын

in 1974 i got my first rotary engine a brand new 74 rx3 for 4000$ Australian and in 1984 I got a brand new rx7 fb and still got now after 40 years and going great ❤❤

@gscott1204 3 ай бұрын

I had a 1984 one RX7 GSL. Loved it

@Doc1855 Жыл бұрын

My dad had an 87, RX-7 turbo. It looked like a Porsche. It was incredibly fast, but it was in the shop more than it was out

@nigelmcclure6440 4 ай бұрын

I have always loved the Mazda RX-7

@TooLooze Жыл бұрын

I got a brand new 85 GSL-SE with the 15B engine the year my son was born and gave it to him for his 18th birthday. I bought a matching back seat from a Japanese Savanna. Never had an iota of trouble with it except that it was un-drivable in the rain. When I bought it, the service manager told me to disregard the break-in period and just drive the hell out of it. I pegged the 140 MPH speedometer.

@ronaldmiller2740 Жыл бұрын

BB. GREAT VIDEO!!! GREAT CAR..MY MOTHER HAD ONE RX7,, MY FRIENDS THOUGHT SHE WAS WAS THE HOTTY OF THE STREETS ,, SHE WAS TTB.,, THE BLOND BOMBER WITH GREAT HAIR BLOWING IN THE WIND SHE COULD DO A CAR AD,, EVEN WITH HER GREAT BODY.. THANKS..

@nostyx 2 ай бұрын

I had an 88 Turbo2 in my younger years. It was my first car that I bought with my own money. In factory form it was kind of a joke to be honest, the turbo lag was real. LOL Tuned it up a bit and it quickly became quite the beast of a little car. I regret selling it. They don't make cars like these anymore.

@ThisOldCarChannel 2 ай бұрын

They served their purpose for the period I always say. Looking back, we had cars that wished we had kept. In 1984, I traded in a 1978 Trans Am for a 1978 Honda Accord. I couldn't afford the gas. I wished I'd a kept it!

@mikeybarboza3086 Жыл бұрын

My very 1st car was a 1986 Mazda rx-7 back in 2003 right after i turned 16 1/2 and got my license. I bought it for $2k thing only had 87k miles on it and was in perfect condition my uncles pastor owned it before me and sold it bc it was to loud and fast for him. I LOVED that car man and after i put it through a telephone pole in early 2005 when I woke in hospital the first thing I asked was "hows my car" the nurse responded by saying your lucky to be alive, your car doesn't exist anymore. Talk about heartbreak man, if only it had power steering....

@CigaraStCistar Жыл бұрын

Red or Black that's it back in the day. Never owned one but cousin had 81 & 85. Fun times, enjoyed video.

@oswaldhackett5686 9 ай бұрын

I love the rx7, i have two of them 1st gen ,one with the 12 a ,used to race in atlanta and the other same car but with a 13 b swapped engine, both are race cars here in barbados

@oldrrocr Жыл бұрын

Thanks for this! I loved all my RX7s! (actually, all my Mazdas) I bought one of the first in the States in 1978 (without even driving it). Intend to keep my current one (a pristine stock 1989 FC) for the duration.😁

@petertornabeni602 Жыл бұрын

Boka bros. Has excellent content. More please.

@glenkepic3208 Жыл бұрын

Nice. The older brother of a guy i knew since the first grade in like '61 bought a first gen RX new. Quickly crashed it. Bought another ;). Worked with a small company '00 or so. Family biz. Wife had a RX like his. She loved it !!

@williambone7724 Жыл бұрын

Why doesn't Mazda bring this awesome automobile back?!

@kyledexter485 Жыл бұрын

Great videos guys!! Really hope to see an RX8 video also.

@ThisOldCarChannel Жыл бұрын

Thanks Kyle. See how this vid goes. So far not much interest in it. Appreciate your support!

@skip741x3 Ай бұрын

These always felt like a totally no nonsense, drivers car.... very purposeful and super flickable thru the corners...Not many cars are this lightweight these days..

@missingpiece2071 5 ай бұрын

I got a 1986 Mazda, Model: FC. Love the car but everything is for sale for the right price

@grimreaper5521 Жыл бұрын

I loved the old rx7 plus they had some nice interior

@user-ts6xn5mq8q Жыл бұрын

I had the '84 GSL-SE and it was a blast to drive. As much as I loved the car, when the convertible debuted in 1988, I just had to have one; thus trading-in my GSL-SE for a black '88 convertible with grey interior (am bummed that you didn't recognize the introduction of the convertible). And to me, the Series 6 (1993 to 1995) RX-7 is one of the most stunning cars ever made.

@linwoodccole9765 Жыл бұрын

The 1st gen and the last gen are my main favorites

@gino2033 Жыл бұрын

Could ya imagine if they gave the RX 7 a 2 liters or larger Rotary motor?

@rickintexas1584 Жыл бұрын

I was surprised to learn that the first generation only had 100 horsepower. Thankfully they got that number up to a very respectable 255.

@rotart12arx3 Жыл бұрын

That was not the 12A that put out 255 HP.

@courtney5796 3 ай бұрын

I had an '83 Rx7 Gsl SE in '89. I won a lot of money with that thing. Faster 1/4 than an '83 Porcshe 944 edit: The Porsches' bigger brakes and better suspension was better on track, I will admit. No track here in 1989. Just light to light on the main drag...

@halkyles9507 4 ай бұрын

The RX7 was introduced in North America in 1978 as a 1979 model. There was no 1978 model sold in the USA.

@The_R-n-I_Guy Жыл бұрын

I've never been around one. But I've always been curious about the rotary engine. I wouldn't mind having any of them. But my first choice would be the first gen

@edwincintron9293 5 ай бұрын

I hava a 1985 gsl 12a and I love it

@WetheJury-gn6vx 7 ай бұрын

Yes

@jensahlers Ай бұрын

Ich mag sehr gerne den SA.

@toyoracer33 9 ай бұрын

I can't stand computer read scripts. I only made it about 30 seconds into this video before I had to stop

@ThisOldCarChannel 9 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching. Just makes me wonder how some of our viewers think we're AI voices. No disrespect but what makes you think that? I'm just curious. My only rational is that viewers are so use to other youtubers adlibbing and we read direct from a script. Is this what you meant? We sound AI?

@rayjames6096 Жыл бұрын

If it was invented the British probably think they invented it.

@vassa1972 Жыл бұрын

Loved the car wished that I had one

@ThisOldCarChannel Жыл бұрын

Same here!

@stevenroche9874 Жыл бұрын

Not much said about RX-7 Turbo models.

@Volstx Жыл бұрын

Do you make ur videos on windows xp?

@rst4u1999 Жыл бұрын

Had one, not believing that 0-60 in 6.3. Not with 100 HP

@rotart12arx3 Жыл бұрын

More like 8.5 seconds.

@TheZXKUQYB Жыл бұрын

79 Rx7 was a PoS in many ways. The engine had a manual choke , thermal reactor, point based distributor & vinyl seats. Which means when it was cold, you are risking a major backfire esp when your points were bad. Points would degrade in 2k miles. Drove the 79 for 3years until 85 rx7 gslse, 85 is a nice car. I don't believe there was gsl model until 80 or 81

@althunder4269 Жыл бұрын

They went to electronic ignition in 1980 and that could be retrofitted to the earlier cars. 1981 replaced the thermal reactor with a catalytic converter which was much better.

@TheZXKUQYB Жыл бұрын

@Al Thunder Though seeing my neighbors jumping, running or hiding from backfire was funny. Especially in the morning, heading to high school. Though the Haynes Manual was incredibly detailed and I learned car maintenance and mechanical skills. Ya I replaced the distributor through racing beat, carb, headers,exhaust,intake, and many others. Everything on that car was weak. Then you see GSLSE and it's awesome minus the TB warping, oil cooler, multiple injector baffles. Though I did modify the 13B engine. I put the 1st series of Blizzaks with the fresh limited slip. Might have been rear wheel drive but I could climb a snow bank w that car. I miss that GSLSE.

@mlasieur 3 ай бұрын

I had the red one....sun roof... millenial anti theft version!

@hondfil Ай бұрын

Спрете ! Ще ви кажа после,,,,

@hondfil Ай бұрын

Не е за всеки.

@ldnwholesale8552 Жыл бұрын

This MAY be ok for US models, but NOT the rest of the world. Here in Oz no first gen RX7 had efi or 13B. The bolt pattern changed from 4 x110 th 114.3 somewhere into S2. As for 'lightweight' Wankel engine. Compare that with some alloy 4 cyl engines and they are heavy. Fun car to drive when they actually start but drink more fuel than a 6 litre engine and have little engine braking. And yes I have had a few, all S1. Sold them for people to build racecars from

@stefanpaege2046 Жыл бұрын

Sorry but I have to disagree with the title of this video. The NSU Wankel Spider & the NSU RO 80 were in fact commercial rotary engined cars & logically before Mazda chronologically.