Reminiscing

[Signal 2]

Ok, just for a change from the latest "how do I do this?" and "why won't it start?" threads......

Something "cpaman" said in a recent thread started me reminiscing about my first rotary, a 1981 RX7 "S" model. First brand-new car I ever bought (yeah, I'm a fossil). But what a car. It was light, quick and generally faster IMO, than anything else in it's class for the time....Porsche 924; Datsun 280ZX, MG's Triumphs and all the rest. Here in the midwest, the rotary was still a somewhat of a novelty. I remember the dealership had a rotating plastic model just to explain how it worked. My friends thought I was a little crazy. LOL, some still do. But damn....as "cpaman" put it in the other thread, "the car HAD personality".
I was still pretty poor then, hence I got just the 'S' model which for those too young to remember, was the "base". I later added the factory cassette deck and put on some aftermarket wheels with wide(r) tires. Ended up selling it over three years later to buy my 1st house. IIRC, it had ~ 25k miles but I still sold it for only $1200 less than what I paid for it new. Got married, kids etc. and when the the 3rd gens came out, I told my wife that I would have one some day. Not sure she really believed me until I pulled into the driveway some years back after traveling 11 hours to pick my FD up.
Anyway, thanks for indulging the old guy. Anyone else wants to reminisce, feel free. You don't have to be old.

 

[G-Papi]

I've posted a couple of times about my first new car; 1977 RX-sp. Yep, I'm probably even older than you.

I even found a pic of its twin (except for the front air dam. Mazda had an air dam on the front of that thing that looked like a train's cow-catcher. I lost it in splinters at the first steep driveway. It was my first experience with struts on the front suspension, and I loved it.

I'm still amazed at the balance the car had. With oversize tires I drove (RWD) through the Kentucky snows of 1977 and 1978.

It was quick. The advertising campaign had flaming tread tracks, said, "Don't let your mother see this commercial!"

 

[cpa7man]

Ok, Jim I'll bite. As I said in the other thread I bought a new 80 GS with my first wife....anyway we split she got the dogs and the car. Then I was lucky enough to get an 81 GSL. That was the finest car I have ever owned, I trully liked it even beter than my 3rd gen. I digress. Anyway did the kid thing sold the 81 for a minivan and really never looked back. I did the exact same thing as you Jim when the 3rd gens came out. I finally bought one in 2002, and I travel to Virginia from Texas to get mine. I think once you get the rotary bug it just stays with you. It might go dormant for a while but it always comes back. I could probably afford a German sports car, but I really have no desire to own one.

I'm trying to keep my kids in the Mazda family, my oldest son who is 21 now got a 3rd gen (he paid for it) when he was 19, we sold it before major repairs were needed. He wanted an Rx-8 to replace it but too much money for a college kid working too many hours as it is. My other son who is 16 is driving my GSL-SE and I'm getting him an MP3.

I spent my day today pulling a 12a out of an 83 shell that will be going to the bone yard.....I live the rotary life most every day.

Paul