It lives again. And again. And Again..

(This is a long long loooooooong term post of two parts and it will probably help a lot if you go back and read the first part linked below. The first part is a bit of a lengthy read but really paints the picture of this car's background and misadventures.)

Over four years ago now through this site in its infancy, I managed to track down the location of one of my previously owned (and one of the funnest of the bunch so far) cars, my 1989 Series 5 Mazda Rx7. I was very proud that the 80's beast lived to Brap again.

Incredibly now in 2018, I've managed to find it up for sale once again. New owner, new location. Only this time it looks to be in its best and fastest condition yet!

(html comment removed: more)When we spied it back in June 2014 it looked like this:

Some paint patched up, a fixed gearbox and some new pulleys on account of the old ones seizing up.

Since then it seems that it's had a bit more of the glamour treatment in terms of fixing up the flaking Crystal White (code UC) flying off problem. Which is why I didn't think that this one was actually the one I bought 12 years ago.

But then I spied the wheels - they looked like the Starcorp Concept 5's I sold it with (minus the centre caps now). The exhaust looked exactly like the Rotaflo muffler than my car came with when I bought it yonks ago (it gave it a great drone). And the missing paint above the plate was very reminiscent of the troubles I had with the paint actually staying on the car.

Interior wise though, I couldn't see much in common. I had sprayed my centre console surround in white but this one had no paint on it. The Xplod system wasn't there, different gear knob (easily changed) but nothing that jumped off the page as mine. So maybe the wheels and the exhaust was just a coincidence?

The ad also said it was a 1990 model where mine was from 1989. So surely this could be my old one, surely.

So I messaged the guy anyway just to check a couple of things (like the blue stitches I put in the drivers seat)....and I'm still waiting on a reply...oh well..

(Thankfully I went back to the for sale ad a couple of days later and discovered that there was a section with more details on it - including a VIN number. After finding my old number I was very excited to see that this one is a complete match! It is my old car!)

So my old car that was dying a slow coolant spewing death is back and looks to be stronger than ever and aside from tidying up things on the outside, it seems plenty has gone on under the hood since I watched it drive away.

It was packed in from factory when I sold it:

It looked like this when it got sold in SA when it obviously had some cleaning done:

And in it's current guise - well it's got a lot more room to work in:

 

That yellow Japanese sticker is still holding on for dear life :D

The hi flow turbo I had put in when my original one ate itself is still doing to the heavy lifting but the front mount and Microtech is new and it looks the cleanest it's ever been. More than likely it's been through a rebuild too. Well I'm hoping it has, it probably needed one after going through at least three (potentially more) owners since me.

So it's come around for sale again, am I keen?

Ironically enough, it's going for the same price I bought it for 12 years ago! I paid way too much for it in it's original condition and considering the money I poured into it over the years...

...and my kids won't really fit in the back of it....

...it can't carry anything nearly as well as my Stagea could...

...I don't have access to Baz and his wonderful mechanical knowledge so much...

it's a no for me.

But I'm stoked that it's still alive, kicking (Brapping really) and racing around like it should. I wonder where it's going to land up in the next four years?

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