My friend has a stock 1994 Mazda RX-7 TT, but we never ran it until today. We got to a pretty empty long straight away in Fremont off Automall and did some runs.

First run was from a 10 mph roll because i didn't want to launch the car. 1st gear, we were dead even, shifted to second, and the CDV is freaking lagging the car down. And third gear, once I hit around 80 he started pulling away, and by 100 where I decided to cut it, he was about 2 car lengths ahead.

Second run, we decided to race from a 45 mph roll, I was in second gear, and he was apparently in third gear because he wanted to test it out? So yeah three honks and I instantly pull on him shifted to third, kept my lead of about a car, and then bam, hit 90 mphs and he starts pulling ahead, and by 110, he has me by about a car before I call it quits.

I didn't do as well as I expected. I was expecting to actually beat him, but man that car is beasty. Once we got past 80, that car just pulls on me like nothing. His engine has about 30,000 and the chassis has about 45 so its fairly new for a 1994.

Man the CDV is a bitch, shifting too second, the RPM's just lagged, and I think if it wasn't there I would have done better? I don't know.

About the second race, he said he was in third gear at 45, I think other wise, or maybe he was because he didn't start pulling on me until he shifted to fourth gear, but yeah I want to run him again soon.

By the way, he was completely stock with a base model RX-7 which has no sunroof, bose sound system etc. and it weights 2900 pounds according to him and he weights about 170. My 2007 S2000 is completely stock, had half a tank of gas, top up and I weight 200 pounds myself.

 

hm nice run. i always wanted to run a FD.
2900 pounds ? i dont think so .. i heard that car is lighter than an old civic..
your 07 should weigh 2800 lbs stock.


and yes, i hate that feeling of CDV too when i drive friends` ap2s.

 

Race sounds about right, and they weigh basically the same as an S2K (~2800LBS or so). They are a little quicker than an S2K stock for stock. As for the 2nd race, yes he should have started in 2nd gear at 45MPH.

 

I loved my FD and they are awesome cars...I would still own one if they weren't such a pain in the ass to maintain. Stock for stock they are slightly faster than the S2000 but obviously being FI provides MUCH greater mod potential...wouldn't take much for it to embarass a stock S.

 

wow cool runs. my friend's friend just got an FD with low mileage too but unfortunately the radiator blew up 2 days ago from the insane heat socal's been having for this past week can't wait to check it out.

 

Yeah I think if he did start in second gear at 45, he would have instantly pulled on me, but we'll see when we run again sometime.

 

That's about the result I would expect.

I didn't think there were any completely stock FD's anymore. You need to at least remove the pre-cat for the sake of reliability.

Though they are FI I wouldn't put them in the great potential group(at least no better than the S2k), but only because of reliability. Past ~350whp you're spending more time putting it back together than driving it. I wouldn't call that potential since I can build up a Kia to 400whp and keep breaking things too. An LS1 FD is another animal though. THAT'S potential.

An S2k can be built up reliably for about the same money you'd be throwing into the FD just to keep it running. A good example is that the FD in the OP had it's first engine for ~15k miles before needing to be replaced. You're talking turbo money for an S2k to replace that thing with stock power.

 

nice race!

 

Yep, the FD weighs 2800 lbs just like the S2000. I've owned both...in a straight line my modified 94 FD was slightly (very slightly) faster than my S2000 but it was a bitch to keep up. I decided to trade a slight advantage in power for far better reliability and a newer platform.

I won't lie, the FD looks the mutts nuts when it's done right and I actually prefer a hardtop sports car. But, the S2000 is still no frills, has fantastic looks, and I have zero doubt that my S2000 would outrun my RX-7 around any track...both had/have excellent suspension setups. With the S2000 I get 99% of the performance without the paranoia.

 

with all of the above.

The paranoia is what makes it so fun though!
The most valuable mod in mine was the fire extinguisher.

I want another.