Feature: Lone Soldier
The one thing that always gets me excited about running this website is the amount of surprise cars which pop up that I just have to see in person. Ireland is action packed full of surprise builds. Owners who really build cars for themselves are what get me excited the most. Similar to the KE70 we featured a few months back, this RX7 appeared on the internet out of nowhere and when it appeared in my news feed I had to find out its story. Throughout the boom Ireland purchased its fair share of these beauties but the common feeling amongst people towards these cars is fear, due to the Rotary engine set-ups which was a relatively new thing to Ireland… Most car enthusiasts would have a fear of these cars because of the high maintenance which would steer people most of them away from ever really touching such an incredible looking chassis.
This is another one of those all or nothing builds which is somewhat uncommon in Ireland. It’s even more impressive that it is an FD3s as these cars generally stay more or less the way they came in from Japan. The owner, Denis didn’t hold back when tackling this build.
He started with a 97 Bathurst Type RB Special Edition Shell and went out creating one of the nicest RX7s to ever exist in this country. Up front he chose the Re-Amemiya Front Bumper.
I’ve always been a big fan of this bumper, it really flows with the original lines and same for the Re-Amemiya Carbon Bonnet. Plenty of style without the car looking too crazy, I could look at this front end forever. On the side Denis purchased Feed Wide arch wings, and Re-Amemiya Electric Mirrors.
I couldn’t help but take about twenty photos of the same thing in awe at how good every angle of this car looked. The subtle but mean accents could easily make any Japanese fan drool; The colour works incredibly with the carbon extras. Denis selected a host of Shine auto Carbon goodies to compliment the OEM exterior.
At the back the car was treated to a set of tinted Kouki back lights, the standard back bumper becomes the best thing ever once it makes friends with the Shine Auto carbon rear diffuser and is complimented by the Shine Auto carbon lip spoiler and carbon flame guard. This FD looks incredibly mean with its dark tones and carbon accents and to say that the exterior of this car is anything short of perfect would be stupid.
The attention to detail is insane, over the years one had only dreamed of getting a chance to see such an insane FD build. When you open the door you are instantly greeted to a set of bright red Recaro Spririt R kevlar backed seats! These seats were very limited and almost impossible to source… The classic Takata green harnesses against the red is one of the best combinations to ever come out of Japan.
I’ve always loved how super car looking the interior of the FD is, it just feels that little bit more awesome than the average Japanese car. Inside Denis has gone for A Sparco Three spoke dish wheel with a Sparco Snap off boss kit, an RE Amemiya gear knob and steering column cowling.
Denis also fitted the cockpit with red carpet to match the Spirit R Recaro seats and an RE Amemiya boost gauge. It’s the little things that make this build so good, everything has a place and looks right. Denis has also fitted an Apexi R Magic hand commander holder which enables driver to monitor water temperature, boost pressure engine knock and more.
Wheels are pretty much the most important aspect of a car exterior; Denis was well aware of this and decided on a set of Work Meister S1’s in a very enjoyable offset. The fronts are 18 x 10j +22 and the backs come in an 18 x 10.5 J -3 all wrapped in Michelin rubber. A small flare was added to the original Quarters to squeeze these fat five spoke winners under the arches. Denis refurbished the wheels with brand new decals and bolts from Work.
I couldn’t help but admire all the little details inside and out which make this build that bit more incredible. The red interior and its matching red needles on the dials, or the fully refurbished Work Meister S1 wheels with purple spokes only to match the Efini emblem on the back of the car…. Oh the little things!
Upon lifting the Carbon bonnet you are greeted to another variety of Japanese goodies, this engine is all business and Denis put as much heart and soul into the Rotary build as he did with the exterior. The FD has a street ported 13b Rotary engine, fitted to this is a Garrett T78 Turbo!
A look around the engine bay saw a Greddy external waste gate with screamer pipe, Greddy front mount intercooler and Piping, Greddy intake elbow. Other goodies include Bosch 1600cc injectors, injector resistors, fuel rail, Blitz coolant reservoir, a Greddy lightweight pully set, RE Amemiya aluminium 3-core radiator, RE Amemiya custom elbow and downpipe, Greddy racing spark plugs….
The list goes on! It’s unusual to even see an FD in Irish roads these days let alone on with such an impressive spec… You start to understand why the feature is called the lone soldier!
Denis retained the original Mazda brakes but decided to go for EBC drilled and grooved front discs and Endless brake pads all round. The original lines were swapped out for Goodrich braided upgrades. Handling and drive train wise the car was fitted with a HKS twin plate clutch and a Mazda 1.5 way differential. A set of Tein coilovers were fitted accompanied by a Greddy front strut brace full rear poly bush kit.
Ive always been a massive fan of these cars, because of Ireland being a relatively small country, the cars themselves have always been a weary sheep for many car enthusiasts. Many examples were imported but in the last two years not a whole lot of them are on the roads these days, or have been exported.
I had almost forgotten just how beautiful the design of the RX7 until the day of the shoot, this car left a real impact on me and friends who came to check the car out. For something that was created in the early 90’s it’s easily one of the best ageing cars of the 1990s. This Example Denis put together will go down as one of the best this country has ever seen…
Wheels/Tires/Suspension/Handling
Tein coilovers
Greddy front strut brace
Full rear poly bush kit
Work Meister S1’s
18 x 10JJ +22
18 x 10.5 -3
Michelin Tires
EBC drilled & grooved front discs
Endless front brake pads
Endless rear brake pads
Goodrich braided brake lines
HKS twin plate clutch
Mazdaspeed 1.5 way diff
Exterior
Re-Amemiya Front Bumper
Re-Amemiya Carbon Bonnet
Re-Amemiya Toweye
Feed Wide Arch Wings
Re-Amemiya Electric Mirrors
Shine Auto Carbon Side Sills (Skirts)
Shine Auto Carbon Rear Diffuser
Shine Auto Carbon Lip Spoiler
Kouki tinted rear lights
Carbon Flame Guard
Interior
Recaro Spirit R Red Carbon Kevlar Seats
RE Amemiya gear knob
RE Amemiya boost gauge & steering column cowling
R Magic hand commander holder
Sparco Snap off boss kit
Sparco dished steering wheel
Red Carpet
Rear Bins
Engine
Street Ported 13B rotary engine
Garrett T78 Turbo (HUGE!)
Greddy external wastegate with screamer pipe
Greddy front mount intercooler & piping
Greddy intake elbow
K&N air filter (brand new – 0 miles)
Bosch 1600cc injectors
Aftermarket Injector resistors
Aftermarket Fuel rail
Blitz Coolant resevoir
Apexi Power FC
Greddy Profec B Spec II
Greddy lightweight pulley set
RE Amemiya aluminum 3-core radiator
RE Amemiya custom elbow & downpipe
RE Amemiya light weight pulley kit
Aftermarket spark plug leads
Greddy racing spark plugs
Rotary billet oil cap
Water Meth Injection
Fuel Pressure Regulator