This 1982 Mazda RX7 GSL was once apart of the owner’s personal vehicle collection. Growing up with his mother’s red 1984 Mazda RX7, Andy developed an appreciation for the quirky Wankel engine. Having experienced the thrill of the rotary only through a clunky automatic transmission, Andy was determined to find an all-original 12a powered RX7 that was connected to a proper 5-speed manual gearbox. This Brilliant Black car was originally sold by Port City Mazda in Muskegon, Michigan and was enjoyed by its original owner through the mid-2000s before moving on to its second caretaker and then on to Andy.

A proper 12a running at full chap with a catalytic-converter and resonator deleted exhaust creates a sound so sweet that birds stop chirping to listen in! The exhaust was the only modification from original on this 59,000-mile RX7, but it was certainly necessary. This particular RX7 featured the GSL equipment package, although it had the same powertrain as the lower models, it was additionally equipped with four-wheel disc brakes and a limited slip differential.

The driving characteristics between the 5-speed and automatic transmission are night-and-day differences, but the behind-the-wheel experience isn’t the only reason Andy fell in love with this 1982 rotary rocket. Most RX7s had interiors that were red velour, red vinyl or black and grey checkerboard cloth, the interior that is in his mother’s 1984 RX7, but very few had the grey cloth seats accentuated with the red vertical stripes. This interior spec complemented the Brilliant Black exterior extremely well and gave this sports car a very sophisticated presence. While much loved and enjoyed by Andy, this RX7 passed on to a new loving caretaker who wanted to relive his youth. The RX7 now resides in Miami, Florida where it is driven and shared with other rotary enthusiasts.