Have you ever scrolled further down than you should have Instagram feed?
Sometimes you get lucky and come across a long-horned cow enjoying a dust bath in South Sudan or a family of baby bears frolicking in a forest, completely oblivious to the camera. I’m trying like as many of those posts as possible to keep the algorithm informed of my tastes in foolish joy.
On the other hand, there’s the car-related nonsense. I’m not talking about wild stunts like putting a jet engine in one Where truck, but rather the endless opinion-based debates. A lot of it is quite negative.
When I met the owners of this FD3S Mazda RX-7 – Masa and Yukimi-san – it reminded me of something I had seen deep in my feed one day. I must have been scrolling in the toilet for a long time.
“We used to build (street) cars to impress girls; now we build cars to impress middle-aged men,” Read the message, accompanied by a photo of a group of enthusiasts gathered around an engine bay.
This brings up an important point. The tuning scene often feels male-centric, and while there are plenty of skilled individuals in the hobby, the car community can get caught up in who is worthy of approval. I think the real joy comes from building a car that reflects your personal vision.
So, how do you do this? Masa-san may have found the perfect recipe.
Stripped-down interiors have their appeal, but unless you’re specifically going for that minimalist vibe, it’s nice to have a space that feels complete and comfortable. After all, you’re the one who has to live with it.
Another common pitfall in the Instagram Car culture is the idea that unless you run a WEC car on the street, your build isn’t legit. It’s easy to get lost in that mentality, but at the end of the day, it’s your car, and that should matter most.
Wheels and tires? That alone probably doesn’t qualify, but if you start by customizing your crossmember to fit 18×11-inch RAYS Volk Racing TE37SAGA wheels with 295/30R18 tires, as Masa-san has done, you’ll create something special.
And when you add elements of TCP Magic to your body and finish it in a custom cyan shade, the car is uniquely yours.
Masa-san also equipped his RX-7 with Kei Office DG-5 coilovers. These may be a bit on the stiff side for everyday use, but he can live with them. The passenger seat is an adjustable Bride Stradia for extra comfort, while the driver gets the more racing-oriented Bride Jeeg with fixed backrest.
Under the hood, Mazda’s original 13B turbo engine has been tuned to a respectable 330 horsepower by Knight Sports, a rotational specialist in Otaku, Tokyo. An A’PEXi Power FC sends the firing orders and a Kakimoto cat-back exhaust provides an aggressive tone.
Maybe the FD3S RX-7 is just inherently attractive. It’s compact and sleek, with a wraparound interior that feels cozy and luxurious, like a well-tailored jacket.
When building road cars it’s refreshing to find a balance between looks, performance and comfort, and Masa-san’s RX-7 has all three. Maybe I’m getting older, but making the car enjoyable for yourself – and being able to share that experience with friends – is a top priority these days.
Toby Thier
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tobythyer.co.uk