It takes a brave individual to build a car like this. To look at what most street cars are and decide not to play by the rules. The rest of us take small steps, upgrading a piece here and a bit there, but Ras took a different approach. It’s almost like he sat there and thought, “Why shouldn’t I have it all?” If you’ve ever wanted to see a street FD that deserves to be called ‘the ultimate’, your search has just come to an end.
Let me break it down for you with a few basic facts and figures: FEED wide-body kit from Bodyform, 19×11 and 19×9.5 SSR SP1s, leather Bride recliners and a street-port, T04Z equipped 13B making 310rwkW (424rwhp). That’s just scratching the surface.
Rami (or Ras as he is also known) has been tweaking his FD RX-7 for over three years. There are many FDs out there with longer mod lists, but that doesn’t make for a better car. Few RX-7s command attention like this one does, and we were hooked from the first time we saw it.
“I didn’t ever want to pull up at a traffic light and see another RX-7 that looked like mine. I wanted to build a car that represented me and stood out from the crowd,” said Ras.
If your car is street registered and you drive it on a regular basis, you’ll know where Ras is coming from. As modifiers you never want to blend in next to another car like yours, and you never want to feel bored when behind the wheel. “I wanted to build a car that would stir the emotions. Pleasure, passion, beauty and adrenaline all in one car. This car gives me all of those every time.”
When Rami started this build, his FD was white. It’s mod list included a scratched front bumper and an aftermarket intake. Other than that it was stock.
Ras explains, “I was drawn in by the shape, originally. That and they handle like street-legal go-karts!” This car was an RS model to begin with, which receives a few extra horsepower from the factory, bigger brakes, bigger wheels and twin oil coolers amongst other things that the type RB RX-7s don’t have.
With such a capable car to build off, Ras had no intentions to turn the car into what it is today. “My original budget was $10k for mods, and all I wanted was to get a wide-body kit installed.” But as many a rotary enthusiast will tell you, leaving a 13B untouched is playing with fire, and Ras ended up burnt.
“I popped an apex seal and needed an engine rebuild. I ended up rebuilding everything and replacing a lot of the factory parts with upgraded bits. From there it just snowballed.” With the motor out a full respray seemed appropriate, then the new wide-body meant Ras needed new wheels, and that meant new suspension to get it all sitting right.
“With so much work already done, it would have been a crime not to finish off the rest of the car.” So the interior and engine bay received the works. Not just looks either, “I wanted more power to match the looks, and it just went on and on!”
Rami’s motor package is exceptionally well-rounded. The custom T04Z pushes 19psi through the housings and all supporting mods are more than up to the task. Under that genuine Scoot bonnet you’ve got SCR seals, a PWR radiator, custom made exhaust manifold, TiAL external ‘gate, and an HKS V-mount intercooler setup with a serious fuel system in the back delivering the 98RON.
Finicky though they may be, you can definitely build a quality rotor, and Ras has done just that. When the wastegate cracks and that 13B comes on song, you better grab your prayer beads. It’s got 300kW heading for the rear semi-slicks all day long.
“I love the sounds it makes. Everything about it is raw and fast. The induction noise and the sounds it makes coming on boost; I just love it.”
“I’ll admit it’s been a real learning experience, but despite the blown-out budget, every time I go for a drive I can’t help but think that it was all worth it.”
Rami’s car is equal parts artwork and performance car; just as good to look at from the outside as it is to experience from the driver’s seat. If you’re building a car, this is what you should strive for. Machines of this quality will never go out of style, they’ll just get better with time.
SPECIFICATIONS:
2001 Mazda FD RX-7 Type RS
ENGINE:
- Street port 13B rotary turbo
- 2mm SCR Unbreakable apex seals
- Polished intake piping and manifold
- Gold anodized pulleys
- Wiring tuck
- PWR radiator
- Sard thermostat
- RE-Amemiya AST
- Custom relocated water pump
- Blitz pod filter and custom intake pipe
- Blitz DD BOV
- Ceramic coated T04Z turbo (.7 front and 1.0 rear)
- Siphon holes and V-band dual outlet
- Ceramic coated exhaust manifold
- Polished TiAL 60mm external wastegate
- HKS V-mount intercooler with polished piping
- Haltech engine management
DRIVELINE:
- Factory five-speed
- Mazdaspeed lightweight flywheel
- Mazdaspeed twin plate clutch
- Braided clutch line
- Aftermarket 2-way diff
SUSPENSION:
- BC Racing coilovers
- Cusco swaybars
- Front strut brace
BRAKES:
- Braided lines
- Project Mu pads
- Standard RS calipers
- Dixcel slotted rotors
WHEELS & TYRES:
- SSR Professor SP1 F: 19×9.5+18 R: 19×11.0+22
- Toyo Proxes R888 semi slick tyres
BODYWORK:
- FEED wide-body kit by Bodyform
- Full custom respray in pearl yellow
- FEED carbon side skirts
- Carbon rear diffuser
- Ganador mirrors
- Scoot bonnet
- Mu Secret HID kit
- Carbon door handles
- Carbon rear canards
INTERIOR:
- Bride Low Max Gias seats trimmed in black leather
- ARC titanium gearknob
- Factory Nardi steering wheel
- Defi BF series gauges (water temp, oil pressure and boost)
- Blitz turbo timer and boost controller
PERFORMANCE:
- 310rwkW (424rwhp) @ 19psi
- Premium unleaded petrol
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