A Mazda RX-7 is always a special piece of technology. Rotary engine at Beek Autoracing that used to race with the RX-7.
There is a young man at the door who is younger than the car he has with him. David Hoedjes from Anna Paulowna was built in 2000, his Mazda RX-7 is from 1986. David is emerging as the savior of Japanese cultural heritage on four wheels.
His very first car was a Ford Fiesta. But fortunately David saw the light in time and a Mitsubishi Lancer took its place. Despite its origins, it was not special enough and a real Mazda MX-5 appeared on the farm of the Hoedjes family. “That MX-5 is not running yet, that is my project car. I’m going to make it all right,” said David. Immediately afterwards he started a new project with his sister Isabelle: an RX-7 from the 1980s, a famous cult car with a rotary engine and really very Japanese.
“I wanted a car from that decade and preferably a white one. Well, then you’re not making it easy for yourself.” Still, it all worked out in the end, because there was one in Rotterdam. As hoped, brother and sister found a neat and tidy car, well maintained, with all documentation. The sills were neatly welded, the owner was a welder by profession. There was also documentation from the previous owner. “I had a full picture of the last ten years, which gives me confidence,” says David.
On Mazda RX-7, pay attention to whether there is blue smoke
Of course you always have to take a test drive and David had prepared his affairs well. “There was no blue smoke at the start, which says something about the condition of the pistons in the cylinder. But after warming up slowly, you should switch off the engine and then start it again a little later. That also turned out well.” As the icing on the cake, David brought along some parts for a friendly price, such as a strut bar from RE Amemiya, a Japanese tuning company whose specialty is the RX-7.
David placed six green flaps on the table and the transfer was arranged immediately. So with one car there, with two cars back to North Holland North. There, father and brother were waiting for the pair, rubbing their hands. They appreciate David and Isabelle’s projects and regularly lend a helping hand.
RX-7 of video games
David: “It’s the car from the video games I used to play, still is by the way.” The measurement completes this cheerful and positive afternoon. We are at Beek Auto Racing and the founder of this company raced at Zandvoort thirty years ago with Mazda’s RX-7 with rotary engines. And now the youngest generation is present with such a car to have the power of the old rotary power source measured. That should work out well, and indeed it does. The Mazda screams like a jet plane flying low over the Forepark. The swelling of the high sound does not stop. It’s beautiful and it puts out a whopping 170 horsepower. We almost want to uncork the champagne!