A Kiss of Kyusha: Bryan's FB RX-7
Love it or hate it, Instagram now plays a major role in automotive culture. Whether people use it to post videos of them ripping huge burnouts "for the 'gram" or as a form of documentation like bite size build threads, almost everyone has some sort of presence on the platform.
Thanks to the widespread adoption of Instagram by automotive enthusiasts, we happened across Bryan Ramirez and his RX-7 and proceeded to drool over his build for a couple months until our schedules aligned to take some photos.
Breathe In, Breathe Out
A couple of things immediately jump out at you when you see Bryan’s 1983 FB Coupe. The first is the distinct sound. A steady rotary idle of “brrt brrt brrt” emanates from the car, giving away the presence of its rotary 12a powerplant. The engine inhales via DIY intake piping, ported through the front of his IMSA-style front bumper and exhales out two unequal pipes in the rear.
The rear of the car also houses the second and third standouts on this car. Around the bottom of rear hatch is a large IMSA wing that pulls the main bodyline of the car through the rear quarter panels, merges with the side louvers then flicks up to create a sideways-S shape, making the car look fast even while stationary.
If you look a bit lower, you’ll find an Olio Fiat rear spoiler inverted and mounted to the bottom of the car in a “diffuser” setup. The setup, when viewed with the exhaust threaded through the diffuser, screams of kyusha influences.
Overseas Influences
The influences from his Australian friend Harley and similar old school Japanese builds continue with age and style-appropriate wheels, running SSR Longchamps up front and Advan A3A’s in the rear. These wheels, when paired with the Techno Toy coilovers, fit perfectly in the wheel wells and add a hint of metal on an otherwise completely red and black body.
The interior is somewhat lacking in frills, which should come as no surprise. A Sparco seat laced with a Takata harness and Sparco steering wheel pretty much wrap up the inside of the car.
Hailing from a small town, it has taken Bryan about two years to get the car to its current form. It grins with a bumper not many people stateside have seen before, rides incredibly low (lower if you include the diffuser), scrapes, bumps, rattles and yet revs up like a good rotary should.
Perfect Imperfections
All told, the coupe isn’t perfect. Yes, the wheels have a slight patina, and maybe the front bumper does have a little road wear, but this car wasn’t built to live out its days as a spotless garage queen. It takes the wear like a quality leather bomber jacket, only adding to the character and attractiveness of the piece.
While he may have always wanted a 240Z, we're very glad Bryan came across this RX-7 and injected it with his style. Even if it isn’t draped in brand name parts and high dollar customizations, it still manages to hold it’s own at every show we've run into it. From JCCS to SevenStock, Bryan's coupe stands out as something traditional yet unique. Coincidentally, he could care less about social media points, as he recently deleted his Instagram account (R.I.P. @butterynips). In an era of car guys buying and building cars for Instagram likes, isn’t that distinctiveness refreshing?
Vehicle Specs
OWNER: Bryan Ramirez
LOCATION: Riverside, CA
VEHICLE: 1983 Mazda RX-7 FB
ENGINE: 12A rotary engine
SUSPENSION: Techno Toy Coilovers
WHEELS: 14” SSR Longchamps (front); 14” Advan A3A (Rear)
EXTERIOR: IMSA-style “935” bumper and wing; no-name sideskirts; side louvers; Vitaloni side mirrors; Olio Fiat kyusha diffuser
INTERIOR: Sparco seat and steering wheel; Takata harness; 240sx harness bar; fuzzy dice
THANKS: Bryan would like to thank his good friend Maurice Cea for always having his back whenever he needed a hand with his car.
See more of this RX-7 beauty in the photo gallery below.
