Forget cars with attitude. This car has no attitude at all. 12m Video

[John Hubertz]

rx7 canyon racer that somehow captures the very essence of why i'm into cars.  gentlemen, i present to you the zero f*cks given rx7 from California.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcjpXbMiCtg

[Depa77450sel]

Lol that's a pretty cool s$#t heap!

[WrightSounds]

Awesome.

[ZCarFan]

Hmm... somewhat interesting but so much effort to pretend like you don't care?  seems odd kinda' like genuine new old fake stuff .  $!3K is a lot of money for the result too.

I slapped my '69 Impala together for about $4-4500 back in the 90's and it ran 13 flat with a "stock" 355.  That includes building the motor twice when the block cracked though the lifer valley (maybe the solid motor mounts were not a good idea?) I could replicate it with the same money today despite a bit of inflation with an LS motor.  Actually, It would be a bunch faster with an LS as I was only getting about 103 on the big end and that means only about 340 HP or so @3850 lbs with driver.  Starting with a more corner-friendly car like a Z and it would go even faster, and turn too!

Years ago, we used to build weird obnoxious stuff for fun all the time.  One weekend included yanking the 307/Glide combo out of a 4-door 68 Mailbu, putting on new heads, a moderate cam, some old leftover 70's intake and a 660 center squirter Holley  (one of two on a 700 HP, 9,000 RPM 302 Chev) and dropping it in a 300 Series 2-Door Chevelle.  The exhaust was headers dumping into glasspacks with turndowns.  It was violently loud, esp arriving home at 2:00 am.  With 3.42 gears and 6.000 rpm it was a bit frightening on top with those 9.5" manual drum brakes.    There were S-10s and Vegas with small-blocks, etc. and all were low-budget.b  It's not that I'm trying to put the guy in the video down or puff myself up, but in reality there are a lot of guys out there building cars like this and if you check out Grassroots Motorsports annual challenge, you can see how far you can get on a shoestring budget. 

My all-time favorite aesthetically-challenged car was the notchback Barracuda seen below.  Owned by a guy we all knew only as "Luke Duke" .  Maybe somebody knows who he really is?  Anyway, last time I saw the car, he pitted next to me at Capitol Raceway and we chatted while he removed the seats and all his junk from the car and proceeded to mount the slicks right there with a manual changer.  He had worked his way up to a twin-turbo 360 with a 904 trans (yes, really not a 727).  He ran in my lane just in front of me and it turned a 10.30 at some obscene mph close to 140.  Mind you, this is with 3.23 gears in a daily driver.  Luke was the real deal... a savant of sorts, hope he is doing well.  Too bad all of these low-buck guys don't get the coverage they deserve.  there's a lot to learn from their efforts.

yes, this really did run in the 10s and maybe even faster (I last saw him around 1998-99.)

[JasonP]

Yeah, I see what you're saying, ZCarFan. The video is pretty funny, it's good for a laugh, but shooting for quality and performance is really what it's all about. A laugh only lasts so long. Weren't Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach the ultimate hot rodders?

I liked the kid's car except for the steering. It's fine to have a loud, obnoxious car on the streets, but if you can't control it, that's not funny at all - not for the driver, and not for others.

I liked his sticker "My other ride is your mom." I laughed out loud.

[John Hubertz]

My impression is that the car is properly sorted - and the steering sensitivity is something the reviewer came to understand and respect.

I guess I really just like the idea of a solid and spirited automobile lurking under that incredible patina.

[ZCarFan]

Yeah, the sticker was pretty funny. 

My objection is trying so damn hard to look casual.  Be it... don't pretend.  Be genuine.  When I was a "kid" we did crazy stuff because it came to us naturally; there was no pretense.  I feel like all of this posturing is in "bad faith"

about the steering... It's a light car with lots of power and a live axle.  Such a layout is quite lively around the bends.  Much like the original GT350, you slide the car around the track and squeeze in acceleration when you can find traction.

[ZCarFan]

My impression is that the car is properly sorted - and the steering sensitivity is something the reviewer came to understand and respect.

I guess I really just like the idea of a solid and spirited automobile lurking under that incredible patina.

ahhh.. but it's not really patina, is it?.   For example, Squiggle Dog's 300SD has patina, and came by it honestly.

all this aside, I'd still love to drive the thing.  It's even crazier than the 240SX my nephew had.  With a cammed and boosted SR20DET and over 300 HP at the wheels it was a handful.  it would spin the tires at 80 when it came on boost (on a closed course naturally).  What a hoot that was.

[ZCarFan]

btw...  I apologize for my ranting, I do like the car and I agree stuff like that is what keeps it fun.  I have a bit of a pet peeve when it comes to superficiality and that can make me a bit abrasive at times

[JasonP]

I think the superficiality came more from the TV show than the kid. He was just playing along. He wouldn't have been able to make it run if he didn't know his stuff.