Mike Campbell’s FC RX7

I met my friend Mike Campbell from our small group of rotary enthusiasts a while back on July 7th, 2019, better know as seven’s day in our small circle. On this day many of the local rotary guys and gals try to get together for lunch and a cruise. After seeing his car there I saw that this engineer from Washington built his car for one thing and one thing only… speed.

He started by piecing together a street-ported 13b rotary engine. This engine is somewhat of a “hybrid” in Mike’s words because he used parts from 3 different generations of rotary engines.  Series 4 housings, Series 5 Irons, and rotors from a 3^rd generation FD Rx7. Complemented by a Borg Warner 8374, this single turbo setup not only provides a lot of spool, (providing some much-needed torque in the 13b) but it produces about 500 horsepower to the crank.    

A set of Fortune Auto 500 coil overs fitted with Swift springs keep this car planted through the corners. The wheels are also from an FD RX7, while they’re not so aesthetically pleasing to Mike, they weigh in at under 12lbs per wheel. With the added reinforcement to reduce the chances of cracking, these wheels are a good fit for keeping with his overall theme of cutting weight wherever it can be spared.  

I feel this car in its current state, is a good example of a sleeper car. With the faded paint, partial interior, and minor blemishes of rust, this car appears to be a tired thing from the past. With its healthy 500hp heart of gold it’s a perfect candidate to pull bus lengths on any unsuspecting boomer in their corvette. Making their commute home a painful reminder of wasted retirement funds and a message that built can always beat bought.