Project FD RX-7

[Goodspeed]

Last...last...update of 2017...probably.

I'd been on the hunt for a catback exhaust to finish off the full system for a while - currently running a 3" RX7Store downpipe and a 3" Bonez catted midpipe with the stock catback (which is a necessary restriction with the factory ECU).  The factory twin-tip look really grew on me, and my taste changed away from replacing it with a fat single tip exhaust, the style of which comprises a large percentage of aftermarket 3" options.

Further research led me to a bevy of manufacturers in the UK & Australia that make twin tip systems.  One in particular that caught my eye was the SMB twin tip from Australia. Back in the day, Mazda Australia swept a Bathurst 12-hour production car race in '92, '93 & '94 with a mostly-stock FD.  To counter increased competition in 1995 (BMW M3, 911 Clubsport, etc.), Mazda entered a more serious iteration of the FD, known as the RX-7 SP - which was homologated for the race with 35 total roadgoing SP's produced by Mazda Australia for the local market.





The SP's were imported as standard Australian market FD's, and modified locally under the direction of Mazda Australia's mostorsports chief, with some parts created/sourced locally, including the exhaust.  SMB was contracted to build the 3" systems for both the road and race cars, and the company is still around and will build you a period correct downpipe, catted mipipe, rear section, or full system upon request for...a lot of money.

After about a month of putting out feelers for anyone in the States who has a SMB used rear section, that'd be in my budget, that they'd like to let go of - total needle in a haystack - I got a PM from a guy in Wisconsin who just so happened to have one he was willing to sell.  So, a little extra bit of 90's RX-7 history is making its way onto the car - some polishing up and it should round out the exhaust nicely!