One of our Alabama contributors Corey Vaughn takes us on a biographical tour of his RX’79…enjoy
Words/Photos: Core Vaughn
The Last Bastion What is passion? Is it truly defined in a dictionary, on the web, or even in words? For me, it is deeper than just a word. Passion is an unheralded obligation, an emotional desire and an unexplainable attachment to someone or something that keeps us pushing harder and longer for even the most unethical cause. For what then, is the real purpose of our sacrifice? As car enthusiasts, we strive for the procurement and the betterment of machinery. Machinery that, in our minds, has beauty, status, and a soul. We are bonded together, young and old, through trial and error, with a vast and diverse culture. In today’s world, the economy has brought most of us to our knees. Rising oil prices and strict government regulation have completely changed our generation. No longer are our modifications and planning based mostly on horsepower and torque, but fuel economy and reliability. The golden era for the gasoline engine is quickly fading away, and our passion for this dying era has left us with no choice but to evolve.
Or has it? I have owned nearly twenty cars in my lifetime, and currently maintain a stable of four. A 1991 Volkswagen Corrado G60, 1997 Acura Integra LS, 1998 Nissan 240sx SE, and a 1979 Mazda RX-7 Savanna. The rotary engine has been my passion for several years. After having obtained two second-generation Turbo II’s, I was finally able to purchase a 1993 RX-7 R1 with no title. I immediately fell in love with the car and had a list of plans for it, but soon after the recession hit, I was left displaced by the government and with no resources to achieve my goals or to obtain a title. Then one day, out of the blue, I was asked by my rotary builder, Luis Canizales of L.C. Race Engineering, if I would consider a trade. This would normally have been immediately dismissed by me as the FD3S had been a life-long conquest for me and any other car was out of the question. That was until I saw what had been offered. In his garage, under the veil of an old quilt sat a pristine vintage 1979 SA22C RX-7. The car was nearly flawless in appearance barring some slightly faded trim. Until that day, I had not seen an SA22C chassis in such a good condition locally. Even today, most have been resigned to the junk yard awaiting dispersal for the value of their metal or are being reclaimed by the earth due to weather and rust. Almost instantly, I agreed to make the deal. Little did I know, that deal would be the beginning of a new era in my life. I have a deep passion for the car that has been absent in all the others. Even with it’s high maintenance, the car seems to have it’s own will to survive and keep going. With a new occupation and in the midst of this great recession of ours, I have been faced with the decision to continue to keep the car and feed it’s thirst for fuel, or to conform to the role of the masses and evolve. I have, in essence, chosen to go to war… My name is Corey Vaughn, and without further adieu, I present to you “RX’79”After the trade was complete, I quickly began formulating a plan for the car based on “stages”. Stage 1 would consist of using street-spec parts to achieve a refined appearance, sportier ride and better performance. Stage 2 would include the addition of aerodynamic parts, a wider wheel base, and further modification to the engine. Stage 3, ultimately, would be a race/track day spec body plan complete with a roll cage and lightened body panels. This stage, however, rests only in concept form as I am strongly against degrading the car’s original design flow. It currently sits at Stage 1, with plans to proceed to Stage 2 promptly. To begin Stage 1, the interior received minor changes with the addition of new door speakers, slimline Bazooka sub tube and a JVC head unit to fill in an empty radio panel. Sunpro Classic oil temperature and pressure gauges were added to aid the OEM gauge panel. The original sport steering wheel was replaced with a Nardi Classic Spec woodgrain wheel with a Momo steering hub. The OEM horn cover was retained along with a refinished OEM shift knob to keep the factory appearance. The seats were reupholstered with pigskin leather.As the car had the original 12A Wankel engine, another dilemma arose. Should the engine be upgraded or replaced entirely by one with larger displacement? After much thought and consideration, I decided to replace the factory unit with a turbocharged 13B from a second-generation Turbo II. However, that quickly changed when Luis informed me of a spare 12A project he had for sale. The engine was from a 1985 RX-7 and outfitted with an aggressively large street port and a Camden supercharger at 10psi. The engine underwent a complete overhaul by Luis with the inclusion of many internal components from a 13B turbo. Turbo II apex seals, gaskets, and a water pump were added to ensure lower compression and proper heat tolerance. Unfortunately, upon road testing the completed engine, it was discovered that the Camden supercharger unit was not capable of withstanding the extremely high rpm rate of the built engine as it would lock up after 8000 rpm’s. The decision was made to retain the built engine but to remove the supercharger and install a high performance Holley quad barrel carburetor from Racing Beat. A ported Racing Beat intake manifold was also added to provide maximum air flow. The loss of power was evident in the lower rpm’s but noticeably higher in the upper range. A problem then arose with belt slippage in the higher rpm’s. The OEM spec belt would sometimes completely remove itself from the drive even with a dual-groove pulley setup. An idea came to me when a friend of mine from Jamaica reminded me of an Australian-made synchronic Gilmer Drive System similar to that used by high horsepower V8’s. It consisted of a toothed cog pulley and synchronous belt system that completely eliminated belt slippage even in the highest rpm range. After a few overseas phone calls, a unit was finally found and shipped to me from Australia. Due to the larger water pump, the entire pulley setup had to be custom tailored and machined to fit the engine and alternator. With the complete setup installed, I was very impressed with the stability it provided to the engine and the signature whine the belt drive produced. It has since gained the title of “Solid Synchronous System”. At its current status, the engine is at the beginning levels of Stage 2, with further plans to increase it’s performance and cooling system. It has been dubbed “12B” due to the merger of the different 12A and 13B components to achieve a hybrid rotary engine. The iconic Enkei 092 mesh wheels were a dealer-installed option by Mazda in 1979. They are the original OEM wheel upgrade and the decision was made to retain them for Stage 1. They have since been refinished and coated with a Nippon Cosmo paint sample I received from Japan. It was Luis’ original wish to have the wheels coated in blue and this was done to commemorate his tastes. The wheels have been fitted with 195/50 Yokohama S Drive summer tires and provide excellent grip under hard cornering.The exhaust system consists of 2.5” diameter piping mated to a Racing Beat prototype header, a Thrush presilencer, and an Apex Integration N1 muffler. The system was installed by an old friend at Thornhill’s Muffler Shop in Jacksonville, AL.The suspension system for Stage 1 combines B&G lowering springs and KYB shock absorbers. A custom made strut tower bar was added by Luis to provide extra stability. The lighting system includes aftermarket 7” round headlight housings retrofitted with 5000k H4 bi-xenon emitters and projector lenses. Hella H3 fog lamps were added to provide additional visibility during harsh weather conditions.With the current installation of modifications, Stage 1 is now complete. The implementation of Stage 2 will soon be underway with many options being considered to enhance the performance and presentation of the car. All further upgrades will be installed under the option and availability to be removed to restore previous design language.In conclusion, this car has provided me with a different perspective on our scene. It does not have the best paint job or the most expensive wheels. It doesn’t even have the fastest engine, but it has the one ingredient that is most important to me: passion. Due to recent personal developments and their effects on my health, it has become a part of me and has provided me with a new lease on life. My passion for this car extends not only to its aesthetic appeal, but to the people and ideas behind it’s rich heritage. It retains the original methodical spirit of its creators long ago. Their passion for the unconventional and the pursuit of aiming higher will flow on. Through their efforts, they have unknowingly created a shining symbol of a bygone era. An idea, a vision, and a plan for it’s survival in today’s harsh economic climate. It is ready for battle, and with a little creativity and ingenuity, it will win the war. In our culture, this idea and those who share it, my friends, are truly the last bastion of our time.
