Though everybody jokes about how long project vehicles always take, some of the best cars are the ones that shift shape and span seasons, years, and even major life events. Keeping the same car for a long time and changing up it’s looks and purpose is an art and can be extremely rewarding. For FC RX-7 owner Matt Williams, that means molding his rotary into everything from a show car, to a drift machine, to a time attack weapon.
In partnership with Gridlife, Falken Tire recently published a YouTube video dubbed TrackTuned. In the 10-minute clip, Matt and his 13BT-powered FC are put under the spotlight, and he’s interviewed by pro racer Tom O’Gorman. O’Gorman then takes the iron-bees-nest-powered 7 on track to see what kind of time it can put down at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, Michigan, aka The Exquisite Jewel of Southwestern Michigan.
If you’ve kept up with Gridlife and the way it runs things, you might recognize Williams’ name from our interview with him or from the Spec Fit/Sundae Cup, an inexpensive time attack class meant to give the Honda Fit, Mazda 2, and other beloved, momentum-holding machines a cozy home. Though, before his foray into Fit fanaticism, he was a rotorhead with his red FC that’s been prepared for several corners of automotive enthusiasm. Because of this, his build is an extra-clean fine-tuned beast on track.
As O’Gorman finds out, Williams’ FC handles great, has loads of grip, and is plenty fast. He also notes that the non-power-assisted steering is a tad tricky and old-school, but he’s able to drive through it and ends up setting a very respectable lap. In fact, his lap is pretty darn close to Williams’ lap when he won his Club TR time attack class. To fit his 7 into this class, he didn’t have to do much: Just add some aero, brake cooling, and mount up some beefy tires that fit quite well underneath the wheel arches. He’s also extensively built up the engine for longevity, which is crucial for all-day motoring on track.
The video is great, and I’m excited to see more similar content published on Falken’s channel. Oh, and as a nice cherry on top, there’s plenty of flame-belching rotary exhaust footage in this one, too.
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