DelSlow

iTrader: (2)

I've got a black '90 GTUs, but its somewhat bastardized now.

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

pffft, since when have americans been concerned with gas mileage? how many SUVs do you see on the road to work every day?

i think Mazda made the wrong decision scrapping that idea.

Icemark

Remember this was the late eighties, early nineties... The car would have had gas Guzzler tax on it.

Mazda was nearly killed in the mid 70's when the rotary motor was considered as gas guzzler, and corporate philosophy said no Mazda product sold in the USA would ever be labeled a gas guzzler again.

13b4me

Blaze Red '90 GTUs here... Completely stock... Salvage title though, because some jackass thought it would be cool to steal the car... Reason? To rip it's "bandaid" off...

GSfc3s

WOW WOW guys.. what's with all the down side of a GTU.. yes there was only 100 units.. but the value of the car is great. I own a 1990 GTU in almost mint* .. and what is this about gtu not having a sunR?!? mine has no Auto windows but there is a sunR. ....
But i need you guys to help me out.. I've been Rev happy and my motor is starting to shake on me.. i mean my rims are a little bent from hitting the curb.. but I don't think it could cuz my car to shake this much... Please HELP...

Here are pic some pics of my S5 90' GTU.... enjoy

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2113168

Icemark

GTU and GTUs are two different models

13b4me

We're talking about the GTUS

COMPLETELY different car!

rotorforce

That cars badass...I have a bunch of the pics of your engine bay saved on my computer. Hats of on that GTUs.

project 88 gxl

iTrader: (19)

yeah. props for delslow.

GSfc3s

what is the diff. from a GXL and a GTU? o .O

GSfc3s

Oh my bad.. i misread"GTUs" wish i had one lol... can someone tell me what is the diff. from a GXL and a GTU? o .O

Tournapart

iTrader: (4)

^^^this is COMPLETELY covered IN THIS THREAD! read man, cmon, i know we arent supposed to talk to other forum members like this but damn it, hes posting a question in the thread he can get his answer

Icemark

If you look at the top of this section, you will see a sticky thread marked Standard features and options. It contains all the US models and what they came with based on year.

https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/specifications-what-did-2nd-generation-rx-7-come-w-options-standard-features-249616/

project 88 gxl

iTrader: (19)

that is the coolest sticky ever. i could read it for hours.

gildardo

if they replaced the 20B with a 4.3 rear end, why not replace it with the turbo engine then you could call it a infiny or something..



Gil

nickn505

SHHHHHHHHHH everyone!
The Icemark speaketh!
Seriously though, damn he knows everything!
I got to drive a GTUs last year and loved it. The owner had a full RB exhaust and it was bone stock from the factory with no options. It's become an inspiration for me in moding my 7... Even though I have an 87 GXL with every power option known to man.
I think some GTUs' out there with power options (especially those with sunroofs) might be hacks. You can buy the decals off Victoria British for $30 each. I personally would love to take an 89 or 90 GTU, beef up the suspension and slap a GTUs sticker on it.
Here's my Question: How hard would it be? Other than that special differential and everything else on the sticky thread, is there any other GTUs specific parts? I think I wouldn't even have to worry about getting specifics right because we have alot of people who claim to have a GTUs w/ power options. I've also noticed all the one's I've seen have a black interior, is this standard on the GTUs?

Madrx7racer

don't bother.........just lighten your FC and do all the bolt ons....as I saaid the diff and tranny are overrated.

Icemark

actually there is the rare GTUs dealer sheet in the what did my FC come with/ Standard Features and options thread that says what the colors are too

nickn505

I checked that out and all it had were the exterior colors. That was still surprising though, there were only three offered.
Also, there's something I don't get. You said in one of the first threads that the GTUs' were just a way to rebadge a few 89 RX7s. But in the later post you said that the GTUs was its own project of a 20B RX7 which later dropped the motor but still made production.
If the GTUs' were just rebadged 89 RX7's, were they cars that were waiting at the factory for orders to go to delerships in the states but then got too old and were rebadged (and had a new diff installed). Or were they unsold 89 cars at dealerships that were then given back to the factory (or Mazda's California HQ ) for refitting and rebadging?
If it is just the remains of a dropped 20B project, why doesn't it have any resemblence to the concept? It doesn't have wide fenders, non retracting headlamps and it has a different diff that (if it was in fact intended as a "band-aid" to make up for the lack of a 20B) wasn't on the original concept?

drft_180sx

why did the 20B concept GTUs have a TII hood? RamAir?

Andrew.

iTrader: (4)

You own a GTU man, nothing special there.

Icemark

Hmm, could have swore the interior colors were there too... my bad
No, I said the 90 GTUs (which there were a couple hundred) were re-numbered 89 models. Not enough dealer orders, but Mazda had already overbuilt the capacity in 89. Because there were not enough orders before the 89 production year expired, they just re-stamped the remaining 89 GTUs models as 90 model year. There is a strike out on the firewall VIN of every 90 model year GTUs that I have seen that changes the model year only.

The picture is not from Mazda, but rather an artists mock up, based on what people were suggesting the car would have. I suspect that it was also cobbled together from pictures of the car being tested in the american southwest since the wheels were dead on. Of course since Day one people have been claiming the S5 models have wider fenders both front and rear... of course real enthusists know that wider fenders never came on the S5 models... yet people still claim they have them.

According to both Jack Yamaguchi and Isao Tohada (the later, I met last year at 7 stock) The 20B project started back in 87. The silver 10thAE versions being the first one to get it (as a side note, the silver 10thAE models with the 20B did not have the Turbo hood, but rather the scoopless non turbo hood and polished chrome wheels). Isao Tohda (Planning/Layout engineer when he first joined Mazda) led the project. His next project was the GTUs model. With the Normally aspirated 20B making simular power to the Turbo (but better torque). Again because of cooling issues and poor mileage (and according to Jack, a questionable gear box) Mazda management decided not to spend the money required to make the 20B work in the GTUs. In Isao Sans words," the GTUs, my first production car, fizzled in the market - not enough power and the low gearing we used to disguise the problem resulted in poor fuel economy".

His next project was the front packaging for the 3rd gen RX-7, including the cooling, aerodynamics, and performance evaluation. Intresting he told me that the only reason the FD was pulled from overseas markets was because of poor sales related to price, not emissions or safety or insurance rates as is often suggested. He blamed the overly expensive twin turbo engine for the blunt of the cost (of course that follows my opinion that the FD would have never disappeared from the US market if they had built a cheaper non turbo version of the FD- something that most FD owners consider blasphmeny)

After that he worked on the Amati flagship sedan that was to be powered by a new Mazda built quad cam V12. Of course that project burst and was cancelled in the Depression of the 90's.

Isao San, was also one of the project managers for the FE (RX-8).

I guess you could say Isao san was the father of the now famed GTUs.

In all honesty, if I found a GTUs, I would build a NA 20B for it, and shoehorn it in, just to build what Mazda should have. There is nothing special about the car other than that history, and nothing that will command a limited production status today. maybe in another 20 years, but otherwise its is just a intresting footnote and look at what manufactures and engineers are forced to deal with when marketing and sales commands the production.

gildardo

yhea I totally agree with u.. their should of been a NA FD... just like the toyota supra.



Gil

arghx

iTrader: (3)

Japan's currency peaked in strength around 95-96, the same years when sales of expensive Japanese sports cars really tanked, when Nissan almost went under, etc. With such a strong currency it makes imports expensive in the US market. I'm not sure an N/A FD would have been cheap enough.

gildardo

Makes sence, it would explain why the supra was droped from production, and why many japanese companies have assembli plants in the USA..


Gil