AUGieDogie

iTrader: (4)

Hey i was reading some older posts tonight and noticed some one mentioned that they where taking there car to rapid rotary. Im really kinda wondering... is this the one that used to be in burien? Any one got a number???

CODE BLUE 2

I'm Warning all of you right now. If Ken Durkey "Jerky" from "Rapid Rotary" aka "Mazda's and More" has started up business again somewhere else, you all need to flat out stay the hell away from that shop. Even if your broke down in front of his shop, get it towed somewhere else unless you wish to just give him your money for free. Do not enter his parking lot. He will also be operating with no insurance.

Here is only one thread on Durkey Jerkey https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...t=durkey+Jerky

stilettoman

iTrader: (1)

I am amazed you guys don't kow where Ken and his charming wife Neely are - they are building a house on the beach in Belize. They will come back, but it will most likely be for a visit.

I have known Ken since about 1984. In 1987 he built a 13b for me using cast iron from a wrecked 85 RX-7 I had bought. I put it in a 1980 GLC, drove it for over 100,000 trouble free miles, and the next guy drove it another 50,000 or so and then I lost track of it.

In more recent years, we built several ported motors. I would do all the dirty work, cleaning, porting, painting and have everything ready to assemble, then show up at his shop at closing time, with pizza, beer and all the parts. Ken would assemble the basic engine with a little help from me, take about 2 hours, and then I would take it home and finish the job. Nothing I couldn't figure out myself, but if you put just one of those little springs or corner seals in wrong, you have wasted a lot of time and money.

Ken built rotaries for so many years he could just about assemble one blindfolded, although he never built near as many as Dennis and Don Hayes. I doubt that anyone other than Mazda has built as many of these engines and the Hayes.

Ken's problems came when he decided to be a business man and hired other people to do the work. His guy Mark was a good mechanic, but Mark couldn't do it all. Ken kept hiring and firing other mechanics with varying success. Ken seemed to have trouble accepting responsibility for mistakes made by his emplyees.

The Hayes have always treated me right, and like Ken, they are very likeable people.

Jerry Wright is not so sociable and outgoing, but a really nice guy and in my opinion is the most knowledgeable rotary engine mechanic in the Northwest. I don't know if he builds many engines any more, he is very busy. I have never heard anything negative about Jerry or his work.

For troubleshooting, if I can't figure it out myself, I go to Lee Johnson and ask to have Doc Westlund work on my car. He is really good when it comes to troubleshooting.

For me it has made sense to rebuild these old rotaries, tearing down two or three engines to get rotors and rotor housings, scrounging parts from Durkee and from Hayes, doing my own paint and body work. But for someone who does not have the right skills, the right tools, and the right friends, it is a questionable proposition economically to keep these old ones running. If you pay other people $5,000 or more to restore a car that is only worth $3500 when you are done, you have to really like your car.

CODE BLUE 2

I knew that Ken moved...not denying that Ken wasnt a nice guy. But as a Honest business man he was NOT. Ken was always good for parts if you needed them cheap. Ive heard from a few of his employees how Ken would be dishonest and have them cut corners, or put crappy parts in a car and Ken charge for new. Oh please!! it wasnt his employees that made that shop dishonest, it was KEN. They were doing what they were told by Ken.

Jerry "Jerrys little cars" is not very personable but at least he is an honest business person. My Last situation seen by Ken was Ken selling my crappy engine to another 7 owner, and Ken telling him it was a brand new rebuilt motor. A compression test was done on it by Ken himself and found to be weak. Funny how I found out. This guy was on his way back to Kens shop to tell Ken his car was running bad.

And as far as Hayes goes they are worse than Ken. Read in the good guy bad guy section about the latest crap they have pulled. Criminal I must say. Hayes might be good with stock cars, but as far as high performance cars forget it. So to be private and respect certain shops in the area, I have seen cars returned from Hayes all screwed up, and customers having to wait over a year for work done on their car. Then have to turn around and have fixed by someone else.

This forum is a great tool to save people from going to places that are like this. I use to say nice things about Ken until I really realized how he was. The best place to take your car is do it yourself, or do research for info on which shops have a good rep or a bad rep. So I guess it was my fault in a way when I trusted Ken to do what was right with my car. I should have done my research.
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=420322
http://www.thebbb.org/commonreport.html?bid=13025752

Jeff20B

iTrader: (13)

Bruce? Is that you?

mazdapu

Well, no one has answered your question yet so I'll try. Rapid Rotary that was located in Burien relocated (June of 1997) to Kent, on Pacific Hwy, about a half mile north of 272nd and was there doing business as Mazda's & More. The phone number there is (or was) 253-529-9665. The owner recently sold the business. I have no knowledge of and this would be the first I've heard of a Rapid Rotary in Renton, so I can't help you there, sorry. Hope this helped.

AUGieDogie

iTrader: (4)

Yes that part i Know, I had them do an engine for my in 2000 i have mixed feelings on the whole experiance, and its possible the engine has already failed with about 14k miles on it. Im having it checked right now my a guy down the street from me that seems to know a decent amout about rotarys. Im blowing smoke, and im trying to find if its emmisions related, egr, pcv, etc. the turbo, or the oil seals.

ANYWAY, someone specificaly mentioned taking there car to Rapid Rotary in Renton, and thats what i was currious about.

Any one out there used Mazdatech in everett????

hornbm

for general auto repairs, mark at peak automoive ive heard is pretty good.

Hes in enumclaw

TOOSHORT_88

iTrader: (15)

What do all of you think about (Jeffs Automotive) off of canyon rd in puyallup

TOOSHORT_88

iTrader: (15)

i get all of my parts from there (maintainence) i dont go anywhere else everything is fast and he'll walk you through anything you want to know.

Icemastr

iTrader: (2)

I have never had a problem with Jeff's Automotive but many others have complained about him but only about small things or not liking him personally. I don't know if he really even builds motors for other people? His main business is building and renting 1st gens for club racing I think. He isn't cheap but he has always explained everything in detail to me and done a good job for me. I wouldn't take an FD or Turbo II there to get worked on nor would I have a motor rebuilt by him though.

hammmy

I went there once to check out a GSL-SE that he was selling for $2800. Idled like crap, and had some weird body damage, so I passed. He didn't seem like he was very 1st gen-oriented. He also said he was a Ford (or Chevy, can't recall) guy, so I basically tuned him out after that.