From Mild to Wild is an expression that's often used to describe a full range of performance upgrades. In show-car circuits, "mild" classes impose restrictions to certain modifications where "wild" classes provide an anything-goes format.

Robert Mealey of Champions Motorsports, began entering his 1994 Mazda RX7 in the "mild" class show competition shortly after "finishing" the original build. The FD3S dominated its class taking home wins at nearly every event. Robert decided the time had come to challenge the "next" class. While a number of "wild" class competitors go too far (i.e. rent Corvette Summer on Netflix), Robert decided to go "wild" by sticking to functional performance upgrades.

Twins Good, Trips Better

Needing to set his RX7 apart from the crowd, Robert decided to build around the triple-rotor 20B engine. After searching, he found the powerplant in another RX7. This particular three-rotor engine originated from Pettit Racing's Banzai RX7 performance package. While the Banzai edition relied upon modified twin-turbos, a GReddy T88H-34D turbocharger was selected to simplify the system while providing the flow capacity for 550-plus horsepower.

While sourcing a three-rotor is a challenge in itself, getting it to fit is no easy task. The third rotor adds about six inches to the length of the engine, prompting many to do away with accessories like air conditioning and power steering. Instead of taking the easy route, a custom tubular steel subframe repositioned the engine and steering rack in order to clear the rest of the accessories. The end result delivered all the goods without sacrificing streetability.

Cool Pipes

With the larger motor shoe-horned into the engine bay, the exhaust components including the turbo's turbine housing received a coating of JET-HOT 2000 thermal barrier coating. This coating keeps the heat in the housing, reducing radiated heat that can cook harnesses and other delicate items. On the cool side of the T88H, polished piping links the compressor outlet to a front-mount GReddy 3-row intercooler. Whereas Mazda originally position the intercooler behind the radiator, the front-mount position ahead of the radiator produces the best intercooler efficiency.

Bringing The Wild Out

With the powerplant in place, the remainder of the vehicle needed the mild-to-wild transformation as well. A set of A'PEXi N1 coilovers lowered the chassis over custom-fitment two-piece wheels wrapped with wide Nitto NT-01 tires. Brembo Gran Turismo front calipers along with drilled and slotted rotors at all four corners improve stopping ability while finishing off the aggressive look under the wheel wells. A carbon-fiber widebody kit from BRS Autodesign replaces virtually every body piece and provides the generous wheel wells needed for the widened rolling stock. A carbon-fiber RE-Amemiya GT wing along with APR Performance front canards and Formula GT3 mirrors complete the menacing exterior. The carbon-fiber components not only reduce total weight, but also provide the downforce to glue the car to the pavement should it ever see time on the circuit.