These days, many aftermarket kits keep things much less busy than they were in the 2000s. However, old-school widebodies, with their molded appearance and their tons of add-ons are also experiencing a resurgence. Case in point with this 1999 Mazda RX-7 featuring a complete Veilside treatment.
The FD3S, Mazda’s final iteration of the RX-7, made for a brilliant sports car. Nevertheless, Japanese developer Veilside gifted the rotary-powered coupe with supercar levels of eye candy via its Fortune aero package, which you might know thanks to a certain film that has the words “fast” and “furious” in its name.
And with the Wankel engine’s return being a mere dream at this point—Mazda announcing its return as a range extender for the MX-30 doesn’t really count—the sheer mention of the RX-7 name is enough to turn heads these days. So how about buying one from Japan, with the machine appearing to pack most of the goodies the JDM tuner offers?
This Veilside 1999 RX-7 was listed by Japanese specialist Stacked Exports just hours ago. For starters, the two-door comes with the front bumper, side skirts, rear bumper, rear wing, front and rear fenders, hood, door panels, and rear window cover, as well as the headlight kit—these lights and the rear glass cover come in Lexan. Veilside’s custom wheels are also present for a coherent look.
In addition, the Mazda seems to sport the optional front lip, side skirt add-ons, and rear underbody fins. It also comes with custom dashboard instruments, even though we’re not sure if these come from Veilside.
Speaking of the dash, one of the photos shows the engine being revved to around 5,000 rpm. Now, assuming the vehicle still packs the factory 13B 1.3L twin-turbo, twin-rotor engine—this is probably the case, since there’s no special mention on the matter—the said revs are a piece of cake, as this is an engine with an 8,000 rpm redline.
What about importation?
There are three main ways of legally importing such a vehicle into the US. First of all, there’s the 25-year-old rule, which states that vehicles younger than this have to be modified to comply with DOT crash safety and EPA emission standards. However, the process is uber-complex and since there’s been no prior work done in this respect, you’d have to break new ground, so you’d be better off seeking a US-spec RX-7.
Then there’s the show o display rule that allows such vehicles to be driven up to 2,500 miles per year. However, only cars that are of special significance are approved (this 1998 Subaru 22B STI is a good example). And, as impressive as this RX-7 appears to you and me, it probably wouldn’t make the cut.
The third option is sadly also off the list, since this involves factory-built racecars. So, you’re probably better off just waiting for the RX-7 to reach the age of 25, which happens in 2024-make sure to consider that the legislation involves the specific month of production for a certain vehicle.
Of course, the’s always the option of buying the vehicle and having it stored in Japan until it can be brought to America, with multiple companies offering this option. Of course, the decision is never easy to make, since you have to compare the cost of storage to what you estimate the prices are going to do until the vehicle is ready for U.S. roads. But hey, this can be a rather rewarding game.
However, Canadian enthusiasts are more fortunate, with the country’s import legislation reducing the minimum vehicle age to 15 years (busses get dedicated rules, though).
