Mazda RX-7 with a RB20DET

Chateau Stillwater Garage built a gorgeous 1948 Studebaker with a RB20DET engine but the inspiration to use a Skyline powertrain was first thought of while working on this 1984 Mazda RX-7 GSL.

The RX-7 was originally purchased in 1997 with a dead motor. The owner built a ported 12A rotary engine and drove it for many years. But the purchase of a R32 Skyline front clip in 2012 changed everything.

To get the 2.0 L RB20DET inline-six to fit, the center section of the crossmember had to cut and moved forward so the oil pan would clear. To achieve more clearance for the turbo and steering box the engine’s tilt was reduced.

The Nissan five-speed manual transmission fit surprisingly well. The shifter was even in the perfect location for the RX-7.

The shifter was too tall for the Mazda boot so they made a shorter custom shifter to fit better.

To get the power to the rear end the owner turned to Shaftmasters to create a custom aluminum driveshaft.

The goal for this project was to make the conversion look very clean and Chateau Stillwater Garage with help from friend Sean O’Brien did a great job. The RX-7 looks like it might have been built by one of the manufacturers.

Source: Chateau Stillwater Garage