As far as I'm aware with the corner buttons its just less of a pain to deal with the solid ones. The little rubber pieces in the corner buttons are obnoxious. I just use the two piece with the rubber nubs.

You might want to switch to FD corner button springs. Although it takes some squeezing to get the 3mm seals to fit (so I've heard)

What flywheel/clutch are you gonna use?

Ya that's kinda what I thought. Was told the solid one can last a bit longer, but wasn't sure if there was any actual advantage to them?
But as far as things go when I start to button it up.
Factory flywheel, and a Exedy stage 1 kit.
Its the factory 79' SA trans, and I'm still trying to figure out what I'll do for a rear end?
I'd like to run at least a 4.11 gear.
Probably do a custom Toyota 8" on leafs with caltracs to fit the Datsun... (If I can afford it)

I have a thread on ignition. Cheap, easy and strong. Just look in my signature below.

That looks alright.
The bonus being the big box of GM ignition parts I have. I even have 2 external MSD (GM TBI) style coils. Those would probably work... I have enuf ingition parts to build a few of those setups. I even have 7, of the 4 pin modules.. lol

Even better when free.

So I have one last dumb question way off track on this thread, but does anyone know the flange to flange (overall) width of the rear ends in the SA/FB?? I know the GSL-SE rear end is a little wider. But I don't have access to one right now to measure?
The Datsun rear end is 53" inches. I just need to know if they're close. I measured from the outside of the brake drums.

I have a spare SA (Series 1) 1979 rear end sitting in my garage. I measured from the outside edge of each brake backing plate and it was 54 in. I then measured the edge of the backing plate to the face of of the axle which was ~1.5 in. So 2*1.5 + 54 = 57 in. Hope that helps.

4.11 is pretty easy, the 94-97 miata was a 4.11. the 99-05 5 speed miatas were 4.30's. Mazda further offered 4.44, 4.77, and 5.12. the 4.77 was also used by Kia

any 81-83 limited slip diff works, although i think an axle needs to shotened a tad

Indeed it does.
Thank you very much!
That's actually 3" inches longer than the datsun rear end. But I think I can make it work..
I actually came across a thread covering this the other day.
Everything except the Kia diff. (Only the front diffs work).
A 4.44 gear would be kinda badass though. But the Kia diff would be cheaper/easier to find than the Miata diff. 4.30 gears would be alright to though, but a 4.11 would be a better street gear.

You are building a build thread ;)

lol
Just about. I have a build thread in the old-school section.

That section is so diverse. One thread is about an RX2 then the next is about some 90's cosmo and then there will be some triumph or sand rail as well. Its just all over the place.

That's for damn sure!
I really like to see the diversity, and the Rotary's outreach is humbling in my opinion..
I always read about how the rotary is dead. But I think it's just catching it's stride!!
My favorite is the 74' Nova. That thing is nuts!!!
Though there's tons of cool swaps out there.

My love for old Datsun's, and the sound of rotary's is why I'm doing my build. I just wish I could afford a 13b, and fancier stuff.
But the 12a is a good place to cut my teeth. I just hope I can build it right.. lol

stock is 3.9, so put the right tire on it and you're done

Haha. I've found the 13B stuff to be cheaper (at least for old FC components). I would like to do a 12A someday, but I just don't have the time or initiative to hunt down 12A parts.


I am curious are all the stationary gears the same in all of the Mazda rotary engines? Or are the 12A gears shallower?

12A is shallower