Hi there, I suppose this will be a bit of both an introduction and a question. I'm pretty new to anything without pistons, but not cars in general. I came across this Repu, and I wanted to ask people who really know these trucks. I'm really not sure what to pay for it, he's asking $2500.

So it's pretty rusty, as the pics show, the interior is modified, but largely intact (TII seats and missing woodgrain and missing climate control panel, door speakers). The floors seem solid, but the kick panel area is rusted through on one side. The battery box is in really good shape, just bent a little. Oh and there's a 5-speed and a Hurst shifter. All glass is intact and the weatherstriping looks good, as the truck was dry inside.

The engine is a 4-port 13b, with a Weber dco5(? he claims that's what it is). Racing beat intake obviously and the OMP has been removed. He claims it runs if push started, but the weather was terrible so I haven't heard it run. Supposedly it ran low 14s at Bandimere back in the day.

Anyway, thanks for the advise guys!

 

Why does it need to be pushed started? This could be a sign of low compression.

 

It could also be a sign of a bad starter. Hahahaha carb looks like it is a dco50. The body is definitely rough but what I would worry about is the frame. If the frame is good I would be all over it. the rest can be taken care of no problem. But don't expect to find a large supply of new of the shelf parts for it. Not a bad looking truck if you don't mind putting a few extra grands into it to get it back to tip top shape. Ps the paint color looks horrible.

 

I understand that the starter isn't working, I'll have to double check with the guy though to see if it engages or not. I was worried about the compression, you're right.

Oh yeah I think the paint is HORRIBLE too. can't stand baby blue or pink and it has both. I'm going to photograph the decals though, maybe get them repo'd in white or something as the history is cool.

Yep, I figured the interior would be hard to replace, so I think I'll knock him a bit on the price for that.

Is $2500 even reasonable, as it sits? Is there $2500 worth of parts in it you think? I just don't want to get into it for another $6k or so, and then sell the truck for $4k. I've done that once already lmao.

 

If it was running/driving without having the push start it might be worth his price. Is there $2500 worth of parts there, probably not.

 

The body matched grill and headlights looks horrible imo.

Doesnt sound terrible but I think $2500 is a little steep. The 5spd swap is a nice addition as the 74 was only 4spd or 3spd auto.

I live in Fort Collins but am in Denver for work and can look at the truck with you sometime if you'd like. If the starter isn't working we can't compression test it which is a big bummer but if it's running you can usually tell issues right away if they're major enough.

 

That's about what I thought, $2500 is steep for a rusty truck that technically doesn't run that almost no one in the area know what it is.

Yeah that Blue is terrible, gotta have chrome!

I messaged the guy and he says the starter does engage. The truck has been sitting months though so it will need a battery. Is rotary compression testing the same as a regular car, or is the procedure different because of the 2 plugs? Honestly though I'm not buying it until I can hear it run, so it will all have to wait until next weekend when the weather isn't horrible.

As an aside, is it impossible to refit the OMP, as I don't want to have to remember to mix 2-stroke every time?

Are there any questions I'm missing, that I really should be asking the guy?

Thanks for all your patience with n00b questions.

 

Compression testing a little different. You really want a specialty tester but can get by with a piston style gauge. There are plenty of how-to's around on how to compression test a rotary with a piston style gauge tester.

It's hard to price REPU, especially here in Colorado because there are virtually none, so it's not like you can simply go buy a different one locally.

For reference, the only REPU I've seen on CL lately is a flat black painted basket case for sale in Greeley, engine and trans removed, interior destroied, missing body panels, on blocks and the seller is firm on $1500. So if this is a running, driving REPU and you could get it for say, $2k with a clean title, I'd say go for it (pending it's actually running and driving).

The flip side of the coin is you can usually score a sorted REPU with a freshly build engine, straight body without rust, clean paint, clean title for around $6-8k if you're willing to wait and travel. Which is less than it would cost to restore a basket case, say, if the motor is blown in the one you're looking at.

 

Yeah I talked to the guy with the flat black basket case. Interestingly the guy with the Blue one, knows of the one in Greeley. and yeah he's dead set on $1500, which is odd, considering they often go for less on ebay in the same condition, but hey some people are just stubborn.

So if I can see the Blue one run/drive, would $1000-1200 be a fair value? I know it's going to take quite a few grand to get in in good shape. I can do body and paint and most mechanical things myself thankfully, but it's just hundreds of hours to do body right, and that blue one really needs it.

 

If it runs/drives it would be a steel at $1200.

I have two REPU's. One is a 1975 with original engine that runs but has a small amount of rust on the floorboard (easy fix). The other is a 1977 I purchased in 2004 off eBay and had it shipping from Utah to Missouri that does not run. I wouldn't take less then $3500 of either. These things are hard to find. My theory is to never sell. I think if the one your looking at runs, $2000 is a good deal.

 

any interior pics? The hardest parts to find on the REPU is the interior dash parts. most everything else, is interchangeable with the Ford Courier..... so parts are available. When i buy an old car i look at two things, Rust and Interior. If the interior is not complete, or if the dash has been butchered up to accept new guages, then i will pass on the car but it all depends on what level of project you are willing to get into. I restored a REPU that had very little rust and a complete interior and it was WAY more than a couple of grand to restore. Keep us posted.

 

No, no interior pics, but I've checked out the interior, and it's pretty trashed. The gauges are all there and functional, but the woodgrain is missing, the benchseat has been replaced with Turbo II seats, the wheel is an RX7 wheel, the climte control area is damaged/missing, the shifter is a B&M, and the door panels have holes cut for speakers. So yeah that worried me as far as interior goes. I can live with it, but it's not pretty. Oddly the rubber seals on the windows all seem good, except the vent windows in the corners.

I suppose that's the way it is every time with restoration projects, they always cost more than they're worth. I'm more interested in just having a cool hotrod that's mechanically sound rather than a 10-point resto. Period correct stuff can wait, but I don't want to blaspheme the truck either, if that's something you're worried about.

 

Im not worried about it....its your project and thats the beauty of it. Its yours and you do what you want with it. again, its all up to you. how big/little of a project are you are willing to undertake? sounds like from what you want as the end product, this truck may fit? only you can answer that.

i'll give you my opinion for what its worth (not much) i would pass on it. This truck is too far gone. good luck and let us know if you buy it and what you end up doing with it.

 

looks like a parts truck

 

Disagree, could be a solid truck with a little work. As long as the purchase price is right, could be a good runner.

 

update:
Thanks for all the advise guys. Now we're working on figuring out the title, getting it clear and in his name. I haven't seen the truck run yet, working o that this weekend, if the title clears. I won't buy it without a title, or if I do, $1k is the most, as a parts truck.

Something I remembered that I forgot to ask before: There's no OMP on this truck, where can I get the injectors and a pump? I've tried the auto-parts places, but no luck. I don't want to HAVE TO remember to mix oil into the gas every time.

 

The OMP is Mazda rotary specific. Check the for sale threads on this forum. Since it's a early 13B, I believe a 1970-1985 12A OMP will work.

 

I'm removing the OMP and hoses off my 74 REPU this weekend if you're interested in them. I don't know if it's functional or not but they rarely fail.

 

Pre-mix....much better

 

^Agreed

 

​​​​​​​So cool to see this thread! I bought this truck a little over a year and a half ago. Got it running and daily drove it for about a year. Did a lot to clean it up. The motor ran great but smoked a bit. I eventually cracked a corner seal and pulled the r5 motor and replaced with an rx7 6port engine as the motor will be going turbo and if it ever blows again it will be much easier to find rotors/housings/irons for the rx7 block compared to the old school stuff. Will probably do a build thread soon. Anyways here’s how she sits now:

 

 

That’s how she looked when I got her^ Almost looks like a different truck!

 

awesome....glad you got her on the road again! Well done. the truck looks great

 

Really glad to see that truck back on the road in the condition you got it to. Rotary Specialists were the go-to repair shop starting in the early eighties run by Luis Rivera (Tony's Dad) and his brother-in-law, Terry here in Denver. I had a lot of work done there and at The Mazda-Honda shop that Luis and Tony opened after they left Rotary Specialists after typical business squabbles. After Terry closed and Luis and Tony left town, it has been a while since we have had anyone doing any rotary work here in town. My son, with a little bit of help from me have built our own XP RX7 and we learned a lot from these people.

Thanks for taking care of an important and rare vehicle.