Beginning 1967 110S Restoration Project
BOYCOTT EXXON MOBIL!!!
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Westchester County, New York. USA
Originally Posted by fchoncho
This is an amazing thread. I love it! Growing up my dad had a yellow RX-2 coupe and my mom drove a silver RX-3 wagon so these vintage Mazdas are very dear to me. I still have two REPU's, one driver and one project.
As recent as 2001 I lived in Iwakuni JAPAN while in the Marine Corps. Our base was only about 40 minutes away from Hiroshima so I was literally in the Motherland. Some local friends knew I was a rotary nut (they were into Nissans) so one day on our way to a local drift track they took me to a small roadside used car dealership. I was wondering what we doing there when they introduced me to the owner. They were busy translating between the two of us. I was getting excited just checking out all the cheap deals on modified RX7's when the old honcho motioned me to the back of the lot. There he had an original 110 Cosmo in pretty decent shape. I was busy drooling when he drags me about four cars over to an even cleaner Cosmo sitting under a car cover.
I had met a native rotary nut decades older than me and for a moment it was like we were speaking the same language. He was surprized a young gaijin even knew about these old Mazda's, let alone was so enthusiastic about seeing some. That was a great day!
If I find myself with some disposable income in the near future I'm heading right back over to Iwakuni and bringing one back!
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As recent as 2001 I lived in Iwakuni JAPAN while in the Marine Corps. Our base was only about 40 minutes away from Hiroshima so I was literally in the Motherland. Some local friends knew I was a rotary nut (they were into Nissans) so one day on our way to a local drift track they took me to a small roadside used car dealership. I was wondering what we doing there when they introduced me to the owner. They were busy translating between the two of us. I was getting excited just checking out all the cheap deals on modified RX7's when the old honcho motioned me to the back of the lot. There he had an original 110 Cosmo in pretty decent shape. I was busy drooling when he drags me about four cars over to an even cleaner Cosmo sitting under a car cover.
I had met a native rotary nut decades older than me and for a moment it was like we were speaking the same language. He was surprized a young gaijin even knew about these old Mazda's, let alone was so enthusiastic about seeing some. That was a great day!
If I find myself with some disposable income in the near future I'm heading right back over to Iwakuni and bringing one back!
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.
.
.
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RCCAZ1: Get off your hump and upload some more pics!
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,367
Likes: 86
From: Phoenix, AZ
Drumroll please.......
Guys,
Hard to believe I know, but Glenn was having so much fun restoring Pam and Paul's 110S that he decided to pick up one of his own to use as a reference model while doing the restoration. Yup, that's right. Two 110S models, in the U.S. occupying the same garage space. Now, unless you have a couple of rotary prototype cars hanging around gathering dust, I think it's safe to say that this has become THE most interesting rotary restoration project in the country.
Glenn purchased the car last month from a gentleman who had owned the car for a very short period of time. Initially, the car was purchased by Curtis Wright. Here's a quote from an email that Glenn sent me:
"I was originally contacted by the owner of the Curtis Wright Cosmo after he saw on the RX-7 website that I was restoring one for a customer. He was enquiring about the cost of repainting his. After sending him photos of the restoration in progress, I saw that his was featured in the Motor Trend Classic magazine, December 2005 issue. I emailed him to congratulate him and he replied a thank you and that he may be selling it as he had 7 cars and a 3 car garage. He wound up emailing me that he was going to sell it and would like to give me first chance to buy it. I flew to Oakland a few weeks later for a look and returned shortly after that with a trailer to take it home!. I am going to start by rechroming a few parts to improve it but plan on keeping it as is until the customer car is completed. It sure looks great parked next to its twin!"
Not to mention the fact that Glenn's new toy has less than 15K actual miles, you can clearly see by the pics that the car is immaculate. Anyway, that's my suprise. Hope it was worth the wait. I'll start attaching a few pics, but please be patient as the file size on each is close to 100K!!
Our local Phoeinx club is planning a little field trip up to Glenn's house soon to check on the "girls." Can't wait to see them both side by side!!
Hard to believe I know, but Glenn was having so much fun restoring Pam and Paul's 110S that he decided to pick up one of his own to use as a reference model while doing the restoration. Yup, that's right. Two 110S models, in the U.S. occupying the same garage space. Now, unless you have a couple of rotary prototype cars hanging around gathering dust, I think it's safe to say that this has become THE most interesting rotary restoration project in the country.
Glenn purchased the car last month from a gentleman who had owned the car for a very short period of time. Initially, the car was purchased by Curtis Wright. Here's a quote from an email that Glenn sent me:
"I was originally contacted by the owner of the Curtis Wright Cosmo after he saw on the RX-7 website that I was restoring one for a customer. He was enquiring about the cost of repainting his. After sending him photos of the restoration in progress, I saw that his was featured in the Motor Trend Classic magazine, December 2005 issue. I emailed him to congratulate him and he replied a thank you and that he may be selling it as he had 7 cars and a 3 car garage. He wound up emailing me that he was going to sell it and would like to give me first chance to buy it. I flew to Oakland a few weeks later for a look and returned shortly after that with a trailer to take it home!. I am going to start by rechroming a few parts to improve it but plan on keeping it as is until the customer car is completed. It sure looks great parked next to its twin!"
Not to mention the fact that Glenn's new toy has less than 15K actual miles, you can clearly see by the pics that the car is immaculate. Anyway, that's my suprise. Hope it was worth the wait. I'll start attaching a few pics, but please be patient as the file size on each is close to 100K!!
Our local Phoeinx club is planning a little field trip up to Glenn's house soon to check on the "girls." Can't wait to see them both side by side!!
Do you have any idea what he paid for the car?I am thinking it wasn't cheap.It looks to be in perfect shape to me.What a score,I am envious.Thanks for the update,and pics.
Chris
Chris
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From: Westchester County, New York. USA
Originally Posted by Mazdax605
Do you have any idea what he paid for the car?I am thinking it wasn't cheap.It looks to be in perfect shape to me.What a score,I am envious.Thanks for the update,and pics.
Chris
Chris
Dwayne
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,367
Likes: 86
From: Phoenix, AZ
Not sure exactly what he paid, but I have an idea. I didn't ask Glenn, and even if I knew it wouldn't be my place to disclose the price. Combine the fact that the car could arguably be claimed as the BEST 110S in the states with the fact that it was originally owned by Curtis Wright, and you've got a piece that is worth whatever the buyer is willing to pay. For an avid rotary enthusiast it is truely a priceless piece. I'd take it over just about any other rotary car, and as time goes on and rotary cars become more collectible, it will only increase in value. This is one of less than 10 that were legally imported to the U.S. back in the late 60s and early 1970s. I can't wait to see it had (hopefully) get a ride in the near future!
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,367
Likes: 86
From: Phoenix, AZ
One other interesting thing to note is that Pam and Paul's 110S being restored in the pics is SO light with the chassis stripped that you can lift the front end off the jackstands with very little effort. I was amazed at how light it was with everything removed.
Originally Posted by banzaitoyota
is that the one that was ebay last year? It got pulled before the auction ended?
matt
BOYCOTT EXXON MOBIL!!!
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From: Westchester County, New York. USA
Originally Posted by RCCAZ 1
Not sure exactly what he paid, but I have an idea. I didn't ask Glenn, and even if I knew it wouldn't be my place to disclose the price. Combine the fact that the car could arguably be claimed as the BEST 110S in the states with the fact that it was originally owned by Curtis Wright, and you've got a piece that is worth whatever the buyer is willing to pay. For an avid rotary enthusiast it is truely a priceless piece. I'd take it over just about any other rotary car, and as time goes on and rotary cars become more collectible, it will only increase in value. This is one of less than 10 that were legally imported to the U.S. back in the late 60s and early 1970s. I can't wait to see it had (hopefully) get a ride in the near future!
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,367
Likes: 86
From: Phoenix, AZ
Originally Posted by RX7UP
I'd say he paid $20,000.00
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Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Miami
Originally Posted by John McBeth
Hi RCCAZ,
The car has been media stripped and is currently without any paint. All the chrome pieces ( bumpers, door handles, emblems) have been replated and the aluminum pieces (window trim and rain gutter pieces) have been polished. The mechanicals have all been redone by a shop in California. The car is kind of special in that it only has 10,300 original miles and maintains the original motor from the factory making it a "numbers matching" car. It also has the original tires that came from the factory though they are pretty dry rotted but still hold air. The "capella " badges on the C pillar are missing but under the front seat I found a set of new unused badges still in their plastic bag from Mazda along with the original dealer placard from the license plate location. The car was owned by retired lady who passed away in 1989. After her death, the car was parked outside where the sun ruined the paint and cracked the dash. Glenn is going to fix the door dings and repaint it sometime this summer.
The car has been media stripped and is currently without any paint. All the chrome pieces ( bumpers, door handles, emblems) have been replated and the aluminum pieces (window trim and rain gutter pieces) have been polished. The mechanicals have all been redone by a shop in California. The car is kind of special in that it only has 10,300 original miles and maintains the original motor from the factory making it a "numbers matching" car. It also has the original tires that came from the factory though they are pretty dry rotted but still hold air. The "capella " badges on the C pillar are missing but under the front seat I found a set of new unused badges still in their plastic bag from Mazda along with the original dealer placard from the license plate location. The car was owned by retired lady who passed away in 1989. After her death, the car was parked outside where the sun ruined the paint and cracked the dash. Glenn is going to fix the door dings and repaint it sometime this summer.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,367
Likes: 86
From: Phoenix, AZ
Alright everyone, here's a few new ones. First, some parts just before they went in for zinc plating and another batch for chrome plating and powder coating.
