My 1974 Rx3 Build
 

Well lets start with a little about my self. Right now im 20 years old, own a Rx8 and just picked up this Rx3. Will be going to college for mechanics this fall so then i can get a certificate and get payed for what i love doing. Car is a 1974 Rx3 that was bought from a friend in Texas. Currently it needs lots of body work since it has a lot of surface rust. It was resprayed a dark blue or black and paint is pealing bad. Does have white interior which i heard was kind of rare?. Haven't started cause no gas, though it did crank when i used a weak battery. Also need a banjo fitting for slave cylinder.

Plans for car:
Carb 13b n/a with turbo capability. want turbo down road.
new paint job, pearly red
slap on some 17inch weds and lower it a little.

Probably more things in future, so lets start with pics.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...llPhone040.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...llPhone041.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...llPhone042.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...llPhone043.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...llPhone039.jpg

Thanks

those big accel coils gave me a flashback on my RX-4. take your time in fixing that RX-3.

sweet ride
those coils are huge lol

Thanks guys! Yes i will deffinetly take my time. Right now my goal is to get it running by end of this week. New tires and fixing trans slave tomorrow. Hope she starts up fine.

nice rx3.looks like a good starter project.good luck.:icon_tup:

Looks like a great start for a build. Keep us updated on the progress.

Awsome base to start with man, and yes the white interior is very rare. Along with those 12a nosecone chrome pieces, guys pay $1000 or so down here in NZ for that stuff. Loving the racing beat manifold/holley carb setup too, i used to have the same setup years ago.
Can we get some interior pics???

What nosecone pieces are you talking about?? Im pretty new to this old school cars so don't know everything about them lol..
Yes i will get pics today when it stops raining out.

The chrome you can see at the front of the car, here are some pics

Rare as hens teeth down here

Nice score. Definitely a good starter.

man im jealous.

we have an rx3 race car, but ive been wanting to find an rx3 for the street.

You got that car from texas ,it was on ebay sometime back ?

There is a whole grill on ebay right now for like 130 bid. Ends in 7hrs. i was high bidder but not anymore. Might bid on it again here soon.

Yeah i hope so
I can add that i just turned 20 to boot!! lol I keep telling my friends im lucky cause i own both a rx8 and rx3!
Yeah i bought it from Victor in texas, though i found it on craigslist. Im sure it was up some time ago. Got a hell of a deal.

Let me ask you guys this, just out of curiosity how much would this car be worth as it is? Engine runs and was rebuilt like 5k miles ago but like over 10 years ago. It does seem solid though. I want to see if i got a good deal. Ill post what i payed after i get results. If this isn't allowed just edit post mods.
Thanks
Diego

Looks nice! Good luck in your project!!!!!!

Update, started engine in like 2nd crank. Was out of tune. And it seems one of the rotors has low compression. Im in process of taking engine out so we can rebuild it/sell it. But i have a 12a with 60k miles here ready to go in while we build the 13b. Other than that, the underbody seems to be in a pretty good condition. Minor surface rust on sides but no holes.

Pics

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...llPhone005.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...llPhone001.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...llPhone010.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...llPhone006.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...llPhone007.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...llPhone022.jpg

Newer 12a
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone028-1.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone030-1.jpg

Oh and my other car! :p
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...llPhone033.jpg

rx2
 

dammm u sneaky guy!!! that duce is clean!!!love the green color...:icon_tup:

+1

nice rx2,can you post a side pic of your rx2,i noticed the front runners.i want to see the wheels.:drool1:

Nice Gems.
I hope to clean the cob webs from my 74 rx3 this summer too.
Good Luck

thats a nice rx3,that rare finding one with a vinyl top,are you going to leaving the original top
after you paint the car will you like to trade a motorcycle for you car

I will get some pics tomorrow of the rx2.
That's actually not the original roof. Either way I'm gonna take it off, I don't like the look of it. And not trading. Plus a well done 3 is way more than any bike.

So i promised pics, here they are! BUNCH
 

Lets start with progress, swapped engines. Turns out first engine was a older model with that emission crap on it. Pics will show.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone003-2.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone004-1.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone005-1.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone006-1.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone008-1.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone029-1.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone030-2.jpg
Representing VividRacing! :icon_tup:
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone033-1.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...llPhone036.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...llPhone035.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...llPhone044.jpg

And some OLD ass flywheel that could chop my legs in half.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...llPhone045.jpg

And now what might get more attention than my rx3! :lol:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone042-1.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone038-1.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone043-1.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone040-1.jpg


LOL

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone041-1.jpg

Nice cars!!!!, so you bought nizzle's starlet ? are you dropping a rotary in there too ?

Can you please tell me what brakes setup are in the rear of the starlet ?

Thanks.

The starlet is actually not mine, nor is the rx2!! lol they are a friend of mines. But he is dropping a 13b in there. Ill post more info when he gets it done.

I see, well that starlet was sold a couple months ago, I have talked with the previous owner and thats why I asked you :).

So do you know what engine they are going to drop in there ?

It had a built 3tc before.

Well the car DID come from florida, so it could be the same car. Well we like to keep our projects kind of secret, but from what i know so far its just a fully built SP Holley 13b. I have trown him the idea of slapping a huge turbo on there and he thought about it. But so far it will just be NA for now. He wants to get rid of it when he gets it done. Needs to move on to another project. Most likely my rx3! lol

Yea it is the same starlet. Looks pretty nice IMHO:icon_tup:, I have also a starlet but mine has a 12a stockport engine:)

Man the car is SUPER clean, looks brand new. He got new wheels on order and the engine he hopes to have it assembled by this weekend.
Here is the holley setup he has waiting for engine.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...llPhone037.jpg
Looks super clean

yes it is, also isnt that an OER carb setup? Doesnt look like holley to me?:scratch::dunno:

my bad, its a weber! lol i get confused since im new to carb setups

hehe is ok, I am also new but to rotaries :lol:

here is my starlet:

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/3...junio09091.jpg

Looks pretty good! whats under the hood??

Thanks, underhood is a rotary stockport 12a :icon_tup:

oh yeah you said that before! lol

Any plans on doing some work on that?

hehe yes I did, I will install a Webber 48 IDA that I bought a few weeks ago when I get the manifold and the jets for it.

My final goal is to have it bridgeported and run in the 12's all motor:icon_tup::) then maybe add NOS and so on :lol:

have you sourced your manifold? I think we have a 12a RB polished LIM, idk if we have the top though. I can check

There is one locally, I might get that one :)

Oh i c..

Well little update, took hood and sanded most of the surface rust it had. I used 120grit which sucks cause it takes for ever. Should i change to 80?? Im going down to bare metal and gonna wet sand when done. Then 2 nice coats of prime

My RX3 is a 73 little wagon,with white interior, 60 below O starting system from Alaska Really deep surface rust on a silver car. I have been working on it through a major heart attack and open heart surgery. Have chased out the elecritical system and the fuel system as far as the carb,believe I will have to clean that. What is the big yellow thing you have where the coils are to the dizzy??? Thanks ,,Bob

Oh nice, you should get some pictures posted. Though make your own thread please don't want to fill this one with others cars lol

The yellow things are Accel Coils pretty old school.

Got some work done on the car, cleaned rear right wheel well and sprayed with rust proof and underbody paint. We gonna sand the car down and fix all the holes with fiberglass/bondo and primer it. Then put it up for sale. Moving to another project.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a365/Pballman/008.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone006-2.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone007-1.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone008-2.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone009-1.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...llPhone011.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone012-1.jpg

BAD Porting done on original engine.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a365/Pballman/018.jpg

Starlet! :lol:
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone002-1.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone001-2.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Phone003-3.jpg

If you sell your rx3 I will like to buy it
 

Hi,DiegoRx8 if you going to sell I will like to buy it with or with out the
engine.Send me a Pm with what you are looking to get for the Rx3

Thanks Carlosrx3

Well right now there is an engine from a 83 rx7 with 60k original miles, it has a RB intake and a holley carb. Also a RB exhaust mani and dual exhaust. Not sure what im looking to get, try to make the most out of it. Ill be heading down to PR to buy me a clean rx3 for now.
Ill PM u though.

nice build

Car will be tore down coming weeks and taking to body shop for full restoration.
This is what my fender looked after about an hr.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a365/Pballman/001.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a365/Pballman/002.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a365/Pballman/003.jpg

Im kind of lazy but my goal is to have whole undercar done before paint.

wow - so solid looking!!!

I had a vinyl roof too- i thought it was added on by someone- but now i realise it must have been factory!!! whoops....

some car did came with a vinyl roof from the factory this is a rare find .if you have a car with factory vinyl roof leave it on the car is worth a lot more.Some car came with a 1/2 vinyl roof,The rare one is a vinly roof with a rag top sunroof like a old VW bug had I see one In a movie gone in 60 seconds the one made back in the 70.It was a red one in the show room floor.Back when the Rx3 were made the factory had a lot of thing that you can have added on but over the years they were takin off and trash.Like a little bee in the front grill.side window wind visors.I told the person that own the rx3 leave the vinly roof on thats factory but the young kids do not care about us old guys who knows how the cars look for the factory.:scratch:

well im not sure if it is indeed from factory. Don't want to find out the hard way either. I know its got sway bars, traction bars, and white interior. From what i been told thats kind of rare on some. But i don't really know.

my vinyl roof is long gone- i had to remove it to cut out rust!

It didnt look nice on a light coloured car anyhow.

Mine came with alloy wheels fitted by mazda uk though- still on there!