My daily driver - 1990 HC Royal Classic Luce (factory 13bt auto)
 

hi ya!! ok thought id post some pics of the Luce.

she is a import 1990 model with a factory 13bt auto engine.

ive been told that there are only 15 in the country but all of them are series 1 apart from mine which is series 2.

the fridge in the parcel shelf was an option for the series 2 (mine doesnt have it :cry: ) would have been cool (pardon the pun)!! :lol:

some of the options -

*6 speaker stereo (there are even volume controls for the rear speakers in the center pull down arm rest for the rear passengers)
*driver 6 way electrical adjustible seat
*front passenger 4 way electrical adjustible seat
*rear seats split in to 3/4 to 1/4 style and are 2 way adjustible (ie move forwards or backwards for your comfort)
*a/c
*powersteering (which is heaps light considering the weight of the car)
*abs
*electric windows front and rear
*electric mirrors (with a parking pull in button)
*factory fog lights
*cruise control
*full electronic dash
- scale change - when the fuel get low you hit the scale change and it will turn the empty-full scale to 5litres-15litres letting you know exactly how much fuel you have left in the bottom of the tank.
it holds the litres scale for about 5 seconds then reverts back to the empty-full scale.

intercooler - gets its air from a ducting system taken from half of the front grill, pushed up into the bonnet then ducted to the intercooler then via the usual series 4/5 seal to the intercooler. ill get some piccies of it as well..
im quite interested in seeing how efficient it is and will be checking air intake temps on it soon..

atm it has stich 17" rims and i plan to keep them as it makes the car i reckon

future mods -

suspension as front shocks are shot.
nulethane bushes
maybe an aftermarket ecu later (as she get 550km to 65ltr tank on highway now)
exhaust (as the rear tip scraps on everything and it is shitting me)
maybe some series 6 brake calipers for the front brakes and some slotted rotors.
paint job (as she is a little shotty up close)
series 5 turbo (to stop the boost spiking)
black out boost gauge
black out oil pressure gauge (as it doesnt have one :? )
upgrade the auto (as its an fc box it doesnt handle the extra weight of the Luce to well, so either upgrade internals or install a jc 20b auto box)


here are the pics -

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https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...e/IMG_8635.jpg

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boost gauge gone as it got stolen out of the car just 3 days after purchasing the car!! :x
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https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...e/51242005.jpg

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ps

also to im trying to track down some window sheilds like in this pic (above the doors) -

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pps if anyone has any information ie manuals be workshop or especially electrical manuals id love to purchase them off you if you are willing to part with them!! :icon_tup:

Hot damn, I've never seen anything like that.

I need to start hanging out in Other Rotaries more often.

yeh they are a rare car..

nice to drive too..

I have never seen one and I'm all about some rare shit... WTF I hate you aussies... Always finding the good shit... :D

aw come on man dont be like that!! hehe

now ya know about them..

if ya want to know more check here - http://www.dmrh.com.au/ the links down the side of the site will take you to what you seek!!

even have a chat to dave (site owner) he is a top bloke and very knowledgeable on the Luce and cosmo's..

and now is probably a good time to tell you i own a genuine 1974 rx3 ap version as well..

speaking of picking up rare cars in aus, how bout thishttp://www.members.iinet.net.au/~sheppo/front.JPG

only one in aus and now i own it :ky:

Nice car, sim !
Quite rare to find 15 year old led displays still working perfectly. Too bad it's an auto.
I bet this is where all the 13BT auto jap import engines come from.

looks like half of that dash is from a 89 90 mazda truck.
matt

the one with the wjeels is super hot man good find on yours too!

thanks..

yeh i know in all the car is in good condition. just needs a little tlc to get it to a standard im happy with..

probably its a shame they are stripped just for there engine. they are quite a nice car to drive/cruise in.

That is a Mazda 929 here in the states. Who did the engine swap?...
How does the intercooler breath with no hood scoop?...

Dwayne

That Luce is pretty cool! As usual, the lawyers and Congresscritters here in the States wall out the good stuff.

So from the factory it comes with no scoop to supply air flow through the intercooler?

looks like it could have the same type of air routing as on the millenia-S .. . . or not :D

Mazda did it as its FACTORY 13bt auto. thats how they were released in japan in limited numbers.

intercooler - gets its air from a ducting system taken from half of the front grill you will see the plastic duct just behind right of grill in picture.
air is pushed up into the bonnet where you see the first little opening in the front of the bonnet right of the bonnet clip.
then ducted to the intercooler out of the rear larger opening in the middle of the bonnet via the usual series 4/5 seal to the intercooler.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...84_17_full.jpg


she is now off the road too. just found a poped water seal in the second rear rotor.. so rebuild time.

she did 186,000kms though on the original engine. not bad considering its extra weight over the fc..

ZOMG ive never even seen that car before i think thats my new favorite car front sorta looks like a old school soarer is that thing rear wheel drive

hehe yeh they are rare.

it has the IRS system of the gen 2 rx7 which explains the rear camber and is rear wheel drive..

Hmm, I wonder if I can take a US model 929 and convert it to a wanna-be Cosmo.

hi ya,

anything is possible if you have the dollars..

cosmo and luce are 2 totally different cars..

you could maybe make a 929 into a wannabe luce :)

Nice car you have there. What model plymouth is that, I can't figure it out. I don't think they were sold here.

thanks man

some more pics and movie of rear seats moving -

full photo of dash led display
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rear stereo controls
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storage compartment (yes thats a speaker grill in the rear door)
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rear passenger fan controls
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rear seat control on door and powerwindow switch
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center console cushion for driver
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center console cushion clicks forward for shorter driver that has to move seat forward
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another storage conpartment in center console
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photo's after suspension fixed
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fuel scale
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intercooler duct
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rear seat adjusting

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...th_IMG_417.jpg

^^^ After seeing the intercooling duct it all makes sence to me now.... Real beautiful car!!! Congratulations! Hold on to that gem........ She's a keeper!

thanks man. yeh i plan too..

update -

started striping the engine bay yesterday to get the block out for a rebuild.

what a nightmare.

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whats happening -

13b will be rebuild to standard except a few reliability mods like FD engine seals etc and going to run FC NA rotors to give here a little more low down grunt.

turbo will be rebuilt and highflowed with 56mm p trim front wheel.
internal gate sealed and external gate installed to stop boost spike issues..
boost level will be kept below 10psi

gearbox is getting rebuilt with a stage 2 kit installed.
basically kevlar bands and higher oil pressure in the box and a upgraded torque converter.

ecu change to a Haltech e8 (with closed loop boost control function)

looking forward to driving the finished product. then time to focus on my rx3!!

Good luck... Your Luce is one of my favorite!