Once a very very rusty '73 rx3 coupe in England...
 

Hello. My name is Alex and i last posted on here about 2 years ago wehn i built a GM chevette with a 12A. I had that a while then sold it to a bloke in Ireland who crashed it 5 days later!!! Apparantly now rebuilt into another shell so it still lives.
Whilst I had that I heard of a rx3 coupe sitting in a shed from a friend. He gave me the guys number and one thing to another and I had it sitting on my garage doorstep last christmas. I had always wanted a rx3 back in NZ but always too expensive for me- now was my chance- out with the welder....

It had been sitting over 20 years and was rotten in alot of places but in its favour it was all complete and all original- with the 10A (seized I thought at the time) - plus it was a 1 owner!!! 75 k on clock

After a while messing about with other cars I finally started work on it about march last year...heres what it looked like when i got it...

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...ynz/rx33-1.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...ddynz/Rx36.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...ddynz/Rx31.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...ddynz/Rx33.jpg

And with 2 days to go before my 34th birthday it past its first MOT test in over 20 years!!! Just in time for a big show I had been busting my balls to get it ready for!!!

The test...

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...1012007772.jpg

At the show...

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...Rgathering.jpg

Some other pictures...

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...1012009273.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...nz/rx3bay3.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...rnewplates.jpg

and a short vid...

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...3raggingit.jpg

Heres a link to the entire build- its a long one so make a cup of tea

http://www.exile-rotorsport.com/viewtopic.php?t=1090

I hope you all enjoy it- I have so much fun driving what is a very very rare car in UK and love showing it off- makes me very proud.

nice job ... way to rescue that old school rotary. Lets see pics of the interior if you worked on it at all :icon_tup:

Love that interior. Gotta love 20 years of no sunlight to crack the dash or make the steering wheel split. Great job!!!!

I want that center console arm rest! Very nice 3.

Great Job! Love those wheels.
As the others stated, your interior is in amazing shape.
Good to see the ole girl revived again!

i haven't taken many pics of interior. I guess thats something i didnt think about too much. Cars here tend to have good interiors and crap bodywork. Lucky its all there though as it could be tricky getting bits.
Is rust a big problem for many of you into old mazda's in the states?

.....or canada? :-) do you use road salt against ice in winter?

Lots of salt here too:( Not too much survives:icon_tdow
Sometimes you even get stuck behind the trucks that spray a liquid salt solution on the roads. Its like taking a salt bath.

Nice car and it is good to hear that people still want to restore the old school, nice job man.

Fantastic find! Great Rescue!
Is that the original rx-3 manual on the seat?
Thanks for rescuing it and showing us your RX-3 buzzing out on the road once again.:icon_tup: :icon_tup: :icon_tup:

cheers! yeah- thats the original manual!
I'd love to take it back to NZ but i wouldnt be able to use it as a daily there like i can here! I never sleep easy if it was parked outside or in a carpark whilst watching a movie- too well known and targeted. In britain its just a nice looking old car but hardly anyone knows what it is!

Nice find, the whole car looks great. im scared to think what the guys from top gear would do if they got a hold of it.

very very nice. I started working on my rx3 last week after 2 years sitting in my garage nice nice work and now going to be doing alot of what you did to mine., you inspired me since my car has alot less rust and alot of honda freaks kept telling me my car was yunk,,but after this detail work on your car wow im really going to go with it 100% thanks,you car turned out ,,,amazing ..thanks

thats great then! When you have finished you'll be able to sit back with a beer in hand and look at a bloody nice looking car sitting on your drive - knowing that you saved it! Post up all progress. Forums like this with other peoples inspirational projects kept me working hard on mine!

Wow. You just saved me from selling my 3. I like threads of this type, very uplifting.

nice save i really like that color blue

wicked fc pro am. Its always excellent news to hear of another old rx saved.:) !
And kevin. The colour is an old ford blue. English escorts from the 70's. But i think mazda used a simular colour?

OMG you trippin homie dont sell that shit..dont let my lil mishap discourage you from owning a piece of history.....

^^ True. I gotta tough it out.

went to a open day at rotechnics here in blighty last weekend. Mainly fd's and some fb's. Mine was only rx3! Cool. I love that. Very different to back in nz.

awesome man i love to see a nice car rescued from junkyard death. ive done a few myself

https://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g...yenginebay.jpg

wow you really made it impressive! i dont think i would have that kind of patience

Great work, according to my records the RX3 coupe was only sold in England between 1971 & 1975, and only with the smaller of the two rotaries available (nominal 1,964 cc 2 rotor).

were there any other old schools or was yours the only one?

286,685 RX3s were built, I wonder what % are still going?