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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:
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Love that interior. Gotta love 20 years of no sunlight to crack the dash or make the steering wheel split. Great job!!!!
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I want that center console arm rest! Very nice 3.
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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?
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Originally Posted by yoeddynz
(Post 8892827)
.....or canada? :-) do you use road salt against ice in winter?
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.
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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.
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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
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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!
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Wow. You just saved me from selling my 3. I like threads of this type, very uplifting.
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nice save i really like that color blue
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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? |
Originally Posted by fc pro am
(Post 8898423)
Wow. You just saved me from selling my 3. I like threads of this type, very uplifting.
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^^ True. I gotta tough it out.
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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.
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awesome man i love to see a nice car rescued from junkyard death. ive done a few myself
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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).
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Originally Posted by yoeddynz
(Post 8921048)
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.
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286,685 RX3s were built, I wonder what % are still going?
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Beautiful work bro! I'm very curious about your paint gun setup. Can you give more details?
https://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g...1012007575.jpg Also very curious about your rubber trims and seal from woolies. Do they have a website? https://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g.../newrubber.jpg |
there were a few FB's, one rx4 coupe (unrestored), a 11o cosmo and an rx2 sedan. mainly all FD's- some nice, some not so nice.....
There is about 11 rx3s left in uk that we know about- after 6000 sold!! all rusted away? |
I got a figure of 285,887 RX-3's produced.
Around the same time as the rapid decline in Mazda 808's there was a drastic increase in RX-3's in NZ :-) |
Tulsa turbo- the paint gun works really well- alot of professionals use more expensive versions of the HVLP spray system- but for the money this ones is fantastic. Earlex 3000. British I think? My only problem is that I should have put on more coats and then i could have cut it back smoother.
Woolies have a website ... http://www.woolies-trim.co.uk the door rubbers I got were a touch too thick and doors wouldnt shut- but the other bits worked really well! More work.. Not a biggie but I have finally got around to revisiting my rx3's underbelly. This time it was for a bit of preventative tlc. I had filled all the inside of all box sections with shit loads of Bilt Hamber wax end of summer when it flows nicely. But i still wasnt sleeping- as I use the car in any weather i wanted more protection. So out with a big can of waxoyl and into a bucket of piping hot water. It slowly melted and when satisfied it would spray I attached the supplied pump but it was shit! Thats the reason i never used the stuff years back. But it was liquid enough to use in a garden hand sprayer so that's what I climbed under the car with. I covered every where that salt might sit- I always give the car a good complete hose down if its spent the weekend on salty roads but if the hose is frozen I wanted the salt to sit on wax- not painted steel. Messy messy job and bloody cold too. I was forever thawing out wax covered hands in bucket- no gloves because I am a real (stupid) garage man with perma-grime (and probably dermatitis affected) hands. Wax in my hair (because real men dont wear silly hats) and I stunk of white spirits or whatever the carrying agent is. But the car is now protected underneth so I'm happy and can sleep again :D http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...1012009354.jpg |
wow you did an ausomejob on the rx3. car looks great!
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good job, looking forward to restoring a 73 rx-3 wagon soon....
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wow!!!!! you must admit that little engine in that car kicks ass,it sound wonderful i might put that as my ring tone.
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3 Attachment(s)
Rusty old rotors? oh yea, I think some of it is the metal wasnt as good back then. i have had a 75 ford courier and it had rotten floors and in th end the drivers door hinges gave out due to rust and fell off the body. The REPU and courier and b1600,1800? were all close to each other, with minor stuff making them them... 7" headlights ect.
So on my 74 repu im workin of the rust, the largest motavator is if your driven in the rain its comin in the cab. the wheel well and floor seam is gone, i can see the tread on the wheel, so when it rains its flyin in hte cab and hits the rear glass. had gotten most of that taken care of and found a hell of a lot more rust. the fire wall sits at a bad angle and looks like it wouldnt let water drain making holes up top, I had a hole i could stick a 2x4 throught. and under the fuse panel, im just shocked the truck was in 1 peice. this is the fuse panel area after some grinding and the drivers floor with the sound deading tar tape removed |
wow- thats a lot of rust alright!!!! man- that makes my rx3 look solid!
I would love a repu- but even if i found one i cant import back to NZ with me as they have stopped imports of LH drive vehicles! So i take it that further south on east coast rust is a problem- is it the Humid weather down there? I wish I could travel and work in USA for few years and look at all the old cars for sale! And do some of the amazing mountain biking too! Oh- mobeoner- welcome to use sound! I love the sound the little 12A makes when the secondries open!!! |
What a marvelous and incredible job you've done with shear determination! There's no rust you can't handle that's for damn sure! Credit Hannah too for her help and support. My wife envies her. Oh, can't forget stimpy the cat as well. Lol... Congrats!
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cheers, i have not been on here a while. Car going great- took it on a 1000mile trip to belgium and back. Will post photos next chance i get.
Built a new exhaust muffler at back so i could remove the little muffler i'd put just in front of axle which kept catching things. New muffler is too loud. Going to make another but will add baffles- not worried about losing a touch of power. Any great ideas you guys might share on good muffler designs for a single muffler system on a standard 12a? |
new exhaust time- after constantly smacking old middle box on speed
bumps/sleeping coppers/speed humps thingees and then on and off the ferry ramp https://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g...8062009850.jpg this is the problem... https://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g...8062009851.jpg A hot and sunny sunday is the perfect time to climb under a car and weld eh?.... :? Lovely day really- surrounded by fields in the sunshine- heaven... https://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g...8062009853.jpg I had an old box that travellen bob gave me- s/s and big. I shortened it to 400mm long. I bought some perforated tube and special exhaust glass filler from bay of E. https://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g...8062009854.jpg Then made 2 plates to suit new pipe size - welded them onto end plate and into can. cut and tube, bent tube, welded tube- tube now bendy. this will make flow shoot though hole and get more absorbed- maybe not in those words but along those lines... https://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g...8062009860.jpg https://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g...8062009862.jpg covered tube in s/s and then rolled it up in wrap. https://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g...9062009865.jpg https://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g...9062009866.jpg then it was time to remove the centre pipe and chop out offending box and replace with new tube. hot hot work - grinding and welding with nothing but shorty shorts and a tee shirt- hot splatter on my bare feet. Bliss. New box in place...bling(ish) https://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g...9062009867.jpg new pipe work back up in place and lots of clearence now- but will it be too loud?.... https://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g...9062009868.jpg Took car for spin last night- sorted- its a little louder but a lower sound- quite nice- need to try it out on long run and see how boomy it is. (UPDATE)..is too noisy- i have built another muffler yesterday. its better but still noisy- unless i go all baffled i think i'll i'll have to refit the 'modifed' centre box- i'm going to cut the bottom off it and reweld it flat bottomed! more pics of exhaust soon.... |
FINGS I DONE TODAY ALWIGHT!...
I jumped onto some springs and calculated precisely what poundage they are with the help of my trusty sidekick Hannah and her amazing tape measure plus some scales. https://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g...4052009617.jpg I then fit the springs I selected along with my 'Brand spanking new Konis' that I purchased from classicgarage.com- who happen to have loads of old stock konis etc :D https://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g...4052009616.jpg I wound the damping adjustment in 1/3 from start - it affects the rebound only and that happens to be what was severly lacking with my car. I then took it for a drive and hey presto! It actually drives great- much much less pitching about and bouncing over every little bump. and the roll is reduced too- I actually found my self hammering into corners with joyeus (sp?) abandon :twisted: So phone calls to Gaz today and chase up where my rear dampers are!!! Yesterday I had this fella in front of me... https://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g...1052009647.jpg He works for a magazine...more on that later :wink: |
well i did my first ever 1/4 mile race on sunday. We went to the retro show and lots of cool modified old cars there were!
I raced an 80's audi in first race and did a 16.7sec run. But times got worse from there after. I kept spinning up the wheels, my little 175 tyres not finding grip. It was a very strong head wind too. So maybe in better conditions i could do a 16 flat? Anyway- it was a good laugh and now i know roughly what the little 3 does. With bad conditions the whole weekend best time was a fd with consistant 10sec runs. |
Looks like you're scootin' along with that 3 of yours.
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This is motivates me to get on my job.....
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Wow man awesome! love'd all the XTR interventions =]. Really a great read- And looks like it only took ya 2 years? Sick!
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cheers.:) yeah- cant help but slip in a few bike bits...i can go to work and forget about cars and then work on the car and forget about bikes. And when its all working well i get to play with both. Love taking the rx3 on mtbing weekends away.:)
It took only 5 months from march 08 to august 08 to get car done. Never again- lost a summer of riding bikes. Although right now i'm finishing my vauxhall viva project.... But its raining so its ok.. Alex. |
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