*RX007*

iTrader: (4)

ive heard of a car that was not produced by mazda and utalized the 12a-t and was produced in the late 70's early 80's, about 100 were made. does any one know or have an idea what this car is called? thanx

*RX007*

iTrader: (4)

aww, come on some ones gotta know...

Marek

iTrader: (2)

Taking a stab an RX-7 and there were a bunch of them made but only in japan. Do some googling!

Tranquil

iTrader: (1)

Well the only non-Mazda cars to have the Mazda engines (that I know of) were actually Soviet Russian automobiles. The USSR took a lot of technology from the western capitalist states and bootlegged it.

There have been a few members on RX7club who have come on here looking for tech help with their Soviet rotaries.

rotary emotions

Those weren't Mazda engines, they were NSU-copies. And in the end they DID buy a license from NSU/Wankel. So it's not real bootlegging. Even if they copied first, then bought the license to do so
Don't know if any companies officially used Mazda (12AT or other) rotary engines though. I know of a 12A turbo in an NSU Ro80, but that was a self build project by it's owner.

Tranquil

iTrader: (1)

Well I would guess what coast of the USSR and what point in time it would be, hahahah.

*RX007*

iTrader: (4)

hmm, well i was talking to a fellow forum owner and he said he was picking up one of the rarest rotary powered car and only 100 were made, but he wont tell anyone what it is until he buys it and the suspense is killing me, he said it had a 12a-t that came in the car from the factory the only other thing i know is was built in '81

Crit

iTrader: (6)

I'd say he's full of BS. The only factory 12AT cars I know of were the 84 and 85 RX-7s. Mazda sent the 13B-powered GSL-SE over here but built a 12AT for the domestic market.

*RX007*

iTrader: (4)

i could be mistaken the because im really good friends w/ this guy and i dont think its something that he'd lie about, could have misunderstood him. maybe its a swap then...

DCBORIQUA

yes they made them 12at in Japan. I lived out there 4 years. for further knowledge of this rutt or the far east modirator can further verify. I have a seen them for sale whole from importers who sell jdm cars.

*RX007*

iTrader: (4)

im not talking about the egine its self, im talkin about a car.

rotary emotions

The 12AT actually came in the Comso HB (eighties cosmo model, not the old 110S or the newer JC). Actually before they were put into the RX-7.
The Cosmo was the fastest saloon in Japan back then.
Look here:
http://www.dmrh.com.au/hb_series2.htm
http://www.dmrh.com.au/hbspeclist.htm

They did make a few more then 100 though.
The body was a 929, as available in the rest of the world, the engine a 12AT, or also 13B.

rotary emotions

??? don't understand what you mean there?

Funkspectrum

iTrader: (5)

I believe the car in question is a Phoenix Avatar....

I think there are only 120 of them, they were produced between 81 and 84, convertible 1st gens with no mazda badging...with a 12AT...

Naegleria_Fowleri

How the hell would one know that? And I want to see pics of that.

*RX007*

iTrader: (4)

did zach tell you? cause he wouldnt tell me what it was, and that hed unvail it ant one of the upcoming meets...

*RX007*

iTrader: (4)

did alitlle digging and found... its called the "pacific avatar"

i think this is it, the article says its a wide body vert w/ 12a-t



From SteveMullin.com:

The Topless California

From 1979 to 1985, an obvious question was answered by Al Dooley when, as Pacific Avatar, he converted the first generation of RX-7 into convertibles. He had been working as a sales manager at a Mazda dealership, and one look at the new RX-7 in 1978 told him that a convertible would be a natural for the RX-7's clean shape and simple lines. Alter jigging and strengthening the body with framing under the floor pan, inside, and in the windshield posts, custom convertible tops were installed, Interestingly, the trunk lid of the 626 was found to be an almost ideal fit and had to be modified only slightly to be used on the conversions. Although a few convertibles were sold with standard mechanical equipment, most also had turbocharged engines, modified suspensions and brakes, and custom wheels and wider tires.

A series of wide-body convertibles, with front tenders and rear quarter panels flared, were constructed following the appearance of a special for a magazine, including one Twin Turbocharged RX-7 that was reportedly, and undoubtedly, a Porsche Carrera eater. The conversion also got extra publicity when one appeared in the low budget film, "Smokey Bites the Dust."

Several prototype convertibles on the 2nd generation RX-7 were built, though the project terminated when Dooley learned of Mazda's plan to produce a convertible of its own. First-generation cars were converted as late as 1988 with the last going to a doctor in Baltimore, Maryland. Although many were sold in California, Florida was the biggest market for Pacific Avatar's convertible RX-7s. In all, Dooley reports that 126 conversions were performed. The cars were numbered sequentially with a data plate installed under the hood.

rotary emotions

That'd be a modified RX-7 then, not a factory car. Chopping the roof of a first gen might be enough to make it a "new" car officially, but of course it is still a modified RX-7.
The pic you posted shows a Mariah Mode One bodykit (can also be seen in the gallery on the Mariah Website).
As for the turbo engine: as far as I can judge, that'd be a conversion too, right? Which would not be a 12A-T as such, but a turbocharged "normal" 12A. 12A-T factory cars had lower compression rotors and EFI.
In Europe we had some turbo conversions too. TWR, Janspeed and Elford (the later being the most famous) had some nice kits around.
Convertible conversions have been offered overhere by Lehmann (sold through Küwe), and are mostly built a lot stronger then the USA versions. These tend to be weakened a lot by the roof chop.

*RX007*

iTrader: (4)

yes but they took all of the badges of the rx-7 off so technicly it was a rx-7 but it was kind of rebuilt by a diernt company thus the name pacific avatar. but they were still under factory warrenty, as for the picture, im not sure if that is exatly what the pacific avatar looks like but it must be similar since the article says its a wide body FB vert. what i do know about the engine is that it is not efi, and has a a blow by 4 barrel carb setup.

Naegleria_Fowleri

That is some great information there *RX007*. That car looks great too. 12at sounds like a good benefit to that car as well.

*RX007*

iTrader: (4)

also suposedly the car has about 300hp! if that is true then holy crap that car will fly! i will defenitly be taking mucho pics once my friend gets the car as im sure he will take some also, and ill be sure to post em all up since this is such a rare car and needs some more publicity!

steve84GS TII

The 12AT wasnt a standard mod for a Pacific Avatar 1st gen vert.You could get one Plain-Jane with the stock engine if the $25,000 top chop was all you could afford.Turbo engines and widebodies were just frosting on the cake......

If the builder was licensed,then a properly built car could be re-named offcially,so that it was no longer a Mazda or an RX-7.The same is true with the Mariah widebody kit.If you show proof of professional installation,Mariah will issue you a new title for the car,stating that its now a Mariah,and not a Mazda.

Id hardly call that a "factory" non-Mazda rotary car,since it started life as a Mazda and was originally built in a Mazda plant.Thats like calling a Fiero-Lambo conversion a real Lamborghini!......Id call it a Mazda RX-7 based custom......

*RX007*

iTrader: (4)

oh ok thank for shedding some light! thats what these forums are about!ya i heard a fully equiped model could cost up to $50,000 new...

Bern

A quick correction here... it "was" true of the full Mariah Mode1 and Mode6 "factory" conversions. Mariah "was" actually licensed as a Small Vehicle Manufacturer and they could issued their own titles and warrant the vehicles.

Mariah will not issue you a new title for a car now, but they will register your car with the factory as a full MODE conversion and issue the Mariah badges.

-Bern

Bern

This is true, the "factory" 12A-T was nevered issued as even an option on the PA IIRC. The 12A-t in these cars was a bolt-on turbo kit to the stock 12A; mostly Car-Tech kits. As Steve says, these were built around what you wanted and could afford. The standard conversion was a non-wide-body stock car with the top conversion.

Unfortunately, Pacific Avatar's conversions were not the best in quality. After a very short while, a lot of these cars started to sag, and bow a bit. Mariah did a few projects on these PA conversions and ended up having to strengthen and brace the cars substantially.

-Bern