Can someone tell me what these early rotaries are like to drive? Can they be made to handle really good, or are they just too primitive? I don't want to sound like I'm down on my car, I'm just worried that I'll spend a bunch of money to get it going due to it's novelty, and then it will turn out to be an un-enjoyable driving experience. What does my future hold?

 

Well, I can't speak about an RX-4 specifically, but I completely loved driving my RX-2 coupe. It was slightly drafty, rattled a bit (ok, a lot, especially before the Autopower rollbar), and the steering wasn't as precise as I like, but none of that mattered. The smoothness of the rotary engine, the awesome sound, the incredibly light weight, and the funky vintage feel made every drive- even to the corner store- a great deal of fun. They can be made to handle surprisngly well, due mainly to the very light weight and decent distribution of mass. They are fairly primitive, though. I found the fact that my anti-roll bar was also my strut rod somewhat disturbing, but it worked fairly well in practice. A lot of early rotary cars kicked some major butt in various levels of roadracing for many years, so there is a solid base of knowledge out there. It's just a hard base to access.
If you like being a little weird, can deal with a car that is not as refined as a modern ride, and you dig the vintage .jp car feel, then an early Mazda will keep you smiling all the time.

Anybody got an RX-3 coupe they want to sell me?

 

OK, it has a leaf rear end, so at best it will handle like a nice horse cart.... nah.
Don't sweat it - just acknowledge that you will never have the economy, ride and noise levels of a brand new mitsubarhyundaihatsubishi, and that the car is the best part of 30years old. It will be cool, have cred with those who know, be capable of pulling the skin of a custard (unlike the above mentioned shopping trolleys). THey have been road raced over the years so a little attention to bushes, front bar and spring rates will make it turn and handle.
you will agree it isn't as "nice" to drive as the missus' shopping trolley, but when you mash the gas pedal and hold it through the revs, all is good.

 

yeah....thats about it in a nutshell.....

 

If you don't like it I will trade you an FB for it

 

I drive the REPU every day and it is a fun driver. they dont handle all that well but they are usualy just as quick as any FB or NA FC. My rx-3 is all set up though to handle and it does realy well. i have a set of billstein race struts with adjustable spring perches, camber plates. big 1 and 1/8 inch front anti sway bar, i still use the leaf springs, but i put a set of 3 " lowering blocks in to match it to where i have the front at, also i have a anti sway bar matched to teh front one that i have in back also. It is pretty much set up for road racing, but i dont have a cage so i run it on the street. well... ok back roads hheeeaaa....

CJG

 

I had to hold on to the door handle of my friend's '77 REPU when he took a 35mph offramp at a measely 50mph, and kept acelerating! Oh my! I wish my '74 could corner like that. Oh well, at least I know it's possible.

anitsuv, I too wonder about my CD Cosmo (aka RX-5 in countries that never got the REPU). I got it running a little earlier this year only to have an RB Facet fuel pump die on me so I've got to decide which is the best to get since Facet is no longer sold at RB. It's one of those back burner type projects that keeps getting neglected.

I really ought to work on this car more and get it running. It's got coil springs in the rear and disk brakes all around. That's gotta count for something. I'm just not sure how well it'll handle. Do I spend tons of money on it before I even know how cool it is to drive? Well, I've got to at least spend the minimum to get it running reliably, then go from there.

 

You have one of the few 70's Japanese coupes that even have a remote chance of kicking the crap out of the cars of today. Sure its old. But no one else has one near you I bet.

I know there are plenty of Hondas though?

If you set up the right motor they will not even notice that the dust they are eating is almost 30 years old.

 

frind of mine got a series 7 rx7 13bt in one

i cannot say its not fun to drive with the turbos high flowed with a full exhaust system and large front mount

nice stezza its good for a mid 10

(and hes only 19)

 

Well thanks for the responses everyone.

I should be starting on the restoration pretty soon. My cousin restores and fixes old cars for a living and he's gonna help me (the RX-4 is in his yard.) I'm going to try to convince him to build a rotisserie so we can get to the bottom...He wanted one anyways. I want to do it right and do all the rust proofing procedures I can. I still don't know the state of the motor but it doesn't matter 'cause I think I found a low mileage SP 13B to buy. I think the most expensive part aside from buying an engine will be getting a windshield and recovering the dash - we can handle the rest.

 

i get fron windscreen for 150 aus fitted

get a s5 13bt big exhaust high flowed turbo max psi and an intake
and it will be fast enough to take down rice rockets and much more

 

Well....
Jim from eXtreme Performance down in Texas wants $550 delivered for a windshield...So that's the main item I'm dreading, and I think that's a bit much even if it IS rare. If anyone knows another place where I can get one, let me know please. I will travel.

 

Advertise on www.thepartstrader.com . Someone may have one.
Is the windshield cracked enough that it inhibits your vision? If not I'd deal with it for a while because you have plenty of other things that probably need attention too. Like making all the mechanical and hydrolic items work properly.

 

I'm lucky becuase it just has a single crack straight down the middle...it's not spider-webbed or anything like that.

 

I'd rather drive it now with a crack in the window than sit in your yard and look thru a new one. Of course I don't know what your budget allows, but $550 will certainly help to get it moving.

 

Call Rocky at Pac Performance (www.pacperformance.com.au- their number is on the site). He found a new RX-2 coupe windshield for me- it was very inexpensive (around $200 US), and the shipping wasn't nearly as bad from Australia as you would expect. Other Australian rotary shops can probably help you, but I mention Pac simply because I've dealt with them before and had no troubles at all.

 

selectmaz found me a driverside window for about $35 us price.