I look to be picking up a datsun 280z which i then want to put a rotary in.

I am literally open to any of the rotary engines, I was thinking about buying a full salvage car to pull everything off i need or want.

Plans are to use the car at track days, fun back roading here in the ozark mountains and generally driving hard.

So what do you guys think would be the best base to go off of with a eye to future mods ect.

 

how much power do you want to make? does it need to idle nicely? does it want to be a show car?

if its just a mountain fun car, a street ported 4 port 13B with some kind of efi would put about 200hp to the wheels, and be totally reliable and a lot of fun.

a bridge port, idles crazy, and makes more power (260-310), turbo adds more, but the lag makes it less fun in the mountains.

a show car would want a 3 rotor and everything polished (it would also kind of sound like the Datsun engine, but less lazy)

can't go wrong, really, all of the engines fit

 

I am always looking for more power. This will not be a show car, don't get me wrong it will be nice but i want to build a lightweight high reving car. I love the ported sound of a rotary i'd even consider a n/a 20b but I don't think i want to fork out that kinda of money till the car is done for a while i''d call that a possible stage 2.

 

Extend port 13BREW with a decent sized single turbo.

Or stick a barra 6 in there like everyone else is at the moment. LPG taxi motors will be a cheaper alternative to factory turbo, they had specced up pistons/rods from memory.

 

Its hard to beat the standard 13B-REW when you factor in power potential range from mild to wild, availability of mods and aftermarket support, and price compared to a 3 rotor. They're all about the same reliability wise...in that you shouldn't really rely on any of them.

Skeese

 

in California the REW is becoming the one to swap in, basically because you can buy the engine new, and it can be set up to pass an emissions test easily. the Rx8 is starting to look good too

 

RB26DETT. Oh wait you said rotary. I'd probably go with the 13B-REW

 

How exactly is the rx8 renesis engine starting to look better? Unless some special new fangled magic has occurred I can only imagine its still the same low power overheating turd it has always been...

Skeese

 

^All the power of an aggressive bridgeport with smoothness and fuel economy surpassing any other rotary engine and are plentiful cheap, and come with a 6speed box?
They turbo pretty good too. Decent power on low boost.
Pretty viable now that rew's and t2's are getting thinner on the ground and more expensive.

 

13b-msp from rx8 is terrible swap in my eyes unless you have to adhere to emissions in a chassis newer than 1994 and so cant do 13b-rew.

Too hard to make any power on 13b-msp and they are super unreliable/short lived with a turbo. Turbos sack out 13b-msp side seal springs from egts plus turbo exhaust manifold pressure and side exhaust ports.

 

"if its just a mountain fun car, a street ported 4 port 13B with some kind of efi would put about 200hp to the wheels, and be totally reliable and a lot of fun." yes but only 13-BREW

"i want to build a lightweight high revving car." considering the 280 weighs just over 100 pounds less than the FD, CHECK.
high revving no problem.

"Extend port 13BREW with a decent sized single turbo" yes.

"I'd probably go with the 13B-REW" yes

"How exactly is the rx8 renesis engine starting to look better? Unless some special new fangled magic has occurred I can only imagine its still the same low power overheating turd it has always been..."
"13b-msp from rx8 is terrible swap in my eyes unless you have to adhere to emissions in a chassis newer than 1994 and so cant do 13b-rew." YES

"Too hard to make any power on 13b-msp and they are super unreliable/short lived with a turbo. Turbos sack out 13b-msp side seal springs from egts plus turbo exhaust manifold pressure and side exhaust ports." YES

as of today, without any doubt the 13BREW is the high point of the rotary engine. combined with a 21st century turbo you will devour your Ozark mountain roads. proper setup and porting and you will have a happy engine at 8500. a 400 rwhp rotary, thought to be mid range as to tune, makes 2.5 hp per cubic inch. eight of the ultimate 2018 super cars average 1.91. they all have 21st century computers sniffing out knock and retard timing etc.

point being, if you are going to turbo your setup, bring lots of money and do your homework. it is quite possible to have a 400 rwhp canyon carver run on gas that will be fairly reliable but you will have to make a lot of correct decisions.
you could do a 13BREW NA while you accumulate the knowledge and $ to eventually go turbo.

as to the Renesis, it is absolute garbage. the second best thing about the rotary is it's 50 mm peripheral exhaust port. that's why the engine is a mighty piece. how about over 1100 rwhp on methanol. the Renesis has side exhaust ports which are horrendous. power is about flow and they don't flow. turboing further constricts flow shortening life. it is also clear that the motor was effected by Ford's ownership in Mazda at the time of design. the beancounters were at work taking $s out of the motor. the thrust bearing center plate material looks like it came from True Value. so with a Renesis, you get all of the challenging things of the rotary (rotor housing wear) with zero of the neat things (power).

depending on your budget and time to completion of the ultimate configuration, maybe buy a new 13BREW, run it... then plot your mod course.

always cool to see a Datsun w a rotary

 

in California we need to pass a stupid emissions test (the OBD2 and newer cars smog themselves, that was the whole point of OBD2, but in Ca we go and run the cars through an emissions test anyways). the FD and Rx8 can do this, while making way more HP than the older engines. plus you can buy Rx8 and FD parts new. in that context the Rx8 looks better.

i actually have had 3 Rx8's and the reputation is WAY worse than reality. the part that is reality is that the car is like 800lbs heavier than it should have been, but that is what happens when you let the guys from Ford make decisions