Before the RX-7

DO EETT!!!1!

IMHO, if you want a good starter rotary, get a 1st. gen RX-7 or 2nd. gen. RX-7 non-turbo. The N/A engines are pretty reliable as long as you do oil changes every 3K and keep them from overheating, and parts are still widely available. RX<7 cars and parts are getting very rare. I wouldn't recommend a turbo rotary until you are more familiar with rotaries in general.

RexSeven wrote: DO EETT!!!1! IMHO, if you want a good starter rotary, get a 1st. gen RX-7 or 2nd. gen. RX-7 non-turbo. The N/A engines are pretty reliable as long as you do oil changes every 3K and keep them from overheating, and parts are still widely available. RX<7 cars and parts are getting very rare. I wouldn't recommend a turbo rotary until you are more familiar with rotaries in general.

Oh, no...I'm familiar enough with rotos that I wouldn't touch a turbo as a first one. If it's so damn eazy to overheat a N/A one, I don't even want to think about the added heat of the turbo. And yes, a 1st gen RX-7 was actually what I've been thinking about. As much as I'd love a 3 (I've driven several), I've also noticed that they're getting pretty thin on the ground these days. Last time I went "craigssurfing" for one, all I found were old SCCA GT-3 (and even one old IMSA RS car! I hope some vintage racer jumped all over that one!) race cars. No street cars at all.

And every time I fool m'self into thinking I'll race again (health problems), I spend a lot of time looking at Spec 7s..I raced in SCCA Improved Touring, and the damn Spec 7s just look like a seriously reliable way to get back out there..

RexSeven wrote: DO EETT!!!1! IMHO, if you want a good starter rotary, get a 1st. gen RX-7 or 2nd. gen. RX-7 non-turbo. The N/A engines are pretty reliable as long as you do oil changes every 3K and keep them from overheating, and parts are still widely available. RX<7 cars and parts are getting very rare. I wouldn't recommend a turbo rotary until you are more familiar with rotaries in general.

Meh. I've had my '88 Turbo II since 2002. Has over 100k on the original engine. I'm running a DIY tune on the Haltech I installed, along with 3" exhaust, intake, turbo upgrade, injector upgrade, etc. etc. The car gets beat on mercilessly and comes back for more. I've got a spare motor in the garage, but the stocker refuses to die.

Where people go wrong with the turbo RX-7 is they open up the exhaust and intake, run a fuel cut defenser, and don't upgrade the fuel system. Engine goes lean and goes boom and they say turbo rotaries are nothing but trouble. Oh, well. My experience has been very positive.

I knew a guy that had an Rx-3. He made it as light as he could and have it look stock. It had a 12a with a Holly 650 carb, Race Beat headers, and some other speed trick I can't remember now. That thing was wicked fast. He made a bunch of money street racing. His only complaint was that it starved for gas at 12000 rpm.

1988RedT2 wrote:

RexSeven wrote: DO EETT!!!1! IMHO, if you want a good starter rotary, get a 1st. gen RX-7 or 2nd. gen. RX-7 non-turbo. The N/A engines are pretty reliable as long as you do oil changes every 3K and keep them from overheating, and parts are still widely available. RX<7 cars and parts are getting very rare. I wouldn't recommend a turbo rotary until you are more familiar with rotaries in general.

Meh. I've had my '88 Turbo II since 2002. Has over 100k on the original engine. I'm running a DIY tune on the Haltech I installed, along with 3" exhaust, intake, turbo upgrade, injector upgrade, etc. etc. The car gets beat on mercilessly and comes back for more. I've got a spare motor in the garage, but the stocker refuses to die. Where people go wrong with the turbo RX-7 is they open up the exhaust and intake, run a fuel cut defenser, and don't upgrade the fuel system. Engine goes lean and goes boom and they say turbo rotaries are nothing but trouble. Oh, well. My experience has been very positive.

That's good to hear, but I personally would still stay away from turbos as a Rotarnoob. I think I need a little more edumacation about the basics, otherwise I'd be one of those guys you're talking about.

friedgreencorrado wrote:

Rotarydave wrote: How does all this relate to Rx6.... well in the mazda parts literature it goes like this R100=R1, Rx2=R2, Rx3=R3, Rx4=R4, Rx5=R5 and Rotary Pickup=R6 Dave

Waitaminnit...the RX-6 is...is...the REPU? Now I know how Kasper Gutman felt when he found out the Falcon was a fake.

Now I never said it was an Rx-6, what I said is that in Mazda Rotary Parts language is that the pickup was given the number designator of R6 since the Rotary Pickup was a US Market only there is no alternate name for it.

605 I will send you pics of the sedan once I get back to the states I don't have any with me here in Iraq

Rotarydave wrote:

friedgreencorrado wrote:

Rotarydave wrote: How does all this relate to Rx6.... well in the mazda parts literature it goes like this R100=R1, Rx2=R2, Rx3=R3, Rx4=R4, Rx5=R5 and Rotary Pickup=R6 Dave

Waitaminnit...the RX-6 is...is...the REPU? Now I know how Kasper Gutman felt when he found out the Falcon was a fake.

Now I never said it was an Rx-6, what I said is that in Mazda Rotary Parts language is that the pickup was given the number designator of R6 since the Rotary Pickup was a US Market only there is no alternate name for it. 605 I will send you pics of the sedan once I get back to the states I don't have any with me here in Iraq

My fault, dude. Waiting for the pix, and I'll wait for a long time, since you're over there. Keep your head down, dude!