How bad is the Mazda 12A engine parts shortage?

The aluminum is cast around a sheetmetal insert, which is then chromed, ground to size, partially de-chromed for chrome porosity, and in some cases an additional coating is applied.

Chrome on aluminum results in rapid chrome loss. The Mazda Factory Race housings are chrome on aluminum, since racing apex seals are lightweight and stress the chrome less. The rotor housings are assumed to be only good for 24 hours of use, as well.

Nikasil style coatings to replace the chrome have been tried, IIRC they generally result in very rapid wear.

Knurled wrote: 13B parts are getting hard to find, now, however. I'm thinking of converting to S50.

Went to SuperSecret Location where car was stored, replaced clutch hydraulics, decided to take the car home.

The idea of walking away from RX-7dom and getting a BMW lasted about halfway through first gear. By the top of second, I completely forgot what kind of car I was thinking of replacing it with.

ROTARY 4 LYFE

Resurrecting this thread after a fashion, I guess.

I've got a line on an IT RX3 that is apparently well sorted with a pro-built 12A. Is the conversion process to a 13B similar to an RX7, or different?

I guess if I end up with the car I'd have to start hoarding engines or forget about class rules. The latter wouldn't be that big a deal as I can always put the engine on the shelf and run a 13B for Auto-X and TT...

I recently located '80 RX-7 that had been in the same family since originally purchased. It had sat for over 6yrs and despite the incredible condition of the car(for a barn find)I just never could get comfortable with the car since even the IT-7 racers that I knew didnt have any running engines and were in the process of converting to the Renesis motor upgrade for future racing. Talked to Mike at ISC(who built everything for my RX-3 in the good old days) and he hasnt built a rotary in over two years. I realized that building the car around LS or 5.0 drivetrain was the only option and being the romantic, I wanted a real rotary car, not a bastardized RX.