Talk me out of this RX3

I've always wanted something 70's Japanese with a cool motor. I was shopping for Celica fastbacks for awhile but they are out of my price range these days for all but the most beaten up examples.

This RX3 showed up at my friend's shop for storage. It's owned by a mutual friend, who is likely willing to part with it, but I haven't asked for a price yet.

It's a 1977 with a 12A and a 5-speed. The interior is completely stripped out except for the dash and the window cranks. It has an old bucket racing seat, and an Autopower 4 point roll bar (with no harness bar). It has some camber plates and adjustable struts, but I don't know who made them since the logos are worn off.

The wiring is a bit of a mess, with the lights being controlled individually by switches on the center console, and some things cut back and taped off.

I don't know what the Hayashi stuff is all about. I thought they made rims, but apparently they did something to this chassis.

I was able to get it to start and almost idle today by drizzling some gas into the carb, but the carb won't flow any gas on its own, even when I pump the throttle. There's also no throttle cable (it was broken and cut off) so we hooked the choke up to the throttle for now to try getting it to run.

If I bought it I would probably turn it into a track car / fun car. A 13b swap would definitely be part of the ultimate plan. There are some major issues:

1) I don't have a tow vehicle. I would have to make it streetable enough to pass California emissions and be driveable to and from the track.

2) The car is at my friend's shop which is a 2 hour drive away from my home and I would have to store it there. There is nowhere I could store it closer, except for short periods of time at my work when necessary. I could occasionally swap it out for my Fiero (store the Fiero at my friend's shop, drive the RX3 home) assuming it's reliable (and safe..) enough to make the trip.

3) I live in California, and this car is a 1977 so it's not smog exempt. I would have to get it to pass smog to re-register it and drive it on the road again.

4) It hasn't been registered since 1993 -- I sure hope the previous owner "non-opped" it...

I like it. price dependant of course. Your situation with california nazis and storage and the car seems to prohibit such a project, but if you want it bad enough. id plan on taking a weeks vacation and living where it is for a week to get it up to snuff. also plan on about a grand to get it safe/legal/compliant, maybe more.

feel like dumping a load of cash and all your free time into a 40 yr old japanese car?

-J0N

Not only is that an awesome RX-3, but it is the even more rare RX-3 SP if it is indeed a 77 with what looks like some racing heritage. The bumpers should be black though for a true SP, so maybe it isn't a 77. Good luck getting the owner to sell, and if he does expect to pay large amounts of cash!

I loved my 77 SP:

Until this happened 6 days later:

I say do it!!! If you have a lot of cash that is.

Chris

Edit: That is a genuine SP. The front bumper looks chrome to me, and was throwing me off, but maybe it's just my monitor. That is an SP you can see the SP logo on the passengers side rear quarter panel( the only place the SP logo appeared from the factory). That car will be expensive even in CA. If you don't buy it let me know the owners info and I will try to score it.

Huge demand for those things. If you can get it at a reasonable figure buy it and flip it, or just send it to Chris and I'll help him restore it.

I would imagine that a running and non rusty RX3 would be be quite a bit more expensive than a comparable Celica, just due to its rarity .

Good luck, I'd love to have an RX3!

In CA I don't see that being a good idea. Older rotaries are pretty much gone here because of hoe hard it is to get them to pass the emissions testing, so getting one that needs that much work to be put back to stock (which it has to be unless you swapped in a newer engine including all the emissions equipment from the newer car)doesn't seem like a good idea.

Awesome car but I agree with some of the other posters here. That is going to be a major pain getting that back streetable and compliant. Cool project though and good luck if you decide to do it.

umm. I have a tow vehicle and I will buy this.

that car = win. I refuse to talk you out.

Was going to post a pic of a SP but someone else already did.

They are starting to fetch prices around what a S2000 would. At the very least save it and flip it on a RX7 forum.

By the way I am surprised to see Weds Auto Bahn wheels, and not Hayashi wheels on the car. Someone probably already scored the Hayashi wheels(rare $$$). I know they are Weds as I have the same wheels on my RX-7. They should be 15x7, and the oddball 4x110mm bolt pattern.

You have come to wrong forum if you want people to talk you out of an RX3.

Buy it.

Welcome to the club, I scored this a couple of weeks ago.

I am looking at going historic racing with mine, with luck it will be at the Mitty for 2015

You buy it yet?

I understand that California can be a big problem for emissions and hardware- but you really need to check what's up with that VIN tag before passing it up.

First and foremost- if that is a unique car- not a full Mazda, but a Mazda-Hayashi- that makes it worth while just keeping and figuring out what to do with it. Second, thought, if that additional tag is there for a reason- that also changes the certification requirements. So the required hardware could be different than the Mazda base. To the point where a 13b conversion may be ok....

You should look into it a lot more, at least.

Thanks for all the advice and information! It sounds like this car might cost more than I was expecting to pay.. but it also sounds more enticing too ;-) I will try to find out more this week.

alfadriver wrote: I understand that California can be a big problem for emissions and hardware- but you really need to check what's up with that VIN tag before passing it up. First and foremost- if that is a unique car- not a full Mazda, but a Mazda-Hayashi- that makes it worth while just keeping and figuring out what to do with it. Second, thought, if that additional tag is there for a reason- that also changes the certification requirements. So the required hardware could be different than the Mazda base. To the point where a 13b conversion may be ok.... You should look into it a lot more, at least.

It does still have the original chassis number stamped into the frame; S124A-*. Is that number the VIN, or is the VIN actually on the Mazda tag under the Hayashi one?

VERY good point about the emissions requirements possibly being different if it's a "Mazda Hayashi Racing RX3"! Unfortunately I can't find anything about a Hayashi Mazda MX-3 on the Intarwebz, so I don't know what different equipment it might have.

Talk you OUT of it? What are you, nuts? Buy that thing!

1988RedT2 wrote: Talk you OUT of it? What are you, nuts? Buy that thing!

This. What are you waiting for? Why haven't you started a build thread yet? are you STILL trying to decide? I'll help. The answer is Yes. Buy it now.

Mazda605- that pic makes me sad

In reply to series8217:

I would contact these guys, and see if they have any archives- http://www.hayashiracingusa.com/

"I loved my 77 SP"

Chris, got any "after" pics of that beautifully sculpted filler filled trunk? I'm STILL impressed with that masquerade.

No pics of that Tom, and while impressive it wasn't as bad as I thought at first when I dug a bit deeper. I miss that car. It was my dream car ever since I saw it three to four years prior to me buying it.

Chris

mmm... how about something like this? Rx3 with flares..

Yeah I tried some internetting today on that and found nothing useful :(

You got me all curious for curious sake.

Cool car. I'd be interested if is for sale and you pass on it.

Ok... You guys did a horrible job of talking me out of it. I'm planning to visit the owner this weekend to find out more about the car and get a price :-)

Have I mentioned that I hate you for having a solid crack at what looks to be pretty solid RX3? No? Let me correct that oversight... I can just see one of my 13BT's sitting in there. Good luck, hope you get it!

Something interesting I found when Googling 'Hayashi Racing RX3':

http://www.racingsportscars.com/type/results/Mazda/RX-3.html