gwilliams6

Is the RX-3 Mazda's Best Rotary Car?

Also the only GM car with a production rotary engine. This ones for you ASH8.
The Only GM Car Powered By a Production Rotary Engine


You must buy this RX7
You Must Buy This 1987 Mazda RX-7 to Keep the Rotary Dream Alive


Loved my RX3, as my first rotary car back in 1972. Six rotary Mazdas later, still loving my RX8. (one RX3, two RX4s, three generations of RX7, one RX8 )
Cheers

UnknownJinX

FC is still my favorite RX-7.

Still see one or two occasionally locally. I recall having a white one follow me one day for a little bit, LOL.

MattMPS

i LOVE FD...and Cosmo Sports of course

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

Hard to believe that R&T could possibly get any worse; relegated now to a picture or two and a line or two of text that doesn’t require any effort or thought

gwilliams6

I agree TeamRX8, needs to have an article here. But the real gems of this post are the other RX articles linked on this page. Cheers

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

Yeah, I was hoping to read and see a bit more on the RX3. Still love the retro look of it. What a classic.






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gwilliams6

My RX3 was the first RX I owned. I had test-driven an RX2 but preferred the sportier look of the smaller RX3, it was cool and scary-fun to drive, after my mild-mannered Toyota Corona Mark II. . Cheers

StealthTL

iTrader: (1)

My RX3 was a beast, even with it's 12A engine.

Bought in '74, and was totally rusted away by '80. Fenders and trunk floor lasted only a year or so, then the floor pan and door skins sealed its fate.

Modded the little four-barrel carb to open the secondaries manually instead of vacuum, and added an electronic ignition. It surprised many a V8 of that era.

40w8

March 73 I saw Mazda rotary engine model working cut away at UT, and bought within weeks financed $3k for 3 years, but paid in 2.

Nixon had just devalued $ 10% to slow down the Japanese car invasion, so I bought Red 73 RX3 2dr sport at old price off lot, and drove it wide open on deserted Texas roads from Austin to El Paso.

Misfired driving 110 mph so I slowed to 70 and fuel lasted 5 more miles until 1 block from station pump, and coasted up to it.

Filled up empty tank and put in quart of 10w40 (oil cooler was seeping) after 210 miles.

A few years later got stiff anti-sway bars, 185/70r13 Rallye 240 tires and won TTOD against Vettes, 240z, Rx4, etc.

I also, had 4.11 rear axle instead of stock 3.70, found that 2nd gear exactly fit highest rpm on track at approx 65 mph.

gwilliams6

Great RX3 experiences StealthTL and 40w8. Any more out there ?

40w8

I jumped off my 3 year old 70 Toyota Corolla Sprinter which was pretty tough with a 1188cc engine with 4 in floor and 6k rpm@90 mph, but the RX3 was like a smooth supercar, and could hit 120 mph anytime.

The shocks were leaky and crap so Koni's, and the fuel pump was a little external device usual crap.

Those hard road trips created watergasket leak by 75k miles, and Mazda Offered free engine for installation fee of less than $200. Hell, yeah!

I blew corner seal driving 6500rpm @110mph with temp rising.

Maybe, I should have added 2t?

So, by 78 and 110k miles, I found a VW sand dragster mechanic that loved rotaries, and he installed a low miles 74 RX2 engine for $500.+tax. Man, I gotta pinch myself sometimes!

Anyhow, it was in excellent condition at 140 k miles, and I sold it at 1980 garage sale for original price of $3 k.

Inflation had made my 80VW Scirocco $10 k, so $3k for RX3 seemed right.

40w8

There's a very steep straight hwy I tested my Japanese cars on.

The 70 Corolla would start at 90mph at bottom, and slow to 55 mph at the crest.

The73 RX3 stock would start at 90mph, and slow to 70 mph at crest.

The 07 RX8 6 spd auto stock would start at 90mph, and speed up to 107 mph at crest.

With 40 series Hankook ventus v12which gears car down 3.5%, RX8 crested at 115 speedo or 111 true mph.

The RX3 was great car to learn on, but the RX8 is light years ahead when you respect it and work the bugs out (weak ign, fuel pump, and saggy suspension).

UnknownJinX

Wonder where you can even find an RX-3 nowadays.

I mean, occasionally I see old Minis or Mustangs, but I think I may have only seen one RX-3, like, ever.

40w8

Ok, I'm almost done.

The RX 3 had front disc brakes that were better than many cars today even with 155/80sr13.

Tires held up fine while driving 120 mph, and learning Auto Xcross.

The rotors were 1cm thin approx. with no vent, but at 50k miles the pads didn't look worn, just some rotor heat spots.

I made mistake of buying regular semi metallics at parts store, and started needing new pads every 10k miles.

gwilliams6

One of our regional RX8club members in MD has one that he is restoring. Two years ago when they had the rotary day at ATCO ,NJ drag raceway, there were at least half a dozen RX3s among the numerous RX7s, RX2, and RX8s , all setup for the dragstrip.

UnknownJinX

That actually brings up another question: is it usual to have a stock or near-stock RX-3?

I mean, a lot of the old Mustangs/Minis I see at least look very stock. Those Minis pretty much look like the one that Mr. Bean drives.

I think I have seen a red one that looks pretty original on the local car forum. It was spotted somewhere in Vancouver.

200.mph

iTrader: (9)

guy in my area has an fc and a parts fc. i stopped by a few years ago cause he was outside working on it and noticed he had half of an rx3 out back too. we got to talking and he opened the garage to show me his newly restored rx3. thing was cherry and he offered to sell it to me for 10k. i may have bought it if it wasnt painted red

ASH8

What TOTAL Bullshit click-bait..

RX-3 BEST Mazda EVER, as a once owner of the 10A RX-3 Coupe I can assure you at the time is was a good car, GREAT it was not.

Shockingly poor brakes, Horse and Cart Leaf Springs in Rear, Rear Shocks about a yard long, the engine was the special part and the Coupe looked pretty good.
IMO the 13B RX-4 Coupe was WAY BETTER, as was RX-5, my dad had RX-5.

But seriously those who fantasize about yesterdays Mazdas do not obviously own or drive a latter model.

Compared to Today's cars they were rubbish, the Vintage Mazda Bertone design 1500 and 1800 was a tank, but good car of the late 60s, 70's, my dad had a 1969 1500, the original RX-7 was fantastic, the FC was Porsche look alike and was OK, the FD was the best Rotary made next to the RX-8, the RX-8 had everything balanced right IMO.

Look the little Mazda 1300, 323, Mazda 626 and 6, were great in their time, But to say ANYONE are the 'Best' is BS.

gwilliams6

ASH8, I had the RX3 first, fun for a freshman in college. Then moved on to a RX4 coupe and later a RX4 sedan to start out my fulltime working life after college. All fun cars for me, but the RX4 were more comfortable on long trips.

Loved all my later rotaries, all three generations of RX7, some heavily modified. But I will still have fond memories of the many miles and cross-country trips in my Rx3 and RX4. One thing, as the RXs got more complicated they got harder to work on everything myself. Cheers