Mazda Rotary Wagon 1973 - $10000 (Orlando, Florida)

This is something you rarely see: an old Mazda rotary that is not an RX-7.

http://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/3996255866.html

 

Very nice but 10K?

mike

 

This might be a dumb question but why is it called a Rotary wagon? Does it have something to do with the drivetrain?

 

Yup, Xavier. It's got a Wankel Rotary engine.
You can read about them here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wankel_engine

My first new vehicle was a Mazda RX-4 sedan, with a Wankel engine. Later, I bought a RX-4 station wagon, a bit larger that the RX-3 wagon in the ad.

 

Thanks Krash!

 

The wheel covers centers look like the Wankel rotary pistons or whatever they're called. I subscribed to Popular Science back when the engine was first developed and they thought they were the best thing to happen since sliced bread. They did have that piston seal problem for a little while.
Mazda stopped making them a few years back IIRC?
I have a PC right in front of me but I'm too lazy to look it up and it crashes every time you ask it hard questions.
I'd dump this ancient computer and get a smart phone if they had 14" screens and full size keyboards.

 

Mazda discontinued the RX-8, the most recent of their vehicle line-up to use the rotary engine, with the 2011 model year.

But there are still those who are rotary engine fans!

$10k for this car is a bit steep. Even with the chromed engine.

 

Just to pick a nit I think that would be a rotor seal.

mike

 

Incidentally for those Mazda RX-8 fans, I've been told that there are still brand-new, never-been-driven 2011 RX-8s available from Mazda (at least in Canada) at substantial discounts from the MSRP.

The 2011 RX-8 is even still on Mazda Canada's web site:

http://www.mazda.ca/MciWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=previousModelsMain&vehicleCode=RX8

Of course, I don't know whether it would be advisable to buy a car that's been sitting for what must be nearly four years now. I just hope Mazda has them in a nice warehouse somewhere.

 

Maybe they parked them in a farm field along with other new cars and trade ins? Sorry, wrong thread

 

Those covers to me look like actual alloy wheels. If so, they must be extremely rare. I may have seen them in the past, but can't be sure. I do not believe they came 'standard' on any Mazda, so they must have been an accessory item. They look like they're a 13" size.
.......................................
Did some research. They are indeed 13". They came on the first-generation RX-7, but not the ones sold here in the U.S.

 

Yes, those wheels caught my eye. I don't remember ever seeing such back in the day. A clever accessory but I am not sure I like the look.

mike

 

The wheels must be an homage to the engine

 

The poor old Wankel engine had lackluster fuel mileage numbers also, which didn't help it with market acceptance.

A guy in my apt. complex had a bright yellow RX-3(I think), you could hear him coming and going all the time, he kept it reved up where it was pretty loud, like a yellow jacket,lol.

 

If I didn't have to boycott Japan because of whaling, I'd consider this

Yep. They couldn't get the fuel milage within reason. I don't know if gas-conversion would have been compatible with the rotor seals. I like the suicide mini-doors, though. Maybe, someone here will get one and wagon it



Certainly, not a boring instrument panel like the older ones were:

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