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462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
Cool spin on the old Wankel.
Back in the mid-70s the RX2 and RX3 were popular with SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) club racers. Take off the muffler and "spin" up the rotary and generate a unique high pitch noise. Though popular, they were not competitive within their class.
 

Mitty38

Well-Known Member
Had a 79 RX7 for a couple months. Did not impress me much. I do remember it being better in milage than most other cars I had owned, from that decade.. And smooth runing.
But the darn thing took as much oil as fuel. Pluss the transmission had a weird feel to the stick when changing gears, kinda rough and the darn thing acted like it just did not want to start up. Pluss it was kinda cramped. Ended up trading it for a Chevette .
Back in the mid-70s the RX2 and RX3 were popular with SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) club racers. Take off the muffler and "spin" up the rotary and generate a unique high pitch noise. Though popular, they were not competitive within their class.
 
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obssd1958

Well-Known Member
Had a 79 RX7 for a couple months. Did not impress me much. I do remember it being better in milage than most other cars I had owned, from that decade.. And smooth runing.
But the darn thing took as much oil as fuel. Pluss the transmission had a weird feel to the stick when changing gears, kinda rough and the darn thing acted like it just did not want to start up. Pluss it was kinda cramped. Ended up trading it for a Chevette .
You know it's bad, when you trade "UP" to a Chevette!

(this is a joke, by the way. Meant to elicit laughter, giggles, joviality, etc...!
Not meant to be taken negatively in any way!!)
 
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popper

Well-Known Member
3 power impulses/rev which reduces vibration. One HP/# and they have a 40 HP diesel proto 1/3 size of normal engine. Was reading the thermo paper, 30% less heat lost to engine which means increase in output. Research funded by DARPA for air cooled drone engine. Presently working out bugs on liquid cooled.
There is a 3 rotor wankel 1000HP available with 1400 HP on the drawing board. Many of the original problems have been solved, like seals, crank bearing support. They were not competitive within their class -- due to large rotating mass that made rapid rpm changes difficult. Plus the 'steering rear suspension was different. Liquid piston engine has low mass rotor.
 
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462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
Plus the 'steering rear suspension was different
From the many times I saw the Mazda RX2 and RX3 race, they may well have been the original asphalt drifters. Fun stuff watching them negotiate Laguna Seca's original Turn 2.
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Or a Pinto.
Pinto's were fairly popular here in the desert because they seldom overheated. And without the rust issue would usually make 100,000 miles before the chassis fell apart. You still find lots of old CJ and WW2 jeeps that have had the flathead fours replaced with the Pinto big four engine.
 

Mitty38

Well-Known Member
Pinto's around here usually ran till the floor pans disappear, and the springs came thru the towers. Then got put out to pasture with good drive trains.
Once put a Pinto engine into an early Ford ranger. Darn thing bolted right up to the transmission and otherwise, was almost a direct fit.
 
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Rick H

Well-Known Member
I had a '71 pinto with the bigger of the two 4 cyl. engines and a 4 speed. My first brand new car. Drove it problem free for 6 years. With snow tires on the back it got me to work in a 20" snowfall. This is salt on the roads country but I didn't have rust problems, just had hankering for my first PU. I liked the Pinto.
 

Matt_G

Curmudgeon in training
Hmmm, well the only thing I knew about Pinto's was because my Dad bought one in 71.
He must have got a lemon because that thing was a total POS.
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Fifty years ago, there was no interstate highway here, everything was two lanes. Speed limit was soon 55, strictly enforce, for almost 30 years. Oh, and no stop and go traffic, so little cars with good drivetrains lasted quite awhile.
 

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
It's already too loud enough when mufflerless Harley's speed round the neighborhood, but riders having their stereos blasting, in order to be heard over the unmuffled exhaust, is more than a little rude and inconsiderate.

My brother-in-law has been riding Harleys since at least 1969, and has two presently. Choppers then, including one with a suicide clutch, full dressers now. Asked him why no mufflers -- cars need to know we're coming. Ain't buying it, Bro.
 

Cadillac Jeff

Well-Known Member
Indian head Emmet----that is what I use.

Yea dun the loud pipes save's live's thing too----not anymore, well not to loud anyway truduals with fishtails but I did put 12 inch baffals in them, much more better.----that's on a 1983 FLH Harley fulldreser
 

Mitty38

Well-Known Member
Indian head Emmet----that is what I use.

Yea dun the loud pipes save's live's thing too----not anymore, well not to loud anyway truduals with fishtails but I did put 12 inch baffals in them, much more better.----that's on a 1983 FLH Harley fulldreser
Yep that was it, think I still might have some of that stuff stuck on my skin somewhere.