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Welcome to my "Sports-kit Savanna" circuit racer page...
I purchased this RX3 (as the 26th owner) early 2001 as a ‘roller’ from a friend in the local Mazda car club. It is a genuine 1972 10a coupe, however the original engine was long gone (it was running a 13bT and Toyota 5 speed).
The first challenge was to find 10a parts in reasonable condition – the past 30 years has not treated the few remaining engines kindly. A number of motors were stripped, and all were found to be in very tired condition. After an long search including the US, Australia, Japan and even the UK, a number of new and mint condition parts were located and the build began.
Rated at 982cc, 10a’s powered the very early Mazda rotary’s including the Cosmo Sport 110s, the R100 and some early RX3’s, finally ceasing production early 1975. Although small in capacity, the 10a motor could power a stock standard RX3, complete with “pea-shooter” exhaust, down the strip in a flat 17 seconds, not bad for the class of 1972!
Lots of people have helped get the car together and need to be thanked:
- Richard Skilton, a good friend who has donated a considerable amount of time and effort to this project
- Steve Hardie from Rotary Engine Performance Services, Wellington NZ
- Glenn Munro from Rotary Power Ltd, Auckland, NZ
- Darryl "RX-Sumo" Monk
- Steve "MadMaz" Jones
- and the other members of the Mazda car club in NZ www.mrec.rotary.net.nz
Photo's - thanks to Barry Styles (professional track pic's), Danny Lee and myself!
Built loosely around the 1972 factory competition manual spec's and FIA / JAF Group 2 Homologation papers. Still road legal - JUST..! But it is not a very nice nice car to drive around the streets due mainly to the "go-fast" parts added, such as the gearbox, steering, harnesses - however on the track it is a massive amount of fun!
10a-PP Motor:
- Engine built by Rotary Power in Auckland NZ
- The twin distributors and points were replaced with a first generation RX7 single dizzy front-cover complete with a locked electronic distributor, for better reliability and less maintenance.
- Run's heaps of advance timing..! (Maybe too much?)
- Late model 10a rotors with single side seals (rather than the usual twin side seals)
- Competition 12a oil pump (nitrated centre)
- Competition oil control springs that stabalise the rotors at high RPM
- Sump baffle plate made up for the motor
- Modified oil pressure regulator for higher oil pressure
- Overdriven pulley kit made up by Glenn Munro
- Two-piece 6mm carbon apex seals (carbon main section, steel corner pieces) - mazda used these seals for 10a's sold in countries that had very cold winters like Canada. Great for easy starting!
- Modified 'batman' series 6 RX7 stationary gears with multi-window race bearings and hardened teeth
- 46mm peripheral intake ports
- Modified exhaust ports (the standard three hole ports turned into one large triangle shaped port)
- 10a auto counter-weight,
- 7lb nitrated one-piece flywheel (ring-gear machined into the flywheel)
- Rotating assembly fully balanced by Brian from Rotary Research, Christchurch NZ
- Housings and front cover mirror polished
Induction / exhaust:
- Custom aluminium intake manifold (VERY light weight) made up by Glenn Munro
- 48 IDA Weber (40 chokes, 195 fuels, F7 emulsion tubes, 120 airs, 55 F10 idle jets) - needs some more tuning and dyno time...
- Cold air box - air ducted in from the inner headlights built by Lance at Pro-form Engineering in Wainui
- Twin exhaust system (each primary 2” diameter) over the diff coming together into a single ‘truck’ style muffler
Running gear:
- Racing Beat 4-puck sprung clutch plate and matching heavy duty billet pressure plate
- Factory competition 4-speed close-ratio gearbox (ratios; 1st 2.0, 2nd 1.52, 3rd 1.22, 4th 1.00, Rev 1.99). This gearbox allows the car to reach an amzing 110kmh in 1st gear - but getting it rolling at the lights is not for the faint hearted, as the poor clutch gets a hard time!!!! Recently overhauled including new syncro's and bearings by Rotary Power.
UPDATE 2008 The 4-speed was pulled out of the car, and replaced it with an RX5 competition 5-speed, freshly rebuilt by Charlie Evans Motorsport, with the following ratio's: 2.6 / 1.6 / 1.3 / 1.0 / .89 This gearbox gives me a more usable 1st gear, but still has good ratio's for the track (2/3/4 all nice and close).
- Uses a twin dizzy 'lower mounted starter' bell-housings (polished) that can bolt up to later gearboxes
- Custom drive-shaft
- MFR 4.9 ratio CW&P RX3 long-nose diff, with competition LSD centre. Standard RX3 axles, which are fine with a N/A motor.
Suspension / brakes:
- Factory RX3 competition "high ratio" steering box (2 turns lock to lock)
- Front suspension is height adjustable coil-overs with competition rated springs, Koni shocks, camber / castor adjustment and custom sway bar. Running 2 degrees negative camber, 4+ degrees castor, and some toe-in.
- Front brakes – 10 ˝ “ Wilwood disc’s, Wilwood 4-pot calipers, braided brakelines.
- Rear suspension is 2-linked rear end, heavy duty springs, repositioned KYB gas shocks, lowering blocks, rear sway bar (from a 82 RWD 626)
- Rear brakes – RX7 series 2 rear discs and calipers, with braided brake lines.
- Wilwood brake bias adjustment (in cabin adjustment just below the shifter)
- 15x7 wheels, 205/50/15 Toyo R888's
Inside:
- Racetech front seats and ERG 4-point harnesses
- 6-point roll-cage
- Full factory interior in MINT condition (nicer than most RX3 road cars!!!), including mint standard door cards (without speaker holes!!), rear seats still in the car (fitted around the cage)
- A genuine Savanna centre console, with the three round gauges at the top
- Additional gauges such as oil temp / pressure, Autometer 10,000 tacho in dash, etc...
- A genuine savanna RX3 roof console (needs some repairs, nothing that can't be fixed!!!)
- In the boot is a Mallory Comp fuel pump, and the relocated battery
Outside:
- Fibreglass flares (similar to the factory group 2 flares) as the front wheels sit outside of the guards a little - the factory steel wheel inner arches have been rolled, but not cut
- Savanna group 2 rear bob-tail spoiler
- Savanna “tea-cup” taillights
- Genuine factory Japanese badging, including:
“RE10” grill badge,
“RE10” boot badge,
GSII 1/4 window and boot badges,
“V100” RX3 front 1/4 badge
- Japanese Savanna style rear bumper (smaller cut out around the number plate than standard bumpers)
- Savanna front indicators (incl the actual light units)
- Even brand new Savanna windscreen wipers (with the deflector for use at high speed!!!!)
- Series 3 lower lip (soon to be replaced with a 1972 2-piece factory spoiler and standard nose once I pull finger)
- Jap Mazda guard style mirrors (replacing the door mirrors in some of the pic's)
- 333 competition numbers ;-)
Go the rotor........!
Check out more on page 2
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