A few pictures of work on a 1978 Mazda RX7 Series 1.
This was done in 2007.
The original rotary engine had lost compression and ‘drank’ oil like a fish.
We settled on a Nissan SR20DET (single turbo) out of a Nissan Sylvia.
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Worked on the mounts.
Had to cut and modify the cross member since there was little plenum space and the I did not want to make changes to the bonnet.
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Engine sat well in the bay.
We were lucky to get the 5-speed manual gearbox for rear wheel drive.
(In my eyes, automatic = for girls).
We had to shorten the length of the propeller shaft.
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Initially we fitted a submersible fuel pump in the tank but it failed twice so later we installed a high-pressure Mercedes in-line pump outside the tank.
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On-the-spot testing.
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Good to go…
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Had to paint the Smoking Saitan…
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It has been taken apart again for an upgrade to an in-line 6 single turbo (RB26DET).
I will post pictures of the process starting January 2017.
@introver rb26det is a good engine. Really powerful I think you might have to reinforce that chassis ndio iwezane. I guess pia brakes…
Where do you get these engines? The vehicles with RBs were not too popular in Kenya.
Reinforcing was the first order of business.
Notice the running board in the first pic?
That is a 50mm diameter metal hollow tube sealed on both ends and filled with sand.
Plus a half roll cage which is now being extended to the front (rally spec.). Also the car has zero body issues and is quite solid.
For the brakes we got a full front suspension upgrade and rear diff from an 85 model. That has bigger discs at the front and disc brakes at the rear and the proportions are slightly wider so the car has a wider road stance now.
Sump guard is 6mm sheet metal you can bang against anything. It just throws the whole car up.
You are right, the RB26 lot of engines is probably the best straight 6 after BMW. Nissan lost the plot when they stopped putting it in the Skyline. I was lucky to get this one. At one point there was a waiting list.
RX8s dawa ni ile ile.
The rotary engines are great when new but end up being quite cumbersome.
Beauty of these cars is the engines are mounted close to the middle of the car for weight symmetry so they made the engine bay quite long. You can drop any engine in there.
If you see the response from the person I asked, which most certainly wasnt you, you will realize that you have no idea the importance of how i phrased my question.
You must be one of those guys who drive an NA subaru with a Dakar Rally decal to boot, that is if you have a car at all.
