What about an old RX-7? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

PaulC · #16 06-20-2007, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Kenny

I owned a 1971 RX2 & a 1975 rx3 ....rev happy, no torque, eats fuel like a small block.
I overhauled the RX2 in 1976 because of a side O ring seal going bad (blown head gasket)
Nobody knew anything about these motors back then and i was 19 yo, so I buy the only book avalible at that time & step by step overhauled the motor. Man, was I suprised when it started and ran!

It was facinating to see how the rotors worked in the elliptical chamber; It blows your mind watching it. ( kind of like a spiral graph)
The motor is comparable to a 6 cylinder with no firing overlap. Very little recipricating mass.

I remember seeing the window sticker on a 1975 RX-4 and marveling at the 11 mpg city rating.

#17 06-20-2007, 10:30 AM

An RX7 makes a great autocrosser. You haven't lived until you hear a rotary w/ a straight pipe and no sound-reducing devices whatsoever. Absolutely ear-splitting.

raymr · #18 06-20-2007, 10:42 AM

There was a huge debate at one about how to measure the displacement of a rotary engine, and maybe it's still going on. Mazda managed to convince the Japanese government that it's a 1.3 liter engine, to qualify for a lower displacement tax. However other equally convincing arguements put it at 2.6 liters. Yet others contend that it falls somewhere in between. The engine is so different from a piston engine that it's hard to draw any parallels, besides the fact that both have output shafts.

Da Nag · #19 06-20-2007, 11:39 AM

If you prefer the "classic" body style, there's only one to get - 85 GSL/SE. It's the only one with the 13B engine, and there's a world of difference between it and it's predecessors. Those suggesting they have no torque and/or need to be spinning high RPM's, are not referring to the 13B Wankel - they have tons of torque, throughout the entire power band. They pull hard from a dead stop to redline.

Had one for a couple years, and I still regret selling it...incredibly fun car to drive.

Jim B. · #20 06-20-2007, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrhills0146

An RX7 makes a great autocrosser. You haven't lived until you hear a rotary w/ a straight pipe and no sound-reducing devices whatsoever. Absolutely ear-splitting.

Uh oh, you shouldn't have said that, now he's doomed. He'll buy it for sure.

MattBelliveau · #21 06-20-2007, 12:49 PM

My first car was an '87 (Generation 1), and it was great. Mine was a stick, and I don't think I would have wanted an automatic. So fun to drive, rack and pinion steering. Great control!

John Doe · #22 06-20-2007, 05:09 PM

I dunno twer it drivers error or what, but I used to race against them in SCCA parking lot stuff and would beat the crap out of them in my '86 (slightly) modified VW GTI and then newer 318is.

The only thing I remember them spanking were Celica GT's and MG's ect....

t walgamuth · #23 06-20-2007, 06:21 PM

think it would beat my 84 280e?

the ear splitting aspect is not a plus for me.

i don't know if that was supposed to be sarcasm or what.

i went by there and it is gone so if i buy it i will now probably have to pay at least wholesale!

tom w

TheDon · #24 06-20-2007, 11:09 PM

the sound can be controlled... My friend had three of them all 1st gens.. two ran third was parts or for experimenting... Restored one to factory OG and one was his street racer he would drift race it at the local track.. it was fun to ride along.

#25 06-20-2007, 11:50 PM

3 reasons I would not get an old RX7.

1: It's got a CARB.

2: MPG is cr@ppy for how little torque it puts out.
3: They hardly last to 100k miles without a rebuild.

t walgamuth · #26 06-20-2007, 11:57 PM

It looks as if the car is gone.

I will post if it comes back on the radar.

Thanks for the rotary comments!

Tom W

TheDon · #27 06-20-2007, 11:58 PM

stick with a Mercedes...

Gurkha · #28 06-21-2007, 12:05 AM

The friends of mine who have owned or still own RX-7 have put some really high miles on them, a turbo rotary RX-7 in Le Mans managed to build the mighty silver arrow MB team, properly maintained like any other engines, it would last long, ill maintained, I have seen MB gassers fail as well, only old MB diesels can stand torture and neglect as compared to others.

Matt SD300 · #29 06-21-2007, 11:57 AM

Turn up the volume!!...

http://www.candcstudios.com/assets/multimedia/Rx7_161_MPG.mpg

thorsen · #30 06-21-2007, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

the ear splitting aspect is not a plus for me.

i don't know if that was supposed to be sarcasm or what.

An unmuffled rotary engine at full throttle sends out an bowel-splitting exhaust note that makes everyone in a 1/4 mile radius stop what they are doing and look around. It's like the first time you hear a Pratt&Whitney radial engine wound up and ready to go - it's not a sound you forget.

With a muffler, it is much more civilized.