Mazda Rotary Pickup (REPU)

  • Thread starter Shant J.
  • 29 comments
  • 7,721 views
Shant J.

Shant J.

1,295
Nuvolari91
I just discovered it, and I'm in love!

13705_IMAGE1.jpg


Sold only in the U.S. (I think) from 1974-1977, it was essentially a B-Series with a 13B.
:drool:

 
That video is rather dubious. That sounded like a significantly modified 13B in a truck weighing 2,800lbs (or less if modified) which is 1,300lbs less than the 4,200lb Chevy. I know the 13B is modified because the stock engine output for that truck is barely over 100bhp. Plus that model GM truck had a 350 TBI producing a whopping 210bhp at the crank. So yea, it wouldn't take much modification to that 13B to beat it. My SVT Focus would beat that GM C/K pickup and probably give that rotary truck a run for it's money.

Is it cool? Very much so. Would I own it? No, I'd rather take a Datsun. 👍
 
REPU's are very unique and certainly climbing the collector charts. Much like most older Rotary powered cars, the price keeps going up every year. If you find one in good shape for a good price, snag it up. Good investment. :)
 
JCE
That video is rather dubious. That sounded like a significantly modified 13B in a truck weighing 2,800lbs (or less if modified) which is 1,300lbs less than the 4,200lb Chevy. I know the 13B is modified because the stock engine output for that truck is barely over 100bhp. Plus that model GM truck had a 350 TBI producing a whopping 210bhp at the crank. So yea, it wouldn't take much modification to that 13B to beat it. My SVT Focus would beat that GM C/K pickup and probably give that rotary truck a run for it's money.

Is it cool? Very much so. Would I own it? No, I'd rather take a Datsun. 👍
Click to expand...

I simply posted that video because I can't seem to find a good one.

They're not very fast, but I'm sure that they're lots of fun. :dopey:
 
Shant J.
I simply posted that video because I can't seem to find a good one.

They're not very fast, but I'm sure that they're lots of fun. :dopey:
Click to expand...

They are probably fun, hopefully I will get a chance to find out.

R1600Turbo
REPU's are very unique and certainly climbing the collector charts. Much like most older Rotary powered cars, the price keeps going up every year. If you find one in good shape for a good price, snag it up. Good investment. :)
Click to expand...

They are definitely 100% collectable. They would be a good buy right now.
 
How many times have we seen this thread from you?

You really don't need to make a new thread every time you decide you like a certain car. Perhaps you should make a thread to put all your car likes in. Something like "Shant J's current car obsession thread" or something like that. Just some friendly advice.

But in any case...

mazda-ute-on-air.jpg


Yes, please.:drool:
 
Last edited:
Astrodude: the way you composed "how many times have we seen this from you" looks exactly like a page from TVTropes.org (it even HAS a trope name...all blue entry)

if you couldn't see the mazda wordmark on that grey one, you WOULD swear it was a nissan/datsun. reminds me a bit of a Hardbody or a 720

personally, I'll take a 620 (dad had one he let go to a rust pile, but I liked the look)

Shant's got a point, and if there are very few left even in california (where it's not a continuous case of road salt, boonie runners and supercold)...well, that IS rare.
 
I just died a little inside



This is all that I hate about V8 swaps into...well anything really. Dumbass rednecks ruining (in this case permanently) unique and rare cars.
 
Why would anyone do that?
Click to expand...
because it's a PICKUP. yeesh, are you a city boy or somethin?
also, people wouldn't have wanted to deal with something that either can't be fixed or can't be understood
 
Shant J.
Why would anyone do that?
Click to expand...

Power? Torque? Reliability? Replacing a blown engine? There are several reasons why someone would swap in a V8 to a truck like this, it's the same reason so many people swap V8's into S-10's, Rangers and just about any other mini truck.

As for the Mazda pickup? Eh it's cool enough lowered like the one Astro posted, but I can think of other classic trucks I'd like to bag and body drop better.
 
Joey D
Power? Torque? Reliability? Replacing a blown engine? There are several reasons why someone would swap in a V8 to a truck like this, it's the same reason so many people swap V8's into S-10's, Rangers and just about any other mini truck.
Click to expand...

There's a major difference here though, S-10's and Rangers are a dime a dozen, so swapping a big engine into those is no big deal. (I'd love to have an LS7 swapped S-10)

But we're talking about a rare truck here.
 
R1600Turbo
There's a major difference here though, S-10's and Rangers are a dime a dozen, so swapping a big engine into those is no big deal. (I'd love to have an LS7 swapped S-10)

But we're talking about a rare truck here.
Click to expand...

Which means if you pulled one out of a junkyard it would be very hard to find parts for it. Not knowing the background on the V8 truck, it very well could have been a junker that was found somewhere. I'd rather see a classic like that brought back to life in some form rather then scraped.
 
R1600Turbo
There's a major difference here though, S-10's and Rangers are a dime a dozen, so swapping a big engine into those is no big deal. (I'd love to have an LS7 swapped S-10)

But we're talking about a rare truck here.
Click to expand...

This is what i was getting at. Someone can just as easily do this to a non-rotary B-Series.
 
Joey D
Which means if you pulled one out of a junkyard it would be very hard to find parts for it. Not knowing the background on the V8 truck, it very well could have been a junker that was found somewhere. I'd rather see a classic like that brought back to life in some form rather then scraped.
Click to expand...

Truck is rare, engine may not be. I'm not sure what engine is in them (12A?) but if the truck can be saved, putting pretty much any Rotary in it would keep the spirit alive. (20B anyone? :sly:)
 
Joey D
Power? Torque? Reliability? Replacing a blown engine? There are several reasons why someone would swap in a V8 to a truck like this, it's the same reason so many people swap V8's into S-10's, Rangers and just about any other mini truck.
Click to expand...
There are probably millions of S10s on the road. Does that mean it wouldn't bother you if someone chose to take a Syclone, threw out the engine and replaced it with a 5.7?



Same thing here.
 
Toronado
There are probably millions of S10s on the road. Does that mean it wouldn't bother you if someone chose to take a Syclone, threw out the engine and replaced it with a 5.7?

Same thing here.
Click to expand...

A perfectly good Syclone I'd be scratching my head, but one with a blown engine destined for the junkyard I'd be ok with it. Actually if a guy was able to make one AWD with a V8 I'd be impressed.
 
uh, have you guys ever looked into the engine bay of an S10/Sonoma/S-blazer/S-jimmy/ranger/bronco2? there's barely room for the 4.3's in the GMT350's, and I'm still trying to figure out how they squeeze the 4.0's into Rangers and Mazda B's

Shant: what I and most of these guys meant is that people will drop in an engine that they know how to fix or tune[/]. a rotarty is a mystery to guys that wrench themselves, and I don't think there's anyone around, anymore, that has the skill to work on them, professional style, let alone the Shadetree mechanics that usually GET pickups

what SHANT is talking about is "concours" type people who want everything in it's factory shape. he's got a point about the utter rarity of the Rotary pickups, AND i can see why he's offended that someone dropped a conventional engine in. this is the FIRST time i've SEEN one of the rotaries. around here, anything more than about 10 years old is either disintegrating quietly in a junkyard, or current serving as the fender on your wife's minivan.

and, no, for some of us, it wouldn't bother throwing the dud engine out of a syclone. those 4.3's are POS, and all you technically have to do, is drop a turbo on the type X 4.3. preferably out of a last thing 04 quad cab.

*gets a grain smoothie for the bronie*
 
Sniffs
uh, have you guys ever looked into the engine bay of an S10/Sonoma/S-blazer/S-jimmy/ranger/bronco2? there's barely room for the 4.3's in the GMT350's, and I'm still trying to figure out how they squeeze the 4.0's into Rangers and Mazda B's
Click to expand...

LSx Swaps in S-10's are actually quite common, as are 5.0 and 4.6 swaps into Rangers. Anything is possible with some money and a little know-how.

a rotarty is a mystery to guys that wrench themselves, and I don't think there's anyone around, anymore, that has the skill to work on them, professional style, let alone the Shadetree mechanics that usually GET pickups
Click to expand...

Rotary's are really not that hard to work on. And actually, should be easier as they have far less moving parts to contend with than a piston engine.

this is the FIRST time i've SEEN one of the rotaries.
Click to expand...

Really?

Edit: And you've been here long enough it seems, why all the missing capital letters?
 
Sniffs
and, no, for some of us, it wouldn't bother throwing the dud engine out of a syclone. those 4.3's are POS, and all you technically have to do, is drop a turbo on the type X 4.3. preferably out of a last thing 04 quad cab.
Click to expand...
Which is completely different from what I said and actually a pretty massive double-standard.
 
R1600: I still can't figure it out, though. and from what I can figure out, i don't think people think a rotary is "simple". i was thinking of older guys from the Baby Boomer group and before. i'm just so used to my step father cussing out any vehicle with anything on it more complicated than a 1 barrell carb :P
as for caps, i keep forgetting I'm not on a chat, where you can't use emphasis without turning everything you typed the same way :P sorry

Toronado: yeah, I got the idea and know what you two mean. i'm crap at expressing myself when it's hot as the underdark outside. also, I had the crappy Manifold version of the Vortec, so...
sorry, around here, it's cheaper to go buy another klunker than it is to try and fix anything.
 
Sniffs
what SHANT is talking about is "concours" type people who want everything in it's factory shape. he's got a point about the utter rarity of the Rotary pickups, AND i can see why he's offended that someone dropped a conventional engine in. this is the FIRST time i've SEEN one of the rotaries. around here, anything more than about 10 years old is either disintegrating quietly in a junkyard, or current serving as the fender on your wife's minivan.
Click to expand...

I'm one of those "concours" type people. I don't care much for modifying cars.
 
Sniffs
R1600: I still can't figure it out, though. and from what I can figure out, i don't think people think a rotary is "simple". i was thinking of older guys from the Baby Boomer group and before. i'm just so used to my step father cussing out any vehicle with anything on it more complicated than a 1 barrell carb :P
as for caps, i keep forgetting I'm not on a chat, where you can't use emphasis without turning everything you typed the same way :P sorry

Toronado: yeah, I got the idea and know what you two mean. i'm crap at expressing myself when it's hot as the underdark outside. also, I had the crappy Manifold version of the Vortec, so...
sorry, around here, it's cheaper to go buy another klunker than it is to try and fix anything.
Click to expand...

Rotary engines are not hard to work on. External work is much easier than a piston engine, and internal work is a cinch really:

 

Similar threads

StigBelcherStyl
Rotary (Wankel) engine discussion forum
Replies
15
Views
4K
StigBelcherStyl
StigBelcherStyl
GranTurNismo
What Are Some Automotive "Lasts"?
2
Replies
30
Views
2K
Liquid
Liquid
Jahgee
  • Poll
GTP Cool Wall: 1974-1977 Mazda Rotary Engine Pickup
2
Replies
39
Views
3K
Jahgee
Jahgee
tankuroded
Mazda RX-7 (FD) Type R 1991
Replies
0
Views
1K
tankuroded
tankuroded
M
WHO'S GOT THE FASTEST ROTTUCCINO on Tokyo Grind?
2
Replies
40
Views
8K
GOLD_ICE
G

Latest Posts

Back