Who needs pistons anyway? [Rotary Love]

I like the body-kitted MX-5 in the third pic, it's a brave attempt at homage styling, but I'm not sure how it fits into the rotary theme especially?

Did you mean to say...?

...which is of course a genuine Cosmo 110S. To be fair, now Kieron's posted that RX-3 it makes any other contribution almost unnecessary. Won't stop me trying though, I think I could probably find one or two other rotang photos if I had a quick look in me bucket

Oh God, I might have been waiting for this thread rather too long. Where the hell to start? How about at the very end, the RX-7 FD Spirit R, the last true rotang (no, I don't include RX-8s, sadly). J's Class A Spirit, one of the last RX-7s off the line







Or the indescribably rare? This one's genuinely unique, the last known surviving GM "Corvette", originally intended as a four-rotor proprietary powerplant, now pedalled along by an asthmatic Mazda 12A.









Almost as rare the single-rotor NSU Wanklespyder, the first real production rotary car. As owned by Noddy...



70s concept fashion spaceship style meets German efficiency? Mercedes C111, anywhere from two to four rotors and typically of its time breadvan wedge shape





Tiny Norton rotors rusting away on a junkstall in an autojumble. Long out of production, these might be some restorers' last slim hope...



The ex-Super 7 triple rotor Cosmo in al it's ridiculous Lambo-tyred widearch glory







...approx 700bhp without the nitrous and still with the world's first touchscreen "carputer" in working order!



One of the bolder styling directions in recent times, now cruelly reduced to a burnt-out husk by the barbarians at Top Gear The Furai











and of course, the ultimate rotary. Still the only non-piston car to win leMans. Still the only Japanese car to win. Still the best sound in motorsport, ever. And the best flames, lol



....curse word cupholders, though
















Hmmmm, it's possible some of these are not very retro, but I think that's an eclectic and interesting spattering of rotary goodness All without having to resort to cutnpaste off the web, too, lol. Think I've probably only ogt about ten thousand left in my photobucket if you need any more, lol

Wow! I never even knew that GM rotary thing existed Much cool stuffs there, I see I have much rotary knowledge to catch up on I didn't even realise that Merc Concept was rotary powered, I think I'd always assumed it was 6 or 12 cylinder or something..

Aww not much RX8 love, maybe I'll keep quiet about using a Renesis engine in the MG then...

In his excellent retrospective book about Mazda's rotary race history, Pierre Dieudonne recalls the original 10A-engined racing Cosmos were putting out 150 decibels when they were being tested in Japan! The later leMans cars were positively civilised in comparison

13B


12A

MightyMork I want to see more of your car!

You missed out "heavy" and "unreliable". (they do sound great though)

Correct me if i'm wrong but don't people fit Corvette LS1 motors to RX7's because they're lighter and more reliable?

Yes, you are wrong.

You can get an all aluminum LS1 and T56 transmission which is roughly the same as a 13bT and stock gearbox but most seem to be done with the cast LS1 that has aluminum heads and plastic intakes, it's about 150lbs heavier. Not to mention putting the weight over the front wheels and (IMHO) ruining the handling.

A properly put together, tuned and looked after rotary will be as reliable as any other engine. I've only blown up 1 engine (my fist FD) and that was a stock motor/ecu from Japan, not tuned for UK fuel or the mods on the car.

I've owned rotary cars for the past 10 years.

To be fair lots say 'just had a rebuild' as it's what buyers like to see. You'll probably respond to the seller to find out the rebuild was 20k ago… It is also fair to say that rotaries do require a little more care and mechanical sympathy. For an enthusiast it's no extra effort tun maintaining a piston engine properly, less even. But for your average punter who only gets their car serviced when it's not running right and will happily show off to their friends by red lining it from cold it's more of an issue!

I shall be back to post pictures once I've bought food, but I'm not sure what I've got to beat Luckysevens pics? I'll try.