rxsumo

Wow - its been three years since I updated this last. The car has continued to break things - the gearboxes on multiple occasions, however the second gearbox has now been rebuilt with the selectors back to what we believe is factory specifications - so hopefully no more problems, gearbox 1 however is a different story - the dodgy synchro ring - turned out to be a dodgy syncho hub, and it finally cried enough - breaking into three pieces and locking the box solid. Its nearly rebuilt, and I've also managed to score a RX3 style 5 speed - so we will now have a "road" gearbox for the car. We have had to have the motor out for a couple of really obscure faults. First one was when the weights in the dizzy let go - smashing the dizzy housing, locking up the shaft - and taking out the drive gear. While the engine was out we pulled it down to find, the last time it was assembled - the centre housing had been a little over-machined, and had lost its hardening, with the resultant scouring from the side/end seals. So replacement housings required - at the same time we also redid the sealing around the PP spuds - as the epoxy used had no support and was lifting causing the engine to drip antifreeze when cold. The next little adventure happened when the oil pressure went west because of the front housing o-ring blowing out. Fortunately the oil pressure didnt zero while the engine was on load - so no damage was done. Thats most of the shite thats happened until now. The big news- is that the car is changing again, I've decided to take part in a new race class - Historic Saloon Cars, which run with the Historic Muscle Cars. The big thing with this class is that the cars must run with period legal wheel sizes, and if you are changing the bodywork - its period or nothing. So the flares are off, the front splitters are off, and the car is going back onto 13 inch wheels. The car will continue to run the Savanna bobtail, and will eventually get a "grader blade" front spoiler, and once the bodywork is tidied up will be going through the Motorsport Certificate of Description process for classic cars. Here's the car at Hampton Downs in January 2017 - I might have been trying a little - but its a great shot - usually the cars on three wheels not two It last saw action in Targa Hawkes Bay - when the boys broke the Civic and reentered the car in the tour for the final day. Off with the Targa warpaint, and back on 13 inch hotwires

Its a fairly significant E49 - its actually Rod Coppins old race car from the early 70's It left the Chrysler factory as race car, the cars destined for NZ didnt get the big Bathurst fuel tanks. I think its the oldest surviving E49 as well - NZ got the first of the E49 deliveries Its a pretty cool car to drive - the noise is amazing when it comes up on cam and the webers are wide open

Its been an interesting start to the new season - we had an outing in March - and it was 30+ degrees at the track - and the engine temperatures reflected that. Unfortunately - the PP spuds didnt like the high temps - and when the engine was sitting - it was dripping coolant from the rear spud - some coolant stop leak later - no more drips. First outing of the season - didnt seem to be too many dramas, except for what seemed to be excessive wheelspin coming out of the corners, on the last run the diff seemed to get a little knocky.... The result..... LSD unit top hat is now a 4 piece model rather than a single - fortunately apart from the packing spacer the LSD and the ration seemed to have survived. So in went the spare diff head - and a change back to a 4.9 rather than the 4.4.... So the last round and more mechanical woes.... this gearbox has always been a little difficult in 3rd and 4th gears - which I put down to a stuffed shifter ball bush, as the locking in third issues seemed to sort themselves after I replaced the bush. Its had the odd big RPM down change where it didnt want to release out of third - but I thought that might be just a "feature", and largely ignored it. First time back out on the track - it started to baulk going into 4th, - no real drama' Second run - just catching my rival in class - ready for the overtake coming out of Dunlop - car wouldnt come out of third, and it would only release once all torque had come off the gearbox. Changed the shifter bush again - attempted a third run - jamming in third both up and down the box - trailer time... Did a box swap in the weekend - this is what we found.... The 1-2 selector fork - no issues The 3-4 selector fork - I think there is supposed to be a rubbing pad that fills the groove in the selector ring - not a hollow The spare box is back in - albeit with a dodgy 1st gear synchro ring.....hopefully we can get the shifter forks sorted.....

Update time. Got the new loom mainly in - found the ignition/light switch is missing half of it switching gear - so all the light functions wont work Added the correct blackout lights Added the oil bath air filter Opened up the wiring clamp holes in the guards that had been brazed up. New ignition switch is on its way from the States. Just need a battery and the old gal might be ready to try firing up.

Time for an update - I had intended getting the Indian fired up last year - but other things took priority with my money. So time to place an order to Ziggys A new wiring loom - apparently the best repro loom available - funny being clothe covered..... And a seat lower bracket - so I could finally convert this.... To the correct setup..... And the new front pipe fits nicely too....

Tony had these for the car Mine are more like these

I have a set of the correct Katayama flares for the early RX3 - actually brought from Katayama by the guys from Knightsports. However these aren't that much larger than the flares that are already on the car. The massive flares came in with the S2 cars - probably late in '73 (what we call the 12A). Once I've had molds taken of the flares - I'll get round to fitting them - they will give me the opportunity to run a heap more caster at the front - as with the 8 inch wheels - things are starting to get a little tight - and I want more low as well. At that stage the rear will also need metal work - as we cant flare the stardard arches too much more than they have already been done. The massive flare cars - actually have a heap more engineering done on the underside - the flares not only allowed the 11+ inch rear wheels - but the rear suspension was lowered substantially - which means cutting and reworking the floor behind the seats - to allow the diff/driveshaft to move - and thats somewhere I aint going with a car that is still road registered

Over the weekend it was time to do an oil change - and give the old girl a clean - as we were originally racing over Easter - which has now been called off. I've finally got around to putting the correct boot lid badging on.. I had some replica powered by rotary decals made - Added the under bonnet decals as well....

The cert is finally sorted so the car is completely legal again. Had the car at an event a few weeks ago - and the driveshaft started banging on the newly installed hoop After removing the hoop to finish the day - decided to invest in the genuine Mazda Race engine and gearbox mounts. However the issue was actually a little more basic that that - the gearbox mount was completely cactus.... Nice new MFR part I suspect the gearbox swinging around - is the reason I also have another broken speedo cable..

Its been a quiet few months - so time for an update. The last outing was in September - and was wet all day - I won the class with a slow 1:29:90 fastest lap time. This was good enough to win my class for the season - and second place in the overall drivers standings. Its been great to have a season with only minor niggles rather than engine failures. With the season at an end - it was time to take care of the "admin" stuff - the car needed to be recerted because of the engine/gearbox/wheel changes to keep it legal. None of the upgrades directly caused any grief for the inspection - the car needs to have a drive shaft hoop fitted due to the substantial increase over original HP (which was the case with the 10A), the wheel spacers needed to be secured to the hub (the wheel spacers were needed with the 15 x 7 wheels that the car was certed for), and the brake bias adjuster needed to be covered so that it cant be operated on the move (again the adjuster was fitted and certed with the rear disc upgrade). So I'm assuming that the regs have changed - or the certifier was a little lax with his reading of the rules. Anyhow its now got a drive shaft hoop A cover for the bias adjuster - courtesy of Kapiti Ice Cream And the spacers are now secured The spacers were the hardest thing to sort - the countersunk screws are M10 metric fine by 50mm long - and there were no fasteners in the country - and none expected before January. So they needed to be ordered in from the UK - at a cost of 2.50 pounds each - and of course then the counter sinking bit required - was bigger than the hardware stores carry - so was $64.00 instead of $8.00 A mission....... Now to get the retest done....so the paperwork will be complete and the cert reissued

Thanks - the American sites seem to have the MMC colours - but dont show the NZ local colours - they show a Canadian Green but it doesnt look dark enough

Hi I'm trying to locate the paint name/code for the dark metallic green that the Mitsi Cordias were painted. Does anybody have an old paint chart or Mitsi brochure that has the paint names/codes?

Rather than the latest update - how about some historic pikkies Freshly restored in 1993 - before the rollcage went in a couple of months later. Looking flash with brand new 13 x 7 hotwires and RE71s 1994 at Mazda Manfeild A little later in 1994 - at Baypark - the flares went on so that the 9 inch "cheater" Hoosier slicks would fit under the guards

The bike is a complete runner - so yes the rear guard is complete - I suspect that one of the jobs "in progress" on the bike was to remove the ultra low rear gear (so it would hill climb around the farm), and chain - so I assume the guard was dismantled to remove the rear wheel. The bike - like most of the civilianised Indians at the time never had an air filter fitted - probably to squeeze every possible HP out of the engine . I do have an oil bath air filter for the bike - one of my earlier purchases. Not too sure on the money estimates for the 741B - world-wide they are starting to get good coin - but because NZ was flooded with the bikes in 1941 - I suspect the purchase price is a little lower here. I've seen them not selling on TradeMe for $12Kish for restored bikes. The club valuation on my bike was $8500 as seen in the pictures. Master plan for this year is to get the bike fired up - but not really do any restoration activities done as yet. So ...... Get the exhaust mocked up - and then have the headers HPC coated Fit the Saddle - so new frame mount (mounting plate and U-bolts) is required to complete Get a new wiring loom and battery Fit the lights Have the wheels rebuilt - painted - new tyres and then.....hopefully fire the engine up oh and then I need to learn to ride the beast

Intention at this stage is to keep the bike red - had thought about the whole Khaki thing - but the bike was probably built out of parts after the war - and appears to have been always red (apart from the rear fame). So probably red - except for the lights and rims - which I like black - go Stainless Spokes - unpainted as well - so a little bit of shiny stuff

Sort of - it has twin petrol tanks - the top filler on the RHS is for the oil tank

I thought I had already posted this - but a search doesn't come up with anything.... so here goes Back in the 50s my old man and his brother both owned Indians. My old man settled down sold his Indian and bought a Austin A105, but my Uncle kept his as a farm bike on the the family farm in Makara. As kids - my sisters and I traveled all over the farm and the Makara coast on the back of that old Indian. It was last registered in 1974 - at about the same time a newish Yamaha CT175 Ag bike appeared on the scene. My Uncle died a couple of years back - and I couldnt bear seeing the family heirloom being sold off - so I ended up owning a 1942 Indian 741B I've been getting a few bits and pieces together over the last couple of years - and the plan is to try and get the old gal fired up this year. The main thing will be a new wiring loom and a new exhaust. The old tin can repair job might not pass a WOF I scored a new front pipe a few months ago off TradeMe This week I managed to source a Front Black Out Light - the correct Saddle and springs - and the complete Black Out rear light cluster The bike has the rear guard section not shown in the photos - but has a cut-down tail light

New PB at Manfeild at 1:20:33 Heres some incar from the day

Nearly all ready to go for tomorrow - new boots are on..... Got the correct rear panel badge on now as well

Alex - you mentioned a concern about oils in the V6 Mazda are now recommending their golden oil - in their motors in NZ (as you would expect them to do ) However the local parts guys were saying that through Aussie and NZ - they have seen a huge reduction in the number of warranty related issues - by going to the oil - from the locally branded "Mazda" oil - which I think may have been a Castrol/BP brew. Perhaps something to think about..... We are running this in the MX5

Had a stunning outing last time out with getting the RX3 into the low 1:21s at Manfeild Had a couple of issues - with a sticky starter solenoid - on a brand new starter motor!, and a plastic bush on the ball end of the shifter breaking - resulting on the gearbox overshifting and jamming in 3rd gear. Hopefully the times might come down again now that the new tyres have finally got in the country

In Wellington we have a sprints series that has been running for many years. The series classes are engine capacity based - and whether the car is modified or stock. The RX3 is in class M3 - modified between 1800cc and 2500cc. NA 12As and 13Bs fit in this class. The main competition is from other rotors and E30 M325i BMWs.

Its been a busy couple of weeks trying to get everything sorted on the front end. The bumper is now shortened and sorted. Sunny day - so time to get the car out of the shed. The two things we were waiting to arrive in the country were these ally tube air intakes to replace the middle headlights - these are quite nice - and give a 4 inch diameter intake - which we need both middle headlights for the air box The other was the correct fitting kit for the electric fan - and a fan controller The old - small fan is at least now on the radiator - which my give us some additional cooling. Next up is dyno time in a couple of weeks. Still need to sort out the air box - and get the fan controller fitted

Well it got its first outing - but not without drama beforehand Got the engine in - and running - and then we noticed a water leak from behind the water pump.... When I had shaved the waterpump housing - I didnt think about the waterpump plate itself - and it had causing the whole lot not to sit nicely - so back out with the pump - and apply more grinder - all sorted. Road tested the car - and found it would idle afterwards - the needle valve had been that modified - it had fallen out in transit. The day at the track was pretty uneventful - I wasnt as fast as I was hoping to get - I clocked a PB in the car at 1:22:34 - and got the class win by around 1 sec - so its wasnt all bad. The clutch is a pig - and I yet to master getting the car off the line cleanly. The engine temperatures were still too high - so we need to do so work with the aero into the radiator, and I suspect the car is running lean on wide open throttle - so the next outing will be to get it on a dyno. Anyway photo time. With the changes in radiator and oil cooler positions its time to take the car back to the future - and fit a 1972 style race front to the car. I suspect for the early races in '72 the aerodynamic addons for the "new" Savanna were scavenged from the Capella (RX2), and the Rotary Coupe (R100), as for '73 the cars got a full width spoiler Heres the look we looking for... So heres what it looks like .... Looks like I will need to modify a bumper - or use my fiberglass one, if I want to hang my front rego plate somewhere

After a bit of a mission the engine is now sitting in position As usual there were some challenges - the water pump neck is a S4 RX7 one - which normally are plastic - fortunately I brought an aluminum after market one - as it sat too tall - and needed cutting a welding to sort out. We are racing in a couple of weekends - so its gonna be a bit of a marathon run once the new oil cooler lines are built.